In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, witchcraft trials occurred in various parts of the American colonies, including Williamsburg, Virginia. These trials were part of a larger trend of witch hunts that took place throughout Europe and its colonies during this time period. The belief in witchcraft was deeply rooted in the minds of many colonists, particularly those of English Puritan descent. They believed that witches had made pacts with the devil and used their supernatural abilities to harm others. As a result, accusations of witchcraft often arose in times of social unrest or personal conflicts. One infamous case of witchcraft in Williamsburg occurred in 1706, when Grace Sherwood was accused of being a witch.
“Magic City Blues by Bobby Mathews is a down and dirty exaltation of what I love best about crime fiction. Bad people doing bad things for what they think are the right reasons. Bobby has written a fantastic book.”
Magic City Blues is raucous and raw, focusing on the exploits of tough-as-nails Kincaid, a muscle for hire with a philosophical streak and a knack for smartass one-liners. The first is veteran-turned-low-level-street-thug Kincaid, and the second is the city of Birmingham, Alabama, a city that has deserved its time as a worthy crime-fiction locale.
One infamous case of witchcraft in Williamsburg occurred in 1706, when Grace Sherwood was accused of being a witch. Sherwood was a farmer who was known for her independent and assertive nature, which made her a target of suspicion in the tight-knit community. The accusations against Sherwood included various claims of harming livestock, causing illness, and practicing black magic.
Magic City Blues
Crime writer Bobby Mathews knows Birmingham from back alley to bougie. His new book, Magic City Blues, explores the city in all its variety, serving at times as a travelogue as well as a hard-boiled whodunnit. Mathews’s self-proclaimed “checkered past” includes award-winning journalism and short crime fiction; his crime novel about professional wrestling, Living the Gimmick, was published in 2022.
Magic City Blues is raucous and raw, focusing on the exploits of tough-as-nails Kincaid, a “muscle for hire” with a philosophical streak and a knack for smartass one-liners. Kincaid’s first-person narrative is always entertaining; at one point, a problem he encounters “required thinking,” he quips, “and thinking was my worst subject.” He prefers problems that “can be solved with an application of well-timed violence.” Magic City Blues, true to its genre, includes creative and well-timed violence in abundance.
The primary plot begins when Kincaid is summoned to the office of Carlton Doyle, a Birmingham crime lord, who hires Kincaid to protect his 24-year-old daughter, Abby. Abby proves to be an athletic, spoiled, and boozing charge. She’s also elusive, and the plot revs up when Abby’s frat boy fiancé turns up murdered on the floor of her pristine Pizitz apartment.
Forced to call the police to investigate the murder, Kincaid meets Laura D’Agostino, a detective with the Birmingham Police Department, and the attraction is grudgingly instantaneous between the cop and the tough guy. When D’Agostino is inexplicably pulled off the murder case, she goes rogue and teams up with Kincaid to get to the bottom of what’s going on in Doyle’s sleazy world. Along the way, they hit the highlights and lower depths of the Birmingham landscape and uncover a crooked development deal at the abandoned Carraway Hospital property (not to be confused, please, with the actual development deal at Carraway that was recently announced). What ensues is a non-stop caper that rings all the righteous crime noir bells.
Mathews has clearly paid attention to crime masters like Robert B. Parker, Donald Westlake, and Elmore Leonard. The tropes of good crime fiction are abundantly present, and Mathews’s clear and clever approach renders them fresh and modern. Mathews captures the complexity of the city of Birmingham, which becomes an essential presence in Magic City Blues, while making frequent digs at gentrification, “white flight,” and hipsters. The Collins Bar, Kincaid tells us, “is everything the hipsters want modern Birmingham to be … overpriced and bougie.” Late at night, a downtown street smells of “the dank, complicated odors of the dark city.” Kincaid delivers a warning to an adversary in a voice that is “as flat and hard as a Republican’s heart.” A massive thug falling during a fight becomes “a tree in the forest of a back city alley.”
Magic City Blues has a surprising development lurking around every dark corner and Kincaid’s narration provides a seedy point-of-view; he has a troubling tendency to contemplate whether he should kill those he beats up. Even so, he exposes his vulnerable side, confessing that “I’d been a solitary, lonely man for a long time.” Kincaid has a likable bad boy charm that the reader can root for and that D’Agostino, despite her “good cop” cred, might possibly fall for.
Mathews populates his “Magic City” with well-drawn and memorable miscreants and locations. In Laura D’Agostino, he creates a worthy complement to Kincaid and a strong and independent cop. His villains are creepy and contemptible and familiar. Don’t underestimate Abby Doyle, either; she carries a harrowing secret and emerges as far more than a petulant cipher.
Magic City Blues is a book that makes you want to overquote. Mathews has a knack for unobtrusive exposition and chapter endings that make you want to read just one more page. Once the reader is engaged, and for me that was immediately, it’s hard to put the book down. Magic City Blues is a must-read for aficionados of crime fiction, and Mathews’s clever and assured narrative skills make it a book that other readers will appreciate as well.
“The action comes early and often in Magic City Blues and the energy of this spellbinding novel cannot be denied. Bobby Mathews is a first-rate writer point blank and the crime poet laureate of Birmingham. A master craftsman of new-south noir, who deftly balances crackling dialogue, sly humor, grit and tenderness with smart and wily plotting paired with hard-boiled suspense and the kind of complicated (anti) hero in Kincaid we can all get behind. Somewhere at the great poker game in the sky, Donald Westlake, Robert Parker and James Crumley are raising a glass to Magic City Blues … as should we all.”
A trial was held, during which Sherwood was subjected to a "swimming test" to determine her guilt. This test involved tying her hands and feet and throwing her into a body of water. If she floated, it was believed to be evidence of her guilt, as witches were said to have made pacts with the devil and could not be submerged. Sherwood, however, proved to be an anomaly as she did not float but instead sank. This led many to doubt her guilt and question the validity of the tests. Despite this, she was still found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment. She was eventually released after several years and lived the rest of her life as an outcast. The witchcraft trials in Williamsburg, like in many other colonies, reflected the fears and anxieties of the time. The trials were often fueled by personal vendettas, superstition, and a desire to maintain social order. In the years that followed, there was a growing skepticism towards witchcraft and a decrease in the number of trials. The Enlightenment era brought about a shift in thinking, as people began to question the existence of witches and the supernatural. Overall, the witchcraft trials in Williamsburg, Virginia, were a dark chapter in the colony's history. They serve as a reminder of the dangers of mass hysteria and the potential for injustice in the pursuit of justice..
Reviews for "Witchcraft in Colonial America: The Trials of Williamsburg Virginia"
1. John Smith - 1 Star
The witchcraft trials in Williamsburg, Virginia were a complete disappointment. I was expecting an immersive and historically accurate experience, but instead, it felt like a cheesy Halloween haunted house. The actors were not convincing, the storyline was weak, and the whole thing seemed more focused on jump scares than educating visitors about the actual witch trials. Save your money and visit a real historical site instead.
2. Sarah Johnson - 2 Stars
I had high hopes for the witchcraft trials in Williamsburg, but they fell short of my expectations. The execution was lackluster, and there was a lack of attention to detail. The actors seemed disengaged and unenthusiastic, and the historical accuracy was questionable. It felt more like a tourist trap rather than a genuine educational experience. I would not recommend this attraction to anyone seeking an authentic and informative representation of the witch trials.
3. Michael Thompson - 1 Star
The witchcraft trials in Williamsburg were a waste of time and money. The whole experience was disorganized and confusing. The actors did not seem to know their lines or deliver their performances convincingly. It was difficult to follow the storyline, and the overall atmosphere was dull and uninspiring. I expected to learn more about the history of witchcraft trials, but instead, I left feeling disappointed and frustrated. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for an engaging and informative historical experience.
4. Emily Davis - 2 Stars
While the concept of the witchcraft trials in Williamsburg was interesting, the execution left much to be desired. The production quality was low, and the set design felt cheap. The narrative was disjointed and confusing, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the experience. Additionally, the attraction lacked a sense of historical accuracy, which was disappointing. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to educate visitors about an important period in history.
5. James Wilson - 1 Star
The witchcraft trials in Williamsburg, Virginia were a complete letdown. The whole experience felt rushed and poorly organized. The actors lacked enthusiasm and did not do justice to the gravity of the subject matter. The script was weak and lacked depth, failing to truly convey the historical context of the witch trials. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for a memorable and educational experience.