When Mary’s grandmother is burned for being a witch, Mary is whisked away by a strange woman and given money and instructions to earn her a place on a ship with Pilgrims traveling to the new world. Mary is a witch too, but must hide it from the Pilgrims. Instead, she writes her private feelings in a private diary. During the ship voyage and in the new settlement, Mary must not betray her secret self to the religious radicals who would as soon burn any threat to their new way of life. Still, encounters with the local natives and journeys into the woods prove to be much too tempting to resist. Mary is accused of witchcraft and must do what she can to protect herself against encountering the same fate as her grandmother.

This book will appeal to those hungry for historical fiction relating to the witch trials of Colonial America. Slow-paced at times, especially during the voyage to the New World, the story nonetheless progresses to a riveting conclusion that leaves the door open for a sequel. The story is especially appealing because it takes the point of view of a true witch living during the time of the witch trials, and suggests that many more who lived during that period were witches.