📖Book Review ~ The Raven by Susan McCauley

Celtic Sea
8 September 2026

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

As illness tightens its grip, something darker begins to stir.

England, 1665. As plague ravages London and fear spreads north to York, Martin Blake, a humble cobbler, struggles to protect his family through a bitter, death-shadowed winter. When the parish rector, his wife’s domineering uncle, forces orphaned children from London into their already meager home, Martin’s fragile world begins to unravel.

Grief, illness, and the weight of buried sins close in. Ravens gather. Martin’s reason begins to slip. Whispers spread—of misused alms, of spirits that roam at night, of faith twisted into something monstrous. As snow blankets the land and the dead lie unburied, Martin must confront a chilling truth: is he haunted by guilt, or by something far more sinister?

A gothic tale of illness, obsession, and the perilous border between loyalty and madness.

📖My Review..

Even the small villages around York in 1665 are not safe from the effects of the great plague which is ravishing the south of England. In the quiet hamlet of Acaster Malbis, Martin Blake ekes out a meagre living as a humble cobbler because without the funds to join the prestigious Guild of Cordwainers, Martin must continue to make his shoes in secret, this pleases his wife’s uncle, the local church rector, who begrudges the expense of new leather. 

Martin’s wife, Susanna is a gentle soul, who cossets the ravens which come to her for food but there is a deep underlying sadness which makes her yearn for more children of her own. When her rector uncle asks Martin and Susanna to take in a family of London children who have been orphaned by the pestilence, Martin reluctantly agrees as the family are poor enough without extra mouths to feed, this change in circumstances brings devastating tragedy to the family and the start of Martin’s mental health problems.

The Raven is an atmospheric story and it must be said is rather creepy in places, filled with an undercurrent of menace and a creeping sense of dread. The sense of history is palpable and although only a shortish story the characters come across well, especially Susanna’s uncle who is an ambitious man with no sense of Christian compassion. The ravens too are as much a part of the narrative as the humans and I could hear their incessant cawing and sense their malevolent presence. Martin’s tumble into insanity is harrowing and deeply disturbing which all adds to the bleakness of the story. 

Overall, The Raven works as a chilling and atmospheric read, interesting enough to read in one sitting and with a Gothic inspired cover, which is what piqued my interest in the first instance.

About the Author

Susan McCauley is an award-winning author who writes gothic horror, ghost stories, and folklore-driven fantasy for middle grade, YA, and adult readers, exploring faith, fear, and the darker costs of history.

Website