Nell lives with her grandmother, the local cunning woman and healer, in a seventeenth century West Country village.

When one of the minister's daughter falls pregnant she and her sister attempt to conceal it by accusing Nell of putting a curse on them.

Nell is alone, trapped and in mortal danger. Who can she trust? Who will save her? Themes: Witchcraft, teenage pregnancy, prejudice, health and healing Teaching Focus: * Original dual narrative structure with time shifts between narratives and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. * Strong characterisation lends itself well to drama activities. * Wide vocabulary used (including archaic words) provides rich sentence level work. * Themes link to history and religious studies. Recommended for students in Years 8 and 9