In the Day of Trouble

On the night of March 17, 1934, in a small town in rural Pennsylvania, a man crept to a window and shot a woman through her heart. Her name was Susan Mummey, but she was better known as the Witch of Ringtown Valley. The shocking true story of her life and murder has never been told, until now.

The cold-blooded shooting of a woman in her home would have been news on its own. But the victim who lay on her sitting room floor wasn’t just any woman. For years, the people of Schuylkill County whispered about how Susan Mummey practiced magic from her isolated farmhouse. She fought with her family, her neighbors, and the law. Death, it seemed, followed in her wake. Then, death claimed her.

The case was taken up by the formidable team of Detective Louis Buono and District Attorney LeRoy Enterline. When they apprehended Susan’s killer and obtained a confession, the startling revelations sent shockwaves far beyond Schuylkill County. For 40 days, this small corner of the world held the nation’s attention. But as quickly as it began, this astonishing story came to an astonishing end. Today, it is the most famous murder you've never heard of.

In the Day of Trouble is an unforgettable look into a misunderstood woman, a disturbed man, and perhaps even ourselves. Pulled from historical records and insights from survivors of those involved in the case, it takes you beyond the headlines to relive one of the strangest chapters of American history.