It all begins at Massachusetts Bay Colony, June 1, 1685. Fourteen-year-old Maude is the obedient daughter of Puritan parents fastidious about their membership in the Congregational Church. Maude never questioned her existence nor the expectations of her family. Still resolute in abiding by the rules, she doesn’t waver even when she finds herself mesmerized by the exotic Imelda, the barefoot, colorful, herb mixing enchantress that employs Maude to be her assistant. Under Imelda’s tutelage, Maude learns of the passion within her to find true love and personal worth. Unfortunately, her station as the dutiful daughter is threatened when her devotion to the Jewish born Micah is thwarted with her parents' plan to marry her off to a widower, Mr. Abbot. As Maude struggles to accept her fate, she becomes the target of a witch hunt of puritanical prejudices that ultimately lead her to the arms of the man of her dreams.

The Witches of Storm Island Book I: The Turning by Linda Watkins is a remarkable story of the historical time of the Salem witch trials and the dangers that surround individuals viewed as “different.” The unexplained actions of persons of this time period are explored and brought to vivid detail that keeps the reader captivated with the injustices suffered by the ignorance of early American settlers in the attempt to justify heinous punishments that defy religious and personal beliefs. Linda Watkins weaves an addictive tale that explodes into what I believe is a bestselling saga. I can’t wait for the continuation of The Witches of Storm Island!

The Witches of Storm Island, Book 1: The Turning by Linda Watkins takes us back to the year 1685 and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Fear, suspicion and the hushed whispers of witchcraft are rife amongst the Puritanical enclave. Ms. Watkins does a masterful job in bringing to life the daily lives of the colony’s inhabitants in this all-too-brief novella. However, fear not, The Turning serves as a prequel to a full-length novel – and series – involving the adventures of the protagonist, Maude Prichard.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of that era’s Salem witch trials, Maude finds herself working for an herbalist, Imelda, whose cures are suspiciously ahead of their time, and falling in love with Micah, a young Jewish boy she is forbidden from seeing by her Puritanical father. With shades of Romeo and Juliet and The Scarlet Letter, the three are forced to flee the Colony to the perceived safety of Storm Island. But will the island prove to be a safe haven? And what of the mysterious “Body Thief?” Ms. Watkins leaves the reader with many an unanswered question, and many delicious threads with which to weave a majestic tapestry for the full-length novel to come.

I look forward to the next installment in Maude’s adventures. And in particular, an expanded glimpse into the life and times of the colony’s inhabitants, the myriad struggles they face, and a deeper dive into a fascinating time in the early history of this nation. The Witches of Storm Island will leave you wanting more. I wonder if Imelda has a potion to remedy that?