August 1940
In a quiet village in rural Kent, the enemy is at the gates . . .
The Battle of Britain rages and Faye Bright encounters the ghost of a pilot who won't give up the fight. Before she can help him, Faye is whisked away to join a motley crew of witches to perform a top secret ritual on the White Cliffs of Dover that could repel the invaders.
But there's a catch. The ritual must be executed in the nuddy. Mrs Teach threatens mutiny. Miss Charlotte is intrigued. And Faye wants to call the whole thing off when she suspects there's a spy in their midst.
It's up to Faye Bright to uncover the traitor, all while dealing with the ghost haunting Ivy Barn who may hold the key to the truth. But first, Faye has to learn to fly . . .
I'm so thrilled to be hosting the blog tour for The Ghost of Ivy Barn today. Huge thanks to Mark Stay, Simon & Schuster and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for sending me a copy of the novel.
The Ghost of Ivy Barn is the third book in Mark Stay's The Witches of Woodville historical fantasy series and while each novel is a standalone adventure, I really would recommend reading them in order to truly feel a part of the charmingly curious world he has created.
Events in the last book, Babes in the Wood have changed young witch, Faye Bright and here she must learn to understand and control her new-found abilities. Faye is the 'Chosen One' character in this series but Mark Stay has taken care to ensure she is neither too accomplished nor too troubled. There's a wonderful scene where she is patronisingly described as lonely but she angrily – and quite rightly – refutes this. She is very clearly a respected member of the community, even if some of that respect comes through fear of her witchiness and some because of her quick tongue. She has a lovely relationship with Ted, her dad who checks that all is 'tickety boo' with her and accepts her witchy business despite his obvious fears. Likewise, Bertie Butterworth provides constant, unconditional support, even though their young love and plans to canoodle are repeatedly thwarted.
It is now August 1940 and as the Battle of Britain rages overhead, the war impacts even the Kent village of Woodville. Faye and her two mentors, Mrs Teach and Miss Charlotte are called to a barn where the salvaged parts of downed planes aren't the only thing left behind. These are humorous books but Mark Stay never exploits the human tragedy of World War II and Faye's determination to help the scared and angry ghost of a Polish Hurricane pilot is portrayed with great compassion.
Meanwhile, the witches are also called upon to take part in a mysterious ritual that may alter the course of the war. The introduction of new witches and the resulting clash of egos is a rich source of drama and humour. One witch isn't all she seems but as some of the chapters are told from her perspective, readers have advance knowledge of her deeds and plans. She's an intriguing character and I loved how she was developed during the course of the novel; her storyline is more complex that her merely being this instalment's villain.
Faye's burgeoning magical prowess is vividly depicted, evoking the wonder and angst that she experiences as she tries to come to terms with her abilities. With ghosts, spies, romance and ancient rituals which may or may not have to be performed in the nude, the captivating plot of The Ghost of Ivy Barn moves at a cracking pace. I love this series, it's become a comfort blanket reads as it reminds me of the wonderfully immersive pleasure of childhood reading, even though it is written for adults. Just as I longed to open a wardrobe door into Narnia, climb the branches of the Faraway Tree or fly to Neverland, so I feel a connection to Woodville and its inhabitants. The Ghost of Ivy Barn is exciting, funny, poignant and suspenseful; in short, it's storytelling at its absolute finest. An absolutely joyous read!
The Ghost of Ivy Barn is published by Simon & Schuster, purchasing links can be found here.
Don't miss the rest of the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson, and premiered at the 58th London Film Festival. He is co-presenter of the Bestseller Experiment podcast and has worked in bookselling and
publishing for over twenty-five years. He lives in Kent, England, with his family and a trio of retired chickens. He blogs and humblebrags over at markstaywrites.com.
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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