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The Witch in the Weeds: A Rhetta Cur Mystery (Book 1)
"Of course, her husband was right about her being the smartest person he knew, but everything else he said reeked of troll burps."
In the shadow of the Forest Vast, the simple folk of Feorlen suffer from magic and muddle in equal measure. If only there was someone clever enough to solve the mysteries of the realm . . .
Enter Rhetta Cur, Lance-for-Hire, investigator of mysteries great and small!
When her ne'er-do-well husband lands himself in debtor's prison, Rhetta starts up a sleuthing business to try to make ends meet. A plague of rats and a mysterious murder down by the river have the simple folk of Feorlen clamoring for the lynching of the nearest witch, but Rhetta is not so sure. Will she be able to piece together the subtle clues before the perpetrator strikes again?
Half mystery and half fantasy, this humorous near-cozy adventure is sure to entertain!
In the shadow of the Forest Vast, the simple folk of Feorlen suffer from magic and muddle in equal measure. If only there was someone clever enough to solve the mysteries of the realm . . .
Enter Rhetta Cur, Lance-for-Hire, investigator of mysteries great and small!
When her ne'er-do-well husband lands himself in debtor's prison, Rhetta starts up a sleuthing business to try to make ends meet. A plague of rats and a mysterious murder down by the river have the simple folk of Feorlen clamoring for the lynching of the nearest witch, but Rhetta is not so sure. Will she be able to piece together the subtle clues before the perpetrator strikes again?
Half mystery and half fantasy, this humorous near-cozy adventure is sure to entertain!
- GenresFantasy
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 3, 2025
2 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 23, 2025
As a reader I am always on the lookout for hidden gems, and I can safely say that this, The Witch in the Weeds, is one of those rare finds.
The book, a sort of cozy fantasy mystery, is a little slow on the uptake, but that may also be one of its strengths, because Rhetta Cur's gradual progression from hapless wife struggling to make ends meet despite all possible hindrances created by her husband to a freelance investigator is brought about gradually and is all the more credible for that.
There are instances where the writing could have been a little more concise without risking the plot in any way, but these are few and far between, and are entirely forgivable.
I became partial to Rhetta almost as soon as I met her, because not often do you meet a lead character who is, just like me, a middle-aged mother to a ten year old son. Rhetta’s exasperation with her cheeky but obviously intelligent and kind child was all too familiar to me.
Rhetta Cur is a woman who seeks agency in a world run by inept men who are dismissive of the women cleaning up their messes after them. The only way for a woman of Feorlen to have some kind of independence is to be either a widow or a witch. Rhetta is smart enough to find a third way out - to be a licensed freelance for hire.
Shout out to Alex van Wyst for creating so many strong female characters in the book. They help one another with advice and company and rhubarb wine. As the book ends, Feorlen is on the brink of political change. One hopes that the situation of these feisty women will also change for the better and inspire more of their sisters.
Alex van Wyst has got his worldbuilding just right. The County of Feorlen and the magical Forest Vast surrounding it are introduced through clever bits of information delivered in the course of the story which is never overburdened by the author’s desire to tell it all in one go. It’s masterfully done and leaves the reader looking forward to learning more about Feorlen and its complicated relationship with magic and magical beings.
The ending was delightfully a little off what I had been expecting, and is, in a way, indicative of how connotations are attached to certain words. Let me drop a hint here - do we think of witch as a gendered word? When we think ‘witch’, aren't we all thinking of wicked ‘women’?
Thanks to Alex and Booksirens for providing me with a free copy of this book. This introduction to Rhetta Cur’s world had me hooked to it, and I took only a few days to finish it. I honestly think that all this book needs is a good bit of publicity, and as a promising debutant Indie author, Alex van Wyst deserves support and praise. I am looking forward to reading the sequel which is out already. Riding again with Rhetta Cur should be fun!
The book, a sort of cozy fantasy mystery, is a little slow on the uptake, but that may also be one of its strengths, because Rhetta Cur's gradual progression from hapless wife struggling to make ends meet despite all possible hindrances created by her husband to a freelance investigator is brought about gradually and is all the more credible for that.
There are instances where the writing could have been a little more concise without risking the plot in any way, but these are few and far between, and are entirely forgivable.
I became partial to Rhetta almost as soon as I met her, because not often do you meet a lead character who is, just like me, a middle-aged mother to a ten year old son. Rhetta’s exasperation with her cheeky but obviously intelligent and kind child was all too familiar to me.
Rhetta Cur is a woman who seeks agency in a world run by inept men who are dismissive of the women cleaning up their messes after them. The only way for a woman of Feorlen to have some kind of independence is to be either a widow or a witch. Rhetta is smart enough to find a third way out - to be a licensed freelance for hire.
Shout out to Alex van Wyst for creating so many strong female characters in the book. They help one another with advice and company and rhubarb wine. As the book ends, Feorlen is on the brink of political change. One hopes that the situation of these feisty women will also change for the better and inspire more of their sisters.
Alex van Wyst has got his worldbuilding just right. The County of Feorlen and the magical Forest Vast surrounding it are introduced through clever bits of information delivered in the course of the story which is never overburdened by the author’s desire to tell it all in one go. It’s masterfully done and leaves the reader looking forward to learning more about Feorlen and its complicated relationship with magic and magical beings.
The ending was delightfully a little off what I had been expecting, and is, in a way, indicative of how connotations are attached to certain words. Let me drop a hint here - do we think of witch as a gendered word? When we think ‘witch’, aren't we all thinking of wicked ‘women’?
Thanks to Alex and Booksirens for providing me with a free copy of this book. This introduction to Rhetta Cur’s world had me hooked to it, and I took only a few days to finish it. I honestly think that all this book needs is a good bit of publicity, and as a promising debutant Indie author, Alex van Wyst deserves support and praise. I am looking forward to reading the sequel which is out already. Riding again with Rhetta Cur should be fun!
January 5, 2025
Alex van Wyst’s debut, The Witch in the Weeds, is a fun, fantastical ride through Feorlen. Van Wyst did a great job with world building, a lot of times there is exposition overload when you get into any sort of fantasy, but TWITW does a great job of showing you just enough, without going overboard.
I loved the characters, with the exception of Rhetta’s husband. Rhetta, her son, her neighbor, and even Warwick were so much fun to get to know. Rhetta starts as a poor booksellers wife, in a time when very few people could even read, and goes on to start her own investigation business. She’s able to succeed in a time a place that wasn’t entirely friendly to female success.
The Witch in the Weeds is a cozy, magical ride that will make you want to wish you had a fireplace crackling, rain falling and a cozy couch to curl up on. Thank you so much Alex for a copy of this book, and I can’t wait for Rhetta’s next adventure!
I loved the characters, with the exception of Rhetta’s husband. Rhetta, her son, her neighbor, and even Warwick were so much fun to get to know. Rhetta starts as a poor booksellers wife, in a time when very few people could even read, and goes on to start her own investigation business. She’s able to succeed in a time a place that wasn’t entirely friendly to female success.
The Witch in the Weeds is a cozy, magical ride that will make you want to wish you had a fireplace crackling, rain falling and a cozy couch to curl up on. Thank you so much Alex for a copy of this book, and I can’t wait for Rhetta’s next adventure!
March 2, 2025
This is a fantastic mystery and fantasy book. I enjoyed every minute of it and I felt like from chapter one you are hooked. Great characters and a good mystery in a wonderfully developed fantasy world.
I read this book with my 11 year old daughter and she loved it too. It's great to find mystery books that are fun for both adults and tweens and I thought that this book ticked that box.
The characters are quirky, well developed and really likeable especially the main character. There is kindness in how the book is written that I don't see enough of in fiction and the main character is a very strong female role model. The setting is unique as it's a fantasy environment but with that wonderful, comical 'fantasy world is the normal world to us' vibe which I think made it even more fun (think Onward, the Disney movie)
All in all, a great mystery and one to watch. I will be reading the next book when it comes out!!
I read this book with my 11 year old daughter and she loved it too. It's great to find mystery books that are fun for both adults and tweens and I thought that this book ticked that box.
The characters are quirky, well developed and really likeable especially the main character. There is kindness in how the book is written that I don't see enough of in fiction and the main character is a very strong female role model. The setting is unique as it's a fantasy environment but with that wonderful, comical 'fantasy world is the normal world to us' vibe which I think made it even more fun (think Onward, the Disney movie)
All in all, a great mystery and one to watch. I will be reading the next book when it comes out!!
April 13, 2025
Solid cozy-ish fantasy mystery. Cozy in the sense that the main character Rhetta is an amateur sleuth who solves a mystery and starts her business in a small castle town, but the medieval fantasy world she is in is not very cozy at all. Rhetta faces various threats, from posessed rats to the society's pervasive misogyny. She is determined to power through and make a new start for herself, gaining the townspeople's respect.
The FMC's spirit and intelligence make her a satisfying detective, but her position in society as a woman and the stakes of looming poverty did give the story a bleak edge. My favorite part of the world were the witches, who almost had a Studio Ghibli vibe. The story was slow at times, and I had to push myself to finish it.
The FMC's spirit and intelligence make her a satisfying detective, but her position in society as a woman and the stakes of looming poverty did give the story a bleak edge. My favorite part of the world were the witches, who almost had a Studio Ghibli vibe. The story was slow at times, and I had to push myself to finish it.
January 8, 2025
What do you do when your husband has been thrown into debtor's prison, and a witch is causing trouble in the area? If you're Rhetta Cur, you take this as an opportunity to be a freelance and investigate the murder of the Sheriff.
With a style reminisant of Aspirin and Pratchett, this is a very good debut. Fast-paced and while dealing with serious subjects, never takes itself too seriously. I'm looking forward to reading more Rhetta Cur mysteries in the future.
With a style reminisant of Aspirin and Pratchett, this is a very good debut. Fast-paced and while dealing with serious subjects, never takes itself too seriously. I'm looking forward to reading more Rhetta Cur mysteries in the future.
March 14, 2025
Alex has crafted a vibrant world of magic and intrigue, populated by a cast of charming and memorable characters. The Witch in the Weeds is funny, colourful, and a genuinely solid mystery, which will keep you guessing until the climax. I look forward to Rhetta’s next case.
September 22, 2025
"Never underestimate a determined woman”
Rhetta Cur finds herself in the midst of a murder, and seemingly the only one in town with the wits to solve the mystery.
The Witch in the Weeds was a cozy murder mystery with a touch of whimsy. The town of Feorlen is no stranger to magical creatures and witches - with strange occurrences being the norm. When the town is plagued by a swarm of seemingly possessed rats, all signs point to a new witch. However, Rhetta can’t seem to ignore the feeling there is more than what meets the eye. The further she investigates the murder and other events, the more she finds the clues don’t point to the town’s known witch.
Will Rhetta be able to solve the mystery? You’re going to have to read the book to find out.
I enjoyed the story telling, and was surprised by the twist. Not once did I guess who the real murderer was - despite thinking I had figured things out. Close, but I still didn’t have the skills of our Rhetta.
I received an advance reader copy of this book, and am thankful for the opportunity. Will be recommending this book to others.
Rhetta Cur finds herself in the midst of a murder, and seemingly the only one in town with the wits to solve the mystery.
The Witch in the Weeds was a cozy murder mystery with a touch of whimsy. The town of Feorlen is no stranger to magical creatures and witches - with strange occurrences being the norm. When the town is plagued by a swarm of seemingly possessed rats, all signs point to a new witch. However, Rhetta can’t seem to ignore the feeling there is more than what meets the eye. The further she investigates the murder and other events, the more she finds the clues don’t point to the town’s known witch.
Will Rhetta be able to solve the mystery? You’re going to have to read the book to find out.
I enjoyed the story telling, and was surprised by the twist. Not once did I guess who the real murderer was - despite thinking I had figured things out. Close, but I still didn’t have the skills of our Rhetta.
I received an advance reader copy of this book, and am thankful for the opportunity. Will be recommending this book to others.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews