The Books That Inspired ‘The Hidden Letters of Abigail Goode’

“In 1624 Abigail Goode is drowned for witchcraft and adultery. Her wealthy lover, Edward Howth, betrays her when he fears their affair has been discovered. Four hundred years later, Jen moves into the ancient cottage where Abigail once lived and finds herself fending off the advances of Marcus Howth, who tries to seduce and then humiliate her through a bitter social media campaign. Abigail reaches across the centuries to help Jen fight back and lift the lid on witch-hunts old and new. They form an unlikely bond to challenge those who try to destroy them.”

Pitch for The Hidden Letters of Abigail Goode.

Readers who write are like magpies; as they finish a book, they make a mental note of what lodged with them from a novel; it could be the way a character acts or speaks, the detail in the description of a room, or simply an atmosphere.

The Hidden Letters of Abigail Goode is its own story, but there are definitely books that have left an impression on me so much that I wanted to include them here. They also serve as a list of recommendations!

You Can Trust Me by Gina Blaxill

This is a pacy YA thriller, set in a contemporary British setting in which new girl Alana finds her best friend drowned in ‘the witch’s pool’ in the grounds of an aristocratic family house. Alana discovers that the dead girl has a date rape drug in her system, and worse still that it was clearly meant for her. What I took from Blaxill’s novel was the pacy, immediacy of teen life and I tried to emulate that in my modern timeline which focuses on Jen and her friends. 

The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch

Another YA title, which captures the casual cruelty of the teenage world. However, what makes this a standout title (It was shortlisted for The Carnegie Prize) is its speculative twist. I loved how Finch created a nightmarish plot in which Spence must relive the same day in which his classmate Clara is killed at a friend’s party, until he learns how to change his attitudes to girls. Most impressive is the way Finch weaves the supernatural structure into the everyday, and the satisfying way in which Spence must learn how his actions affect others.

The Burning by Laura Bates

Bates is a powerful feminist voice, whose writing calls out misogyny in an increasingly complex digital world. This was her breakout YA title, and this book is the closest to my own story. Like my novel, there are two timelines: there is Maggie who lives and dies in the 17th century after falling pregnant out of wedlock and accused of witchcraft and Anna, forced to leave her own school because of on-line slut shaming. Anna discovers that she has more in common with Maggie, than she might have first expected. It’s a brutal read, and one which compelled me to keep writing my own book.

Witch Hill by Marcus Sedgwick

This is a novella I read many years ago, after Marcus Sedgwick visited my school. The chilling thing that I remember most is his recollection of how when he was writing this book in a rented cottage, he had a recurrent dream where a witch would come into his room and lean over him to whisper in his ear. This experience inspired Jamie’s story as he moves into his aunt’s house in a village overlooked by ‘Witch Hill’. Soon he is drawn into a century’s old web of ancient magic and secret rites that he must try to survive.

The Bride’s Farewell by Meg Rosoff

I love Rosoff’s writing. She was the first YA writer I knew of, and I have read everything she has written since her debut ‘How I Live Now”, back in 2004. Rosoff makes writing look effortless, and I wanted to try and capture that, the cleanness of prose and readability. The Bride’s Farewell follows Pell, a young girl living in the Salisbury countryside of the 19th century. What I loved about this is the way Rosoff wrote in a historical setting yet made Pell as relatable as any modern teen. That’s what I wanted to do when writing Abigail’s character.

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver.

For creeping dread and atmospheric settings, look no further than Michelle Paver who has an ability to write in a compellingly chilling way. I read this after I had finished the first draft of my manuscript and then went back and took the supernatural chills up a notch. This novel is genuinely frightening: set in Edwardian Suffolk, Maud lives at the edge of the fens with her brilliant, volatile father. He is an artist, obsessed by a devilish painting that he uncovers in the local church. Have demonic forces been unleashed? Maud must try to outwit her father and survive in an eerie isolated place surrounded by dark water.

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

This book captured the era that I wanted to write. It is set in the 17th century against the backdrop of the Pendle Witch trials. It tells the story of young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a young bride expected to produce an heir for her rich husband. Troubled by illness, she is attended by one Alice Grey, a girl known to understand the herbs that can help her mistress. However, soon Alice is accused of witchcraft and Fleetwood must decide where her loyalties lie. The richness of period detail in this book is compelling, and I wanted to recreate something of this in the historical sections of The Hidden Letters of Abigail Goode.

The Twelve by Liz Hyder

Atmospheric setting in Pembrokeshire, and mired deep in magic, this is another YA writer who I admire very much. Her story, in which Kit’s sister, Libby goes missing on a Winter holiday in a remote part of Wales is strange and magical. Kit finds herself drawn into the deep past, a place of standing stones, crashing waves, ancient mists and dark forces. At the heart of it there is a really believable relationship between Kit and Story, a young boy who doesn’t seem to fit in with the modern world. Strong writing and a memorable setting.

The Haunting Season Anthology

A delicious collection of spooky tales from a range of brilliant writers including Laura Purcell, Bridget Collins and Kiran Millward Hargrave. Each one has a chilling idea, so that by the time you have finished reading the collection, you are acquiring ghostly threads to weave into your own work. I especially loved ‘The Chillingham Chair’ by Laura Purcell which combined a haunted wheelchair and a poisonous herb garden.

Weyward by Emilia Hart

This recently published bestseller was a real page turner for me. Three timelines, three women all accused of being ‘Weyward’. The thread runs between the generations and Altha, Violet and Kate all become increasingly interconnected by the magic knowledge that runs down the centuries. I loved her storytelling and her ability to make all worlds rich in supernatural detail. Some of the imagery has stayed with me, long after I closed the book. That is something I’d love to aim for.

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