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Household Gramarye #2
The Devil and Mrs. Gooch
From the best-selling author of Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil, a new, hilarious novel in the Household Gramarye universe.
In the storm-drenched city of Verdigris, home to indolent sorcerers and spectral hotels, something is dreadfully wrong. Buildings are starting to crumble due to the kidnapping of their hobs, the many legged house spirits that keep each home in order. In such times, one would ordinarily blame the Devil, but he has been enchanted by a new and enticing The jackbooted villainy of Gwendolyn Gooch, who has taken the hobs for her latest diabolical scheme—apartments for rent. As the hobs retrofit the gaudy Gooch Towers, the fate of the city lies in the hands of the arboreal Professor Green; his rare, complete set of the Household Gramarye; and its famulus, the prim Mrs. Bobkins.
A delightful new novel in a series “perfectly cut to fit the Pratchett-shaped hole in my heart” (C. M. Waggoner), The Devil and Mrs. Gooch is witty, imaginative, and brimming with charm.
In the storm-drenched city of Verdigris, home to indolent sorcerers and spectral hotels, something is dreadfully wrong. Buildings are starting to crumble due to the kidnapping of their hobs, the many legged house spirits that keep each home in order. In such times, one would ordinarily blame the Devil, but he has been enchanted by a new and enticing The jackbooted villainy of Gwendolyn Gooch, who has taken the hobs for her latest diabolical scheme—apartments for rent. As the hobs retrofit the gaudy Gooch Towers, the fate of the city lies in the hands of the arboreal Professor Green; his rare, complete set of the Household Gramarye; and its famulus, the prim Mrs. Bobkins.
A delightful new novel in a series “perfectly cut to fit the Pratchett-shaped hole in my heart” (C. M. Waggoner), The Devil and Mrs. Gooch is witty, imaginative, and brimming with charm.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published May 12, 2026
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6223 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 5, 2026
Umm ... I'm not sure what I read but it sure was fun! I loved this fantasy place and all it's weirdo characters! I do want to go back to the first book. If you want to have some fun with some crazy, funny characters than this is the book for you!
March 16, 2026
I went into The Devil and Mrs. Gooch already knowing I was probably going to love it. I absolutely adored Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil so returning to the wonderfully strange world of the Household Gramarye felt like coming back home.This story takes place in the stormy city of Verdigris where things are starting to fall apart literally. Buildings are crumbling because the “hobs,” the many legged house spirits that keep homes running smoothly have been kidnapped. Without them, the entire city starts to descend into disrepair. Normally you might blame the Devil for something like this, but he’s a little distracted. Instead, the real villain here is the delightfully awful Gwendolyn Gooch who has captured the hobs as part of her latest scheme: turning their labor into a twisted housing venture at the flashy Gooch Towers.The fate of the city ends up resting with Professor Green his rare and complete set of the Household Gramarye and the ever proper Mrs. Bobkins. From there the story spirals into a hilarious, imaginative adventure full of magical chaos, strange creatures, and the kind of humor that had me smiling the whole time.
What I love most about this series is how clever and weird it is. The magic system feels old and folkloric but also completely chaotic you can’t help loving all the characters throughout the whole story. If you liked the first book by this author this one absolutely delivers. The world feels even bigger the humor is just as good. I knew I’d enjoy it but it still managed to surprise me with how much fun it was.This author is quickly becoming one I recommend whenever someone asks for a fantasy that’s witty whimsical and a little strange.
What I love most about this series is how clever and weird it is. The magic system feels old and folkloric but also completely chaotic you can’t help loving all the characters throughout the whole story. If you liked the first book by this author this one absolutely delivers. The world feels even bigger the humor is just as good. I knew I’d enjoy it but it still managed to surprise me with how much fun it was.This author is quickly becoming one I recommend whenever someone asks for a fantasy that’s witty whimsical and a little strange.
May 10, 2026
Thank you to Dreamscape Media am NetGalley for the ALC opportunity and to W.W. Norton for the gifted physical copy.
The narrator, Kymberley Cochrane, has a whimsical British accent that I found enjoyable to listen to. Her voice charms us into the fantasy - you can tell storytelling is a strongpoint of hers. Inspired the theatrics and her ability to change voices/tones for different people speaking.
I will start by saying I didn’t read the first book in this series so I kind of went into this as me blindly. I was instantly drawn to the cover art/colors/font. It was honestly a little bit of a slow start for me. But the writing was exceptionally descriptive and drew me in. It was definitely a fun fantasy read with the quirkiest of characters!
It was actually quite funny. The magic and world building felt chaotic but also thoughtful somehow. It was a bit slow paced and not fully plot driven but still enjoyable nonetheless. I do think having this on audio helped me stick with it! Not for everyone, but I would recommend to anyone who likes a good villain story!
The narrator, Kymberley Cochrane, has a whimsical British accent that I found enjoyable to listen to. Her voice charms us into the fantasy - you can tell storytelling is a strongpoint of hers. Inspired the theatrics and her ability to change voices/tones for different people speaking.
I will start by saying I didn’t read the first book in this series so I kind of went into this as me blindly. I was instantly drawn to the cover art/colors/font. It was honestly a little bit of a slow start for me. But the writing was exceptionally descriptive and drew me in. It was definitely a fun fantasy read with the quirkiest of characters!
It was actually quite funny. The magic and world building felt chaotic but also thoughtful somehow. It was a bit slow paced and not fully plot driven but still enjoyable nonetheless. I do think having this on audio helped me stick with it! Not for everyone, but I would recommend to anyone who likes a good villain story!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I made it almost 30% into this book before deciding to DNF. And it’s a personal DNF, owing nothing to the technical qualities of the book. Instead, it’s the very open and deliberate homage to Terry Pratchett that I find … both offputting and tiresome. This reads like someone trying so hard to remind me of Prachett’s writing, tugging on my sleeve with every footnote, every cleverness as if to say “Remember when Pratchett used footnotes? Remember Discworld? Remember Pratchett’s wizards?” And yes, I remember all of those things very well, thank you.
This is someone writing in another author’s voice (in my opinion) rather than their own, and it makes for slow, ponderous reading. And the overuse of footnotes, almost one every other page and not all of them adding to the story so much as pointedly trying to be … something they’re not.
Maybe the book gets better, maybe the author calms down and starts to develop their own voice and their own style, but if so it will wait for me to have more patience. I’m putting this down not because it’s bad, but because it’s not Pratchett and never will be. Hopefully one day I can read a book by Oliver Darkshire.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I knew I was going to enjoy this book when, within the first few pages, a character stammers a lot of different words for "yes," and the author notes, "synonyms are the last defense for the unprepared."
This book is full of sneakily witty lines. The humor is the best part—it reminded me of Douglas Adams, where a sentence is presented plainly, but also hilariously.
For me, the plot is secondary to the many vignettes of kooky characters. I actually don't think I could have said what the plot was until about 80% of the way through the book. For that reason, it's definitely not a book for everyone. But for readers who are ok just going with the flow and just enjoying the paragraph in front of you (instead of trying to figure out where you're going), then it will be a fun read.
Pro tip: skip the footnotes. I get it, the footnotes serve as comedic bits, but since they don't reallyyy fit in the story, they end up just throwing off your reading momentum and creating awkward tangents.
But all in all, a quirky character-driven read that sets out to give you a strange little story. And on that front, it delivers.
(thanks netgalley and publishers for the arc)
This book is full of sneakily witty lines. The humor is the best part—it reminded me of Douglas Adams, where a sentence is presented plainly, but also hilariously.
For me, the plot is secondary to the many vignettes of kooky characters. I actually don't think I could have said what the plot was until about 80% of the way through the book. For that reason, it's definitely not a book for everyone. But for readers who are ok just going with the flow and just enjoying the paragraph in front of you (instead of trying to figure out where you're going), then it will be a fun read.
Pro tip: skip the footnotes. I get it, the footnotes serve as comedic bits, but since they don't reallyyy fit in the story, they end up just throwing off your reading momentum and creating awkward tangents.
But all in all, a quirky character-driven read that sets out to give you a strange little story. And on that front, it delivers.
(thanks netgalley and publishers for the arc)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Devil and Mrs. Gooch is a funny romp through the rain and the “backways” as the Devil, Professor Green, Mrs. Bobkins, the hobs, and Gonorilla all attempt to rein in the evil and greed of Mrs. Gooch.
I can only wish for a hob to clean and maintain my home, I would happily leave out the little treats that they like. I fell in love with the creatures despite their not having particularly deep characterization. The devil, too, was very entertaining.
The plot moves quickly as Professor Green tries to track down a complete set of the Household Gramarye, and remember spells, while the devil gets behind Mrs. Gooch’s crafty scheme.
The campy, sarcastic style is amusing (although the footnotes get a bit too much at times—it’s probably easier to deal with them in the final format). The silliness actually cloaks some serious issues which keeps it a bit more grounded than it might otherwise be.
Overall, this is well worth the quick read when you just want some zaniness.
Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for the eARC.
I can only wish for a hob to clean and maintain my home, I would happily leave out the little treats that they like. I fell in love with the creatures despite their not having particularly deep characterization. The devil, too, was very entertaining.
The plot moves quickly as Professor Green tries to track down a complete set of the Household Gramarye, and remember spells, while the devil gets behind Mrs. Gooch’s crafty scheme.
The campy, sarcastic style is amusing (although the footnotes get a bit too much at times—it’s probably easier to deal with them in the final format). The silliness actually cloaks some serious issues which keeps it a bit more grounded than it might otherwise be.
Overall, this is well worth the quick read when you just want some zaniness.
Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Oooof. I give it 4 stars because it is well written and absolutely true to itself. Loved seeing more of the world of Gramayre and meeting a new Famulus. Did I enjoy it? Nope. It's a clever commentary on the world as is, a la Pratchett. Parody, mockery, extreme(?) expressions of things that are happening all around us, and frankly if you are living in the US, it is too true to life. The unrelenting greed of Gooch. The willingness to destroy the world in order to reign supreme. The narcissistic selfishness that counts the death of a child as a negligible cost. The demise of the Green Man and the flight of the trees. The perpetual rain of climate change. The Devil of legend sounding like a lightweight compared to the evils of the ruling class. Yep. All too familiar, and all too hard to watch them win again and again and again. Effective but horrifying. I appreciate the paean to Measure and her loss. That feels very apropos. Heartbreaking.
Advanced Readers' Copy provided by Edelweiss.
Advanced Readers' Copy provided by Edelweiss.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m not usually an audiobook person, but the writing here which is so reminiscent of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett would be a blast to listen to. The dry British wit and that clinically detached POV are perfect for pointing out everyday absurdities. I actually spent the whole book narrating it in my head in the style of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Since I don’t typically reach for cozy fiction, the slower character-driven pace took me a little while to settle into. Instead of fast-paced action, you spend most of your time just getting to know this world and the people in it. The Devil and Mrs. Gooch is a really sharp, funny look at the messier sides of academia, capitalism, and more. Gwendolyn Gooch is basically the personification of unchecked corporate greed; she just devours everything in her path to get ahead.
Even though this is the second book in a series, it definitely works as a standalone—I didn't feel lost at all.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Since I don’t typically reach for cozy fiction, the slower character-driven pace took me a little while to settle into. Instead of fast-paced action, you spend most of your time just getting to know this world and the people in it. The Devil and Mrs. Gooch is a really sharp, funny look at the messier sides of academia, capitalism, and more. Gwendolyn Gooch is basically the personification of unchecked corporate greed; she just devours everything in her path to get ahead.
Even though this is the second book in a series, it definitely works as a standalone—I didn't feel lost at all.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had a fun with this one! It has a silly tone and a sort of british humor (but not annoying) and manages to keep that up for the whole book without trying too hard or being nonchalant about it. It strikes a good balance between silly tone and serious moments so I didn't have trouble caring about the characters or the stakes of the plot.
The worldbuilding is fun and although the book does a good bit of expositing, it doesn't devolve into long, dry descriptions. I don't know if this style would be for everyone but I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the footnotes, but they can get a little distracting at times.
I book has a lot happening and I enjoyed the pace at the beginning but after a while I realized I was at the halfway point and felt like the story was still getting set up because of how much was going on. It was nice to see follow-through on things that had seemed like throwaway gags at the beginning but it did sometimes feel like a lot to keep up with.
The worldbuilding is fun and although the book does a good bit of expositing, it doesn't devolve into long, dry descriptions. I don't know if this style would be for everyone but I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the footnotes, but they can get a little distracting at times.
I book has a lot happening and I enjoyed the pace at the beginning but after a while I realized I was at the halfway point and felt like the story was still getting set up because of how much was going on. It was nice to see follow-through on things that had seemed like throwaway gags at the beginning but it did sometimes feel like a lot to keep up with.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
One of the most sinister villains I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in fiction returns in Oliver Darkshire’s novel, The Devil and Mrs. Gooch. When we first met Gwendolyn Gooch, in Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil, she was selling deadly goblin fruit the nearly destroyed a village. As usually happens when her plans go bust, Gwendolyn fled in the night to her next scheme. We catch up with her in perpetually rainy Virdigris, already working on her plan to unleash outrageously priced, microscopically small, amenity-less rental apartments on the unsuspecting populace...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.
April 22, 2026
She’s back! Gwendolyn Gooch has another scheme. There have been many more we’ve never seen, but I don’t think we quite understand the level of havoc she can wreak.
The Devil and Mrs. Gooch, book #2 in Oliver Darkshire’s Household Gramarye series, was just as whimsical as the first but just a bit darker. I loved the inside look at the hobs’ world—that was one character/creature I wanted to know more about from Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil. I also particularly enjoyed that the inserts from the Gramarye were stories that gave depth to the characters we met, weaving them into the tapestry of this weird world.
It may be the second in the series, but if you love a good villain story, then you can easily start with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton and Company for the eARC!
The Devil and Mrs. Gooch, book #2 in Oliver Darkshire’s Household Gramarye series, was just as whimsical as the first but just a bit darker. I loved the inside look at the hobs’ world—that was one character/creature I wanted to know more about from Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil. I also particularly enjoyed that the inserts from the Gramarye were stories that gave depth to the characters we met, weaving them into the tapestry of this weird world.
It may be the second in the series, but if you love a good villain story, then you can easily start with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton and Company for the eARC!
May 11, 2026
4.25 ⭐️ Mrs Gooch is stealing Hobbs (creatures who live in your house and clean at night). Shes using them for her fancy hotel and business plans. When things start to fall apart, can anyone stop her? Perhaps the devil himself or a wizard made from trees?
Holy crap! This was one of my favourite audio books I’ve listened to in a while. The narration is hilarious and accents all make the book so fun. I could never have made it as good in my head. 🙌🏼🙌🏼
This is so witty and original. The main plot is constantly interrupted with facts on facts and all these extra details. I laughed so many times. The world is an egg, about to crack? Trains have their own problems and might just run you over. Just so much fun and crazy world building. Loved the nod to all the fairytales as well. My one note was I got distracted a lot and felt the middle was a little slow, then the end was a BAM! All at once. Still amazing story and characters. Huge fan.
Thankyou NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the ALC.
Holy crap! This was one of my favourite audio books I’ve listened to in a while. The narration is hilarious and accents all make the book so fun. I could never have made it as good in my head. 🙌🏼🙌🏼
This is so witty and original. The main plot is constantly interrupted with facts on facts and all these extra details. I laughed so many times. The world is an egg, about to crack? Trains have their own problems and might just run you over. Just so much fun and crazy world building. Loved the nod to all the fairytales as well. My one note was I got distracted a lot and felt the middle was a little slow, then the end was a BAM! All at once. Still amazing story and characters. Huge fan.
Thankyou NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Sympathy for the Devil?
Yeah. I did feel a little sorry for him . . . After all, it seems almost a shame to see the mighty Devil reduced to a lackey when Old Scratch meets his match in the insidiously evil Mrs. Gooch.
'Tis a fun, imaginative, and somewhat silly read that will have you believing a pig can talk, perform magic, and sew up some nifty embroidery projects. (I have opposable thumbs, and MY stitches are nowhere near as neat!)
This is my third book by Darkshire, who's quickly worming his way onto my "favorite author" list. I'm all aquiver with anticipation for the next one.
Thanks to W.W. Norton for the physical ARC. This book will be unleashed in May.
Yeah. I did feel a little sorry for him . . . After all, it seems almost a shame to see the mighty Devil reduced to a lackey when Old Scratch meets his match in the insidiously evil Mrs. Gooch.
'Tis a fun, imaginative, and somewhat silly read that will have you believing a pig can talk, perform magic, and sew up some nifty embroidery projects. (I have opposable thumbs, and MY stitches are nowhere near as neat!)
This is my third book by Darkshire, who's quickly worming his way onto my "favorite author" list. I'm all aquiver with anticipation for the next one.
Thanks to W.W. Norton for the physical ARC. This book will be unleashed in May.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25⭐️ So…the devil is a harlot, what’s new? Except that he meets a woman so cruel she garners the awe, and love of him. And it takes a special, or specially venomous, woman to make the Devil heel, and her name is Mrs. Gooch.
I loved this Grimm fairytale-esque show that starts with characters on seemingly separate journeys but weave together to create such a unique and darkly fun story. It reminded me of Once Upon a Time and I hadn’t realized just how much I missed it. With world building as fantastic as these and the distinct and, mostly, loveable characters how could you not have the time of your life…sympathizing with the devil?
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this Grimm fairytale-esque show that starts with characters on seemingly separate journeys but weave together to create such a unique and darkly fun story. It reminded me of Once Upon a Time and I hadn’t realized just how much I missed it. With world building as fantastic as these and the distinct and, mostly, loveable characters how could you not have the time of your life…sympathizing with the devil?
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 10, 2026
Darkshire takes his acerbic wit and applies it to Gwendolyn Gooch (who showed up in the last book!), who decides to extend her ventures into the real estate market by the way of hob usage, a Green Man professor who is swept into the Gramarye's wake, a young, lonely girl, and the Devil falling in love with the worst person ever. Bless the Devil for developing a sense of self respect through this entire ordeal. Also want to compliment Darkshire for taking out his feelings about the situation we are in presently using a deeply effective satire of someone orange, but in a way that he would never be able to catch onto. Had me laughing my ass off at several points. Highly recommended summer read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Oliver Darkshire is an absolute genius! The Devil and Mrs. Gooch is the second book in the Household Gramarye universe, although it can be read as a standalone (but if you are not against having a good time, please consider reading Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil). I think Darkshire's dark humor is unique. I rarely annotate my books, but there were so many great quotes I could not just highlight them! For fans of Peter S. Beagle, but with a slightly darker inclination, this book is such a fun ride you won't regret it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Devil and Mrs. Gooch by Oliver Darkshire is one of those wonderfully clever novels where a line slips past you at first, your brain catches up a second later, and suddenly you’re laughing out loud. It’s delightfully unusual and strange in the best way. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book that feels unlike anything they’ve read before.
Favorite quote: To lure a unicorn consider suspending your virgin from a tree in the woods as they are known to be fond of amateur bondage.
Audiobook narrator 5/5. She did an incredible job of delivering the subtle humor!
Favorite quote: To lure a unicorn consider suspending your virgin from a tree in the woods as they are known to be fond of amateur bondage.
Audiobook narrator 5/5. She did an incredible job of delivering the subtle humor!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
After my brain temporarily froze after each reading of a few pages, I cast a spell to read one chapter at a time to finish this before the end of the decade.
The results are fabulous. This is an ingenious mixture of wordplay, and the odd places creatures find themselves in whilst a beetle is pushing the sun across the sky. Funny, enlightening, and an escape from the odd times we find ourselves in.
I'm glad I held on for the ride. Go nobs!
The results are fabulous. This is an ingenious mixture of wordplay, and the odd places creatures find themselves in whilst a beetle is pushing the sun across the sky. Funny, enlightening, and an escape from the odd times we find ourselves in.
I'm glad I held on for the ride. Go nobs!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Devil and Mrs Gooch was an unique story full of stand out characters and some creatures I haven't heard about before. While I liked my listening experience it's a 3.5 rounded down as it didnt conpletely pull me in. Haven't read the first book but would definitely read it if I find it on my book app or library. Enjoyed the way it was told and how the characters was portrayed.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is such a fun book! I love the characters and the story. It is unusual and yet resonates with society today.
The footnotes are interesting, full of character and sarcasm and remind me of Sir Terry Pratchett!
The footnotes are interesting, full of character and sarcasm and remind me of Sir Terry Pratchett!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Whimsical, philosophical, hilarious and tragic. You don’t need to have read the first book in this universe to enjoy this marvelous book that takes a novel approach to magic and fantasy as a whole. This is not even published yet and I can’t wait for the next one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Unique, well-written book with some interesting stylization and an interesting plot. 5 stars. tysm for the E-ARC.
February 1, 2026
I would honestly die for Mrs Bobkins.
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