Scotland is a land steeped in magic and mystery, but Lilian Darling doesn't believe in such things. She has dedicated her career at Oxford University to clearing the names of those falsely accused of consorting with the devil, and that never involves any actual witchcraft. Until now. When she and her research partner, Edgar Falkirk, head to the misty hills of the Scottish Borders to meet a promising source, their journey takes an unexpected turn. Edgar's accidental discovery of an ancient spell book, combined with an encounter with an overly enthusiastic research student, thrusts them back through time to the 16th century at the outbreak of the witch craze ensnaring early modern Scotland. In this perilous era, the pair of astute academics must navigate a landscape where their modern knowledge and skepticism could mark them as heretics. As they race to find a way back to their own time, they must confront the very myths they sought to debunk and uncover a truth that transcends reason. The Dryburgh Chronicles Part 1: The Existence of Shadows is a fast-paced magical mystery that combines quick wit with enchanting scene building weaving a time-traveling tale where nothing and nobody are what they seem.