The Holly King, Mark Stay
The Holly King, Mark Stay
List: $23.99 | Sale: $16.79
Club: $11.99

The Holly King
The Witches of Woodville 4

Author: Mark Stay

Narrator: Candida Gubbins

Unabridged: 10 hr 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/14/2023

Synopsis

'Fast-paced, entertainingly creepy, laugh-out-loud funny, and genuinely moving' Michelle Paver

'Full of magic and delight' Rowan Coleman

‘A rural Ben Aaronovitch!’ C. K. McDonnell

The Holly King is coming, and you’re on his list . . . 
 
It's December 1940, and Christmas has come to Woodville. Faye Bright is looking forward to a good old knees-up after a year of supernatural mayhem and Luftwaffe air raids, but it seems glad tidings are in short supply.
 
Already contending with food rationing and sky-high beer prices, the village is upended by the arrival of the Holly King, an ancient power bent on reclaiming his woodland domain. No mortal magic can stand in his way.
 
As the winter solstice draws in and the villagers fall under the Holly King’s spell, Faye, Bertie and the witches race to prevent his sinister Feast of Fools from reaching its deadly conclusion. But when terrible truths threaten to tear them apart, can they confront the mistakes of the past to save the village from destruction?
 
Or has Woodville seen its last Christmas?

For fans of Lev Grossman and Terry Pratchett comes the fourth novel in this delightful series of war, mystery and a little bit of magic . . .
 
Don't miss the other magical books in the WITCHES OF WOODVILLE series!
#1 The Crow Folk
#2 Babes in the Wood
#3 The Ghost of Ivy Barn
#4 The Holly King
#5 The Corn Bride

About Mark Stay

Mark Stay got a part-time Christmas job at Waterstone’s in the nineties (back when it still had an apostrophe) and somehow ended up working in publishing for over 25 years. He would write in his spare time and (he can admit this now) on company time, and sometimes those writings would get turned into books and films. Mark is also co-presenter of the Bestseller Experiment podcast, which has inspired writers all over the world to finish and publish their books. Born in London, he lives in Kent with YouTube gardener Claire Burgess and a declining assortment of retired chickens. Follow him on Twitter and online at:    @markstay markstaywrites.com witchesofwoodville.com  

Reviews

Goodreads review by Mike on September 15, 2023

Ok. So, I'm a fan. I love these books. Mark Stay knows how to make a great story. He stuffs them full of magic, adds in wonderful characters that you really, really care about, sprinkles a healthy touch of humour through out, mixes in a good dollop of weird and tops it all off with some dastardly vi......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on September 29, 2023

I am, in an entirely self appointed manner, Mark Stays Number One fan (…after his lovely wife and children), and I can’t emphasise enough how much I love The Witches of Woodville series of books. I was so excited for The Holly King, and I pre-ordered it in hard copy, Kindle and Audible; once I start......more

Goodreads review by Maria on April 25, 2024

2.5 stars Hmmm, I really loved book 3, but this one was back to the borderline ridiculous style of the Big Bad the first book had, which didn't work well for me. Plus, it had a much weaker plot I didn't really care for. (Sorry.) It had some parts I liked - like the interactions between the three witch......more

Goodreads review by Chrys on August 20, 2023

I am absolutely loving this series, the story just keeps getting better. The characters are brilliant, and it’s so satisfying to learn more about them. The author has done a fantastic job of mixing myth and legend, with the spirit of a small village during WWII. The whole thing is just magical. I par......more

Goodreads review by Emmy on September 17, 2023

I’ve not encountered this series of books before, but will definitely be checking out the rest as I enjoyed this so much! The Holly King stands alone well, with a few references to (I presume) the other books in the series. The world building in this book is really lovely. The era it’s set in is a l......more

Quotes

Praise for the Witches of Woodville series: 

'Beautiful and engaging and clever and what more could you ask for in a book?' Manda Scott, bestselling author of A Treachery of Spies

'Warm, witty, witchy wartime fun. With Mark Stay as writer you're always guaranteed a magical read' Julie Wassmer, author of the Whitstable Pearl Mysteries

'Enid Blyton filmed by Hammer' Talking Scared Podcast

'You'll love it: Doctor Who meets Worzel Gummidge' Lorna Cook, author of The Forgotten Village

'Stay has brewed a cracking blend of charm and creepiness in The Crow Folk. A rip-roaring tale of bravery and witchcraft on the wartime home front, expertly told with lashings of wit and warmth' Pernille Hughes, author of Probably the Best Kiss in the World

'A jolly romp with witches, demons, and bellringing. Pratchett fans will enjoy this, and Faye is a feisty and fun hero. Dad's Army meets Witches of Eastwick' Ian W Sainsbury

'A young witch to rival Tiffany Aching. Magic!' FMA Dixon

'Mark’s ingenious decision to set his magical saga not in some ancient realm of wizards and dragons but in a vividly recreated WWII-era rural England gives us the most lived-in and believable fantasy world. I wish I’d thought of it' Mitch Benn

'Mark Stay’s brilliantly written Witches of Woodville books are somehow funny, cosy, clever and disturbingly dark all at the same time. Terry Pratchett fans will LOVE em' Lucy Strange  

'Extremely funny, full of imagination, verve and typical English "home counties" wit' Irish Independent

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