It may be based on solid primary sources, but it is written like a non-fiction novel full of conjecture and theory using the basic facts as a foundation. This book would be a good basis for a TV movie on the Lifetime channel. In my opinion, it is very informative reading, and it is certainly shows one example of a mass hysteria that can happen in any town or society. However, the information lies within interests me to inquire further on the subject to which the "selected bibliography" was helpful for starting a research. The writing style almost read as a historical scholarly article as it is almost wordy. This book was first published in 1949, and it is roughly 300 pages with twenty-two chapters. It almost reminds me of reading about the mass hysteria of Chinese society of 1768 in Philip Kuhn's Soulstealers: The Chinese Sorcery Scare of 1768. It involved a look at the social background from both accused and the accusers during this time period. I also find it interesting to learn about the reactions from the locals and authorities to hysteria or paranoia regarding "witches" in Salem and relating tales. It is the first book to which I would read about the witch trials in 1692 Salem.
I recently became interested in Salem Witch trials and related subjects, and Starkey's "The Devil in Massachusetts" was recommended to me as a starting point.
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