Forty years before the infamous Salem witch trials, Lydia Gilbert was tried for witchcraft in Connecticut. She had lived peacefully, as a valued healer and magistrate's wife, within her small community for over twenty years, but suddenly something changed. Lydia Gilbert's neighbors, long time acquaintances, and relatives suddenly turned against her, recasting her as a feared social pariah. Based on a true story, Suzanne Ress' novel makes history come alive in surprising, often inexplicable ways.