The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre 

Released: 7th of February 20019 

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17 years old, married, and pregnant for the fourth time. But as the mistress at Gawthorpe Hall, she still has no living child, and her husband Richard is anxious for an heir. When Fleetwood finds a letter she isn¹t supposed to read from the doctor who delivered her third stillbirth, she is dealt the crushing blow that she will not survive another pregnancy.

When she crosses paths by chance with Alice Gray, a young midwife, Alice promises to help her give birth to a healthy baby, and to prove the physician wrong. 

When Alice is drawn into the witchcraft accusations that are sweeping the North-West, Fleetwood risks everything by trying to help her. But is there more to Alice than meets the eye? 

As the two women's lives become inextricably bound together, the legendary trial at Lancaster approaches, and Fleetwood¹s stomach continues to grow. Time is running out, and both their lives are at stake. 

Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

What I Have to Say 

After a shaky start, I got really into this book. I loved the way the friendship formed between Alice and Fleetwood. I think if it hadn't been for that strong class-defying friendship, I would have trudged my way through the book feeling really disappointed. But as it was, I was completely hooked by the end, desperate to have Alice saved and Fleetwood away from her husband, because let's be honest, she deserved way better. 

I was really fascinated to read the author's note and find out how many of the characters were based on real people. Even though they weren't much more than names, I love how the author took the details of the actual witch trial and mystery of Alice Gray and built so much around it, keeping so many of it grounded in the real people who lived in the area at that time. 

The facts of the witch trials were really interesting too. It was the kind of thing that could have weighed down the plot, and did a little at the start, but once everything started to get dangerous, it was just an extra detail as the plot unwinded and came to the thrilling conclusion. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Bonnier for providing me with a free copy for review.