I wasn't quite as impressed with the writing of the book the second time around — I was more aware of the dramatic embellishments and annoyed by the fact that Starkey never mentioned how many "witches" were put to death.

But the story remains compelling — How could a community of adults allow a handful of vindictive, self-absorbed, attention-grabbing teenage girls to so control them to the extent that they put 20 of their neighbors and relatives to death and arrested more than 150 others? Amazing — had none of those people ever been around teenage girls before? Anytime more than two of them get together, noise and confusion erupts. It's not a sign of witchcraft — it's hormones plain and simple.