Witchfinders

Gives the ordinary reader a visceral sense of mid-seventeenth-century England . . . satisfyingly complex * Literary Review *
An evocative travelogue . . . setpieces of rich description * Times Literary Supplement *
Lucid and humane * Hilary Mantel *
The incessant peculiarity of the accusations could easily make the stories told in this book seem quaint rather than horrific. But Gaskill avoids this trap by describing each case in a vivid manner, making one aware at all times of the human tragedy * Craig Brown, Book of the Week, Mail on Sunday *
A terrible tale marvellously told . . . This is how history should be shown -- Ronald Blythe
Superb, chilling * Daily Telegraph *
A timely warning for those who think that witch trials are a matter of history * The Times *
A terrible tale marvellously told . . . this is how history should be known * the oldie *
A very lucid and human writer, very good at setting the social context, helping you understand how the phenomenon of witchfinders came out of the dislocation of the civil war * Independent on Sunday *
Gaskill tells the story of the witch-hunt in full and accurate detail, for the first time, and with uncommon skill . . . A solid contribution to knowledge and a splendid example of history as gripping literature * Ronald Hutton, Independent *
Malcolm Gaskill patiently untangles the history of East Anglian witchcraft * Guardian *
Written with sympathy, respect and deep human understanding * The Sunday Times *
Wonderfully detailed, well-written and judicious . . . tragic yet fascinating * Daily Telegraph *
A brilliant new study . . . In the vivid three-dimensionality of its dramatis personae, the eloquence of its writing, and the richness of its evocations of vanished worlds of landscape and belief . . . Gaskill displays a masterly wizardry all his own * John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph *
Fascinating * Daily Mail *
A chilling history of the witch-trials * History Today *
A fascinating history of the infamous witch-hunts . . . easily labelled as essential for anyone with an interest in the macabre . . . a good expose (and timely reminder) of how large-scale tragedies can occur once the right mix of circumstances are present * Irish Times *