Margery Whitaker is born of a Puritan family. Yet Margery seems decidedly unpuritan and the death of her mother, (her father having died when she was but an infant,) brings matters to a head. What, her brothers and sisters wonder, is to be done with her before she brings scandal to the family? The answer is to pack her off to a distant cousin who resides in Lancashire.

          Margery is all too willing to go, feeling herself stifled by the sober and restrictive family around her. Of course, even she has to reflect that she may be trading one unhappy predicament for another, possibly worse. She need not have worried however. In Squire Nowell she finds a like minded ally. Which is fortunate, as the events unfolding will require their combined wits to solve the dark shadow hanging over Pendle Hill.

          Their first meeting is not so dark though. Roger Nowell is very much of the same temperament as Margery. Had she been of the same mind as the rest of her family, she would doubtless have been returned to them for being too dull. Squire Nowell, whilst in no way being rebellious (he being a local justice), is nevertheless not run-of-the-mill…