A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

Two women, bound by blood and betrayal, must break silence across centuries—or be silenced forever.

Lilith Legare’s life is unraveling. Since her mother’s death, strange things have been happening - plants turn toward her touch, animals linger in her path, and the birthmark on her arm has started tingling. Worse still is her recurring nightmare of being burned alive at the stake.

Her search for answers brings her from Savannah to England, to the decaying Brackenmere Manor where the past blurs with the present. There, Lilith discovers a legacy she never asked for and along with it, the threat of peril. History must be rewritten, or she too will die.

In 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham stands accused as a witch. An educated, wealthy widow, she is branded a threat by men who fear her independence. As arrests begin and suspicion abounds, Sybil must protect her younger sister, even as betrayal takes root within her household.

Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women’s power for generations—and dare to claim their voices before it’s too late.

Kindle Edition, 380 pages

Expected publication September 1, 2026 

by Hanover Square Press

3.5/5 stars

Madeline Martin steps away from her usual World War II historical fiction with A Time of Witches,  trading the battlefields of the war for the witch hunts of 1645 in Suffolk, England. It is a big departure and for the most part it works.

The story moves between present day Lilith Legare and Sybil Brantham in the 1600s, two women connected across centuries by legacy neither of them chose. I enjoyed the present day storyline and how the links between Lilith and Sybil slowly came together. 

That said, something felt like it was missing for me, though I cannot quite put my finger on what.  Maybe I wanted more time with Sybil before her arrest. We meet her already caught up in accusation and suspicion, and I would have liked the chance to know her as a person first - an educated widow living her life before everything changes for her. That groundwork felt a little thin.

Still, this was an enjoyable read overall. Martin clearly did her research into the witch hunts and the atmosphere she builds is good throughout. 

My thanks to Hanover Press for a digital ARc in exchange for a honest review.