The Wednesday Witches Book Club

Magic & Mystery #2

by Sarah Beth Durst

A book-loving witch finds magic and mystery in a whimsical short story about the transformative power of friendship and community by the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

After a challenging divorce, Ashley joins a witchy book club in search of a new social life. But when members start being transformed one by one, Ashley and the remaining book club members must uncover the culprit behind these sinister spells. With time running out until she’s the next target, she turns to her grimoire for answers. Because what better way to catch a magical culprit than through stories?

Sarah Beth Durst’s The Wednesday Witches Book Club is part of the Magic & Mystery collection, puzzle-box mysteries from top fantasy authors. They can be read or listened to in one enchanting sitting.

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Mystery, Audiobook, Novella, Cozy, Fiction

49 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2026

About the author

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

Reviews

[Sarah • ia for a while · Rating 4 out of 5]

₍⸍⸌̣ʷ̣̫⸍̣⸌₎ In typical Sarah Beth Durst style, this was fun! The way their magic and books were connected was super interesting, and the mystery itself had me guessing right up to the very end. 🤭 The writing was great, the story was wonderful, and the ending put a smile on my face.

Overall, I totally recommend this if you are looking for a cozy, short, magical read. 💜

❊ Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ❊

──── ୨୧ ────

The Magic & Mystery Collection
#2 Miss Gentle and The Case of the Very Flat Monk
#3 The Lion's Tusk
#4 A Labyrinth of Honeybees
#5 The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious
#6 Battle of the Round House
#7 The Cairndale Orphan

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

✰ the collection on amazon
✰ the collection on goodreads

this was delightful, actually. ashley is a witch who is starting over in her 40s, and has decided to move to long island to clean homes and to maybe join a book club once again! witches in this world gained their magic through books, and the book that awakens your magic will become your grimoire, and i just think that’s so lovely. and in this short story, we see her attend the book club, use her enchanted clothes magic from her copy of a wrinkle in time, and try to solve the mystery that involves cat transformation!

also, if you’re doing HRCYED 3.0 - this is the short story for you. so many book title drops in this one, and so much range within those titles! But this was truly so cute, fun, and just the perfect amount of quirky! i think most people are going to really enjoy this installment from the collection!

trigger + content warnings: mention of divorce in past, mention of getting cheating on in past, mention of loss of parents because of drunk drivers in past, and themes of loneliness

blog | instagram | youtube | wishlist | spotify | amazon

The Spellshop ★★★

♡ Magic & Mystery Amazon Collection Reviews:
➛ Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk by Travis Baldree
➛ The Wednesday Witches Book Club By Sarah Beth Durst
➛ The Lion’s Tusk By Robert Jackson Bennett
➛ A Labyrinth of Honeybees By Heather Fawcett
➛ The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious By Scott Lynch
➛ Battle of the Round House By Tananarive Due
➛ The Cairndale Orphan By J. M. Miro

[Shelly | VixenReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok this was adorable!
I’m not typically a huge fan of “cutesy and cozy” type reads but this short story was so fun.
I loved how it incorporated a love of cats and books! How one discovers they are a witch was truly so beautiful.
As readers, we find those books that speak to us, that draw us in, and that give us back a bit of the magic they contain. I loved how this story paid tribute to that feeling.
Several moments had me grinning because of how charming it was.
If you want something quick and delightful, look no further. Sarah Beth Durst is a masterclass at endearing and quaint storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book.

[Stacey Markle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cats are superior beings...but not superior to books!

As all Sarah Beth Durst's books are...this short story was adorable. A witchy book club goes awry when the witches get turned into cats one by one...but who is to blame?
My absolute favourite part of this story is how the witches get their magic...by reading 📚 ❤️

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I greatly desire a full novel set in this world—holy cow, the concept was so unique! Def a fun take on witches, and book clubs.

[4.5]

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This was such a fun little short story that delivers all the cozy vibes mixed with humor! At a steady pace, the fun little mystery was a blast to try follow, and I was pleasantly surprised that it took a turn I wasn't expecting!

It's super short, but I was impressed that each character felt distinct, and again, the humor Sarah Beth Durst was able to pack into it without being heavy-handed was super engaging. I thought the way magic worked/originated in the story was unique and compelling, and it definitely makes the story a love letter not only to those who love witches/magical elements but also to all readers.

It is simultaneously also a book for all the cat lovers!

Overall, a fun short story that I'd absolutely recommend to everyone for just a quick, cozy read that will make you laugh/smile! Quite a cute, heartwarming ending, as well!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review early; all opinions are my own.

[Taylor Jefferson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure if there is going to be a theme with this novella series or if the "culprit" being similar to Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk is just a coincidence. Time will tell.

Once again, a charming little novella. I particularly liked the magic system. Witches gain their power when they read a book that touches their hearts and that book becomes their grimoire. Themes of found family and not comparing yourself to others because no one truly has their shit together. Sweet, but I'm hoping for better stories to come. Robert Jackson Bennett is next and I have high hopes.

Series ranking so far...
1. Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk
2. The Wednesday Witches Book Club

[aria ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

── 3.0✦

My grimoire would be The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis🥹

Also, are the mystery solutions going to have the same theme?!🤣

[katie (bard-maresh) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Natasha Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short & sweet but heartwarming nonetheless! SBD never lets me down 🫶🏻

Also a dog would never!!

[Ally Bateman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve seen quite a few SBD books on the shelves, and I was curious about her writing style, so a novella seemed like the perfect place to start.
I thought that the concept for how the witches got their magic was creative and fun. Unfortunately, I found the whole “cat” plot more like something I’d see in teen fiction than in adult. I also felt like the main character was too quick to judge and not someone I’d enjoy being in a “book club” with.

[Nicole (bookwyrm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fun short story about witches who get their magic from special books. (And yes, I spent way too long thinking about which book would have become my grimoire.) There's a great blend of fantasy and mystery here, though I wish it had been longer so that we got to spend more time with the characters. If Durst were to turn this concept of magic-from-ordinary-books into a full-length novel, I'd absolutely read that. (And I also must now start reading her backlist, to see if she already has and I'm just unaware of it.)

[Viki86 · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I believe that books-and all stories-are magic. They connect us, they shape us, and they make us more than who we are by causing us to care about the impossible-to care about people who are living lives that never were and never could be.'

A cozy short story by one of my favourite authors- I could read her stories forever! I wish this one was longer! I enjoyed the connection between books and magic, and how everyone has their own special book to start up their magical journey. A really enjoyable story, in true Sarah Beth Durst style.❤️

[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this novella. It was heartwarming, funny, and had me smiling from beginning to end.

I guessed the mystery early on, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. I loved all the cats, especially Mrs. Meowtini. What a perfect name! As a cat lover, they made the story even more enjoyable.

I only wish this had been a full-length novel. I would happily read more about these witches and their "book club".

This was an easy five-star read for me.

[MelTangClan · Rating 4 out of 5]

she does it again

HILARIOUS!!!!! Thoroughly enjoyed this short story! Sarah Beth Durst never disappoints 🐱👌🏼 A super cosy and a light quick read.

[Genevieve (GenLikesToRead) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars
0/5 spice

Short-Story Review:
I’m so glad I saved this one for last as it was, as I had suspected, my favorite of the bunch! Sarah Beth Durst is an absolute master at writing cozy magical stories.

Despite being a short story, I felt completely immersed in this little friend group. Reading this story genuinely felt like I was watching an episode of a fun witchy TV show. I would read hundreds more of these if they existed!

[MusingsofRu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why have I waited so long to read Sarah Beth Durst? The Wednesday Witches Book Club was the perfect introduction to Sarah's writing. In a novella length book she was able to create and explain a magical world with showing not telling. I felt the characters were fully developed and loved the internal monologue the main character had. Narrator Meg Runyan held my attention with different inflections and tone. If you are looking for a sample of mystery and fiction snag this book up right away.

Thank your Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[Raelene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll basically read anything Sarah Beth Durst puts out at this point, because of how much I love the Spellshop series, but I didn’t care for this.

It’s definitely a quick read, and the audiobook narrator was good. But I found the characters to just be fine, I didn’t care about the story, and found the resolution to be a bit too silly for my preference.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, little witchy mystery novella. Because it was so short, as a reader you only just got to know the characters a little. I do wish this Novella was maybe another 20 pages or so, to give us more time to experience the characters and their relationships.

[Kelly NuclearFiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧Song Pairing: The Old Gumbie Cat - Cats the musical

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Imagine you join a book club and all women start turning into cats…now you gotta find out was it because of a friggin man or something else 😉

Short, sweet & fun fun fun!

[Lacey Ha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so ridiculous and silly. Cute.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

total süße premise, hier hat’s mich auch nicht gestört dass es sehr predictable war!! süßer kleiner fun read🌟

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

they’re so cute and hilarious 😭😆

[Bree T · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5🌟

[aleksandra ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so ridiculous I loved it

[Zia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun short story, I really loved this take on magic and I would honestly read a whole book set in this universe. This series is making me distrust my cat however

[Hare Llow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quw buen plot twist 🧋

[Bookly_Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Nicole H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️