This week’s Jen’s Jewels spotlight is shining brightly on WITCH TRIAL by Harriet Tyce. This gripping and clever legal thriller, about two girls accused of murder, will have you turning pages and staying up well past your bedtime. If you like dark, twisty suspense packed with secrets and surprises, this one is for you. Read on!
LIGHTNING ROUND
What’s your favorite way to spend a crisp September afternoon?
Walking in the woods as the color of the leaves starts to turn.
What’s your go-to fall drink, snack, or sweet treat while writing?
Black coffee, dark chocolate, warm cinnamon buns.
If your main character could plan the perfect early autumn getaway, where would they go?
Matthew is a sophisticated man – I can see him on a street in Florence, Italy, or looking at a Venetian canal.
THE FALL INSPIRATION
September often feels like a fresh start. Did writing this book mark a new beginning or challenge for you as an author?
This book is the first of mine with a male narrator, which was an interesting challenge to set myself. It also has several other voices, and plays with form in a way that I haven’t done before.
What was the very first spark that inspired this story?
I wanted to write a book about juries as I find the idea of the different perspectives held by each of the jurors fascinating. My editor suggested putting a teenager in the dock and thus the bones of the story were found.
Did any character unexpectedly take the story in a direction you hadn’t planned?
There is a character with blonde hair who is sitting in through the trial – she played a part that I did not initially anticipate at all.
Your setting feels like a character in its own right. What inspired you to choose it, and how does it shape the story?
I had originally intended to set the book in London because the English legal system is the one that I know. This carried various plotting challenges, however, which was better dealt with within the Scottish legal system (the legal systems in England and Scotland differ in many ways) so I moved the location to Edinburgh, Scotland. It should always have been set there really as there is a great deal of history of witch trials in Edinburgh so it’s very appropriate for the book.
As the seasons change, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past. Did any personal memories, traditions, or meaningful places influence this book?
Edinburgh is my home town and the place where I grew up so yes, it was the perfect setting for the book in every way.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
Can you share a behind-the-scenes fact about writing this book that readers may find surprising?
There were some startling parallels between the book and my experience on The Traitors UK, even though I finished writing the book well before I even applied to go on the show. A person ends up in a sequestered environment in which they must determine who is telling the truth and who is lying. There are lots of dark elements – crows, Scottish scenery, cloaks, ouija boards, tarot! Not to mention cats and pigeons (if you know you know)…
Every novel has its challenges. Was there a moment while writing this one that reminded you why you love storytelling?
When I cracked exactly what it was I was writing I actually started cackling. I entertained myself hugely with how the book ends and I will be astonished if anyone manages to guess what I’m up to.
If readers could step into one scene from your book for a day, which would you choose and why?
I would suggest a lovely day out in North Berwick, a town along the coast from Edinburgh. When my main character Matthew goes it ends quite badly but for you it would be great – take the train along the coast, eat lobster and chips from the Lobster Shack, go for a walk on the beach and climb North Berwick Law which is a hill on the edge of the town which gives you a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside.
LOOKING AHEAD
Can you give readers a sneak peek at what you’re working on next—without giving away any spoilers?
I’m writing a sequel to WITCH TRIAL at the moment. I’ve never written a sequel before as I’ve always known what was going to happen next for my previous characters but in this book I still have a lot of questions. It’s going to be set ten years after the end of Witch Trial and I’m very excited to find out what’s in store for everyone.
Where can readers connect with you and stay up to date on your latest books? Please share your website, newsletter, and social media links.
My website, my Instagram, my Facebook, and I have a Substack at www.harriettyce.substack.com
BONUS: The Author’s Playlist
Share 3–5 songs that capture the mood of your book or inspired you while writing.
Rattlesnakes – Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra
I Want To Be Evil – Eartha Kitt
Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks
Lucretia My Reflection – Sisters of Mercy
Internationally bestselling author Harriet Tyce returns with a page-turning thriller involving three teenage girls, one murdered classmate, and a chilling modern-day witch trial that will leave readers breathless.
Let the Witch Trial begin . . .
When eighteen-year-old Christian Shaw is found dead in a park, the city of Edinburgh is stunned—and the shock only deepens when police charge her best friends, Eliza Lawson and Isobel Smyth, with the murder. As social media explodes in a tizzy of theories and headlines scream for justice, rumors of bullying are overshadowed by something more wicked and frightening: whispers of dark rituals, feverish obsession, and a teenage pact gone wrong.
When the trial begins, everyone in Edinburgh clamors for a front-row ticket to the show: to look upon the murderous Eliza and Isobel with their own eyes. Everyone, that is, but Matthew Phillips, a respected heart surgeon picked for the jury. But, as the trial unfolds—and the girls’ lawyers offer a surprising and unsettling defense—the reluctant Matthew finds himself questioning everything: the motives, the evidence, even his own judgement. Then he begins to have strange visions of terrifying things—hallucinations he tells himself. After all, witchcraft isn’t real . . . or is it?
Who is telling the truth? Who can be trusted?
And what really happened to Christian Shaw?
Horror | Thriller Paranormal - Supernatural [ Harper Perennial, On Sale: September 29, 2026, Paperback / e-Book / audiobook, ISBN: 9780063492936 / eISBN: 9780063492943 ]
HARRIET TYCE grew up in Edinburgh. She studied English at Oxford University and Law at City University before working as a criminal barrister for nearly a decade. She lives in London.
Jennifer Vido is the award-winning author of the Gull Island series, a collection of sweet Lowcountry romances inspired by her love of coastal living and small-town charm. Her debut novel, Serendipity by the Sea, won Best First Book from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. Jennifer has been named Baltimore Magazine’s Best Local Author for three consecutive years (2024–2026) and was named The Baltimore Sun’s Best Author in its 2026 Best of Readers’ Choice Awards. When she’s not writing romance, Jennifer shares her love of books through her weekly Jen’s Jewels column, where she spotlights exciting new releases and talented authors.
No comments posted.
© 2003-2026