Nearly 500 years ago, a woman was burned... and this village never forgot.

Lonely widow Susan Reid, scarred by a childhood accident, makes an impulsive decision to start again in a remote Cornish village. Polherron is picturesque, steeped in myths and ancient traditions – the perfect place to disappear into a quieter life.

As Susan settles in, she becomes drawn to a local legend: Edyth Legge, a young woman burned for witchcraft in the sixteenth century. With the village preparing for the Day of the Haegtesse — an annual festival marking the anniversary of Edyth's death — Susan begins to sense she's being watched. Then, when a child goes missing, the cracks in Polherron's charm begin to show.

She soon meets Jeremiah, a hermit who lives near the Dipping Pool – the place Edyth was tortured during the witch trials. Susan bonds with Jeremiah, and despite her fears about some of the locals, she trusts her new friend. And as the festival approaches and long-buried rituals stir back to life, Susan realises that this idyllic village hides a secretive community steeped in dark folklore.

Can Susan find the strength to confront her past and the people around her before the village decides her fate?

For fans of C.J. Cooke and Alex North, The Bone Garden is ideal for readers who love slow-burn folk horror and atmospheric psychological thrillers.

Tess Burnett