The Salem Witch Society (55 page)

“But it’s almost September. You said you’d be heading back to Boston.”

“Did I?”

“You did,” Lean said. “Quite emphatically.”

“Funny, I don’t recall.” Grey cast a glance back over his shoulder, in the direction of the line of tombs. “In any event, I think Portland might hold my interest after all.”

They climbed into the carriage and settled themselves in the seats. As the driver started the horse forward, Lean let out a chuckle. “Well, your landlady, Mrs. Philbrick, will be quite thrilled to know you’re staying on indefinitely.”

“You know, I think there was actually a tear in her eye this morning when I informed her of my intentions.”

I
‘d
like
to thank my early readers, Cathy Shields, Jacqueline Mora-bito, and Benson McGrath. They each provided opinions and support at a time when it was still a possibility that they would be the only three people to ever actually read this book.

My agents, Suzanne Gluck and Erin Malone, deserve a world of thanks not only for their guidance and insight along the way, but first for sharing my vision of what this book could be. Also at William Morris Endeavor, I’d like to thank Sarah Ceglarski and Tracy Fisher. My editor, Sean Desmond, helped shape the work with his perceptive ideas and keen eye. Thanks to Maureen Sugden as well as Rachelle Mandik at Crown Publishers, and Lynne Amft.

I wish to thank a number of authors who made my research so easy and enjoyable. First of all, Dr. Hans Gross’s seminal work
System Der Kriminalistik
inspired some of the procedures and ideas used by Perceval Grey (even though the English translation,
Criminal Investigation,
was not yet available in 1892). Lawrence Sutin’s
A Life of Aleister Crowley
inspired certain elements of Jotham Marsh’s character. Deborah Blum’s
Ghost Hunters
did the same for Amelia Porter.

I’ve quoted or paraphrased Charles Upham’s treatise on the Salem witch trials, as well as early documents from the likes of Cotton Mather and Robert Calef. I reviewed transcripts of the Salem trial records online at the University of Virginia’s Salem Witch Trial documentary archive. Although I was familiar with the historical links between Portland, George Burroughs, the Abenaki Indians, and the witch trials, Mary Beth Norton’s
In the Devil’s Snare
was a wonderful resource for examining those collective topics. My efforts at incorporating and translating phrases and prayers from the Abenaki language are the result of numerous online resources. I apologize for any inaccuracies or discrepancies that resulted.

Edward
Elwell’s
Portland and Vicinity,
as well as various other publications by the Greater Portland Landmarks, Inc., proved invaluable in researching the city in the late nineteenth century. Similarly, volumes by David H. Fletcher on the Portland Company and John K. Moulton on the Portland Observatory were highly informative. Although I tried to accurately depict Portland, Maine, as it was in 1892, I did take liberties in other areas as warranted by the needs of the story. Any factual errors, intentional or otherwise, are mine alone.