This novel tackles an interesting subject. Set during the turbulent English Civil War, a vicar spends the night in the gaol cell of an old woman who is to be hanged for witchcraft in the morning. He questions her on the various crimes of which she is accused, wanting answers which will satisfy his own tormenting religious doubts, and his doubts about his dead wife and whether or not she was unfaithful to him. To obtain answers, he inflicts torture on the woman, such as having her walked up and down the cell by gaolers, kept awake (by implication for days before this) and even beaten.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints, including that of the old woman, Alice, the vicar and many others in the community. She seems to condemn herself, as the village wise woman who exploited her position of fear and was the daughter of the previous wise man. She has had an unusual history compared to others who have never left their village, because, as a young woman, she ran off with a handsome juggler leaving her daughter Margaret and husband, which is another thing to set her apart. Alice had a troubled relationship with Margaret who felt unloved, and also with an adopted daughter, the child of her sister who died giving birth. Yet it becomes clear that a lot of the accusations are unfair and should instead be directed against other people.

As well as the multiple viewpoint, the story is told in small snippets so the viewpoint switches are frequent. Every character has his or her axe to grind. The outcome is not in doubt either, because the opening segment is by Margaret who has fled the area with her family having first buried her mother in the churchyard - a burial place denied those who have been executed for witchcraft, but which, as it transpires, the vicar will not challenge for reasons of his own.

I found a problem with the constant swapping around between so many viewpoints, which for me diluted the narrative and made it difficult to keep track of who was who at times, a problem worsened because there wasn't much differentiation between the voices. So an interesting concept and period of history but not quite well enough executed to really hold my interest. ( )