The story of "Skadegemutc: Ghost Witch" takes place in a town where an evil spirit has been haunting Native American clans for many generations. The spirit takes the form of a maiden and takes the lives of twins. The events in the novel take place among three different timelines. In the present timeline, a couple with twins moves into the town and encounters the haunted place which the locals call Haunted Gap, despite the subtle warnings given to them by the townspeople.

The first scene of the book itself had an aura of mystery and darkness mixed with sensuality. It is also the scene in which the evil spirit is introduced and it left an impression that made me intrigued to continue with the book. Almost every chapter is narrated from a different perspective which kept the story interesting.

I really enjoyed the world-building and fantastical elements in the novel. It is fast-paced and a lot of dangerous events start to happen one after the other. I was interested to read what destruction would take place next as a result of the haunted place and how the lives of the different characters would be affected. The element of suspense is strong in this book. There were a lot of gruesome scenes that enhanced its horror overtone.

Not all the narratives in the different timelines were equally interesting. Also, I felt that there were too many characters and therefore, not many stood out.

The book is short and keeps the reader on edge in true thriller fashion. It ends with an exciting twist that I did not see coming. If you are a fan of thriller stories based on legends and folklore, I would highly recommend this book. ( )

Intertwined with Native American lore Isabella Steel (whose name sounds like a romance novel writer.) weaves a seducing chilling tale that tells the story of the Skadegamutc or Ghost Witch. Steel grabs you at the first page as she sets us up in 16th century Maine, Onata Village. We are given a tale of a bewitching beautiful Maidan seen by the lake by four sisters under the moonlight. When the Maiden request that they bring newborn twins that are to be born soon in their tribe in exchange for beauty, their tribe becomes alerted, and the Evil is discovered. The Evil is banished but not destroyed; cursing it will return.

Here is our setup for Ghost Witch as Steel takes you from past to present to past to tell this horrifying curse tale of the Ghost Witch. The time jump confused me a bit, but Steel corrects it with her fantastic writing.
Steel's writing is clean, fresh, and straightforward forward, making gobble up every syllable she writes. Steel ultimately keeps you engaged with every word. By the way.

Oh, and to add to the book's more spookiness, Ghost Witch is actually based on an absolute legend associated with the Mikmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, Abénaki tribes. Our tribe in our book is called the L'nu'k tribe, which is what the Mikmaq tribe often calls themselves. It means "The People." I did not find if Nollesemic Village existed, but there is a Nollesemic Lake in Maine and a Pequabuck Lake. Another location in the book. Like the Ghost Witch. You will be lured under this book's spell. Recommend READ!
My Rating ***** 5 stars and beyond ( )

If you enjoy reading stories about good vs. evil, then you will find Isabella Steel’s “Skadegamutc Ghost Witch” right up your alley. The story follows multiple generations of two Native American clans acting as a force of good to protect the innocent from the dark spirit that has haunted their clans for more than a century. The Ghost Witch’s seductive power aptly illustrates just how quickly and easily it is for evil to manipulate and bend otherwise good people into performing its will.

Ms. Steel does a great job building settings and scenery that span multiple timelines. I found the origin story of the cursed property particularly compelling, as well as the first appearance of the Ghost Witch, as well as the form its manipulations take. As I read, I found myself becoming both engrossed and unsettled In particular, by the demands the entity required of its followers, and the ease with which people complied.

To me, the mark of a well-written book is one that can move the reader. One that pulls multiple emotions out of the reader. I experienced a gamut during this one: anger, frustration, suspense. If it were a movie, I would have been yelling out warnings to the characters. I could feel the fear of the townspeople upon realization of the tragedy about to befall the unsuspecting families. I shared in the frustration of the sheriff and other outsiders, who could never quite gain the information needed to fully understand what occurred in the town. I felt the urgency and determination, as the descendants of the Two Spears and Four Claws clans hunted and battled with the evil spirit.

I found this book enjoyable enough to see myself reading it again at a later time. I would be interested in learning how future generations deal with great evil, should Ms. Steel choose to make this a series. ( )

Skadegemute: Ghost Witch by Isabella Steel is a chilling thriller that will keep you on your toes. Based on Native American folklore, this tale is set in Maine and takes places over the course of many centuries. You get the origin of the story, and then how it unfolds to continue to curse it’s 21st century protagonists.
This book is well written, with great characters throughout the story. My only criticism would be the jumbling of many timelines and characters. It could have been expanded for a series, or edited down to fewer characters and a way to tell the backstory without the jumps in time.
Other than that, I really commend the author on a great novel that keeps the reader in suspense and excited as to what’s coming next. I would recommend this book to fans of suspense novels. And I look forward to reading more from this author. ( )