The Year of the Witching

The Handmaid's Tale meets The Village in this stunning feminist debut . . .

Shortlisted for the GoodReads Choice Awards 2020 for Best Debut Novel and Best Horror Novel . . .

'Thrillingly brisk and bracing . . . it takes the best tropes of horror and witchcraft and gives them a refreshingly feminist twist.'
S.A. CHAKRABORTY, author of The City of Brass

Born on the fringes of Bethel, Immanuelle does her best to obey the Church and follow Holy Protocol. For it was in Bethel that the first Prophet pursued and killed four powerful witches, and so cleansed the land.

And then a chance encounter lures her into the Darkwood that surrounds Bethel.

It is a forbidden place, haunted by the spirits of the witches who bestow an extraordinary gift on Immanuelle. The diary of her dead mother . . .

Fascinated by and fearful of the secrets the diary reveals, Immanuelle begins to understand why her mother once consorted with witches. And as the truth about the Prophets, the Church and their history is revealed, so Immanuelle understands what must be done. For the real threat to Bethel is its own darkness.

Bethel must change. And that change will begin with her . . .

'A magnificent, raw slice of folk horror, dark with threat and clenched with suspense . . . a brilliant debut to chill the brightest summer day. ― DAILY MAIL

A thrillingly brisk and bracing tale of magic and power, I loved this book. It takes the best tropes of horror and witchcraft and gives them a refreshingly feminist twist. -- S.A. CHAKRABORTY, author of The City of Brass

A dark, dramatic tale of oppression and rebellion, ideology and morality, with a complicated, appealing protagonist caught in a Handmaid's Tale nightmare . . . a fine addition to the body of feminist fantasy works, a great read. -- LOUISA MORGAN, author of The Age of Witches

Bewitching . . . Henderson offers a powerful portrait of patriarchal, racial, and religious abuses . . . conjuring a sense of creeping dread and maintaining the pacing throughout. This riveting work announces Henderson as an exciting new voice in dark fantasy. ― PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Slow burn horror crossed with a powerfully feminist coming-of-age novel . . . this book will haunt your dreams. -- CHRISTINA HENRY, author of The Lost Boy

Beautifully sinister and beguiling, The Year of the Witching is blood-drenched, horrific and enchanting from start to finish. -- TASHA SURI, author of Empire of Sand

Bone-chilling and breathtakingly beautiful . . . The Year of the Witching is storytelling at its finest. -- RENA BARRON, author of Kingdom of Souls

The Year of the Witching blew me away. It's a masterpiece. ― S F BOOK REVIEW

Alexis Henderson is a speculative fiction writer with a penchant for dark fantasy, witchcraft, and cosmic horror. She grew up in one of America’s most haunted cities, Savannah, Georgia, which instilled in her a life-long love of ghost stories. When she doesn’t have her nose buried in a book, you can find her painting or watching horror movies with her feline familiar. Currently, Alexis resides in the sun-soaked marshland of Charleston, South Carolina.