Welcome to Burning Lake, a small, isolated town with a dark history of witchcraft and false accusations.

This third book in Burning Lake series starts off with a gruesome murder of a popular Wiccan priestess, dressed up and tied to the train tracks to face her death alone in the middle of a winter snowstorm.

The main character is Detective Natalie Lockhart, who is called to investigate the scene. Natalie is still dealing with the grief of her sister. She gained unwanted notoriety when she and her family became the center of not one, but two sensational murder cases (in Books 1 and 2).

Now she is burned out and emotionally lost. Should she quit the police force? That is an internal debate she has throughout the book, while solving the current case of who murdered Veronica Manes, the founder of the town’s oldest coven.

In addition, she must work with Detective Luke Pittman, her boss and the old childhood friend she cannot admit she loves, even to herself.

Natalie discovers there is a silent, malignant presence in Burning Lake that will not rest. The latest murder is only the beginning.

I liked this book in the series enough that I plan to go back and read Book 1 (Trace of Evil, 2019) and 2 ( The Wicked Hour, 2020).
The mystery is atmospheric and Natalie and the other characters in Burning Lake keep the story and its occult occurrences suspenseful.

However, be forewarned: The ending leaves the reader completely and abruptly hanging. I don’t know when the next book will be published, or if it’s even written. Under those uncertain circumstances, the ending didn’t make me want more. It just made me feel cheated. Because of the utterly abrupt cliffhanger, The Witching Tree gets only 3 stars from this reader.

So funny story I didn’t realize when I picked this book that I had already read the first in the series until I started the first chapter and got a recap of what happened in the main character’s life so far and remembered that I read the first book like over a year ago. So this little town Burning Lake has so really bad karma attached to it or something because by the time I am reading this book there have been a multitude of murder, serial killers and just all around bad stuff happening in this town that before the last couple years has been super quiet in terms of crime. Natalie has been put through the wringer being in the lead for all these cases and was a rookie during the first book which dealt with the murder of her older sister that was being questioned as who the culprit was. So she has a new relationship who is sheltering her from all the media attention the last case gave her, while also dealing with feeling burnt out working for the police force and her unresolved feelings for her boss that she has known since childhood. So while the mystery in this was interesting, it got overshadowed by her feelings for her boyfriend and boss and what she is going to do with her life. The end was unsatisfactory since we didn’t actually get any resolution on who was the killer for the one murder this book was dealing with but I left it wide open with this underlying conspiracy theory about the town and just leaves you with more questions than answers. I am looking forward to the next book if only to figure out who was the killer in this book.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

"The Moon has awoke, with the sleep of the Sun, the Light has been broken, the Spell has begun." (Midgard Morningstar)

The Witching Tree stands solemnly in the dark. Names have been carved in the bark of those thirteen trees that surround it. But woe to those who allow fingertips to graze the Witching Tree itself.

Detective Natalie Lockhart has lived on the edge for the past few years. The town of Burning Lake, New York has filtered through her nightmares.......and her waking hours as well. Natalie has lost family members and friends to murders lined with a bit of witchery in this community known for its ongoing celebration of the Harvest and of Halloween itself. Its history speaks of those in the long ago past accused of fire, brimstone, and boiling cauldrons spilling over onto the innocent.

But a call comes into the Burning Lake Police Station informing them of a gruesome situation along the town's railroad tracks. A body has been found in a horrific manner.......not hardly suicide......more likely murder.

Veronica Manes was a Wiccan priestess who owned a small shop in town. She practiced white magic that honored nature and peaceful interactions with others. She was beloved by those who knew her as a kindly soul always willing to help. Who would have wanted this benevolent woman dead and to such a horrifying way?

We find Natalie at a crossroads in her police career. Her spirit has taken quite the toll during her last few cases. It's been Natalie who had come across victims that she knew personally. She's typed out her letter of resignation folded up in her back pocket. But now that this current case has come up, Natalie can't walk away.

Alice Blanchard knows her way around a taunting mystery as we've experienced in the first two books. The Witching Tree can be read as a standalone as Blanchard fills in background information along the way. We're centered on Natalie as she's been beaten down by life and her unsettling choice of romantic interests. And it's Blanchard who had us crouched under that creepy tree only to leave us in the dark at the end. Better Be shuffling out #4 pretty quick then.

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books (St. Martin's Press) and to Alice Blanchard for the opportunity.

"Welcome to Burning Lake, a small, isolated town with a dark history of witches and false accusations. Now, a modern-day witch has been murdered, and Detective Natalie Lockhart is reluctantly drawn deep into the case, in this atmospheric mystery from Alice Blanchard, The Witching Tree.

As legend has it, if you carve your deepest desire into the bark of a Witch Tree, then over time as the tree grows, it will swallow the carvings until only a witch can read them.

Until now.

Detective Natalie Lockhart gained unwanted notoriety when she and her family became front and center of not one, but two sensational murder cases. Now she’s lost her way. Burned out and always looking over her shoulder, Natalie desperately thinks that quitting the police force is her only option left.

All that changes when a beloved resident - a practicing Wiccan and founder of the town’s oldest coven - is killed in a fashion more twisted and shocking than Natalie has ever seen before, leaving the town reeling. Natalie has no choice but to help solve the case along with Detective Luke Pittman, her boss and the old childhood friend she cannot admit she loves, even to herself. There is a silent, malignant presence in Burning Lake that will not rest. And what happens next will shock the whole town, and Natalie, to the core."

Witch persecution and murder is always a must read for me.

I am really loving this series so far! Im so glad I got to read this in October, its definitely a perfect book for spooky season and once I started I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting!
I would defintely recommend reading the first two books in this series first, while the author does give alot of good snippets about what happened in the them, I think youll be more emotionally invested in whats going on with Natalie if you read about her past cases while they are happening.
In The Witching Tree we start off with the murder of Veronica, a prominent member of the Wiccan community..
At the same time Natalie is realizing that she is at a crossroads in her life.. She is thinking about quitting the police force, after the events in the last two books she is mentally drained, but when Veronica is murdered Natalie knows that she can't quit until she solves this case.
I love how in each book we get to learn a little bit more about the towns history and the three innocent women that were accused of witchcraft and killed. I loved all the twists and turns, and how alot of things seemingly are connecting to something bad that happened in the past..This story has a spooky, supernatural vibe, and we get this ominious feeling that something bigger is happening that just the current case, that everything is connected. I think this has to be my favorite book in the series so far and I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see how everything is going to play out.

If you have not started reading the Natalie Lockhart series by Alice Blanchard then you are definitely missing out! I have been lucky enough to have received ARC’s for all three books in this series and each one is better than the last. Alice Blanchard is the Queen of cliffhangers!! After the cliffhanger in The Wicked Hour left me me shouting out loud for more I didn’t think it was possible to do it again, but she did! I shouldn’t have finished reading it at 1:00 AM because I was too wired to fall asleep! In The Witching Tree, Natalie Lockhart is dealing with another bizarre case in Burning Lake along with many personal life decisions and feelings. The way Alice writes, you can feel what Natalie is feeling and easily get lost in the pages of the story. And the ending will leave you impatiently waiting for what is next. I can’t say enough good things about The Witching Tree and this series! I cannot wait until the next book, like I need to know what is going to happen. Now! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books for the ARC!!

The first two books in this series are among my favorites and this one had all the makings of making the top of my list. The story line was great and the characters are rich. But then, it ended. Just like that {snaps fingers}. Complete and total cliffhanger. For the most part, I didn't mind the personal/medical cliffhanger - it means there is will definitely be another book - yay! But the mystery cliffhanger? No conclusion? I felt cheated. I felt disappointed. Ugh. I felt sad. But, I really do love this series and these characters so I'm pretty sure all will be forgiven when the next book comes out. And if you like good creepy atmosphere definitely pick this series up. The author does such an amazing job setting the haunting atmosphere that it becomes a secondary character. Full of cold weather, witches and creepy folklore, no matter the season in the book, it's always a great October read.

Detective Natalie Lockhart is back and really struggling as she feels burnt out and is considering a change of career. But when a Wiccan is murdered in town, Natalie knows she needs to work the case and find a killer, again…if time doesn’t run out for her first. 

The third entry in this fabulous series really got me with the inclusion of a Wiccan community member and a Natalie Lockhart case. I would suggest reading the first two books in the series if you are at all bothered by anything that is assumed from previous books. It’s not enough to turn you off and reads fine as a stand alone to me, but I know others might struggle with that. Either way, you will find this series a fabulous addition to your list of must read authors!

Wow, I already had huge expectations for this book and it did not disappoint. The Witching Tree is AMAZING. It is a grip the edge of your seat and don't put down because your going for a ride type of book. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

The Witching Tree is set in Burning Lake, New York and follows Detective Natalie Lockhart only several months after she caught The Violinist. She is contemplating whether or not she should continue being a detective because of the all the recent high profile murder cases she has been point person on. Her next case is no different except for her team is trying to protect her by not putting her as the Detective in charge.

The Witching Tree sets the tone immediately by a gruesome murder, which is no stranger to this series. The way that Alice Blanchard sets the tone and unfolds each scene before you makes you feel like you are there in Burning Lake following Detective Lockhart. The level of description is so transporting.

I loved the story behind The Witching Tree, the history that is woven into the book around witches, and the historic wiccan covens.

Rating: Definitely a high 5 stars. The ride that Alice Blanchard put me through was great. I went through so many emotions and the cliff hanger at the end just made me go "what, you cannot do that to me." I now have to wait for the next book and I don't know that I have the patience. I need to know what is going to happen next now.

This book could be considered a standalone but I would highly recommend that you read all of the books because they are well worth your time.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I missed the memo when requesting this book and didn't realize it was the third book in the series. I didn't read the first two books, Trace of Evil and The Wicked Hour. I wish I had so that I could fully appreciate this book! I loved the small town of Burning Lake. Natalie Lockhart is a very likable character and loved her drive -- that she would do anything to solve this dark and twisted case. Hate it when a book ends and leaves me hanging!! Excellent writing by Alice Blanchard. This was the first book I've read of hers and won't be my last. I will now go back and read the first two in this dark series. Can't wait for a 4th!

My review page: @thrillersandcoffee on IG.

This book is so flipping good, I’m not even sure what to say. It’s the third, and hands down best, book of the series. There are multiple murders (always with enough graphic detail to make me cringe), never-ending guilt and trauma for Natalie, a seemingly unsolved case, and a CLIFFHANGER!!! Not cool, Alice Blanchard. Not cool. And also brilliant.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-arc copy of The Witching Tree by Alice Blanchard in exchange for an honest review! This one publishes December 7! This one gets 4.5 stars from me!

I loved being back in Burning Lake with Detective Natalie Lockhart. I really enjoy detective novels, and now with the aded bonus of witchy vibes? Yes please! This is the third book in the series, and starts off with a gruesome murder on the train tracks. Natalie is still dealing with the grief of her sister and everything that was revealed in that case, as well as the most recent cases she has solved: The Crow Killer and The Violinist. All of which have been high profile and in the media. She has been put through the wringer, and is starting to feel burnt out. Should she quit the police force? That is an internal debate she has throughout the book, while solving the current case of who murdered a beloved member of the Wiccan community.

I loved this one! More so for the struggles that Natalie is evidently going through. The author doesn't hide these factors, making the characters more relatable. While I enjoyed the murder/detective/crime solving elements of this book for keeping me turning the pages, the evident struggles Natalie deals with, really stood out to me.

Also, I really hope there is a fourth book, because the way this one ended, I NEED to know what happens next and to make sure a certain character is ok!

I so wanted to like 'The Witching Tree.'. The description seemed so interesting. Maybe I should go back and start with the first book in the series, but I'm not sure I could take another visit to Burning Lake. The characters seemed flimsy, even though it seems they have lived in this town for some time. There was so much bad history, you wonder why some residents remained in Burning Lake. There doesn't seem to be a clear resolution of the main issue in this book and we have other mysteries to figure out as well. I felt this book just left me feeling let down. I Too much misery and sorrow and not enough reward for sticking around until the end. If I have to read the next book to try and figure out what actually happened in 'The Wichng Tree', I guess I will just draw my own conclusions and leave it at that.

Excellent story! Totally engrossing!. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Could not put this down!

This is third of a series and readers given no notice of that. Too many gaps. Ended on a cliff hanger. I didn't care enough to want to read next one or previous ones.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was excited about reading this book but I just did not like it. It was unrealistic to me and also the author just repeats herself over and over and over and over. After a while it was getting annoying and taking my concentration away from the story.

Once again, no indication was given that this is a book that falls within the middle of a series... It is number three. While there are brief encapsulations of the protagonist's backstory in the opening pages, the characters feel shallow when you have no context and no deeper understanding of them. By the third book in the series, authers (fairly) assume that you already are familiar with their characters, so don't recreate their histories. Without that context,
the book was hard to get into beyond a surface read about the new case. And since a significant element in the story is Lockhart's decision whether or not to leave the police force, that made evaluating it on the whole difficult. Unfortunately I cannot get the first two books through my local library and so I'm going to be unable to give this one a fair evaluation because I simply can't tell you whether the fact that I found it flat and the characters difficult to relate to is due to the writing or my lack of familiarity with the series... Hence 3 stars, as a neutral rating here that I won't post anywhere else.

Red herrings, murder, sensitive cop, protective men, wiccans and witches. I cannot resist tales of the paranormal sort and I wasn't disappointed. Well written, information given out in bits instead of just dumped. I love the writing and the story line, it's perfect for a chilly October day!
Thank you NetGalley for providing this copy in exchange for an unpaid, honest review.

I totally missed that this was the third book in a series, so there were some missing pieces and gaps for me. I'm usually not a series person and prefer standalone, but I'm glad I stumbled into this series because I still really enjoyed this one despite not having read the first two - I'll be going back to read the first 2!

The Witching Tree, the 3rd book in the series was so good that I had a hard time putting it down. It starts from the beginning of the chapter with the death of Veronica Manes, a well loved and known witch in the town of Burning Lake, NY. The main character, Natalie Lockhart is a police detective who is notified and called to the scene of her death. She , along with the other officers in her department try to find out who would do such a terrible thing. She is staying with her boyfriend, Hunter Rose to get away from the reporters because of the events of the death of her two sisters a year earlier. She is torn between Hunter and her boss and childhood friend, Luke Pittman. There are two covens of witches in the town, the Carrington Coven and the Pendleton Coven which Veronica was the head of. One of her relatives, Thomas Bell was a judge who put the witches to death on the stake. Veronica is also a author of books pertaining to witchcraft. She is researching the town for her new book. She discovers something that could change things for her coven. The other characters in the story add to the suspense that seems to mount with each introduction of them. The reader is introduced to the witches who are upstanding citizens. This is where the story takes off with different events that make the reader keep guessing who had killed Veronica and why.

The Witching Tree is a tree that grew on the spot where Nettie Goodson died in a fire.. She was deemed a witch in the colonial days. The tree was protected by a fence, It was rumored that if anyone tried to damage the tree something bad happened to them. There is such suspense towards the end and such a surprise that leaves the reader hanging.

I liked the series so much I plan to read the first two books. The reader will have to wait with anticipation for book 4 to find out who killed Veronica etc. Also who put Luke in a coma now in the hospital with Natalie sitting in his room. vowing she will protect him no matter what because what is going on in Burning Lake is bigger than she realizes.

Thank you NetGalley, and St. Martin's Publishing Group for this ARL.