'No wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime' Mail on Sunday Toil and trouble in store for Agatha! Cotswolds inhabitants are used to bad weather, but the night sky is especially foggy as Rory and Molly Harris, the new vicar and his wife, drive slowly home from a dinner party in their village of Sumpton Harcourt. They struggle to see the road ahead - but then screech to a halt. Right in front of them, aglow in the headlights of their car, a body hangs from a lightning-blasted tree at the edge of town. But it's not suicide; Margaret Darby, an elderly spinster of the parish, has been murdered - and the villagers are bewildered as to who would commit such a crime, and why. Agatha Raisin rises to the occasion, delighted to have some excitement back in her life as if truth be told, she was getting bored of the long run of lost cats and divorces on the books. But Sumpton Harcourt is an isolated and unfriendly village, she finds a place that poses more questions than answers. And when two more murders follow the first, Agatha begins to fear for her reputation - and her life. That the village has its own coven of witches certainly doesn't make her feel any better... Praise for M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin series 'A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed' Daily Mail 'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' Entertainment Weekly 'The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status' The Times
Welcome to Burning Lake, a small, isolated town with a dark history of witches and false accusations. Now, a modern-day witch has been murdered, and Detective Natalie Lockhart is reluctantly drawn deep into the case, in this atmospheric mystery from Alice Blanchard, The Witching Tree. As legend has it, if you carve your deepest desire into the bark of a Witch Tree, then over time as the tree grows, it will swallow the carvings until only a witch can read them. Until now. Detective Natalie Lockhart gained unwanted notoriety when she and her family became front and center of not one, but two sensational murder cases. Now she’s lost her way. Burned out and always looking over her shoulder, Natalie desperately thinks that quitting the police force is her only option left. All that changes when a beloved resident—a practicing Wiccan and founder of the town’s oldest coven—is killed in a fashion more twisted and shocking than Natalie has ever seen before, leaving the town reeling. Natalie has no choice but to help solve the case along with Detective Luke Pittman, her boss and the old childhood friend she cannot admit she loves, even to herself. There is a silent, malignant presence in Burning Lake that will not rest. And what happens next will shock the whole town, and Natalie, to the core.
"It's a damp and dull day, but in the kitchen it's warm and cosy. David and his mother are baking, and the delicious smells bring a greedy witch to their garden. Witches love to steal freshly baked cakes! She is going to use every magic trick she knows to steal their scrumptious treats, but can David outsmart her?"--Publisher information.
Folk herbalist Corinne Boyer guides you into the realm of plant lore, folk magic, and healing. This first book in a three-part series focuses on rustic magical traditions surrounding trees from western and northern Europe and North America. Within these pages, you will discover a wealth of home-spun hands-on practices exploring charms, spells, recipes, and rites focusing on twenty different trees.
A New York Times bestseller and a Best Book of 2018 by NPR, The New York Times Book Review, Amazon, The Boston Globe, LitHub, Vulture, Slate, Elle, Vox, and Electric Literature “Tana French’s best and most intricately nuanced novel yet.” —The New York Times An “extraordinary” (Stephen King) and “mesmerizing” (LA Times) standalone novel from the master of crime and suspense and author of the forthcoming novel The Hunter. From the writer who “inspires cultic devotion in readers” (The New Yorker) and has been called “incandescent” by Stephen King, “absolutely mesmerizing” by Gillian Flynn, and “unputdownable” (People) comes a gripping new novel that turns a crime story inside out. Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who’s dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life—he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family’s ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden—and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed. A spellbinding standalone from one of the best suspense writers working today, The Witch Elm asks what we become, and what we’re capable of, when we no longer know who we are.
Natural Magic at Its Finest For many Witches, there is no earthly manifestation more sacred than a tree. From their highest-reaching branches to the furthest depths of their underground roots, trees speak to us in a silent, magical language, emitting powerful energies that affect not just us, but the entire Universe. In her newest book, Tree Magic, best-selling author Lisa Chamberlain shows you how to work consciously with these energies to enhance and improve your life. Trees are perhaps the most diverse natural sources of magical ingredients. You can utilize leaves, bark, or branches in your spellwork, or take advantage of the magical properties of the nuts and fruits that trees provide. You might work with the resins or essences of particular trees, or utilize their energies in incense or essential oils. You can also accomplish some astounding manifestations simply by sitting at the base of a tree and attuning to its majestic presence. As you can see, the practice of tree magic has endless potential! This guide will help you find your own personal starting point. The Old Religion and the Trees of the New World Magic today is a highly diverse and eclectic practice, often borrowing from older pagan traditions while at the same time inventing new approaches. Understanding where our traditions come from can lead to fresh inspiration for new magical innovations. In this spirit, Lisa uncovers the importance of trees to the ritual and magical lives of two ancient Northern European cultures-the Germanic peoples and the Celts-that have long inspired modern Wiccan practices. She then outlines the roles trees play in Wiccan beliefs, and their contributions to tools of the Craft. Because so much of our understanding of tree magic has been handed down from European pagan traditions, modern sources on tree magic are often focused on species native to Europe, where these traditions originate. This guide takes a different approach, focusing on 13 magical trees native to North America, to help the Witches of "the New World" ground their practice of tree magic more firmly on home soil. You'll learn about the history and lore of each tree, where it can be found in the U.S. and Canada, and (of course!) its energetic properties and magical uses. What's more, the magical workings included in the guide are all focused on one or more of the featured trees (though appropriate substitutions are always welcome)! Indeed, Tree Magic has all you need to embark on a new leg of your magical journey, including: - How trees were used in ritual and magic by our pagan ancestors - The significance of trees to Wiccan cosmology and ritual practice - Advice for forging (and deepening) personal magical connections with the trees that live near you - Profiles of 13 common magical trees-their history and lore, energetic properties, and magical uses - How to safely and respectfully harvest magical ingredients from living trees - Ideas for making your own wand from a tree branch - Spells, meditations, rituals, and more for working with the natural magic of trees - A table of correspondences for easy reference By the end of this guide, you will have a greater understanding of the incredible, magical beings we call trees, and how to work with them to transform your life. So get ready to start developing your own unique practice of tree magic! If you're ready to start working magic with trees, just scroll to the top of the page and hit the Buy button!
Celebrate Celtic Symbolism, Mythology, and Magic throughout the Wheel of the Year Enjoy phenomenal healing and spiritual teachings from the trees with this powerful book of rituals. Sharlyn Hidalgo presents multi-faceted ceremonies for all thirteen moon months—and the final day of the Celtic year—from a practice she developed using the Celtic tree calendar and the Celtic tree ogham. These ceremonies will enhance your life, helping you build a deeper connection with nature and become a better steward of the planet. Celtic Tree Rituals leads you through each tree month, providing step-by-step instructions for the ritual, as well as group activities, song and dance suggestions, chants, and a guided meditation. You'll discover the ogham, keywords, totems, and deities for every month, plus special rituals for all eight sabbats. Sharlyn also provides stories for each month and a day that share her real-life experiences with the healing energies of the unseen realm and demonstrate how you can invite these healing relationships into your own life. This remarkable book is an essential tool for strengthening your creativity, community, and spirituality.
When a neighbor asks Nancy Drew to accompany her to an old uninhabited mansion, a new mystery opens ups, and danger lurks on the second floor. Nancy finds a witch tree symbol that leads her to Pennsylvania Dutch country in pursuit of a cunning and ruthless thief. The friendly welcome the young detective and her friends receive from the Amish people soon changes to hostility when it is rumored that Nancy is a witch! Superstition helps her adversary in his attempt to get her off his trail, but Nancy does not give up. Persistently she uncovers one clue after another. Nancy’s intelligence and sleuthing ability finally lead to the fascinating solution of this puzzling case.
Explore the old witchcraft, magical traditions, and folklore nurtured amidst the ancient lands of South West England. Gemma Gary presents Devonshire's witches and magical folk as well as spirit vision, cure charms, protections and magical defense, and more. Silent as the Trees also includes a black book of Devonshire Magic with an extensive collection of genuine spells, charms, and rites.