Now that we’re in October, I love reading books that align with spooky season vibes – not always horror, necessarily, but often stories that echo similar themes. One such book is Andrea Catalano’s The First Witch of Boston.

This historical fiction novel is imaginatively based on the real life of Margaret Jones, the first woman in Boston found guilty of witchcraft in the 1640s, and the first woman wrongfully executed for it. Catalano takes this tragic true tale and spins it into a romantic, devastating, and suspenseful story.

Margaret, or Maggie, was an English midwife who came to America with her Irish husband. She brought her apothecary knowledge with her and soon gained a reputation for her herbal remedies. Her only real “crime” was being a successful woman in a rigid Puritan society. Readers of my reviews of The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible will recognize the same themes of religious control, suspicion, and the crushing weight of Puritan judgment that resurface here.

As I read Maggie’s fictionalized account, I couldn’t help but feel deeply annoyed for her. Of course, the author had to have taken several creative liberties, since so many details would have been lost to time, but the heart of the story remains: a woman condemned not for witchcraft, but for existing outside her community’s narrow confines.

One of the most interesting details was Maggie’s conversations with her husband Thomas in Gaeilge (the Irish language). It’s rare to see Irish used so casually in fiction, and it added a layer of intimacy and cultural identity to their relationship. For readers who don’t speak Irish (I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess 99.9% of you), the translations are included, so nothing is lost. For my mother-in-law’s Irish book club, this is a book worth checking out for that reason!

Side characters brought additional tension and depth – though I absolutely could not stand Widow Hallett, who is written as pure evil. She’s the kind of character you love to hate. In contrast, Maggie and Thomas are portrayed as a true pair, bound by affection and respect. A marriage rooted in love was rare in the 1600s, and this fictionalized account gives us a glimpse of something unique and tender for that time.

The reality, of course, is that witchcraft isn’t real. While many today embrace the label of “witch” in playful or symbolic ways, the truth remains that women like Margaret were unjustly murdered, scapegoated for traits that threatened the structures of power around them. This story makes that injustice impossible to ignore.

There are a few other sensitive topics included in this one, not limited to sexual abuse and child loss, so if you’re someone who requires content warnings then I would recommend doing a bit of deeper research before diving into this one.

For fans of tragic romance and historical fiction, The First Witch of Boston offers an informative and haunting retelling of a largely forgotten, yet very real life – one cut short to serve as a warning to the rest of the women in town. The book is available on Kindle Unlimited, including as an audiobook for those who prefer to listen on the go.