Thank you to the author, publisher and Love Books Tours for the advanced reader copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Let’s start with the blurb: 1648. Alie Gowdie marries Richard Webster during a turbulent time in Scotland’s history. Charles I is about to lose his head, and little does Alie know that she too will meet a grisly end within the year.

2019. Sarah Sutherland is struggling to cope with the demands of her day job, caring for her elderly father and keeping tabs on her backpacking daughter. She wanted to be an archaeologist, but now in her forties, she is divorced, alone, and there seems to be no respite, no glimmer of excitement on the horizon.

However, she does have a special affinity with the Kilgour Witch, Alie Gowdie, who lived in Sarah’s cottage until her execution in 1648, and Sarah likes nothing better than to retreat into a world of sorcery, spells and religious fanaticism. Her stories delight tourists as she leads them along the cobbled streets of her home town, but what really lies behind the tale of Alie Gowdie, the Kilgour Witch?

Can Sarah uncover the truth in order to right a centuries-old wrong? And what else might modern-day Kilgour be hiding, just out of sight?

Here’s my review: Having grown up on an island steeped in history, folklore and witchcraft, I love the promise of a good book where history has a habit of repeating itself. Sight Unseen did not disappoint. I loved the characters Sandra Ireland created, especially Sarah, whose different roles and responsibilities creep into one another as the story unfolds.

Having Sarah reveal the history of Alie Goudie through her historical tours of the town made it feel as if I was part of her walking tour, shivering as the past was brought to life.

As Sarah uncovers more about the town’s troubled history with the unexpected help of Grant, her cheeky ex-employee, the pair realise that not everything is as it seems both in the past and right under their noses. And as for the final twist – I’ll say no more… Except I loved this book!

A highly recommended novel for fans of thrillers where past meets present.