The Norway of The Witch in the Well – Camilla Bruce

Norway’s woods with Camilla Bruce

I ventured into this book with trepidation – just look at the cover for starters! What really interested me was the fact that the locations in this book are all vague. The town where the main action unfolds is simply referred to as F -. What does it mean and why did the author choose to do this?

BookTrail locations in The Witch in the Well

BookTrail locations in The Witch in the Well

Plot

The setting is a town called F – . So the mystery starts straight away. This town has a secret – a young girl drowned in a well more than 160 years ago. Suspected of witchcraft. Local teacher Catherine Evans writes about her. When Elena returns to the town, she is already an author and the story of the well interests her. Catherine have the same story to tell but very different ways of telling it.

Before the summer is over – one woman will be dead, the other accused of murder . . .

And who really was the girl in the well?

BookTrail locations in The Witch in the Well

The writing  is very descriptive, and I felt I was in those woods from the start.  The atmosphere is creepy and downright spooky…..

BookTrail locations in The Witch in the Well

BookTrail locations in The Witch in the Well

For a really immersive setting – there’s an old dilapidated castle/manor house owned by Elena’s uncle which adds a large dose of horror to the multitude of dark tones that swirl around every page. This house contains the well where the horrors of the past unfolded….

BookTrail locations in The Witch in the Well

The imagery in the book is also strong. Witches drowning and people with bags over theie heads so they can’t see what is about to happen to them. That cover again. This is the American one…..

The central theme of the novel is that of Ilsbeth Clark who was accused of witchcraft and subsequently drowned in a well in 1862. Now, more than 160 years later, her story is quite literally coming back to haunt the locals.

Does this sound like a setting you would want to spend time in?