Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
Read 27 chilling, historically grounded stories about the real witch trials that terrorized New England in the 1600s.
During a time already steeped in superstition, fear itself became the most dangerous force in New England. Ordinary people of the 17th century—friends, neighbors, fathers, mothers, and even young children—were accused of witchcraft based on rumor, malice, and suspicion. From the infamous Salem witch trials to lesser-known cases across Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and beyond, these true stories reveal how paranoia, religious extremism, and social tension led to cruelty, imprisonment, brutal punishment, and death.
Witches of New England portrays the lives of the accused, including Sarah Good, Tituba, Rebecca Nurse, Eunice “Goody” Cole, and many others whose stories have been overshadowed by myth. Drawing on historical records, each account is retold as a short narrative, bringing readers face-to-face with the injustices, fears, and tragedies that defined one of the darkest chapters in American history.
Authors Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler are active paranormal investigators with a deep interest in the unexplained and the misunderstood. For this collection, they turned their investigative skills toward history—carefully researching real cases to separate fact from folklore while honoring the people whose lives were forever changed by false accusations.
Perfect for horror fans and history buffs, these 27 true tales are gripping, unsettling, and deeply human. At just a few pages each, the short stories are ideal for quick reading, classroom discussion, or sharing aloud. Witches of New England proves that the most frightening stories aren’t always about ghosts or monsters—but about what people are capable of when fear takes hold.
Jessica Freeburg is a researcher of the unexplained. She has written graphic novels, paranormal fiction, and nonfiction focused on creepy legends and dark moments from history. As the founder of Ghost Stories Ink, Jessica has performed paranormal investigations at reportedly haunted locations across the US. She has appeared in documentaries and shows on such networks as the Travel Channel and Amazon Prime and can often be heard cohosting the popular podcast Darkness Radio. She lives in Minnesota’s Twin Cities.
Natalie Fowler is an award-winning author and ghostwriter. Her published works include nonfiction books on poignant—though sometimes dark—historical events and haunting legends. She is the researcher and historian for Ghost Stories Ink and has led paranormal investigations at some of the most notoriously haunted locations in the country. Inspired by the concept of spirit rescue, she cofounded a paranormal group Paranormal Services Cooperative and has published accounts of her work as a medium in this field. She lives in Minnesota’s Twin Cities.
Preface
Connecticut Witch Trials
- Winifred King Benham & Her Daughter (Connecticut)
- Katherine Harrison (Connecticut and New York)
- Alse Young (Connecticut)
- Margaret Jones (Connecticut)
- Mary Johnson (Connecticut)
- Mary Parsons (Connecticut)
- Goodwife “Goody” Knapp (Connecticut)
- Goodwife “Goody” Basset (Connecticut)
- Goodman Nathaniel Greensmith & Goodwife Rebecca Elson Greensmith (Connecticut)
Salem Witch Trials
- Sarah Good & Her Daughter Dorothy (Massachusetts)
- Sarah Osborne (Massachusetts)
- Tituba (Massachusetts)
- Rebecca Nurse (Massachusetts)
- Bridget Bishop (Massachusetts)
- George Burroughs (Massachusetts)
- George Jacobs (Massachusetts)
- John Proctor & Elizabeth Basset (Massachusetts)
- “Goody” Ann Glover (Massachusetts)
Others Accused
- Eunice “Goody” Cole (Massachusetts)
- Alice Lake (Massachusetts Bay Colony)
- Rebecca Fowler (Maryland)
- Jane Walford (New Hampshire)
- Abigail Sharp (New Jersey)
- Bathsheba Sherman (Rhode Island)
- Helen Evans (Delaware)
- Margaret Mattson (Pennsylvania)
- Witch of Esperance (New York)
Bibliography
About the Authors