The Witching Hour (Lives of the Mayfair Witches, #1)

by Anne Rice

give me a man or woman who has read a thousand books and you give me an interesting companion. Give me a man or woman who has read perhaps three and you give me a dangerous enemy indeed.

The cunning woman of the village becomes a witch only when her

powers to heal do not work. Before that, she is everyone’s good sorceress, and there is nary the slightest talk of devils.