Witchcraft and Womanhood: Rachel Grosvenor’s third novel, ‘Witchborne’, explores the suppression of female power in a superstitious society.

Fly on the Wall Press is delighted to announce the acquisition of bestselling fantasy author Rachel Grosvenor’s third novel, Witchborne, set to be released on 1st September 2025. Worldwide exclusive rights were obtained by director Isabelle Kenyon, direct from the author. 

In the medieval town of Locklear, where women are continually under the threat of being accused of witchcraft, Agnes harbours a dangerous secret - she can touch fire without being burned. Torn between her innate power and the threat this represents. Agnes navigates a world where conformity is enforced by the ever-present hangman’s noose. 

As she strains to uphold her own and her family’s reputation, a deal is struck with a suspected witch. But when this deal goes awry, her carefully constructed facade of socially-sanctioned womanhood begins to unravel as whispers of witchcraft grow louder. In a community rooted in the suspicion of woman and suppression of their power, can Agnes harness her strength to forge her own destiny, or will she succumb to the silence of countless women before her?

Whilst Grosvenor’s evocative pros transports us to the medieval past, Witchborne is a timely exploration of societies threatened by female power, the complexity of motherhood, and how the pressure to conform to societal expectations reverberates through generations. 

Rachel Grosvenor is a writer from Birmingham, UK, with a PhD, MA and BA in Creative Writing. With a passion for telling fantastical tales, Rachel has written poetry and short stories for reviews and anthologies worldwide. Praised as ‘refreshing’ by The Guardian for her debut novel The Finery, Grosvernor continues to write with what Joe Bedford, author of A Bad Decade for Good People, commended as her ‘wry humour and vicious imagination.’

For further information, media enquiries, or to request an advanced reader’s copy, please contact Louisa Wagstaff at admin@flyonthewallpress.co.uk