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Something Wicked
- The Lives, Crimes and Deaths of the Pendle Witches
- Narrated by: Emma Gregory
- Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins
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Something Wicked
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Summary
On 20 August 1612, ten people from Pendle were executed before a vast crowd at Lancaster's Gallows Hill. The condemned and their associates had endured six months of accusations, imprisonment and torture; their treatment was such that one of the group died in Lancaster Castle's dungeons, while awaiting trial.
Today, a thriving tourism industry exists in and around Pendle, the former home of the so-called witches, yet virtually everything we know about the case originates from a single source: Thomas Potts' Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches, hurriedly published in 1613 and distinctly skewed in favour of the prosecution. Until now...
Sunday Times bestselling author Carol Ann Lee brings an entirely fresh perspective to the story by approaching it as true crime. Having worked in the genre for more than a decade, her research leads to revelatory discoveries, transforming our knowledge of those shadowy figures behind ill-famed names, and the terrible events that befell them.
After four centuries of superstition and surmise, the two central, warring families - each headed by a fiercely independent widow working as 'cunning women' - emerge fully formed, as the book uncovers the reality of their lives and their alleged crimes before exploring the trial and executions.
Along the way, we uncover the truth behind some of the story's most enduring mysteries: the legend of Malkin Tower and the final resting place of the Pendle witches.
This is a ground-breaking book that will take the listener on a spellbinding journey into the dark heart of England's largest and most notorious witch trial.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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What listeners say about Something Wicked
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- karen thornton
- 07-11-24
pretty good
over all enjoying this book, but finding the mispronunciation of place names like Whalley and Barrowford baffling.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shar
- 19-10-24
Thoroughly Enjoyable Well Researched Account of the Pendle Witches
This was an absolute delight - a brilliant exploration of one of England’s most infamous witch trials, I found myself engrossed from start to finish. The narration was equally impressive. The narrator’s performance brought the characters and events to life, making the story even more immersive.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical true crime, witch trials, or British History. It’s a fascinating, well written, and expertly narrated exploration of a dark chapter in history. A full five stars!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Janet Jones
- 17-10-24
A fascinating....
listen from start to finish especially how the author broke it down so it was easy to follow and understand throughout the book. The narrator was very good.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Squeaky Joe
- 06-11-24
Fascinating, scary and troubling account
In 1612, ten people from Pendle were executed as witches. Most of the information known comes from Thomas Potts’ Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches, but now true-crime author Carol Ann Lee takes an in-depth view of the case, exploring the lives of the people involved, their backgrounds and the communities they came from.
I’ve read several books by this author, including those concerning the White House Farm murders, and her biography of Ruth Ellis, so I’m familiar with her accessible writing style and eagled-eyed attention to detail. Subtitled The Lives, Crimes and Deaths of the Pendle Witches, this is a comprehensive and well-researched book that delves into the reality of the two main families involved in the trial, unpicking Potts’ jaundiced view of the proceedings and suggesting possible alternatives to his ‘history’ of those events. It’s true to say that the book is a long one, unearthing a huge amount of information that could easily overwhelm the casual reader. The audiobook comes with a PDF showing the Southerns/Device and Whittle/Redfearn family trees, the main and subsidiary characters, and a glossary of some of the more obscure words used in the book.
Superbly narrated by Emma Gregory, this is a fascinating, scary and troubling account of one of the most notorious witch trials in British history.
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