How to Kill a Witch is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of Scotland’s dark history of witch trials written with passion, wit, and an urgent sense of justice. Venditozzi and Mitchell strike a powerful balance between accessible storytelling and rigorous research making this both an engaging read and an important work of public history.

The book blends historical fact, contemporary commentary, and personal reflection to illuminate how thousands of mostly women were accused, tortured, and executed as witches and how these injustices continue to echo in today’s attitudes toward gender, power, and belief. What makes this book stand out is its clear-eyed focus on the human cost of these persecutions and its refusal to treat the witch hunts as some distant irrelevant past.

Venditozzi and Mitchell are deeply connected to the modern campaign for official pardon and memorialization for Scotland’s witch trial victims and their activism shines through. They ask the reader not only to understand this history but to act to think critically about whose stories get told and whose suffering gets erased.

The tone is fresh and often darkly humorous even while addressing grim subject matter. This approach keeps the book from being overly heavy while underscoring the absurdity and cruelty of the historical events it examines.

If there’s a minor critique it’s that the conversational style might feel informal to readers looking for a purely academic account but that is also its strength. How to Kill a Witch invites everyone in whether you’re a history buff, a feminist, or simply someone curious about Scotland’s past and what it means for our present.

In short this is an essential fiercely intelligent and deeply humane book. It ensures that the women and men who were labeled witches are no longer silent and challenges us all to remember them and do better.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. What an amazing, informative look at the history of the war against witches. I was captivated as I read and there are so many similarities to the modern day witch hunt that it’s made it all so much easier for me to understand. It felt empowering as a woman to read this book too. Between the research and the descriptions this wasn’t just a boring history type book, this was a captivating history that is told in a way that kept my attention. Bravo on this book!

This book is exactly what the blurb says it's going to be, with Zoe and Claire discussing the various Scottish witch trials and their forgotten victims (who were mostly women). It's a darkly humorous read with entertaining and witty commentary, but that doesn't mean that it isn't factual or well-researched. As an American, I never learned much about witch trials in school other than what happened in Salem in 1692-93 and the vague fact that others occurred in Europe around the same time. This book was incredibly eye-opening, as I had no idea that Scotland had even had their own witch trials, much less that they were as extensive as they were. And, according to the authors, apparently Scottish pupils don't learn much more about them than we do.

How to Kill a Witch is both captivating and infuriating in equal measures. It amazes me the things that happened — and are still happening in various places around the world — in the name of religion … and in order to punish and silence “quarrelsome” women. This book tells the stories of some of the individuals who were wrongfully accused, and it also gets into the details of the processes used for dealing with "witches," from accusation to execution. The authors speak to experts in the field and those working to exonerate and memorialize the convicted, and there is much about the historical figures who allowed — and even encouraged — these trials to happen. (James VI probably should have been punted out of an airplane without a parachute … or whatever the 1500/1600s equivalent of an airplane was. A really tall tower, maybe?)

This book is horrifying and fascinating and informative and sad, and it makes me want to go learn more about the witch trials — not just those that happened in Scotland and Salem, but also those that took place elsewhere around the world. And I'm definitely going to go check out Zoe and Claire's Witches of Scotland podcast now because it sounds amazing. If you're at all interested in the history of the witch trials (or in the reasons behind them), definitely consider giving How to Kill a Witch a read.

4.8 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 30, 2025.

Although the topic of the witch trials is deeply unsettling, and never fails to ignite a deep, burning rage in me over how women were treated, I remain endlessly drawn to it. I’ve read a wide range of books on this subject, both academic and general interest, ever since studying the topic at university. This book easily ranks among the better ones I’ve read and I found it absolutely engrossing. As someone who did extensive research for a paper on women and crime in this period, I deliberately avoided focusing on witchcraft, as it's often been explored to the point of exhaustion in both academic and popular histories. However, this book didn’t feel like it was treading the same worn path. Instead, it offered a fresh and engaging perspective that brought new energy to the topic and felt genuinely original.

Yes, the subject matter is undeniably heavy and at times heartbreaking, but it’s also fascinating, especially when echoes of these historical injustices still resonate in how women are treated today. What sets this book apart is its rich archival research and the authors' ability to bring these true stories to life. The legal context is thoroughly explored, and the case studies are eye-opening, shocking, and often deeply sad.

Despite the gravity of the topic, the authors’ voices come through with clarity and warmth. I especially appreciated the moments of dry humour, often tucked away in the footnotes, these touches added a sense of intimacy and levity that made the reading experience all the more compelling. Although I haven’t listened to the associated podcast, I imagine fans will find this book a welcome extension. It feels very much like sitting down with sharp, thoughtful women who have fascinating, important stories to share.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a hard, depressing read at times. I know, I know, what did I expect when it came to a book about witchcraft? Well, apparently there is so much I didn't know about it...I learned an extensive amount from this well-researched book. Did you know Tituba was an enslaved Native American woman, not Black? Did you know that sometimes small children were pulled from their mothers and tortured in front of them until their mothers confessed to being witches? It turns out that I knew very little of what really went down when someone was accused of a witch, despite it being history, and a tale as old as time of men controlling (primarily) women. I respect the amount of work the authors put into this-the research is clearly presented. However, the footnotes are distracting and at times unnecessary, which is why my rating is closer to a 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

After following the Witches of Scotland Podcast, I had to read this book. Informative, infuriating, tragic and heartbreaking this book details the story of how women in Scotland were falsely accused, tortured, and murdered and then all but forgotten. The authors do a great job of treating each case with respect and detailing their quest for justice for the women and men who were accused of witchcraft.

I love a good witchy book and this one is just…chef’s kiss! This is a fascinating book. It’s an important book about the witch trials and I think everyone should read it. It’s very well researched and you’ll be changed after reading this.

This is a historical view of how women have been silenced throughout history. This was a wonderful read to get a deep dive into the silence that has been laid upon many women throughout time. I usually read a lot of fiction but this nonfiction story kept me hooked till the very end.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley for the arc opportunity

This book is so well written; engaging, thought-provoking and delivers a real insight into the history of the witch trials in Scotland.

It feels like the authors have taken great care with the women within these trials where other books and account have used them as a footnote.

It made me angry, it made me sad, it made me laugh - the full wheel of emotions.

Ive.been listening to this podcast.for awhile now. The two female.authors bring so much information to the reader about the ways in which Scottish women were branded a witch and all that entails. Informative and intriguing.

Riveting book! I thoroughly enjoyed learning a piece of history that I knew not much about. They did a great job capturing the tragic events not only in the past, but still active in the present. I’m thoroughly excited to start listening to their podcast!

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This book was so interesting - I have read many fictional stories based on the Scottish witch trials so a few of the names in this book were familiar to me. It was written in such a way that you were made to feel how scary it was to be a woman at this time and if you had said or done anything out of the ordinary you could be the next one accused. I found it a compelling read and it’s unbelievable that even in this day and age that this is still going on in some countries . If you love history this is a must read

Watch the Scottish witch trials unfold before the Salem witch trials in this short informational narrative. Christian perspectives of women’s expectations that are then taken to extremes are the heart of this one. The chapters are brief with enough information to understand what influenced the Scottish, Salem, and modern Nigerian witch trials. Why are women commonly associated with witchcraft to be demonized and murdered.
Some witches are real but they are not performing the magic we see on media – it is practical. Societies hate for women is the root cause of the trials and murders. This narrative focuses on the central idea and how each set of witch trials extends from extremist beliefs to further harm and fear amongst women. The brief information presented is enough to begin to satisfy cravings learning about the truth of the witch trials beyond Hocus Pocus!
Witchcraft is the scapegoat to misplace society’s impact of blocking women as the pitfalls of society. Otherness is what enables the witch trials to occur even in modern times. This story is a warning for what follows any community that engages in practices that demean women’s place in society. 3.5 rounded up because this will direct you to research more on the intricacies of the witch trials - very spellbinding if you will. Thank you Net Galley for an opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

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