What could have been just another book about how witches lived in the 17th century turned out to be quite satisfying.

"The Hemlock Cure" is based on actual events that took place in a small English village in 1666, during the Great Plague, when the village virtually quarantined itself in an attempt to stem the growing number of deaths from the plague. Mae lives with her father, the village apothecary, helping him to produce his medicines while hoping that he will finally accept her as his apprentice. At the same time, she studies with Isabel, the village midwife and "wise-woman" whose knowledge of herbs and natural remedies, has helped many women.

Isabel shares a mysterious history with Mae's father, and she lives in fear of what might befall Mae while living under his roof.

To reveal more would spoil a many-layered and multi-threaded plot, which at first seems a bit random, but which slowly builds into a glorious picture of life in a small village, and the trials and tribulations of those who practiced medicine in the middle ages. We also take a trip to London, where the sights and smells of the plague-ridden city are drawn to perfection. The book also examines the nature of family, relationships, and religion. There's also a neat twist, in the shape of the narrator of the story.

The book should appeal to fans of Michelle Paver and Stacey Halls, and readers of A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan. Definitely worth a look.