“A woman discovers her magical ancestry while being seduced by a deadly coven in this debut fantasy. ... A craftily blended supernatural tale that vividly shows the author's love of the genre.” - Kirkus Reviews A Contemporary Gothic Horror of Magic, Power, and Betrayal Rachel Ogden has spent her life resisting the pull of the past. She’s finally built the ordinary life she always wanted, running a coffee shop with her best friend and even considering romance for the first time in years. But beneath the surface, something is shifting. Something is waiting. Nightmares she can't remember. Flickers of memories that don't make sense. Rachel pushes past them and clings to normalcy, but fate has other plans. The spiral into the unknown starts when she meets the enigmatic owner of a metaphysical supply store and the figures behind an exclusive Gothic nightclub. Soon, Rachel’s reality fractures as the storm she's suppressed reaches her. Her mother’s ghost appears, warning her of an inheritance she cannot escape. It's a gift others would kill to claim. As Rachel is drawn deeper into an underworld of seduction, secrets, and hidden rituals, she must confront a past she doesn’t remember, a power she never asked for, and a legacy that refuses to be denied. For fans of Shirley Jackson, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Anne Rice, The Witch’s Spiral is a haunting, character-driven descent into the occult, the razor-thin line between desire and control, and the terrifying beauty of self-discovery. Also perfect for readers who crave eerie atmospheres, creeping paranoia, and the slow unraveling of reality in the face of the unknown. "A woman discovers her magical ancestry while being seduced by a deadly coven in this debut fantasy. In Highland Heights, Kentucky, Rachel Ogden owns and operates the Wise Bean coffee shop with her friend Emily Jones. At the Local Flavors and Crafts Festival, the women have a stand aimed at growing their customer base. During the festival, Rachel finally meets Mike Smith, whom she encountered via online dating. At the Wise Bean's tent, Rachel finds Mike handsome and well dressed—and he's brought Karen Staples, his cousin and business partner. After Karen leaves, Rachel and Mike peruse some vinyl for sale, bonding through a shared taste in dark music. Rachel and Emily eventually visit Church, the goth nightclub that Mike runs. Rachel and Mike end the night with drinks and kisses in his office but stop there. Later, a storm wakes up a sleeping Rachel. She gravitates toward a rose quartz orb that she purchased at the festival from Morgan Wilson, owner of the Crystal Crescent shop. While the orb pulses with energy, lightning flashes outside. Rachel sees a woman in the window. This is her mother, Theresa, who vanished from Rachel's life when she was a child, supposedly due to drug use. Rachel learns from Morgan that she saw her mother's "astral projection" and that Theresa's skills as a witch passed to her daughter as she died. The powers come with a warning: "Our kind are hunted. They killed me, they killed Rosemary Crantz, and they'll come for you next." In her novel, Hancock takes readers on a wild excursion through Rachel's lineage to learn her connection to Crantz, a witch. History and the paranormal blend in a story that's not quite a romance but more of a tale about trusting your gut. The plot is pop-culture savvy, utilizing the mystique of rock bands like Blue Öyster Cult and The Misfits for more than just gothic window-dressing. Rachel is effectively portrayed as someone struggling with a past trauma—a house fire—in that she sleeps with difficulty. But she's wise to resist the charms of the "inexperienced but sweet" Mike, who shows up at her home unannounced and buys her an extravagant gift before a relationship is even acknowledged. Mike and Karen harbor a bizarre secret that ties them to Rachel's past and to a cult with tiered, forbidden knowledge (not unlike the arrangement in Scientology) involving a being called Nephilor. Hancock stirs the pot with intriguing historical and scientific motifs, including Cincinnati's aborted subway project and a parasitic fungus that eats cicadas alive. Agile prose conjures some entrancing moments, as when Karen "could feel the tendrils working inside of her, pulling strings, shifting cells and atoms, making room in her soul." Magic, closer to the Wiccan variety, shows that spells have a cost, be it in copper coins or a witch's own life. A monstrous finale with plenty of action will leave fans hungry for a sequel. A craftily blended supernatural tale that vividly shows the author's love of the genre." - Kirkus Reviews M.K. HANCOCK was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. She has published news stories, short stories, and poetry in nonprofessional markets. "The Witch's Spiral" is her debut novel. She lives in Northern Kentucky with her husband.