A widow seeking freedom. A vicar holding onto faith. A legendary creature lurking in the mist.
London, 1893: When Cora Seaborne’s oppressive husband dies, she leaves behind society’s expectations for the windswept marshes of Essex. There, she hears whispers of the Essex Serpent—a fearsome beast that has supposedly returned after three hundred years. Convinced the creature is a scientific marvel rather than a supernatural terror, Cora sets out to investigate.
Her search brings her to Reverend William Ransome, a man who sees the panic gripping his village as a test of faith. As science and religion collide, so do their lives—sparking an intense relationship that neither of them expected.
A Washington Post Notable Book and now an Apple TV+ series, The Essex Serpent is a mesmerizing historical novel of myth, love, and the battle between reason and belief.
