Listen for the Salem Witch trials stay for the story
594993
My Take: At First I was mostly interested in the story of Mercy and really was more or less annoyed by the other story in the book between Lauren and Abigail, but by the end of the book I was really drawn into the relationship and didn't want the story to end.

Go into this for the Story of The Salem Witchcraft but be open to the other story.

I recieved a free copy of this audio book for review purposes from [...]
1470903
You would think after 10 books the Winchester witches would be getting (don't tell aunt Tillie I said this but) old.  The plots are all different, they keep you guessing, each character grows and evolves and the stories stay interesting.  Best of all the stories keep you entertained, interested in how they are going to get out of this predicament and as always keep you laughing to the very end.  Please...write another.
4026315
I love this book. It is a great story about Salem village. If you're looking for a great book with lots of suspense this is a good one! Anna Myers is a great author she gives a very detailed description of every thing. I loved this book you should read it if you are into witch trails and suspense.
495694
This is a great story by the Queen of mysteries.  The Christmas Pudding is ideal this time of year.  We have made it a family tradition to listen to it each season.  Well worth the listen.
2706539
Great story to listen with some really hot moments. I have listen to the previous books and I find this story interesting and I was intrigued most of the time.
3568660
The story was very good.  We have the book but the audio is great for long drives or nothing good on the radio.  Highly recommend it.
1086355
This book is not for the casual reader, or one wanting a dramatic narrative of the Salem witch trials.  Author Mary Beth Norton has almost no interest in whether the accusers or alleged witches were real, hysterical, sick, or faking.  She focuses on the tangled relationships among the participants, reaching decades before and hundreds of miles away from Salem.

Norton finds the seeds of the witchcraft trials in frontier wars among English settlers, French, and Native Americans during the 1670s-80s in what is now Maine.  A number of the afflicted girls were refugees from Maine and lost family there.  Some of the accused witches had been their neighbors in Maine or fought there.  Some were rumored to have aided the settlers enemies.  Their religion led people to see the judgment of God, the hand of Satan, or both, at work in the conflict.  The author describes the witchcraft trials in Salem in the context of the fear and distrust engendered by these wars.

Given the tangle of relationships, the book itself sometimes gets tangled.  Accused become accusers, and evidence changes between accusation, grand jury, and trial.  She cant help the large cast and confusingly similar names, and she has included useful appendices.  Nonetheless, it makes for slow going.  The book is thoroughly researched and footnoted.

Definitely read this if you are interested in the historical period, but not if you're looking for a good read.

(I bought this at a used book sale)
813014
I would love to see where they story can go from here. Please let their be another story. I want it to continue.
2344545
I am still listening to the story, I wanted something I could listen to with the computer while I rode my stationary bike, this works great. I am enjoying the story.
3318909
The book actually tells two stories--one in 1901/1902 and the other in 2014. They both involve the Sorrow family and witchcraft. In spite of the witchcraft angle, I found the novel to be more about love, forgiveness, and family--a family which just happens to include witches.

The story alternates chapters between the past and the present and alternates viewpoints of characters as well. Some people may find that difficult to follow, but I feel that it adds more depth to the story.

The characters are presented with obvious flaws, making them easy to relate to and believe. And the story doesn't excuse those flaws, or "fix" them by the end of the story, which is also realistic.

This is yet another new to me author presented by this challenge, and I hope to find time to read her earlier two witch books in the future.
3325621
There are several books available to read on the 1692 witchcraft hysteria that took place in Salem, Massachusetts.  This particular book by author Diane Foulds is unique because it is divided into six sections including the conclusion.  The remaining five include sections on

 1.  The Accusers

 2.  The victims

 3.  The Clergy

 4.  The Judges

 5.  The Elite

  A summary is provided on each of the individuals and the role they played.  The sixth section provides a conclusion as to possible reasons for the hysteria such as epidemics and Indian attacks.

The book provides us with the beliefs of a number of people such as Increase and Cotton Mather along with Judge William Stoughton who was adamant in the guilt of those accused.  For this he was honored with the name of Stoughton, Massachusetts, being named after him.  I don't know if we will ever know the degree to which the girls were faking their behavior.  If they were, indeed, faking then they should have been arrested for murder.  I can't help but wonder how adolescent girls could watch those they accused go to the gallows to carry out their prank.  We do have to wonder how spectral evidence was accepted by judges during this time yet several judges readily accepted it as fact.  The book is a quick read, but even though I have read other books on this subject I did find this to be a worthwhile book in which I gained additional knowledge.
400040
I work at a local library and while checking in some new books I discovered this wonderful read, "Witch Hunt." Aronson provided his readers with new speculations about the Salem Witch Trials instead of giving his own opinion. He mainly asks questions to provoke the reader to also questions about their once believed ideas of what "really happened." Unlike some narratives about the witch trials, Aronson clearly keeps the reader entertained and quickly turning the pages. This narrative is a fast read and provides insight on sifting through the facts and myths of what actually happened in 1692.
1503663
This was a great audio book and well worth listening to. Whether or not you like Sherlock Holmes stories (I don't), you will love both this story and the reading of it. Hecht is a marvelous reader.
What I liked best about this story was its inventive science fiction for the time when it was written, and what I loved most about this story was Doyle's use of words themselves. I love how he pictures people and develops their characters.
The plot is spelled out in other reivews, so this review is just to tell you that the tapes themselves are great and the story is great too, (if not a little long and drawn out in some places). But as a reviewer, I must caveat the "great" by adding that I disagree with Doyles' use of the theory of evolution, but if you take that with the grain of salt for a science fiction story, it can pass for what it is - science fiction.
I thoroughly enjoyed the exploits of Professor Challenger, the reporter Malone, Sir John Roxton, and Professor Sommerly. There is a sequel of sorts, "The Poison Belt" which is an entertaining story as well and also read by Hecht(this story is much shorter and a little on the "dark" side). But overall, I wish Doyle wrote more science fiction and less mystery.
This is a good audio book to take with you on a long trip, or to listen to on a daily commute. I nearly missed going inside to work some days because the story got so good in places.
Listen and enjoy.
3658303
Daniel Silvia write captivating story's I have read or used audio book and listened to his story's
I will continue reading and listening to his story's
2550305
I'm 2/3 of the way through this book and I love it.  I've read several other books on the trials recently and each provides a different perspective.  What I like about "The Witches" is that it really provides insight to the daily horror of what the accused faced.  The author provides more vivid background to the events than the other books I've read, including the historical events that caused an over-riding fear of everything, including Indians, government, nature, and each other. This does read nearly like a novel to me, although I know others disagree.  I'm giving a lecture on the Salem Trials this week and am recommending this book for added insight into Salem.  The only criticism I have is that I would really have liked even more footnotes than were provided.
4274869
Excellant chronological review of the Salem trials.  The author starts with a very detailed description of the history leading up to the actual trials.  She gives you a great feel for the many events that shaped peoples minds, attitudes and emotions that built the foundation of fragility, distrust and paranoia in Salem in 1691 & 1692.
  The author then rolls out the meat of the story and shows how the most mundane thing started this runaway train of confusion that snowballed so fast, Salem was engulfed in the whole affair before anyone really understood what was happening.  People never looked at anyone the same way after this.  It was surprising and fascinating to learn that people actually took advantage of the "opportunity" to get revenge on others for the most minute reasons.  This episode really highlights the frailty of the human animal.
  The author also gives you a good look into the personalities of the people involved.  You see them change as time goes on.  They start with the concept that they know whats going on and how to resolve it.  Then, just as quickly, you see them get lost in something that is incomprehensible to them and start to question everything they believe in.  You realize early on that there is nothing unique or unusual about them.  Their just like you and me and we probably wouldn't act much different were it us.
  People used the Bible heavily throughout this time period as a way to combat the evils they believed existed.  Whats interesting is that if you read carefully, the quotes used throughout the book mirror the events that are unfolding.  These Biblical quotes seem to tell the story as it's unfolding before your eyes and you find yourself being an armchair QB, yelling at these people to follow their own ultra-religious views and all this evil would simply go away.
  This book is very heavy in details.  There is an immense amount of information; events, dates, places and names that cannot be read, digested and understood easily.  For myself, I find that books of this nature should be read quickly, not bothering too much with the details.  Wait a couple weeks, then go back and read it again.  You'll understand it much better and the finer points will not seem so overwhelming.  Kind of like building up a tolerance to information overload.
  The book is truely fascinating and digs into many area's that make it a complete work.  Geography (yes, it's more important than you make think), international & domestic politics, law and of course psychology just to name a few.  Anyone interested in this type of history will not find many authors better at explaining reals events than Marilynne Roach.  Another great thing is that everything she writes about can be reaserched independently and you can get caught up in this story very easily.  Lot of late nights in the library.
478835
The characters and their dry humor are better than the story, which is pretty good.  The narrator Will Patton really makes the characters come to life.  Historical details are nicely woven into the story.  If you buy the book and miss the narration on the CDs, you will miss a lot.  I gave it 5 stars because when I listened in the car I always wanted to keep listening after I arrived at my destination.  And I want to find more books on CDs by this author and narrator.  I even liked the incidental guitar pieces at the end of each CD.  In fact, I listened to it two times, back to back.

Reviewers, please consider that people who have not yet read the book might read your review, so please save them a surprise or two.