Novel takes place in a small Alabama town where a young boy and his father witness a speeding car plunge into a lake. A rescue attempt leads to the discovery of a nude, beaten and strangled corpse handcuffed to the steering wheel and the both of them begin searching for the murderer.

Novel takes place in a small town in Colonial Carolina, where a magistrate and his clerk are summoned to determine whether Rachel, a young woman should be executed for witchcraft. The two are immediately thrown into danger, even before they reach the town. And once there, they must deal with the inhabitants, some of whom stand to gain if Rachel is executed. McCammon provides extensive historical detail, re-creating the legal procedures, medical practices, and everyday existence of the time. The language and situations are often disturbing, especially because many of the accusations against Rachel are sexual in nature.