What do you think?
Rate this book
In the Shadow of Salem
She began life as the bastard child of a prosperous landowner and his indentured servant. Now her stepmother despises the girl and views her as cursed by God.
For Mehitabel Braybrooke, life in Puritan New England becomes unbearable when her orphan cousin arrives to live with her family. Jealousy and lies result in Mehitabel being "sent out" as a servant to a neighbor's home. There, foolishness and bad judgment lead her to commit the Mehitabel commits crimes that warrant a death not once, but twice — the first time for arson, the second for witchcraft.
Rich in historical detail, In the Shadow of Salem is a fascinating portrayal of a real historical Puritan woman. The history records have not been kind to Mehitabel, but what was the real story behind her scurrilous reputation? Would she ever be redeemed from her lifelong curse? Or was Mehitabel as wicked as the Essex Court Records suggest?
For Mehitabel Braybrooke, life in Puritan New England becomes unbearable when her orphan cousin arrives to live with her family. Jealousy and lies result in Mehitabel being "sent out" as a servant to a neighbor's home. There, foolishness and bad judgment lead her to commit the Mehitabel commits crimes that warrant a death not once, but twice — the first time for arson, the second for witchcraft.
Rich in historical detail, In the Shadow of Salem is a fascinating portrayal of a real historical Puritan woman. The history records have not been kind to Mehitabel, but what was the real story behind her scurrilous reputation? Would she ever be redeemed from her lifelong curse? Or was Mehitabel as wicked as the Essex Court Records suggest?
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2018
94 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 29, 2025
"The longer I remained in prison, the more I became like my bleak surroundings."
- Donna B. Gawell, In the Shadow of Salem
This is a good book. This is a really good book.
Emotional and evocative and a wonderful surprise to me because I was expecting to just read a few pages to start and I got carried away and read the whole book in two sittings .
Now you might think because this book has the word Salem in it that it’s about the Salem witch trials.
It does touch on that and that is a bit of a focus, but it’s not over emphasized and doesn’t even come into play until much later in the book.
The story is about Mehitabel Braybrooke.
Because I am a terrible speller, and because it’s the middle of the night, I will be referring to her as M. This is because I can’t spell and to write her name over and over again would be difficult no matter how lovely and haunting a name it is.
M Has known a lot of sorrow in her young life. Her mother considers her a curse. This is because her father who loves her dearly sinned against her mom and if you know anything about the Puritan culture, some sins are not easily forgivable.
M grows up with little love from her mother, Joan. She also grows up, knowing the circumstances to an extent of her past, knowing that Joan resents her, and that many in town do not trust her.
The story is not light I must caution you.
M encounters a lot of pain. Although her father loves her he is weak against Joan who has a stronger personality. And when they bring another into the household, it has long-term ramifications on M..
It takes place in the charming and quaint town of Ipswich, Massachusetts. I know it well. I have been to Massachusetts to many of these beautiful little towns of New England. I am of New England, which may be why books about New England continue to fascinate and amaze me.
Of course, the Ipswich in these pages is not like it is today. I retain a fascination for the Puritan culture. So different than the way we live today! So rigid, but at the same time, there was a real beauty to be found as well.
This book is so much more than about the witch trials, which, as I said, at the beginning of this, playing an important role, but are not over emphasized, and do not come into the quick equation until much much later in the book, and briefly at that.
No, it’s more about love and loss and redemption and pain and forgiveness and inner strength. There is so much in this book, but even though it’s not excessively long, you never feel over crammed with knowledge.
The book unfolds, like a tiny rose, blooming and unfolding its petals. It’s definitely one of the best books I’ve read about that time period In Massachusetts.
The author was fantastic about dropping you into the middle of the pages.
This is really important to me when I read historical fiction. I just want to feel like I’m there having the story whispered to me, or being a part of the story, and I always felt that here. There was not one page that was not absorbing, and I mean that most sincerely.
This is one of those books I’m going to leave out any spoilers. Usually when I do a review, I do half the review without spoilers and then I put up a spoiler alert, and then I talk about some of the things like the ending. I am not going to do that here. I really think this is best gone into knowing as little as possible. Although I will say I adored Alice.
Best of all M and all the characters were real people. If you choose this, please don’t forget to read the authors note at the end. All the characters are based on real human beings.
Such a strange time. Salem was! Such a tragic stain on our history. But such a beautiful story in this book. In the shadow of Salem was outstanding.
I will end review with This. Perhaps you’re wondering why I gave it to four not a five star. It has nothing to do with the quality of the book. My answer is a little whimsical.
The answer is I never give any book about that time period five stars because one of my favorite books of all time and I do mean one of my favorite books , is the only book from that time that I’ve ever given a five star to. It is called “ The witch of blackbird pond.” It’s an American classic, which I read when I was just a child and it fueled my interest in this time period.
There is no place like New England, and it Took me a long time to really appreciate it.
But there is no place that looks like it, no place that smells like it, and no place that has given me some of the utter joy these beautiful lands have gifted me.
- Donna B. Gawell, In the Shadow of Salem
This is a good book. This is a really good book.
Emotional and evocative and a wonderful surprise to me because I was expecting to just read a few pages to start and I got carried away and read the whole book in two sittings .
Now you might think because this book has the word Salem in it that it’s about the Salem witch trials.
It does touch on that and that is a bit of a focus, but it’s not over emphasized and doesn’t even come into play until much later in the book.
The story is about Mehitabel Braybrooke.
Because I am a terrible speller, and because it’s the middle of the night, I will be referring to her as M. This is because I can’t spell and to write her name over and over again would be difficult no matter how lovely and haunting a name it is.
M Has known a lot of sorrow in her young life. Her mother considers her a curse. This is because her father who loves her dearly sinned against her mom and if you know anything about the Puritan culture, some sins are not easily forgivable.
M grows up with little love from her mother, Joan. She also grows up, knowing the circumstances to an extent of her past, knowing that Joan resents her, and that many in town do not trust her.
The story is not light I must caution you.
M encounters a lot of pain. Although her father loves her he is weak against Joan who has a stronger personality. And when they bring another into the household, it has long-term ramifications on M..
It takes place in the charming and quaint town of Ipswich, Massachusetts. I know it well. I have been to Massachusetts to many of these beautiful little towns of New England. I am of New England, which may be why books about New England continue to fascinate and amaze me.
Of course, the Ipswich in these pages is not like it is today. I retain a fascination for the Puritan culture. So different than the way we live today! So rigid, but at the same time, there was a real beauty to be found as well.
This book is so much more than about the witch trials, which, as I said, at the beginning of this, playing an important role, but are not over emphasized, and do not come into the quick equation until much much later in the book, and briefly at that.
No, it’s more about love and loss and redemption and pain and forgiveness and inner strength. There is so much in this book, but even though it’s not excessively long, you never feel over crammed with knowledge.
The book unfolds, like a tiny rose, blooming and unfolding its petals. It’s definitely one of the best books I’ve read about that time period In Massachusetts.
The author was fantastic about dropping you into the middle of the pages.
This is really important to me when I read historical fiction. I just want to feel like I’m there having the story whispered to me, or being a part of the story, and I always felt that here. There was not one page that was not absorbing, and I mean that most sincerely.
This is one of those books I’m going to leave out any spoilers. Usually when I do a review, I do half the review without spoilers and then I put up a spoiler alert, and then I talk about some of the things like the ending. I am not going to do that here. I really think this is best gone into knowing as little as possible. Although I will say I adored Alice.
Best of all M and all the characters were real people. If you choose this, please don’t forget to read the authors note at the end. All the characters are based on real human beings.
Such a strange time. Salem was! Such a tragic stain on our history. But such a beautiful story in this book. In the shadow of Salem was outstanding.
I will end review with This. Perhaps you’re wondering why I gave it to four not a five star. It has nothing to do with the quality of the book. My answer is a little whimsical.
The answer is I never give any book about that time period five stars because one of my favorite books of all time and I do mean one of my favorite books , is the only book from that time that I’ve ever given a five star to. It is called “ The witch of blackbird pond.” It’s an American classic, which I read when I was just a child and it fueled my interest in this time period.
There is no place like New England, and it Took me a long time to really appreciate it.
But there is no place that looks like it, no place that smells like it, and no place that has given me some of the utter joy these beautiful lands have gifted me.
November 6, 2018
You see Salem in the title of a historical novel & assume it will be about the witch trials. This book is not! It is set in Ipswich. The author has thoroughly researched the people of that town between 1656 & 1692. Once she knew the facts, she wove the story around them. She did an excellent job of making them come to life. The main character is a real person named Mehitabel. The story is told from her point of view. I learned a lot about what it was like to be a Puritan woman during that time. It was harsh! That was my problem with the book. It is very well written & informative. It was such a suffocating & joyless community, that it’s not much fun to read about. Based on the skill of the author, it is a 5 star book. Based on how much I enjoyed it, it’s more like 3 stars. I compromised with 4 stars.
November 15, 2023
When my cousin recently informed me that our 10th great grandmother was persecuted for witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials, I had to look her up. Turns out there's a book on her life. While this is historical fiction, so certain aspects are assumed rather than fact, I feel Mehitabel Braybrooke Downing was just a young girl who made some dumb mistakes that was held against her for a majority of her life. Spending time in prison at 16 for arson then 24 years later for witchcraft, it is good to see she made it through and didn't end up a victim of hysteria.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
June 29, 2025Wonderful read. I purchased this as my sister traced our family history back to Mehitable Brabrooke, and I was intrigued to learn a more about this time period. We are related through her son, David, and I found it interesting that several generations later there is a Theodocia Hubbard in Ohio and was curious as it seems likely to be a relation of the Hubbard in MA. In any case, it was a fantastic read that was clearly carefully research to give us a sense of the history and culture of Puritan NE. With appreciations for the author, Donna Gaskell. Gratefully, Patricia Carver
June 5, 2019
Written from Mehitabel’s perspective, readers learn about life in the early colonial period, about life in the era of the Salem Witch Trials in Essex County, Massachusetts and about abundant superstition and belief in the devil and evil.
It's an interesting take on the witchcraft trials, written for teens and adults. Great for an introduction to the topic, a spring board to a more sophisticated book.
It's an interesting take on the witchcraft trials, written for teens and adults. Great for an introduction to the topic, a spring board to a more sophisticated book.
September 25, 2021
This book nails it. If you wondered how the hysteria of the witch trials happened, you will see it in depth, here. The author stays true to events but fleshes them out. She shows how women became vulnerable to accusations, by being cheated on, by greedy neighbors and relatives, by being widowed, by being healers. And she shows how those who stood up against the hysteria were accused, and so the rest clammed up and let it continue.
Brava, Donna Gawell.
Brava, Donna Gawell.
May 4, 2020
A Most Excellent Historical Novel!
This was one of the best books I've ever read. It hooked me in right from the beginning & I couldn't wait to see how it ended, but didn't want it to end! Anyone who is fascinated with the Salem Witch era of history will find this book compelling, but really anyone looking for a great, well-written story will enjoy it.
This was one of the best books I've ever read. It hooked me in right from the beginning & I couldn't wait to see how it ended, but didn't want it to end! Anyone who is fascinated with the Salem Witch era of history will find this book compelling, but really anyone looking for a great, well-written story will enjoy it.
January 17, 2020
Enjoyable Read!!!
I very much enjoyed reading this book as I too have an ancestor (Farrington) who was accused. It was based on facts and very relatable. I would like to know how the research was found because I maybe on the same path to find my investor's story. Loved It!!!
I very much enjoyed reading this book as I too have an ancestor (Farrington) who was accused. It was based on facts and very relatable. I would like to know how the research was found because I maybe on the same path to find my investor's story. Loved It!!!
January 31, 2020
I enjoyed this read. My son was doing his/our Ancestry and found out we were related to John Adams and Mehetibel in this book. So he sent me a copy and I bought it on Amazon. It really hits home how it used to be in that time for women.
April 27, 2020
The Unwanted Child
Her father's child forced on her step-by-step mother to raise. This is a fiction story of the life and times in early New England. It kept me reading to the end.
Her father's child forced on her step-by-step mother to raise. This is a fiction story of the life and times in early New England. It kept me reading to the end.
June 30, 2020
Accused
Having been to Salem, MA, I found this book to be quite interesting. I liked how the names were from the actual people who were a part of the rich history of Salem.
I really enjoyed the book.
Having been to Salem, MA, I found this book to be quite interesting. I liked how the names were from the actual people who were a part of the rich history of Salem.
I really enjoyed the book.
August 19, 2020
In the Shadow of Salem.
Image going to prison because someone just accused you of being a witch. Imagine staying in prison until your trail date. This type of fiction was different for me. I enjoyed it and enjoyed it more because the characters were actual people.
Image going to prison because someone just accused you of being a witch. Imagine staying in prison until your trail date. This type of fiction was different for me. I enjoyed it and enjoyed it more because the characters were actual people.
March 26, 2023
excellent historical account
After an Ancestry.com genealogical profile I learned that I am descended from Mehitabel and John Downing. This well written, historical account was mesmerizing on many levels
After an Ancestry.com genealogical profile I learned that I am descended from Mehitabel and John Downing. This well written, historical account was mesmerizing on many levels
June 6, 2025
I thought my life was hard, but then I read this book and learned what it was like to be a woman in Puritan New England. It was a very enjoyable story based on true events. It was interesting to learn about that time.
June 22, 2020
Interesting book. It's always delightful when a fiction author uses solid research in writing the story.
July 21, 2020
History at it's best.
Great read.
As I read this in July 2020. You think of the time period and what is happening today. Wow!
Great read.
As I read this in July 2020. You think of the time period and what is happening today. Wow!
May 19, 2021
Very good read...history mixed in with fiction.
November 4, 2021
A mostly factual account of the life of a young woman in Puritan Ipswich. Rather cloying prose, but well researched and providing good insight.
May 6, 2022
Eye opening story
This was so full of God's Holy Words and the powerful lives of His believers. So much history that is forgotten.
This was so full of God's Holy Words and the powerful lives of His believers. So much history that is forgotten.
May 24, 2022
Very good read.
Good writing of this historical era of U.S.history. Based on very real persons and an accurate portrayal of puritan lives. This book was read within two days.
Good writing of this historical era of U.S.history. Based on very real persons and an accurate portrayal of puritan lives. This book was read within two days.
July 20, 2018
Hard to Put Down
The author has done a wonderful job of transforming the unfortunate Salem witch trials into a novel that shows how many were unjustly accused. It is also a wonderful story of perseverance and forgiveness.
The author has done a wonderful job of transforming the unfortunate Salem witch trials into a novel that shows how many were unjustly accused. It is also a wonderful story of perseverance and forgiveness.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews