1668.

John Grey is now a Justice of the Peace in the Essex village where he grew up.

As the village is cut off from the rest of the world by heavy snowfall, George Barwell is discovered dead in the woods. Grey is called to examine the horribly disfigured body amidst the rumours that the attack has been the work of reputed witch Alice Mardike.

As Barwell's father-in-law leads the villagers into kidnapping Alice and throwing her into the millpond, Grey agrees to investigate the murder.

But if Grey can't solve the mystery of George Barwell's death within a week, Mardike will be tried for witchcraft - and the sentence has already been decided . . .

Praise for L. C. Tyler

'Len Tyler writes with great charm and wit' Susanna Gregory

'Tyler juggles his characters, story, wit and clever one-liners with perfect balance' The Times

'A dizzying whirl of plot and counterplot' Guardian

'I was seduced from John Grey's first scene' Ann Cleeves

'Unusually accomplished' Helen Dunmore