RaveThe Irish Independent (IRE)... powerfully evocative ... Gaskill is an emeritus professor at the University of East Anglia and already the author of several books on witchcraft. This one, however, is a little less academic and a little more novelistic. He describes The Ruin of All Witches as a \'micro-history\', using one specific episode to teach broader lessons about superstition, mental illness and human cruelty ... Gaskill’s narrative carefully builds up the suspense by drip-feeding us important developments. Suffice to say that this is a grimly compelling morality tale with more than one unexpected twist. It has a supporting cast of vivid characters ... Gaskill’s impressively wide range of sources include letters, diaries, sermons, pamphlets and court records. Most importantly, he creates an immersive atmosphere by describing in raw, visceral detail how these people actually lived ... Just occasionally, Gaskill stretches his imagination a little too far ... an outstanding achievement, haunting, revelatory and superbly written — a strong contender for the best history book of 2021.
