The Daylight Gate

“Mixing historical detail and dark horror, [Winterson] brilliantly brews a spellbinding take on the 1612 English witch trials.”—People

An instant bestseller in the UK, The Daylight Gate is Jeanette Winterson’s singular vision of a dark period of complicated morality, sex, and tragic plays for power in a time when politics and religion were closely intertwined. On Good Friday, 1612, deep in the woods of Pendle Hill, a gathering of thirteen is interrupted by the local magistrate. Two of their coven have already been imprisoned for witchcraft and are awaiting trial, but those who remain are vouched for by the wealthy and respected Alice Nutter. Shrouded in mystery and gifted with eternally youthful beauty, Alice is established in Lancashire society and insulated by her fortune. As those accused of witchcraft retreat into darkness, Alice stands alone as a realm-crosser, a conjurer of powers that will either destroy her or set her free.

“Winterson’s haunting imagery and narrative immediacy captivate. An engrossing story that’s sure to leave you shivering.”—Elle

“This book is addictive, a page-turner…Winterson lays on the horror and the supernatural with gleeful abandon.”—LA Review of Books

“A daring historical novel…a portal in prose….Any reader who crosses over into this novel will remember vividly where he or she has traveled.”—NPR.com

“Delightfully gruesome.”—New York Times