TO RESCUE A WITCH
by
Lisa A. Traugott
Historical Fiction / Action & Adventure / Witch Trials
Page Count: 398 pages
Publication Date: March 1, 2024
It’s 1739. An abused girl accused of witchcraft must be defended by a man married to an actual witch.
William MacLeod, a fierce Scottish lawyer with a kind heart, takes on a daunting task—rescue young Annaliese from the clutches of her tormentors in the untamed wilds of Virginia colony and deliver her safely to her aristocratic father in London. But lurking in the shadows are enemies eager to expose MacLeod’s own wife, Fiona, as a witch with a dark secret.
Their perilous journey takes an unexpected turn when their ship wrecks, and Annaliese’s haunting nightmares and unexplained Devil Marks trigger suspicion among the crew. Tension peaks when MacLeod must become Annaliese’s unwavering protector in a witch trial, where Fiona’s clairvoyance and a murder are unveiled.
To Rescue a Witch navigates themes of betrayal and redemption, in a spellbinding narrative that blends history, magic, and the unyielding resilience of the human spirit.
***** CLICK TO PURCHASE! *****
Hang on to your hat as this ship leaves port and the characters are taken on an exciting adventure when Annaliese and William MacLeod set out to sail back to London, inviting the reader to come along.
When we meet Annaliese for the first time, she’s chained to the porch of a shack in rural Virginia Colony, suffering horrible abuse from her step-father. The author doesn’t gloss over that abuse. Or the cruelty shown to slaves and indentured servants. Those sections are hard to read, especially if your gut wrenches at any kind of cruelty. But that’s how some people behaved at the time of this story, and the reader needs to know that in order to begin an understanding of the characters
Those scenes helps the reader realize why Annaliese suffers from those nightmares and acts like a willful, disobedient child. She is a child who was conditioned to abuse and brutality, and it takes much of the story for her to finally soften. MacLeod spends much of the story battling his growing love for this fragile child. Not physically fragile, but fragile in her mind, much like people today who suffer from PTSD.
That is a great thread of tension that underlies the main plot lines of the book.
The chapters are told from the POV of the different characters in the story, some of them endearing, like the young girl and the swoonable MacLeod. His wife, back in Scotland, is also a wonderful character, who has special ways with healing and is known to cast a spell or two. Many people think Fiona is a witch, MacLeod included, but he doesn’t care. His love for her is so evident, especially in the ways he’s supported her at times when the shadow of a real danger of being arrested looms over her. He could turn away from her when rumors start to rumble, intensifying that danger, but he doesn’t.
The hate-able characters include the man who starved, chained, and abused Annaliese, and a member of London Royalty. Lady Margaret has many lovers and developed intricate plots to entice them to kill her husband. She is a cold, ugly to her soul, woman, and I wish I’d only met her once, but her plans are integral to one thread of the plot, so she needed to stay until that wonderful ending.
There is an underlying theme of redemption, as well as justice in To Rescue A Witch. While Annaliese works through some of her PTSD and learns to act like a proper young lady, MacLeod has a change of heart over how he has treated one of his sons, and vows to right that wrong if they make it safely back to his home.
And oh, do the dark characters get their comeuppance! No spoilers here, but it’s worth reading the book to find out if MacLeod and Annaliese survive the arduous journey and what happens to her step father and to Lady Margaret.
The story is set in 1739, and the historical elements were well presented. I enjoyed getting glimpses of what life was like in the early colonization of Virginia, as well as how royalty in England lived and were intertwined. It was a harsh time to live, no matter where, and people had beliefs that stagger our sense of right. Ms. Traugott presents that all with great characterizations, wonderful dialogue, and descriptions that set the scenes perfectly.
To Rescue A Witch is a terrific read from page one until the end, and I enjoyed every page.
Lisa A. Traugott is an award-winning author and World Championship public speaker semifinalist and spoke five lines on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She lives in Austin with her husband, two kids, and English bulldog, Bruno.
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An excellent review, MaryAnne. I agree that some of the scenes were hard to read but they were necessary. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and congrats to Lisa!
Thanks for stopping by, Jan. I think it’s in a way a disservice to sanitize a story. But I also understand that some people have a stronger reaction to triggers than perhaps I do. When I read about abuse, it doesn’t always bring up the memories of abuse I suffered. Maybe because through therapy, I was able to work through it?