Witchfinders: A Seventeenth-Century English Tragedy.

by John Murray (Contributor)

By the spring of 1645, civil war had exacted a terrible toll on England. Disease, hunger, anxiety and lawlessness were rife, and belief in the supernatural was commonplace. In Essex, two gentlemen began interrogating women suspected of witchcraft. This study charts the grisly careers of ‘Witchfinder General†Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne, and reveals how religious bigotry and the superstitious fears of ordinary people unleashed the most brutal witch-hunt in English history. Off-mint.

Genres: Nonfiction

Paperback

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Reviews

[Sophie Kinnear · Rating 1 out of 5]

Painfully confusing to read, feels long and not worth the time it takes.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't enjoy it 😕

[Hnah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating, but dense read. Written in judicious detail, it delves deep into the witch finding craze during the Civil War, following both Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne across East Anglia and detailing the various trials, confessions and executions of supposed witches. It is both a harrowing read and an academic study of the period.

It very much required a fully awake brain, and extended periods of time to fully devote to the book, but in my opinion, this was worth it for the quantity of detail in this book.

[Nikki Malin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and throws light on the era and madness of the period. But it needed much more care in the editing as it is difficult to keep up with the different names and stories. His research deserved better presentation.

[Danielle Megarity · Rating 1 out of 5]

So difficult to read - confusing and clunky making an interesting subject a really dull read

[Jo-Anne Connors · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a history book, so dense on detail, but well written and a fascinating look at a period in time that often gets forgotten.

[Adam Cresswell · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather dense read. Well researched but difficult to follow with not enough analysis. Felt neither academic enough nor 'popular' enough.

[Aidan paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a fascinating read on a terrible time in England.