Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends

by Sam Baltrusis

It's no surprise that the historic Massachusetts seaport's history is checkered with violence and heinous crimes. Originally called Naumkeag, Salem means "peace." However, as its historical legacy dictates, the city was anything but peaceful during the late seventeenth century. Did the reputed Boston Strangler, Albert DeSalvo, strike in Salem? Evidence supports the possibility of a copy-cat murder. From the recently pinpointed gallows where innocents were hanged for witchcraft to the murder house on Essex Street where Capt. Joseph White was bludgeoned to death and then stabbed thirteen times in the heart, Sam Baltrusis explores the ghost lore and the people behind the tragic events that turned the "Witch City" into a hot spot that has become synonymous with witches, rakes, and rogues.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

264 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2019

About the author

Sam Baltrusis, author of "Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends," has penned a dozen historical-based ghost books including "Ghost Writers" and "Mass Murders." He has been featured on several national TV shows including Destination America's "Haunted Towns," the Travel Channel's "Haunted USA" on Salem and served as Boston's paranormal expert on the Biography Channel's "Haunted Encounters." In 2019, he was featured on the one-hundredth episode of "A Haunting" that aired on the Travel Channel. Baltrusis is a sought-after lecturer who speaks at dozens of paranormal-related events scattered throughout New England, including an author discussion at the Massachusetts State House and paranormal conventions that he produced called the Plymouth ParaCon in 2018 and the Berkshire’s MASS ParaCon in 2019. Visit SamBaltrusis.com for more information.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars for actually treating the Salem Witch Trial Victims and others with respect and pointing out inaccuracies in ghost stories. I should have checked it out more before impulse buying because it focuses a lot on ghost reality show personalities (the author is one so that's understandable). The book would have benefited from a more robust editor. There were few typos (I only spotted one) but my issues were with structural problems leading to unnecessary repetition of information, including the same sentences.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading books about true hauntings in towns all over the US. This book gives more than just the hauntings. It is centered in Salem Massachusetts. Not only do you learn about the haunted happenings in certain places but you also get a full run down of the poor souls who were tried and convicted in the Salem With trials in the 1600's. So you get ghosts and history, 2 of my favorite subjects.

Sam Baltrusis has done an amazing job with this book. He has done his homework on not only the hauntings but the history as well. He takes you with him to interview various people and gets down to what is believed a true account of the witch trials.

Sam Baltrusis has worked on a few different television shows. Haunted Towns with the Tennessee Wraith Chasers is just one. The show is aired on the Travel Channel. They done a episode in Salem and Sam done the homework of finding the history of they places they visited during their investigation. I personally love the show and have seen every episode. Now I know the man behind the history of the show. He is a very interesting man and so is this book.

[Sophy H · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ok but it soon got a little repetitive. There are only so many times you can read about someone's ghost mooching around an old mansion/cemetery/museum/basement. The historical aspect of Salem was presented in a pop fiction type manner which I wasn't really in to.

Good try by Baltrusis but for me this just wasn't hitting the mark.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Salem interests you this a great book exploring the lore and legends from psychics and tour guides, not the main stream point of view. The Salem Witch Trials has always fascinated me and I enjoyed the stories.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an overall good book detailing what you would expect from a book about various ghosts that haunt Salem. What I could do without is the repetition of facts and the author not fulling telling us his credentials in the beginning but throughout the book. At the last he reveals he can channel spirits. This style was exhausting. The blocked out stories didn't add much to what already existed and made the reading very choppy. Overall this could have been better edited.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic idea for the book! Lots of great info but I think the organization could have been done a little better. For some of the lore you need to already know something’s about Salem’s history or it doesn’t quite make sense. (Ex. Giles Corey’s curse on Salem but saying what the curse was much later in the book after it was first brought up.) definitely worth reading if you already have the basics of Salem History.

[Lisa Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very interesting. I do love a good ghost story and someday hope to visit salem. The true stories behind the witch trials is heartbreaking. I do recommend this for anyone who enjoys ghost stories and folk lore sprinkled with real history.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent

[Michael Kiripolsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Braves daughters and sons of Salem.

[Matthew Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A haunting book filled with tales that will give you goosebumps. It is really interesting to learn about the dark history of Salem and the paranormal connections to it.

[Emma Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cool book to read for my upcoming trip