Fascinated by Witches!

I first came across the name Alice Molland in the Penguin History of Witchcraft, where I read that Alice was accused of witchcraft in 1685, at the Exeter Assizes Court in Devon, England.

As a young woman in my 20s, I was thrilled to see my last name printed in a book for the first time and decided Alice must be my ancestor. My father, a Church of England vicar, did not share my excitement; he grabbed the book and told me to never again speak of this woman.

But Alice haunted me and I knew I had to find out more about her. THE MAKING OF A WITCH is a work of fiction but the germ of the idea for my novel came from Alice Molland and the historical evidence I uncovered while carrying out my research in the city of Exeter, England.

I am so excited to share the story of Alice Molland.