The Stratford Devil

By: Claude Clayton Smith

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Paperback | 26 September 2023 | Edition Number 3

At a Glance

Paperback
182 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 1.07

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In the spring of 1651, nearly half a century before the infamous witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts, a woman known as Goody Bassett was hanged for witchcraft in Stratford, Connecticut. In the spring of 2023, nearly four centuries later, the State of Connecticut absolved all those accused of witchcraft, removing the stigma that their families have needlessly borne. Few facts are known about Goody Bassett and the events surrounding her persecution. This haunting and moving novel, crafted from those few facts as well as detailed accounts of Stratford's early history, tells the tale of young Ruth Paine-later Goodwife Bassett-and how her singular experience beyond the confines of her Puritan world ultimately leads to her demise. Rich in historical insight, The Stratford Devil gives a touching look into the isolated world of an independent woman as she struggles to survive in circumstances beyond her control. With its focus on religion and terror, The Stratford Devil is a parable for our time.

Industry Reviews

"Claude Smith [is] just the kind of teacher everyone should have at least once. And now The Stratford Devil proves that he's an excellent writer too."

-Judy Kweller, The Roanoke Times

"?.?.?.?plausible, stunning?.?.?.?A cunningly developed piece of historical fiction."

-Booklist

"We may be through with the past, but as the man says, the past ain't through with us. The Stratford Devil remains a gripping and timely historical novel that details the hanging of Goody Bassett for witchcraft in 1651. A thought-provoking page-turner about a real witch hunt, rightly back in print."

-Christopher Chambers, author of Kind of Blue and Delta 88

"The book brings readers back to the roots of Stratford and thus to the earliest cultural roots of America. The Stratford Devil is historical, sensual, and smoothly written. It is the story of the Puritan break with nature that leads to the 1651 hanging of an innocent young woman."

-John M. Del Vecchio, author of Demise: A Novel of Race, Culture Wars, and Falling Darkness

"The Stratford Devil is fascinating history, taut drama, daring romance. It is as authentic about daily life in the 1640s as it is about the unchanging human heart."

-Jonathan Penner, author of This Is My Voice, winner of the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction

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