After the Forest

The unforgettable new magical Sunday Times bestselling historical fantasy debut novel perfect for readers of Naomi Novik, Katherine Arden and Rebecca Ross.

Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour. A drop of blood to bind its power.

1650: The Black Forest, Wurttemberg. Fifteen years after the witch in the gingerbread house, Greta and Hans are struggling to get by. Their father and stepmother are long dead, Hans is deeply in debt from gambling, and the countryside lies in ruin, its people recovering in the aftermath of a brutal war.

Greta has a secret, though: the witch's grimoire, secreted away and whispering in her ear, and the recipe inside that makes the most sinfully delicious - and addictive - gingerbread. As long as she can bake, Greta can keep her small family afloat.

But in a village full of superstition, Greta and her intoxicating gingerbread is a source of ever-growing suspicion and vicious gossip.

And now, dark magic is returning to the woods and Greta's own power - magic she is still trying to understand - may be the only thing that can save her ... If it doesn't kill her first.

"An enchanting (sometimes tear-jerking) concoction spiced with shapeshifting wolves, a cursed bear, green witches, and gorgeous fairy tale symbolism, and I devoured every word. If you're looking for a wondrous and terrifying fairy tale, Kell Woods has the secret ingredient" The Fairy Tale Magazine

"A love song to fairy tales ... Sweet as gingerbread and bitterly dark as heart's blood" Angela Slatter, award-winning author of The Path of Thorns

"A dark and wondrous tale. Utterly enchanting" Kate Forsyth, bestselling author of The Crimson Thread

"A clever merger of fantasy and historical fiction" Sydney Morning Herald

"Bewitching historical fantasy ... Woods is a powerful new voice in speculative fiction" starred review, Publishers Weekly (US)