The Secret of Isobel Key

Jen McConnel

Dec 2013 · Bloomsbury Publishing USA

About this ebook

Lou is in the middle of a quarter-life crisis. Fresh out of college, she's unemployed and unsure of herself. But when she gets the chance to escape to Scotland with her best friend, it could be the answer to her quest for self-discovery. The trip is not at all what she expected, especially when her tour guide turns out to be the dreamy historian Brian, and together they embark on a hunt for information about Isobel Key, a woman accused of witchcraft in the seventeenth century.

They set out to learn the truth of the condemned witch, but Lou isn't prepared for the knowledge that awaits her. She must face her own demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past.

Flashing between the seventeenth century and modern day Scotland, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY is a mystery that will please readers of all ages.

Ratings and reviews

The Burning of Isobel Key is a story about a young woman, Lou, who quits her job in a bookstore because she is dissatisfied with it. Her roommate and best friend, Tammy, gets a chance to go to Scotland for her own job, her first client in advertising. Chance of a lifetime for both girls. While on a tour,Lou becomes interested in some history from the mid 1600's. The side story is about a woman, Isobel Key who is burned as a witch. Lou decides with the help of Tammy and the tour bus driver Brian that she wants to exonerate Isobel Key somehow. With research she is able to piece the story together and find out something interesting about her own birth and exactly what happened to Isobel so long ago. A story with the history of the witch trials, Scotland and Wicca and a bit of romance make for an interesting read. I enjoyed it immensely!

Exciting, fun, easy to read! The really interesting part of it all was that although you’re getting to know Isobel who lived back in 1667, you’re also getting to know Louisa, who lives in the present day AND how their lives collide. The chapters are peppered with a bit of Isobel but never was I confused about who Jen was talking about. I knew straight away and I have to say Jen is a master at making you want more. The chapters end just as I'm really getting to put together some pieces and just a little bit more information would have set it in place. But Jen McConnel does a masterful job of weaving back and forth and giving just enough of each girl's story. Both girls are exciting to read about. The plot flows wonderfully between them! Really easy to read. Loved the plot! 4.5 stars

A remarkable read. Couldn't put it down

About the author

Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people's choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).

She is also a former reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and a proud member of SCBWI, NCWN, and SCWW.

A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

Follow Jen on Twitter @Jen_McConnel, and visit www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.