Harvill Secker bewitched by Logan's 'gorgeous and provocative' novel

Harvill Secker has netted a “thrilling” new novel by Kirsty Logan. 

Liz Foley, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for Now She is Witch from Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown. It will publish in January 2023.  

Foley described the book as “a totally thrilling, gorgeous and provocative read”. She said: “It shows Kirsty at the height of her powers and we couldn’t be more excited about publishing it in January.” 

The synopsis explains: “Lux has lost everything when Else finds her, alone in the woods. Her family, her lover, her home—all burned. The world is suspicious of women like her, neither maiden nor mother. But Lux is cunning; she knows how to exploit people’s expectations, how to blend into the background. And she knows a lot about poisons.  

“Else has not found Lux by accident. She needs her help to seek revenge against the man who wronged her, and together they pursue him north. But on their hunt they will uncover dark secrets that entangle them with dangerous adversaries."

The publisher said: “From the snowy winter woods to the bright midnight sun; from the horrors of plague to the relief of healing; from lost and powerless to finding your path, Now She is Witch questions the oppositions that shadow our lives. In rich and immersive prose, Kirsty Logan conjures a world of violence and beauty in which women grasp at power through witchcraft and poisons, through sexuality and childbearing, through performance and pretence, and most of all through throwing other women to the wolves. This is a witch story unlike any other.”