Amazon. com Review This old-fashioned gothic romance is as good as they get. When Gilly's witch aunt leaves Thornyhold to her, a house in the middle of the woods, Gilly finds that she has inherited far more than she realized. Along with the house comes a cat, a still room filled with herbs (and a missing recipe book), an attic chamber with carrier pigeons (who have secret messages), and an attractive neighbor whose young son offers the sacred and unique blessing of friendship. But Thornyhold possesses far more than even these simple offerings. The place itself seems to convoke otherworldly gifts as well: Gilly cultivates the abilities to heal and to foresee the future once she makes Thornyhold her home. (For those fans of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, there is a Geilis the witch in this book, too. ) Product Description Gilly Ramsey's lonely childhood were brightened only by visits to his godmother, Geillis. When she died, suddenly, the grownup Gilly inherited her cottage, Thornyhold. But nothing about his godmother prepared him for the strange and sinister life that awaited him there.... Review "Mary Stewart is one of my all-time favorite writers, [and] Thornyhold is my favorite. " —Meg Cabot, author, The Princess Diaries and Queen of Babble"Here [Stewart] shifts skillfully to the 20th century, mixing magic, witchcraft, and romance. Readers will be hooked from the very first line, 'I suppose that my mother could have been a witch if she had chosen to. ' The opening promise of an engaging story is not broken. An enchanting novel that should have broad appeal. " —Library Journal"Stewart sustains readers’ interest with her sympathetic characters and her thoughtful, well-written narrative. She is a bit of a magician with words, conjuring up people and places with rich, descriptive images. One only wishes that a visit to Thornyhold lasted longer. " —Orlando Sentinel"A welcome reissue of Mary Stewart's novella . . . Thornyhold casts its own magical spell on us. " —Historical Novels Review From the Inside Flap Gilly Ramsey's lonely childhood were brightened only by visits to his godmother, Geillis. When she died, suddenly, the grownup Gilly inherited her cottage, Thornyhold. But nothing about his godmother prepared him for the strange and sinister life that awaited him there.... From Library Journal Stewart is known for her novels set in 5th century Britain, e. g. , The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills . Here, after a five-year hiatus, she shifts skillfully to the 20th century, mixing magic, witchcraft, and romance. Readers will be hooked from the very first line, "I suppose that my mother could have been a witch if she had chosen to. " The speaker is Gilley Ramsey, who has inherited her cousin's house in the English countryside. The opening promise of an engaging story is not broken. An enchanting novel that should have broad appeal. Renee Erman Lipman, MiamiCopyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. About the Author Mary Stewart is the author of 20 novels, including The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Ivy Tree, The Last Enchantment, The Moonspinners, Nine Coaches Waiting, and The Wicked Day. Meg Cabot is the author of Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day and the Princess Diaries series.