For the fans of The DaVinci Code—with three generations of extraordinary women keeping alive the ancient Goddess faith.
“Whenever you are of need, come to Me when the moon is full and I, Hecate, Queen of all witches, will guide you, my daughter, to your heart’s desire.”
In 1665, Baroness Elisabeth von Galler is faced with the frenzy of the witch trials raging through Europe. Her son-in-law acquires dispensation from the Kaiser to hold trials in Riegerburg. As the “Faith-Keeper” of an ancient Goddess-worshipping community, can she save her loved ones from certain death and her faith from disappearing?
In 1938, Hitler takes over Austria, and Katarina Lilienthal fears for the lives of her Jewish husband and daughter. Armed with the secret Book of Shadows, her legacy passed down from Baroness von Galler, and her intuition will she be able to save her family before the horror begins?
Seventy years later, Sarah Lilienthal inherits her beloved Oma’s secret book. Katarina’s deathbed wish is for Sarah to travel to Austria—the place Sarah’s grandparents barely escaped with their lives on the verge of WWII—and make amends with Oma’s estranged family. Sarah is cast on a quest to find her true self and the origins of the book by traveling to Riegersburg, where the Book of Shadows’ journey began.
Book Review:
Some legacies are passed down through blood—others through magic. The Witches of Riegersburg by Julie Anne Stratton is a gripping blend of historical fiction and mystical intrigue that spans centuries and generations of courageous women bound by a powerful secret.
From the witch trials of 1665 to the rise of Hitler in 1938, and finally to the modern-day journey of Sarah Lilienthal, the story flows seamlessly across timelines. Each woman—Elisabeth, Katarina, and Sarah—carries the weight of survival, heritage, and the sacred Book of Shadows. I was especially drawn to the emotional depth in Katarina’s storyline, balancing love, fear, and intuition at the brink of WWII.
The book is rich with atmosphere and purpose. The spiritual threads tied to the goddess Hecate add a unique layer of strength and resilience. It’s not just about magic—it’s about identity, belief, and legacy.
A spellbinding read for fans of historical fiction with a mystical edge.
