The Witch (Deluxe Edition)

By Freida McFadden

A brand-new, haunting thriller from Freida McFadden, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Housemaid! Some secrets don't die--they wait. When Julia Barlow loses her job and her apartment, she has nowhere left to go but Pemberton, her family's sprawling seventeenth-century estate in rural Massachusetts. Officially, she's there to check in on her aging grandmother. Unofficially, she's hoping the old house will give her a place to disappear. Instead, Pemberton begins to unravel her. Every night, the grandfather clock stops at exactly 3:41 a.m. The lights flicker without warning. And a disembodied voice cries for help outside Julia's bedroom door. As Julia digs into the house's dark history, she uncovers the story of a woman executed for witchcraft in 1692--and realizes the past may not be finished with Pemberton yet. When decades of family lies begin to surface, Julia must confront a terrifying truth: Pemberton may be haunted by women whose voices refuse to stay silent. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes The Witch, a chilling, twist-filled thriller about secrets--those we inherit, those we bury, and those people will burn to keep silent.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Oct 6, 2026

352 pages

Average rating: 7.57

553 RATINGS

|

|

BOOK TALK
Join a book club that is reading The Witch (Deluxe Edition)!

M.O. Book Club

A book club for avid readers who want to share their passion for books with others and possibly make some new friends!

The Cozy Chair Book Club

Greetings!  Welcome to the Cozy Chair Book Club!  This group is for anyone who loves books from different genres.We will vote on one book each month.

Literary Ladies of Louisiana

*We are located in Denham Springs, Louisiana *Meetings are once a month typically on Saturdays *All are welcome!💜 * We vote on the book of the month club together and come up with options to vote on at meetings * We read all genres of books

Booked for Murder

"Booked for Murder" is a thriller book club for mystery lovers who crave suspense, shocking twists, and page-turning plots.

Community Reviews

Auburn’s
8/10 stars
This is actually not a horror story at all. I rather liked this one.
rccohill
8/10 stars
This is now my favorite book by Frieda Mcfadden! The creepiness of supernatural aspects were put together well. I loved the 2 timelines and plot.
Vina
It is actually an interesting book
Olivia211994
6/10 stars
I listened to the audiobook of The Witch, and one of my favorite aspects was the narration! The storytelling reminded me of listening to an investigative journalism podcast, particularly Serial. I thought the narration was very well done, especially with the transitions between the two timelines. Going into this book, I expected something a little spookier, with more paranormal activity and supernatural elements. Instead, I found myself listening to what felt more like a cozy mystery mixed with historical fiction. The historical storyline even reminded me a little of The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter. While I enjoyed the fall atmosphere, I was hoping for more Halloween vibes. The story was definitely a slow burn, and although things eventually picked up, I never felt like the suspense quite reached the level I was anticipating. I really enjoyed Julia as a character, but I felt somewhat disconnected from the other characters, which made the ending less impactful for me. Unfortunately, the final twist didn’t have the buildup or payoff I was hoping for. I’ve enjoyed some of Freida McFadden’s other twists, particularly in The Boyfriend, but this one just didn’t hit the same way. Overall, I enjoyed aspects of the story, particularly the narration and the historical elements, but I was left wanting something a little darker, witchier, and more suspenseful. A good fall read, but not quite the spooky Halloween thriller I was expecting!