Witches are something we generally associate with the distant past, with the medieval world, and the first story in this book is about a witch trial in 17th Century England. However, unlike the vast majority of such trials, most of the people accused of witchcraft in this case happily admitted to not just being witches, they also described how they had sold their souls to the devil.

But, most of the stories here are about witches and witchcraft in the recent past. You'll hear about a bizarre ritual murder of a suspected witch in 1940s England which baffled Scotland Yard's most famous detective, a witch trial in 1980s Italy which shocked most of Europe, a witchcraft sacrifice/murder in California in the 1990s, and the story of a man who founded a satanic movement which attracted some of Hollywood's most famous stars.

In most parts of the world nowadays, witches are regarded with tolerance and even amusement. Those who practice folk magic are seen as harmless eccentrics and the image of a witch riding on a broomstick has become a staple of Halloween celebrations.

But even now there is also a darker side to witchcraft and that's what we'll be exploring in these astounding, frightening, and baffling but true stories....