Between the Pages

by Joanne Burn

• Historical Fiction
• Witches
• Plague
• Local
• Derbyshire

This novel is set close to home for me, in the small Derbyshire village of Eyam, and takes place during the Great Plague of 1665—a time also marked by suspicion and fear of witchcraft. The story follows two central women: Isabel Frith, the village midwife, and Mae, the youngest daughter of Wulfric. Their lives intertwine through the hardships, superstitions, and secrets of the era.

I was immediately drawn to the book because of its setting, written by a local author, and because I’ve always been fascinated by the history of the plague and witch trials. As a fan of historical fiction, I had high hopes for this novel.

However, from the very beginning I found it difficult to settle into the story. The narrative often felt scattered, juggling too many perspectives at once, which left me confused and distanced from the characters. The pacing also dragged in places, and I struggled to stay engaged. While I expected the plague and witchcraft themes to take centre stage, they often felt secondary to family dramas within the village.

That said, the book did improve in the final stretch. Around chapter 30, the pace picked up considerably, and the threads of the story began to come together, making the earlier sections a little clearer in hindsight.

It’s clear Burn undertook thorough research, even drawing inspiration from real gravestones in Eyam. The atmosphere and historical detail felt authentic, and the depiction of village life during the plague was vivid. Yet, despite this, I couldn’t quite connect with the characters, which made the novel less impactful for me than I had hoped.

I would recommend The Hemlock Cure to readers interested in historical fiction, especially those fascinated by the plague or witchcraft. However, I would add that it doesn’t quite grip the reader as strongly as other novels in the genre. For me, this was a disappointing read—not because Burn is a poor writer, but because the story felt like it had the potential to be so much more.