The Devil’s Best Trick

How we explain the evils of the world – and the darkest parts of ourselves – has preoccupied humans throughout history. In ‘The Devil’s Best Trick’, Randall Sullivan investigates historical, religious and cultural conceptions of evil, from Biblical times to European witch hunts to the devil-worshipping ‘Black Mass’ ceremony. He travels to Mexico to participate in the ‘Hour of the Witches’ – an annual ceremony in which hundreds of people congregate in the jungle south of Vera Cruz to negotiate terms with El Diablo. He takes us through the most famous exorcism in American history. Expertly researched, this book brilliantly melds cultural and historical commentary with a suspenseful true-crime narrative.