A beautiful cover and a magical title lured me into this book when I was handed to me by a rep from the publisher a good few months before this title was released.

It's historical fantasy fiction with demons and witchcraft. Not my usual reading matter and I was a little wary but I was assured this was a book I wouldn't want to overlook, and so it proved. Powerfully gothic atmosphere, compelling characters and an intriguing storyline. It may be a cliche but I couldn't put it down - though resisted reading it too late in the evening.

It's written by Natasha Siegel who has written two other novels, currently only available in the US. They are both romantic historical fiction. This is a departure but very much the genre she feels most passionate about writing, she says, so we are likely to see much more from her and certainly next year there's a second book scheduled to appear in her two book deal with Bloomsbury's imprint, Archer.

The story is inspired by Christopher Marlowe's play 'Doctor Faust' which Natasha studied at university and which had a big impact on her.

We are first in 1592 and meet Cybil Harding, said to have been born with the family curse. Her father is an alchemist, her mother is overwhelmed with the grief of losing her baby son. Cybil is left alone to worry about her destiny and determined to overcome it.

She is confronted by Miriam Richter, a creature 'forged by the dark arts' who consumes mortals for sustenance. She is attracted to the light of Cybil's soul and suggests a pact. Cybil can be reincarnated, to change her fortune, if she agrees to give Miriam her soul.

The story continues through the centuries as Miriam endeavours to secure her prize and Cybil tries to outwit her. In the process, the bond between the two, light and dark, grows stronger. Who will win? Can either survive without the other?

This is a tremendous book and rather haunting. And it's particularly interesting to a Suffolk reader as the book was conceived here. Natasha spent some time during the pandemic living in the countryside outside Woodbridge and her visits to a deserted, misty Sutton Hoo inspired the setting for the early part of this novel.

A fantastic read!