Coming Soon
Said the Spider to the Fly will be available for purchase on the bookstore shortly.
Publish with FriesenPress
Learn how you can publish your book with the world’s only 100% employee-owned publishing services provider.
Said the Spider to the Fly
by
Findlay Ward
Three women. Three generations. One haunting legacy. When schoolteacher Rachael discovers her late grandmother’s journals, she uncovers more than dusty memories. Within the yellowed pages lies a chilling family history—one of love, betrayal, and long-buried secrets. As Rachael struggles to navigate an increasingly dangerous marriage in 2022, she is pulled back to the 1980s, into the world of Dorothy, a woman whose return to a secluded island cottage awakens painful memories of her brother Jimmy’s mysterious death. Haunted by the past and watched over by a strange raven, Dorothy begins to piece together the truth behind Jimmy’s drowning and the darkness that once shadowed her childhood. But it’s not just ghosts that linger on Turtle Island. There’s also a history of unspoken trauma, passed down through bloodlines, and the quiet strength of the women who’ve endured it. As Rachael reads, the parallels between her grandmother’s life and her own become impossible to ignore. She must confront the truth to break from a cycle of violence—before it consumes her too. A gripping blend of contemporary gothic mystery and emotional suspense, Said the Spider to the Fly is a powerful story of survival, legacy, and the enduring strength of women. The question is—can the past help Rachael break free?
"Said the Spider to the Fly is a foreboding novel set on an island marked by the supernatural, where family roots go deep." —Foreword Clarion Reviews "An abused woman finds comfort in her grandmother’s journals in the supernatural-tinged novel Said the Spider to the Fly, about dark generational patterns." —Foreword Clarion Reviews "Setting details on Turtle Island are vivid and telling. The weather effectively captures mood and amps the suspense." —Whistler Independent Book Awards Evaluation
Findlay Ward is a lifelong lover of mystery, storytelling, and human nature. She holds a BA in Psychology and has long been fascinated by why people do the things they do—a curiosity that informs her writing. Her debut novel, Said the Spider to the Fly, was originally self-published in 2024 and is now being relaunched as the first book in the Poetic Justice series. Findlay grew up devouring Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books, sparking a passion for suspenseful stories with complex characters. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading on the back deck of her rural Alberta home, often in the quiet company of her husband, her dog, and the wildlife that wanders by. You can connect with her online at www.findlayward.com.
Contributors
- Author
- Findlay Ward