The First Witches An Extraordinary Story of Magic, Strife and Tragedy

'Wonderfully vivid' Ronald Hutton, author of The Witch

'Surprising, imaginative and wonderfully researched' Marion Gibson, author of Witchcraft

'A fascinating addition to our knowledge and a joy to read about a woman who gets away!' Philippa Gregory, author of Normal Women

In the year 1324, in Ireland's second biggest town, Kilkenny, there lived a wealthy, powerful woman named Dame Alicia Kyteler. After three of her husbands died suspiciously, and with the fourth gravely ill, Alicia and eleven accomplices came under the suspicion of the local bishop, Richard Ledrede. A witch-hunt began.

Through rich, creative prose, historian Anthony Bale reveals how this prosperous yet fractious town stumbled into these allegations, leading to the tragedy that befell Dame Alicia and her accomplices, resulting in one of the accused being burnt at the stake for her crimes against the church.

In time, Europe would be overcome by the "witch craze". The hysteria that followed was by no means inevitable at the time of Bishop Ledrede and Dame Alicia, but their story bears many of the hallmarks of later witch-hunting. Here, in this small Irish town, was where the case against the witch was crystallised and its impact was felt across Europe.

With vivid and enthralling storytelling, this is a story that starts in a quiet Irish town and transports us across medieval Europe, from the countryside to the papal court, to discover the making of the witch.

More praise for The First Witches

'Lyrical, compelling and masterful' Elizabeth Boyle, author of Fierce Appetites

'Compelling, unsettling and beautifully researched'' Estelle Paranque, author of Blood, Fire and Gold

'Brilliantly researched and compellingly told, this is chilling and thrilling in equal measure' Erin Goeres, author of Nineteen Days in Autumn