Witchcraft plays a large role in propelling the action of the novel. The name of the town, Salem Falls, is a reference to Salem, Mass., the location of the notorious witch trials of the 1600s. The novel also has similar themes and references to The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller about the witch trials. Witches were frequently persecuted in past centuries, and the prejudice against them lingers today. Gillian, Meg, Whitney and Chelsea are afraid that people will find out they are witches, and do what they need to do to hide it.