Which Witch?

by Simon R. Green

208 pages, Hardcover

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

Simon Richard Green is a British science fiction and fantasy-author. He holds a degree in Modern English and American Literature from the University of Leicester. His first publication was in 1979.

His Deathstalker series is partly a parody of the usual space-opera of the 1950s, told with sovereign disregard of the rules of probability, while being at the same time extremely bloodthirsty.

Excerpted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Haxxunne · Rating 3 out of 5]

More crime than supernatural
—
In the third book in this new series, Bishop Alistair Kincaid and actress Diana Hunt are brought back together when the production of Macbeth that Diana’s in as Lady Macbeth begins to suffer the curse of the Scottish play, with props catastrophically falling apart, scenery and tech falling on the cast, blunted knives turning out less blunt than expected. It’s all (almost) fun and games until someone gets hurt, and it’s up to Alistair and Diana to investigate, even as the hapless police fail to stop the bodies piling up.

You want your detectives to be the smarter person in the room, to find the clues that lead to the killer before things go too far. This book takes place over a few hours and the bodies literally can’t stop coming to light as the two amateurs and what appears to be a whole police force fail to catch any clues or spot someone who might have a motive to destroy the production. It’s all competently written, a relatively short read, but a heck of an expensive book given its run-of-the-mill plot and lack of narrative tension. The first problem is setting it around a Macbeth production; any Shakepeare play has a large cast and these are all introduced within the first few pages, a slew of names and dialogue, that aren’t really used to the best effect as red herrings, as foils, rivals or enemies of the amateur sleuths, as impediments to the development of the plot, or even as colour and background. Sadly, it’s all much of a muchness: these are theatrical people, apparently, but act more like sheep.

There’s a strange interlude in the middle where the narration flips from third person focused on Alistair and Diana to third person with the cast and crew members, which wasn’t telegraphed beforehand, and I don’t think it adds anything to the narrative. The supernatural element is a mere wisp and again adds nothing to the narrative, being neither red herring nor part of the denouement, and barely helps to make the book fantasy. There are better crime novels out there and better supernatural crime novels, so borrow this from a library if you must read it.

Two and a half stars

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third volume in the Holy Terrors series sees bishop Alastair called on set to an upcoming postapocalyptic rendition of Macbeth where conditions on set have deteriorated under a series of uncanny events, occultic displays, and apparent accidents that have the whole cast spooked, believing that they've been cursed. Alastair's partner in solving crime/girlfriend Diana is playing Lady Macbeth and she wants him to get to the bottom of what exactly is going on that has the production in such a miserable state that the cast is on the verge of bolting out of fear of witchcraft. The fact that the rehearsals are being performed in a decrepit, possibly haunted, old theater is only exacerbating the problem. But to Alastair it seems clear that it is a human rather than supernatural threat, one with a very sinister purpose.

On the one hand, I didn't think the old theater setting was anywhere near as creepy as the forsaken moor or the haunted town hall of the first two books, but on the other hand, I thought the characterizations were more consistent in this book (and after the book hit me over the head with it I finally realized that Alastair and Diana remind me strongly of John Steed and Emma Peel of The Avengers (the British 1960's surrealist/comedy/espionage/science fiction show, which, just like the later MCU, emerged from initial obscurity to become something truly brilliant (and a bit of a cultural phenomenon) and then kept going after it had become a sad ghost of its former self)) and, while there was still a fair amount of recycled conversation points, I felt like the story as a whole was better plotted than its predecessors. All in all, I'd say this is the best-written of the series so far, but also the least atmospheric, so 6 of one half-a-dozen of the other and I'm still giving it 3/5 stars.

[Sage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was instantly captivated by the opening, which evoked a sense of Sherlock Holmes. "Which Witch?" by Simon R. Green, the third book in the "Holy Terrors" series, is a clever and eerie paranormal mystery featuring actress Diana and young bishop Alistair as they unravel a series of supernatural occurrences related to a Macbeth production. Diana Hunt stars as Lady Macbeth in what may be a cursed version of the Scottish play, set to premiere in a West End theater. As harmless pranks escalate in intensity, a mishap involving an exploding cauldron prompts Diana to seek help from Bishop Alistair Kincaid. Together, they form the Holy Terrors, a dynamic duo that has successfully tackled two previous horror-laden cases. However, as they delve deeper into the investigation, the threats intensify, culminating in the death of a cast member.

The chemistry between Diana and Alistair is evident, showcasing their shared dedication to their professions and each other. Supporting characters like Jenny, Chris, and Mark are also vividly portrayed. My only concerns is that the supporting female characters feel very formulaic as the supporting male characters get more depth.

[Marty Tool · Rating 4 out of 5]

As all of Mr Green's book there is snark, fun, mystery and solutions. By the end of the book I wondered how the play will go on, but as the saying goes, the show must go on.
As the third installment, I think this might have been the best one. All takes place In a very old theater with a more dilapidated hotel attached, all action takes place here. Lots of characters, but all are easy to separate and lots of happenings as they try to rehearse Macbeth, many mysterious things happen until, murder brings in the police. At this point our duo need to solve the mysteries taking place. Loved the ending! This review is based on an advance copy that I received for free.

[Erin Gilmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. My review is entirely my own. This is the third book in the “Holy Terrors” series about Diana, a famous actress, and Alistair, a Bishop who work together to solve crimes with a supernatural element (that often is not supernatural in origin). Diana is playing Lady Macbeth in a production that seems cursed. She brings in Alistair to help her figure out what is happening, and then, the murders begin. This was a fun, cozy mystery. 3.5 stars.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read by Simon R Green in the Holy Terrors series. These short reads have great characters, great plot/pacing. Can't wait for the next in the series. #WhichWitch #NetGalley

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining enough. Every character is in their 20s with the experience of about 50 year olds. Cliché and stereotypes abound. I may try a book from a different series by Green, but not soon.

[Tim Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

More excellent readable, clever, funny, dark adventure from a reliable author. And I loved the ending!

[Amelie Ya Deau · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO DAMN GOOD!!! The best one in the series yet. I absolutely love Simon R Green’s writing and this doesn’t disappoint. 10/10 would recommend