They Can't Burn Us All

Iceland, 1655 
 
When a land of ice and fire, legends and sagas is swept into the Protestant Reformation, a witch-hunting craze begins. Unusually, those condemned and burned as witches are not women, but respectable men of learning. 
 
Þuríður Jónsdóttir has grown up praying to the old gods, and watching her father and brother practise rune magic. When the two men are accused of witchcraft and condemned to burn at the stake, Þuríður is helpless to save them. 
 
But as Lutheran Pastor Jón Magnússon's accusing gaze turns to Þuríður, he will find that she is a woman prepared to fight back. 
 
In an age of fear and persecution, whose side will the village take? Who will fight for justice? 
 
Set against a backdrop of sweeping religious and social change, this is a story of the most famous witch trial in Iceland – where one woman stands up to the patriarchal forces against her.

Cathryn Kemp is a Sunday Times bestselling ghostwriter and author, with a prolific career writing celebrity, inspirational, true crime, addiction and nostalgia titles. Her personal memoir Coming Clean won the Big Red Read Prize for Non-Fiction. 
 
 
A Poisoner’s Tale is her first foray into historical fiction. When not researching dark, dangerous and beguiling women from history, Cathryn can be found on the south coast with her son and her familiar, a ginger cat called Gingey.

Cathryn Kemp

Such a moving and unforgettable story. . . A thoughtful read that asks hard questions and bears us witness to the tragic lives of these strong women and the devastating sacrifices they make to help their sisters in need. A gripping tale of dedication, courage and sacrifice.

An utterly captivating tale of poisoners and papal intrigue, this novel is a taut, thrilling and wholly immersive journey through Rome’s underbelly. Kemp is an astonishingly talented storyteller, and her characters will linger long after you’ve finished reading.

A Poisoner's Tale prompts poignant questions of morality and justice. It's a story that is guaranteed to stay with you long after reading it.

A gorgeous historical novel about the legend of female poisoner Giulia Tofana, brimming with rich detail and intrigue.

C. J. COOKE, author of The Lighthouse Witches

A captivating historical novel that weaves intrigue, danger and politics into a richly-detailed narrative

A Poisoner's Tale is a compelling story of sisterhood, defiance and revenge. In Giulia, Cathryn Kemp has created a complex and courageous heroine who is not afraid to walk a dark and dangerous path for what she believes in, and I fell in love with her from the start.

A Poisoner's Tale is a mesmerizing story of power and subjugation; both temporally and emotionally absorbing; gripping and poignant from beginning to end. The two main characters are beautifully crafted, complex and subtle. . . A perfect example of quality historical fiction.

LAURA CARLIN, author of The Wicked Cometh and Requiem for a Knave

Gripping. Devastating. A beautifully intense read.

ISABELLE SCHULER, author of Lady MacBethad

A Poisoner’s Tale is incredibly compelling

Kemp has brought Giulia back to life through rich layers of detail. This gruesome story is not for the faint-hearted, but whatever the rights and wrongs of Giulia’s mission, this novel forces us to question how far society has come – and how far it has yet to go

Immersive and bold, this is a spellbinding ode to sisterhood, motherhood and secret defiance

Murderer or saviour? You decide. . . 
 
Rome, 1656 
 
In the shadowy backstreets of the Eternal City lies an apothecary’s shop – a place for women to take their heartbreaks and troubles. Herbs for childbirth. Tarot readings to tell their fortunes. An undetectable poison that can kill in four drops. 
 
Alongside her circle of female poisoners, Giulia Tofana dispenses her deadly potion to free the downtrodden women of the city from their abusive husbands. 
 
A path she’s determined to follow after a harrowing childhood in Palermo. 
 
But even in a time of plague, it does not go unnoticed when the men of Rome begin to fall like flies. 
 
With a newly elected Pope hell-bent on ridding the city of heretics and witches, and the Holy Office of the Inquisition on her tail, Giulia is in more danger than ever. . . 
 
How far will she go for the women who need her help? 
 
Exploring the realities of what it is like to be a woman who rebels against society, A Poisoner’s Tale takes the reader on a tense, challenging but spellbinding journey. This is not just a retelling of the legend of Giulia Tofana but an ode to sisterhood and motherhood, to defiance and secret rebellion.

Cathryn Kemp

Praise for A Poisoner's Tale

Such a moving and unforgettable story. . . A thoughtful read that asks hard questions and bears us witness to the tragic lives of these strong women and the devastating sacrifices they make to help the ...

An utterly captivating tale of poisoners and papal intrigue, this novel is a taut, thrilling and wholly immersive journey through Rome’s underbelly. Kemp is an astonishingly talented storyteller ...

A Poisoner's Tale prompts poignant questions of morality and justice. It's a story that is guaranteed to stay with you long after reading it.

Such a moving and unforgettable story. . . A thoughtful read that asks hard questions and bears us witness to the tragic lives of these strong women and the devastating sacrifices they make to help the ...

An utterly captivating tale of poisoners and papal intrigue, this novel is a taut, thrilling and wholly immersive journey through Rome’s underbelly. Kemp is an astonishingly talented storyteller ...

A Poisoner's Tale prompts poignant questions of morality and justice. It's a story that is guaranteed to stay with you long after reading it.

Such a moving and unforgettable story. . . A thoughtful read that asks hard questions and bears us witness to the tragic lives of these strong women and the devastating sacrifices they make to help the ...

An utterly captivating tale of poisoners and papal intrigue, this novel is a taut, thrilling and wholly immersive journey through Rome’s underbelly. Kemp is an astonishingly talented storyteller ...

A Poisoner's Tale prompts poignant questions of morality and justice. It's a story that is guaranteed to stay with you long after reading it.

Books by Cathryn Kemp

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