First published 1956
The year is 1692, and paranoia grips the Puritan village of Salem. Neighbors turn on neighbors as accusations of witchcraft spread like wildfire, fueled by religious fervor and deep-seated fears. As the trials begin, the noose tightens around the necks of the accused, many of them innocent victims of mob mentality and political jockeying. Shirley Jackson's gripping account lays bare the tragic consequences when suspicion trumps reason, and the bonds of community are ripped apart.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical, historical-fiction, american
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: mob-mentality, political-jockeying
Setting: Salem, Massachusetts
146 pages · Random House
Content warnings: violence