The Ward Witch

<p><strong>Mysterious magical and a little bit deadly... Welcome to Unholy Island. </strong></p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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...</p><p><br></p><p><strong>The Ward Witch is the first book in a brand new contemporary fantasy series from the bestselling author of magical fiction Sarah Painter. </strong></p><p><br></p><p>*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.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Praise for the Crow Investigations Series:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><em>'I'm a huge fan!'</em> Charlaine Harris #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels</p><p><br></p><p><em>'My favourite new urban fantasy series clever and twisty and deliciously magical with a shivery sense of wonder that feels utterly grounded in its London setting. Perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch Genevieve Cogman or Robert Galbraith!'</em></p><p>Stephanie Burgis author of Snowspelled</p><p><em>'The Lydia Crow books are a firm favourite of mine combining intriguing crime fiction with a hint of other-worldly mysticism. The characters are brilliantly drawn and Sarah Painter cleverly makes them believable despite them having magical powers - or even being dead. With just enough comedy to make the dark bits even darker and the perfect amount of mystery these books are a wonderful read.'</em> Kerry Barrett</p>