The Ward Witch
Mysterious, magical, and a little bit deadly… Welcome to Unholy Island.
Esme Gray runs the guest house and tends to the ethereal wards that protect the island. She’s sheltering from a terrible past and will do anything to stay safely hidden.
Luke Taylor has been searching for his missing twin for months, but has begun to believe that his brother might be dead. With his hope in tatters, a tip off leads him to a remote tidal island in the North Sea. It’s further out than the famous Holy Island, and far stranger.
Visitors shouldn’t be able to stay for more than two nights, so when Luke breaks this rule, the close-knit community is sent into turmoil. The residents of Unholy Island have secrets and they intend to keep them.
When Luke stumbles across one of the islanders dead on the shore, he finds himself under suspicion, made worse by his own troubles washing up on the tide.
Esme is drawn to Luke, but she doesn’t trust her own instincts. That’s not ideal for a witch — especially when there is a killer on the loose and a storm is rolling in…
The Ward Witch is the first book in a brand new contemporary fantasy series from the bestselling author of magical fiction, Sarah Painter.
*The Ward Witch is set in the same world as the urban fantasy mystery books, Crow Investigations, but it is the start of a separate series and can be enjoyed independently.
Sarah Painter
Sarah Painter has always been drawn to the quiet spaces where reality brushes against the magical. From her home in rural Scotland, she crafts contemporary fantasy novels that feel at once familiar and enchanted, offering readers a world where hidden powers stir just beneath the surface of everyday life.
Painter first made her mark with The Language of Spells, a lyrical story that hinted at the emotional depth and atmospheric beauty that would become hallmarks of her work. But it’s through the Crow Investigations series that she has truly carved her place among readers who crave their mysteries laced with magic. Set in a secret London where ancient families guard old powers and private investigator Lydia Crow tries to keep one foot in the ordinary world, the series blends urban fantasy with classic noir in a way that feels both fresh and timeless.
Unholy Island
Trilogy.
Unholy Island consists of three books — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
