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Karen Maitland
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A Gathering of Ghosts Kindle Edition

by Karen Maitland (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 352 ratings

Pagans tackle the Knights of St John with terrible consequences in the new medieval thriller by Queen of the Dark Ages, Karen Maitland. Set on the wilds of Dartmoor, this is a ghostly tale for fans of The Essex Serpent, C. J. Sansom's Shardlake series and The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse.

'A dark read... fear and hysteria are portrayed with claustrophobic skill' The Times on THE PLAGUE CHARMER

1316. On the wilds of Dartmoor stands the isolated Priory of St Mary, home to the Sisters of the Knights of St John. People journey from afar in search of healing at the holy well that lies beneath its chapel.

But the locals believe Dartmoor was theirs long before Christianity came to the land. And not all who visit seek miracles. When three strangers reach the moor, fear begins to stir as the well's waters run with blood.

What witchcraft have the young woman, the Knight of St John and the blind child brought with them?

The Sisters will need to fight for everything they hold dear as the ghosts of the Old World gather in their midst.

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  1. Print length
    418 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Review
  4. Publication date
    6 Sept. 2018
  5. File size
    2.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Product description

Review

A brilliant writer, with a real sense of history -- Susanna Gregory

About the Author

Karen Maitland is an historical novelist, lecturer and teacher of Creative Writing, with over twenty books to her name. She grew up in Malta, which inspired her passion for history, and travelled and worked all over the world before settling in the United Kingdom. She has a doctorate in psycholinguistics, and now lives on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B071SKT916
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Review (6 Sept. 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 418 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 352 ratings

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Karen Maitland

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4.4 out of 5 stars
352 global ratings

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Dark goings on in Dartmoor
5 out of 5 stars
Dark goings on in Dartmoor
A medieval tale of witches and witchcraft, legends and ghosts on the moors of Dartmoor.First things first, the immersive reading experience is something else. The book opens with the wet weather having ruined months of harvests and the poor even poorer by now. People are suffering and dying and those in desperate need have nowhere to go for help except the churches and monasteries. One of these priories was that of St Mary’s which is fictional but which in the novel is home to the Sister of the Knights of St john. There is said to be healing waters in the well here and gradually people resort to the belief and the old religion there, hoping that this is to be their salvation in the modern world.What happens next at the Priory is the catalyst for a series of catastrophic events.This was a very memorable and fascinating reading experience. It was all so vivid and chilling, historical and insightful into the legends and mysteries of the moors. It was also an historical feast as there is so much to chew over here – the ingredients are ripe and varied, the characters all bring something to the overall mix and the plot is like the mixing, folding, adding a sprinkle of history, spice and all things not very nice to something you really want to sink your teeth into. I’ve a feeling I’ve been on an historical episode of Bake Off – Rich in atmosphere and dripping in intrigue….A Gathering of Ghosts was an amazing read and one enjoyed best with a coffee, a candle and an ounce of bravery for when you’re on those moors, you are not alone. Booktrailers will be more than happy to take this book to Dartmoor as the book more than captivates a time and setting which is so immersive!
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • jen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 March 2025
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    Great condition book. Love this author, so enjoyed reading it
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  • hertsj
    4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 December 2018
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    I'm not an enthusiastic fantasy reader, but I don't mind mild ghost stories such as Karen Maitland writes. Not only are her stories very interesting but they are a good snapshot into what life was like in medieval times. This one is up to her usual standards.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kevin F
    5.0 out of 5 stars Karen Maitland does it again
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 October 2018
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    Karen Maitland is a brilliant writer of historical fiction with an incredible ability to bring the past vividly to life. You don't just read her books, you experience them.

    As you become immersed in the tale, you find yourself accepting magic to be as real a part of life as did her characters of long ago. There are no heroes to cheer for and the villains are more like flawed individuals than truly evil. Just like real people.

    Here we have a story of ordinary people being swept along on a tidal wave of historical events which ultimately leads each of the players to a destiny that remains shrouded in mystery.

    Another Maitland tale that would make a great TV drama...
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Foxglove Summer
    5.0 out of 5 stars No-one describes this period of history like Karen Maitland
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 October 2018
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    I've been a fan since Company of Liars (though I felt she'd gone a bit astray with The Vanishing Witch and The Raven's Head). The writing in this is exquisite. You can really see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the period: soaked clothes never drying out, damp mouldy houses, watery food, stinking corpses, foetid smells and so on.

    As usual her characters are unexpected and different.

    I would knock it down half a star for the same problem I always find in her books. She sets up a complex and colourful world; then the ending is weak, rushed, and confused.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Siriismack
    4.0 out of 5 stars Weird happenings.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2020
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    A very interesting read. Plots abound, everyone is crooked or involved in black arts. Good story . Recommended for people interested in medieval culture and superstition.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Sandra Oliver
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Gathering of Ghosts
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 October 2019
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    I haven't read this book. I have bought it for a member of the family who normally read non-fiction. this must be a compliment to the author that he loves these books and has started collecting them.
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  • Jess Gofton
    3.0 out of 5 stars 14th century Devon brought to life
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 April 2020
    Karen Maitland is well-known for her historical novels set in the Middle Ages, often with elements of the fantastical. She’s an author I’ve been meaning to try for years, so when I came across this novel in the library I knew I had to try it – I’m always drawn to stories involving nuns and nunneries!

    Unfortunately, I didn’t love it as much as I expected to.

    Did I dislike it, though? No – absolutely not, and that’s why this novel is such a difficult one to review.

    Set in 14th century Devon, A Gathering of Ghosts follows several different characters – a prioress, a Knight of St John, a young witch named Morwen, and a woman named Sorrel searching for her purpose – who get caught up in the ongoing battle between Christianity and Paganism surrounding an ancient, sacred well. As a premise, that sounds like everything I should love in a story. Witches? Check. Nuns? Check. An exploration of Britain’s religious history? Check.

    But I think all these voices was this novel’s downfall, because I spent the majority of this story feeling like I was waiting for the plot to start and, sadly, the scenes with the nuns, following the power struggle between the prioress and the knight, were the scenes I found the most boring because they never really changed. We saw them, they each told the reader how much they didn’t trust one another, and on and on it went.

    The friendship that developed between Sorrel and Morwen, on the other hand, I liked much more – to the point where I started to wish we were only following them. Due to a problem at birth, Sorrel only has the use of one of her arms and it was so interesting reading how a woman would carry out work and day-to-day tasks during this period of history with the use of only one of her hands. I loved Sorrel’s chapters, and would happily have read an entire book about her.

    I’m definitely interested in reading more of Maitland’s work because she has a real talent for bringing the Middle Ages to life, but I hope her other stories stick with me more than this one has. Just a couple of days after I finished A Gathering of Ghosts I was already forgetting a lot of what happened, and I think so much of that is down to spending quite a lot of time with characters I just didn’t care about.

    If you’re a fan of historical fiction, though – especially historical fiction with a speculative twist – Maitland is an author you should have on your radar!
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  • Katier
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spooky but Stays Real
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 November 2021
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    My favourite author. As aways, a great plot, brilliant characters and riveting reading.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Geocore
    5.0 out of 5 stars Buena lectura
    Reviewed in Spain on 7 April 2020
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    Muy buena historia una de las mejores de Karen Maitland.
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  • Tinney S. Heath
    5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid and compelling
    Reviewed in the United States on 24 January 2019
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    This is another riveting novel by a fine writer at the top of her game. Nobody does setting quite like Maitland; the reader feels the damp, the cold - in fact, every discomfort the unfortunate characters suffer is there to experience. I know that doesn't sound like much fun, but it makes for an unforgettable reading experience. The two women who gradually emerge as the main characters are also powerfully depicted, and I thought the storytelling from different points of view worked very effectively. I didn't feel things had to move any faster than they did. This was an immersion experience, and having it romp along at a quicker pace would have detracted from the story and seemed unnatural. Highly recommended, for atmosphere and character and also for the singular paranormal elements.
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  • Justin Elswick
    4.0 out of 5 stars A very good writer who always knows her subject matter and keeps the hooks in you.
    Reviewed in the United States on 22 July 2021
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    This is the fourth novel I've read from Karen Maitland. She consistently impresses me with her knowledge of period details and very solid characterizations. A Gathering of Ghosts is eerie, beautiful, sometimes funny and witty and very engaging. If you enjoy stories set in the late Dark Ages (1300-1400's), her stories will appeal to you. The only other writer I would put on her level is CJ Sansom (another UK writer whose stories take place in the 1500s). Although her settings are often grim and deal with the intersection of Christianity and leftover paganism, she infuses her stories with light moments and great plot twists. Definitely recommend.
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  • catte
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very well done. Thoroughly researched.
    Reviewed in the United States on 9 December 2021
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    I love Karen Maitlands writing. She takes you on quite a journey.
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  • Ali
    5.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric and full of suspense.
    Reviewed in the United States on 25 May 2019
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    Loved it, one of her best.
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