The House of Cursed Daughters

By: C.J. Cooke

Narrated by: Alix Dunmore

'Cooke is known for her ability to craft spellbinding tales filled with dread and terror, but also beauty' Scots Magazine

Three women. Seven centuries. One unbreakable blood curse…

It began in fire…

Paris, 1307. When eleven-year-old Princess Isabella of France watches four men burn at the stake, a dying knight curses her bloodline: love will destroy everything she holds dear.

It was forged in madness…

Bedlam, 1865. Lois wakes in Bedlam Asylum with no memory of who she is – only a precious red stone and the growing certainty that something ancient is hunting her.

Can it end before blood is spilled?

Present day. Artist Emma Harris arrives at a crumbling French château for her wedding and the exhibition of her life. But the walls remember everything, and something has followed her here.

Seven centuries of destruction. One woman left to fight.

©2026 C.J. Cooke

Critic reviews

Praise for C.J. Cooke:

'Pure spooky pleasure' Stephen King, Pet Sematary

'A taut psychological thriller, an eerie Nordic fable, and a thoughtful meditation on stewardship … This is my favorite kind of book' Christopher Buehlman, Between Two Fires

'A chilling, atmospheric novel' Sunday Times

'A vivid and haunting portrait of a real-life heroine, told in beautifully immersive prose’ Emilia Hart, Sirens

‘A powerful, rage-filled novel of courage, sisterhood and female power inspired by a real witchcraft trial … Blisteringly brilliant’ Anna Mazzola, The Book of Secrets

‘Utterly chilling and almost unbearably poignant … A beautifully written book that will stay with me for a long time’ Frances Quinn, That Bonesetter Woman

‘C.J. Cooke expertly weaves the terrifying and real experience of witch persecution with dark magic and the power of sisterhood … An unforgettable read’ Anya Bergman, The Witches of Vardo

'Cooke is known for her ability to craft spellbinding tales filled with dread and terror, but also beauty – and she shows off these skills once again' Scots Magazine

‘Chilling and beautifully written, this gripped me from the very first sentence: I read it in one sitting. A haunting recreation of a real Scottish witch trial, this is CJ Cooke's finest novel yet’ Emilia Hart, Weyward

‘A fantastic blend of folklore and feminism, Cooke delicately balances terror and tenderness in a gothic, gripping tale’ Daily Mail

'A pacy, atmospheric story' Good Housekeeping

' A spellbinding thriller' Scots Magazine

'A gothic treat' Heat ​

'An atmospheric one-sitting read' Woman & Home

‘Rich, chilling and gorgeously gothic … The kind of enchanting, terrifying mystery I just adore’ Chris Whitaker