Witch 13

by Patrick R. Delaney

On the eve of her resignation, Sheriff Sterling Marsh prepares for a bleak winter in Drybell, Connecticut, after a string of bad decisions leaves her life in shambles. Two weeks before Christmas and expecting a long night of paperwork and quiet celebration with the friends she’s grown to know and love, she’s surprised when an unnerving stranger appears in the form of a witch.

A silent, menacing figure, the witch appears to be ripped straight out of a fairy tale, complete with a tall, pointed hat, and black clothing. But when strange things begin happening all over town, Sterling begins to suspect that there may be more to the witch than meets the eye.

As she works to maintain order as the world crumbles around her, the witch’s mysterious presence throws her world into a frenzy, threatening to send the sleepy town spiraling face-first into the darkest night it’s ever seen.

Genres: Horror, Witches, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Fiction, Adult

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2022

Reviews

[Luvtoread (Trying to catch up) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Atmospheric and Unsettling Story of Horror!

Two weeks before Christmas and It's Sheriff Sterling Marsh's last day on her job and she's hoping for a quiet last twenty-four hours of work. This is Drybell, Connecticut a small island town with only a bridge leading one way in or out of town and now there has been a huge crash on the bridge involving a truck and a huge semi-tractor trailer. Next there is a call about a young boy gone missing from the grocery market with his mother and now Sterling can't reach her deputy who was handling the crash.

A storm has been brewing all day and it may be the most violent weather Drybell has ever seen but no-one is aware of this yet while the lights are flickering, phones are losing connections but they've been through bad storms before and always survived just fine. When a frantic phone call comes in from the city hall Sterling rushes over and finds the building empty yet feels the hairs on her neck standing up and knows something is very wrong and then she comes upon a scene so in unbelievable that she thinks she's still asleep at home having a horrific bad dream that she can't awake from. Shortly after, she finds a woman, just standing quietly facing a wall, still like a statue and she is dressed strangely like a witch, hat and all. This woman won't respond to any of Sterling's commands so she handcuffs the witch-like looking woman and brings her back to the station. Sterling feels nervous and creeped out by the woman and she doesn't know why since Sterling herself is one fearless and strong woman a formidable match for any man. This crazy night has only just begun and the wicked electical storm that keeps brewing will soon turn Into the worst living nightmare for all who have the misfortune to live in the small town of Drybell.


This was a fantastic horror book written by Patrick Delaney. The creepy and atmospheric storytelling of this nightmarish stormy night in Drybell is guaranteed to to give goosebumps while looking over your shoulder and wondering if you're really hearing whispers or is it just the wind outside your windows. I can't imagine reading this book with the lights off yet I recommend keeping them off to achieve the complete eerie effect that will really leave you feeling spooked.

I haven't read such a disturbingly creepy and sinister story since "Road of Bones" by Christopher Golden which I loved and will stay with me for a long time as this frightening book will also be remembered for such intriguing, dark storytelling and wonderful, believable characters. As anyone can see who reads this review, I absolutely loved this unique horror book that brought out the best feelings that a horror story should bring to life, which was a sense of impending dread or doom including an unconscious fear and nervousness while I was reading this nerve shattering story.

"Witch 13" has brought back how we were conditioned as children to think about witches (maybe worse) instead of the light and airy magical witches that can be found everywhere. I certainly haven't come across such a chill inducing witch story in a long time, maybe ever for myself but this book is what Great Horror is meant to be. A story to make you feel creepy and find yourself listening for noises or seeing shadow movement out of the corner of your eye. That is what this book did for me and I'm sure it will do the same for the majority of horror fans out there!


I want to thank the author Patrick Delaney, the publisher "Oblivion Publishing" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I highly recommend this very creative book and have given a rating of 5 SPINE-TINGLING AND UNSETTLING 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

[Kirsty Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 round up to 4.

On the eve of her resignation, Sheriff Sterling Marsh prepares for a bleak winter in Drybell, Connecticut, after a string of bad decisions leaves her life in shambles. Two weeks before Christmas and expecting a long night of paperwork and quiet celebration with the friends she’s grown to know and love, she’s surprised when an unnerving stranger appears in the form of a witch.

A silent, menacing figure, the witch appears to be ripped straight out of a fairy tale, complete with a tall, pointed hat, and black clothing. But when strange things begin happening all over town, Sterling begins to suspect that there may be more to the witch than meets the eye.

As she works to maintain order as the world crumbles around her, the witch’s mysterious presence throws her world into a frenzy, threatening to send the sleepy town spiraling face-first into the darkest night it’s ever seen.

Oooooh this was one spooky witchy delight that had me hooked from the beginning but sadly is a perfect example of how a bad ending can ruin an entire book.

Throughout the novel I was on the edge of my seat and at times genuinely terrified as the story unfolded, I just wanted to know who this woman was, where she had came from and what her deal was.

Delaney created a diverse cast of characters that were intriguing and at times frustrating and like them, I wanted to figure out who this mysterious woman dressed in cliche witch wear was and more importantly what she wanted!

Nevertheless, the ending for me was a tad melodramatic and funnily enough, unbelievable when joined as a whole to the rest of the novel. A shame really as the rest of it was such a good ride.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Witch 13 definitely had its creepiness. From the very beginning, I was completely hooked. The prologue definitely set me up for a wild adventure that I never saw coming. Each twist and turn, made me shake my head and comment "run" so many times. Yet, the people never truly did until it was almost too late.

Enter the terrifying and strange witch. First, we don't know much about her other than the fact that likes to stand and stare at a wall. Which is super creepy if you ask me. She doesn't talk, blink, or move really. So, when every person with the precinct - no, the whole town - starts acting kind of crazy. Well, we all know who is suspect #1. The witch.

Once we start to learn more about the witch, things definitely start to make sense. Even a bit creepier if you think about it. There's little action scenes and drama throughout the book but the main one was kind of disappointing. It just made the ending feel rushed and I was expecting something else since the book was so creepy.

In the end, I really enjoyed most of the book. Heck, all of it really until the last couple of chapters. If this ever became a movie, or show, I would totally watch it. Other than that, I'm really happy that I got the chance to jump into this and look forward to the next one Patrick writes.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up because I like stories about witches and I love the cover. The story is set in the small town of Drybell, Connecticut. Sterling Marsh is the Sheriff and she is working her last night after ten years in the job. The storm of the century is raging outside, but her co-workers are still throwing a going-away party / Christmas party and trying to make the best of it. When her deputy's wife calls to report a problem at City Hall, Sterling responds. When she arrives she finds someone dressed as a witch and some strange evidence of something unnerving. Havoc ensues for the little town and Sterling does her best to hold things together as the storm continues and communication is cut off.

This is a horror story with a good plot and creepy paranormal scenarios. I didn't really warm up to any of the characters though and there really wasn't a lot of character development. I think it's a good, scare read though.

Thanks to Oblivion Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on June 7, 2022.

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Note: I received a copy curtesy of Netgalley and Oblivion Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

For a horror novel, I thought it was a little too static, and most of the time the witch does nothing, and is almost like a statue.. The atmosphere is indeed eerie and glum, but the characters often chose to do stupid things, the witch’s backstory didn't impress me, and the ending felt rushed.

* Plot: 2.5★
* World building: 3.5★
* Characters: 2.5★
* Enjoyability: 3★

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Character Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

My take:

Thank you Netgalley and Oblivion Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc.

Yup, this one gave me the heebie jeebies feel you would expect from a cover like that. The beginning dragged a bit, but getting past that it took off flying. Exactly the type of book I would love to see on screen someday.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Silvers Hollow, I marked Patrick Delaney as an author to watch. So when Witch 13 was made available, I jumped at the chance to read it. I found myself once again impressed with the author's writing, character development, and overall dark style.

An atmospheric and creepy thriller, Witch 13 starts out with a bang and just keeps the action rolling. Real characters, a strong protagonist, and a twist at the end that will make you want to stay the whole thing over saying, "What the f--k did I miss?"

Thank you to Netgalley, Oblivion Publishing, and of course, the exceedingly talented Patrick Delaney for allowing me the honor of reading this ARC.

All opinions are my own.

[the kevin (vaguely alive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid read for me, in sort of three distinct pieces. Overall, it had very horror-movie vibes, in generally a good way. I loved the art throughout the book, I found it added to the haunting atmosphere.

"...and she wondered if it meant anything to be born on a night when the world was so angry."

1. The beginning:

The prologue starts this off with 100% creepy factor and great imagery. We’re introduced to a lot of characters, and while the prose was dense at times, I found it didn’t take away from the story or building tension. This is the “characters begin to suspect something is wrong” phase, and it’s done well with creeping horror vibes.

We also get to know the characters, especially Sterling, more through their thoughts. I’d have liked more delineation between present and flashbacks in the character POVs, because I got lost at times.

2. The middle:

This is the weakest part of the book. I felt that it dragged on, and lost all the tension that had been building in the first third. There was too much time spent in various POV of characters, and random flashbacks, and I frequently felt lost. I can see the purpose in these after finishing the book, but as a first read through, it’s a significant drag. A bit of direction to these, and it’d feel less random.

3. The last third:

Once the action started, it really took off. This went back to the horror movie vibes, and it did it well. Back to both psychological creeping horror, and the more visceral types. Things start coming together about the witch, and some weird world stuff.

As a whole:

This story would have been improved if the middle had been streamlined, both in length and in language for clarity. This would have maintained the narrative/horror tension better, and made the end fit in better. As it is, the end came quite abruptly, and had less impact and less….lightbulb? moment than it could have, if we’d had a more clearly Sterling-centric storyline. Even within the other characters POV, I felt it could have been made cleaner.

Overall, I thought this was well done, and despite the slowness of the middle, I really enjoyed it. The art was beautiful, and added to the atmosphere.



Highlights:

The air slowly decayed, peeling away and leaving something else in its place.

He took handfuls of the hat in his hands, and just as he went to yank it off, the hat bit down on his head like a shark’s mouth lined with serrated teeth.

Sterling smiled pensively at Max, like she was trying to figure him out. What was there to figure out? He was a kid. Messy. Smelly. Expensive. What more did she need to know?

---

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.



Read this review and more on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tonight is Sterling Marsh’s final shift as sheriff. She really should have called in sick and left Drybell for the evening, preferably before the truck crashed into the bridge. Sterling and her colleagues being cut off from the outside world in the middle of one of the worst storms in Drybell’s history isn’t their biggest problem. They now also have a troublesome witch to deal with.

There’s no such thing as witches.

The bulk of the evening takes place inside the sheriff’s station with the witch in custody so you wouldn’t think she’d have much opportunity to create a ruckus. You’d be wrong. Sterling, Chase, her deputy, Georgia, the receptionist, Rosa, the dispatcher and Max, Chase’s seven year old son, are about to have one of the longest nights of their life.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this night”

This witch looks like something out of a fairytale, donning a black dress and pointy hat. She smells sweet, but she’s anything but.

Although it was clear based on results that she was actually doing quite a bit, she spent most of the book impersonating a statue. Part of me was fascinated by this, wondering what she’d be capable of once she started moving, but frustration took over more often than not. When I’m enjoying horror that includes people’s insides becoming their outsides, my preference is for it to be as over the top as possible.

The witch’s backstory didn’t work for me and the ending felt rushed.

If I’d visited Drybell before the shemozzle started, I definitely would have spent some time at Hallowed Grounds Coffee.

The cover image is absolutely incredible. There are illustrations scattered throughout the book, which I loved. Although there were some wonderfully dark ones featuring the witch, my favourite was the creepy snowman.



Content warnings include death by suicide and domestic abuse. Readers with emetophobia may have trouble with some scenes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oblivion Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Fifi’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though this book won’t be released to the general public until next spring, I wish everyone would get the chance to read this during the latter part of this year. because this is the perfect book for the autumn season. The book starts out in a wintry small town and a forty year old colonial style house with a creepy trail twisting into a Black Forest. Very Hocus Pocus meets Blair Witch! I read this with a cup of coffee, an apple scented candle, and covered by a blanket with the AC on full blast so I could pretend the weather was chilly and the vibes were IMMACULATE!

Small towns have always scared the fuck out of me, because they’re so secluded and cut off from the rest of the world. Towns with one off brand grocery store, maybe one gas station and a local sheriff office but not much else. Now imagine a small town like that being completely cut off from the rest of the state, where the residents are unable to call for help or backup from the state police while supernatural happenstance cause people to die in strange unexplainable ways. That plus haunted phone booths, tape recorders playing unintelligible chanting, and a witch’s hat that eats people whole.

“Ghosts, monsters, witches. These weren’t quantifiable things; they were just fairy tales, bedtime stories at best.”

The unnamed witch in this book is probably one of the creepiest antagonists just because of how little we know about her. She barely speaks and it is not entirely clear what how far the depths of her influence are or even what her motivation is for most of the book. That somehow makes it creepier because she doesn’t say a word and barely even moves yet makes people die for no rhyme or reason lmao.

The last 20% of this book is SO good. When you finally get the explanation of the witch and the whole backstory, it’s nothing that you’d ever guess. The last few chapters are unputdownable and the ending is perfect.

Thanks to Patrick for letting me read and advanced copy of this book!

[♥Xeni♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, what a book. It has such a great premise, and then the execution made me want to tear my hair out.

I picked this one up from NetGalley as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, this book was not well written. It's 654 pages when it really should have been 250, 300 at most. This author badly needs an editor to 1. cut out 90% of his adjective use, 2. make sure he uses the same tense throughout a sentence, and 3. just cut out all the extra stuff that he does to "tell" not to "show". It reads like a first-semester-writing-class novel, and that's such a shame since I really wanted to read a story about an evil witch terrorizing a small town by tricking people into killing themselves!

I think I also would have appreciated this story more if it was written from the POV of the witch, and not the constantly-flashbacking-acting-like-a-teen 35-y/o Sheriff. And I mean constantly. Every little thing she encounters makes her remember something from the past. And not in a trauma-survivor way (though that may have been the authors intention), just in a constantly-monologuing-in-my-head kind of way.

The prologue was really great! Well written, creepy without being overt, setting up the premise of the town, the witch, the magic at hand. It wasn't even too wordy.

But then the first chapter started and it was just over the top (without even being fun purple prose or not taking itself seriously. No, this book is taking itself very seriously while being so heavy handed with the metaphors, and the adjectives and the constant over explanations, it's hard to take it seriously).

As an example, here is a new character being introduced:

She recognized the girl: it was Kayla Grayson, the nineteen-year-old daughter of Danny Grayson, who owned Grayson's market, the one and only grocery supply store in all of Drybell. Kayla had been hired on the second she'd been old enough to get a work permit. Sterling thought the girl was pleasant enough. She'd make polite conversation at the checkout every time she needed anything, whether it be new batteries, spaghetti sauce, or toothpaste. The girl got the job done well enough, although the amount of time she spent on her cellphone was outright alarming, and she didn't have enough common sense to fill a shoebox. Sterling on the other hand, had never been a big fan of modern electronics. She preferred to spend her time outside, exploring the real world. Kayla's father was also co-owner of the Fratelli's Butcher Shop. Sterling would see Kayla some days walking to and fro, hauling bags of meat. Sterling wasn't a vegetarian by any means, but she wasn't big into meat either - much to the chagrin of her mother and father whose traditional English and Indian dishes used meat like nobody's business.

What is even going on in this paragraph? A moment later Sterling saves Kayla's life - lead with that! Don't lead with her entire backstory, half of it things that are about your MC. The other half which are misogynistic or outright wrong (there's a large percentage of Indians who don't eat any meat, in fact the largest percentage in the world of a vegetarian community, and here the author needs to push not only his not-like-other-girls views but also his carnist views).

The book is full of things like this; too much: too much backstory, too much description, too much unnecessary information where less is more. There is tons of telling when there should be focus on action or character work. Any creepiness is completely washed away by the endless boring descriptions of things, flashbacks, using five words when one or two will do. And any interest in the characters is washed away by the constant underlying misogyny and the weird Hail-Corporate insertions (she can't just drink from a water bottle, no, she "quenches her thirst from a Hydro Flask").

It's just too much, and I'm not here for it.

[Ayden Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a super early review of “Witch 13 by Patrick Delaney” release date is early 2022 but I couldn’t wait to talk about this book!

Ok police procedurals are not my jam in books. It’s a huge hit or miss for me. The police type characters are so absorbed in doing what they are “supposed to do” (just picture me miming huge air quotes here) instead of following their gut. Though if I followed my gut it would tell me to “RUN!!!” and I’d probably just end up dying in the process. That would definitely be my luck. ”Witch 13” has its procedural type police but the witch is a total wrecking ball to their perfect reality. A mix of Hansel & Gretel with a wicked appetite for delicious children (don’t forget the smell of good treats) and Harry Potter if it was extremely dark and bloody.

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞.”

On the night of Sterling’s resignation from the police force, a strange witch appears looking like she was plucked straight from a fairytale book with her tall pointed hat. She starts to notice a strange series of events happening and something is just not quite right with that witch. Could this be the nightmare before Christmas? (It’s a pun, sorry couldn’t help myself)

“𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐤, 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡.“

Besides the police procedure this book was wildly entertaining! I loved this book once the witch was introduced (which is early on). She is creepy, weird and has some deadly accessories. The death scenes were creative and oh so many of them. I was amazed at how many different deaths could be pulled off and not one be the same. I loved the backstory and the ending was not what I was expecting! I gave this beautiful book (I mean look at that cover and the artwork inside is equally great) ⅘ ⭐️s

“𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬.”

I think you can request this book for review off netgalley around December? It’s not set to release until early next year and I’m so greatful Patrick let me read this book so early. I’m so excited for everyone to experience this book when it becomes available!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the blurb for this book it just called to me. From the first page I was hooked. A fairy tale for adults with pictures. A creepy tale which starts off with a storm like no other in a small New England town just before Christmas. Now I set the scene welcome to Hell!!! A witch appears in town and she is out to reek havoc and devastating horror on this quiet little town why? What does she want? Atmospheric, chilling and with the flick of her wand unleashes nail biting, heart stopping terror. I was fully immersed in the horror that was unfolding and only came up for air after I have turned the last page. The best witch story I have read in a long time!!!!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

[Shandi York · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheriff Sterling Marsh is resigning from her position as sheriff in Drybell, CT. On her final night on the job, a storm takes out all the town’s communications lines, leaving the sheriff, Deputy Chase, Georgia, Rosa and Chase’s son Max with a quiet evening to have a Christmas/goodbye party for Sterling. When a woman dressed as a witch shows up, crazy things start happening and people start dying. I won’t give away any other details, but I really enjoyed the story. Delaney did well with character development, creepy moments and a bit of gore, which all kept my flipping through this one rather quickly. The ending was busy and intense, but I don’t know how I felt about the end twist. It made sense and it didn’t all at the same time, but I don’t think it ruined the story for me, I think I just would have liked to see more of a tie-in to it. I liked the mention of Silvers Hollow, and I really enjoyed the eery illustrations throughout. All in all, I’m giving it a 3.75 rounded up to 4 for Goodreads. Thank you to Patrick Delaney, Oblivion Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy. Witch13 is available today.

[Wofford Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a much different holiday when Santa Claus doesn’t come to town. Two weeks before Christmas, all hell breaks loose when a classically dressed witch visits Sheriff Sterling Marsh and the citizens of Drybell, Connecticut. This witch has specific plans for Marsh and a few other individuals.
One of my favorite things about Patrick Delany’s books is the way he writes atmosphere. It is as though this atmosphere is a central character in his books; it surrounds all the characters and the action happening within the story. This atmosphere wraps you up tight with them, allowing you to experience what the characters go through.
This is a genuine, modern-day, original fairy tale. You have read nothing like this story. It is dark, devilish, and fast-paced, with some genuinely horrific moments. Try this story on for size and experience the gripping, atmospheric terror the citizens of Drybell experience, as only Patrick Delaney can tell.

[Madison C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Oblivion Publishing, and Patrick Delaney for providing me with an ARC of Witch 13 in exchange for an honest review! I requested this book so quickly when I saw the beautiful cover, the spooky description, and the LGBTQIA tag. The story ended up going in a different direction than I anticipated, leaning more into traditional horror (with a dash of Lovecraftian horror in the second half). It was just so much fun!

The story follows Sheriff Sterling Marsh as she finishes her last shift before leaving her job. It’s close to Christmas, so she’s expecting a pretty laid-back night as she attends a holiday goodbye party with her co-workers. Unfortunately, things take an unexpected turn when strange happenings pop up throughout their small town. At the heart of it all is a witch. The witch refuses to speak and barely moves, but there’s a menacing air surrounding her. Why has she come into town, and what exactly is she capable of?

There’s been a recent trend in contemporary fiction to write about witches who readers want to root for, but this book does not follow suit. The witch is very creepy, and you learn little to nothing about her until the end of the novel. It’s so unnerving to read along, because you know there’s something not right about her… but you can’t quite put your finger on what it is. I was on the edge of my seat wondering when she’d truly come out of her stoic shell.

I’m a picky reader, but I enjoyed Witch 13! I’ve been dipping my toes into cosmic horror in recent months, and this book helped to scratch my itch for a weird, spooky read. I think my favorite part was just how entertaining it was. The characters are mostly stuck in a police station with the witch. So, there’s a locked room mystery, as worse and worse things keep happening. This is certainly not a cozy, calm read— it’s got scares, gore, and lots of deaths written in very unique ways. I found that really fun and easy to get into, but I don’t necessarily think it’s for everyone.

I liked Delaney’s writing. He does a great job of describing situations so you feel like you’re right there with the characters. I could hear the rain rattling the windows and see the lightning illuminating the walls of the police station. In a horror novel, having strong imagery is essential to pulling off the scares. There are a couple deliciously creepy scenes that almost gave me goosebumps. He also writes the characters well— they feel fully developed and fleshed out.

The book mostly sticks with Sterling, but the perspective does occasionally shift to other characters as they face different experiences. I liked pretty much all of the characters, except Chase (he was such a jerk!). Sterling is fairly morally grey, but I appreciated having a queer protagonist and empathized with some of her struggles. The other side characters also had unique personalities, and it was easy to get invested in them as you learned more about their lives. Everyone felt real.

It’s not a perfect book, but all of the twists and scares outweighed the negatives for me. Some parts in the first half are slow. The beginning is good, because it sets everything up, but it takes awhile to get to the action with the witch. Some chapters felt repetitive, especially while the characters were still sitting around the police station. I questioned the timeline sometimes, because so much happened within like 12 hours. Maybe time stamps on the chapters would have helped keep things clearer about what was happening when.

Also, this is more of a minor complaint, but there were so many metaphors and similes used. The descriptions were so lovely without them that they felt unnecessary. Near the end, I was getting a little tired of reading "like" and "as" every other paragraph.

All in all, though, I had a great time reading this novel! Horror that actually embraces the supernatural is so much fun for me. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Stephen King or other dark horror writers. It would be a perfect Halloween pick, as it reads just like a horror film. I’ll definitely pick up other books by Patrick Delaney in the future. It looks like his novels are in the same universe, so I want to read more to see if I can get a few questions answered.

4 out of 5 stars.

P.S. It has great illustrations that appear every few chapters! Some of them are quite chilling.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
Coming June 7 2022.
Sometimes you read a book, and you KNOW it will be a fantastic movie. Witch 13 is one of those books. I’m not an easy person to creep out, but I found Witch 13, in particular the Witch herself to be unnerving, with moody illustrations that add to the atmosphere. However, while I was completely engrossed by the story, there were some points where the plot dragged a bit, and the ending was a bit of a let-down. It felt rushed, tacked on, and a little out of the blue after the wild ride that was the rest of the book.

Despite a few weaknesses, I would still recommend Witch 13 to anyone looking for a good spine-chilling read. I feel like it would be perfect for those darky spooky October nights leading up to Halloween. Based on this introduction, I’m really looking forward to reading Patrick Delaney’s previous books.

I am so grateful to Oblivion Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Witch 13.

[Kenzie Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, thank you NetGalley, Oblivion Publishing and Patrick Delaney for allowing me an ARC of this book!

Which 13 is a supernatural horror novel that has a very film noir meets monster movie feel to it and needless to say, I enjoyed every minute of it.

The writing moves the plot along quickly and leaves you at the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen next. The author’s world building and character development was well balanced, allowing the reader to see everything clearly as if they were sitting down and watching a horror movie, which is exactly what I want. And that ending!! It was perfect and I didn’t see it coming.

My one complaint is that there are moments that some of the information included seemed to be a bit redundant and unnecessary.

The other thing to note is that the characters are not that likeable. Which doesn’t bother me one bit, mainly because I love a villain and the characters definitely leave you rooting for the witch. The one downside to not liking the characters though is that their internal dialogue can become a bit tedious.

But in all, if you are a horror fan, I highly recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your Horror preference is for Implacability, come right over here and peek around this dark, dark corner. Patrick Delaney has a funky expansive locked-room Mystery for you that is rife with Implacable Horror, a locked room that is not just one room, not a castle or an isolated island. No, this is an entire small community in Connecticut! Isolated, here in the 21st century, cut off by an unnatural Storm, technology failing (no telephones, no dispatch radio, connection to outside world destroyed, electricity out), subject to monstrous unimaginable Evil which taunts and torments and is a cosmic puppet master negotiating the lives of unsuspecting trapped humans and wildlife, till one wonders if anyone can, will, survive!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I... what the ever loving f@&k did I just read? In hindsight, I should have probably dnfed this but shit just kept happening and I needed to know where it was all going. This book was a jumbled, disjointed mess but it entertained me so I can't be too mad. It was longer than it needed to be and that kind of killed the whole build up it was trying for because I got tired of waiting. The ending was a big WTF moment and then just BAM, end clip, black screen, confusion ensues.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'm always on the look out for a horror book that will give me the chills and make me a bit afraid of the dark. This definitely fit the bill, at least for the majority of the story. If you were also traumatized by The Blair Witch Project as a child, you might recognize the terrifying way the witch faces the wall. Ooh, that made me shiver just thinking about it.

Anyway, most of the book was hair-raising and with the fast pace, I tore through this. The witch is spooky and some of the scenes are bloody and gruesome. I liked that we got Sterling's point of view along with several others, mostly for their death scenes. I was disappointed when we found out the history of the witch and the ending itself felt lackluster. Things were so crazy and intense and then the end had no real explanation and didn't go how I hoped. I'm not sure if the author is hoping to write a sequel or not, but I would have liked more information.

Despite the ending not being my favorite, I still thought this was a good horror novel and the pictures added to the creepy factor. I'll be looking out for more books from Delaney.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Oblivion Publishing and NetGalley for the copy

[Andrea Dillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been trying to figure out what to say about this book. Honestly, it has been a day, and my mind is still processing the events. This book is dark and creepy. This is that nightmare you don't remember much of the next day, but you feel the eerie, haunting feeling over you just hanging on.

I loved the slow delve into the characters and the weaving of each back story throughout the chapters.

The witch was unnervingly scary. There was nothing in your face, but the lack of normal made it unsettling.

This is the perfect October read with a hot tea, comfy chair, and big safe blanket. Just don't read it before bed or in the dark.

*arc made available by NetGalley

[mila · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @ 50%

Where do I even start with this review? I've been getting more into horror novels, graphic novels, and media in general this year, so I was naturally very excited when I saw this shelved as both lgbtq and horror. I went into this expecting a paranormal, supernatural horror story but I decided not to finish this read at the halfway point.

This book follows Sheriff Sterling Marsh as she prepares to quit her job, and the night in question was supposed to be just a quiet going-away party with her coworkers. The night is interrupted by a fairytale-esque figure - a witch. She's an intimidating figure, refusing to speak or interact in any other way and a series of strange events in town make this seem like more than a coincidence.

I will start off with the things I enjoyed about the story, as there were some things I enjoyed. The prologue chapter was great, and I thought it was setting the tone for the rest of the story - it was a perfect blend of mysterious, creepy, atmospheric paranormal horror (and I was looking forward to the rest of the book based on that). I liked the idea overall, I think it had a lot of potential. The witch as a figure, as a character was also great, otherworldly beautiful and untouchable but absolutely terrifying. Her characterization was slightly too on the nose, with a black pointy hat but I was willing to forgive that.

Onto the things I didn't enjoy. First, and most importantly, the writing. I really didn't like the writing style and the descriptions the author used. The plot dragged immensely, I stopped reading halfway through and very little has happened to progress the witch narrative - we were mostly finding out about Sterling's life. The character descriptions, specifically for our main character, were really not my cup of tea. Sterling is described as:

"Sterling, a thirty-six-year-old woman born to an English mother and an East Indian father... With eyelids etched as dark as an Egyptian pharaoh, her almond-shaped eyes were stark upon first glance. Cracked, plum-colored lips and skin that glistened with an olive sheen left most strangers believing her of Middle-Eastern decent, but she never cared enough to correct them."

It was later said that when she was a child she had "cheeks rounder than tennis balls" and a child describes her as vaguely reminding him of Disney's princess Jasmine, but older (reiterating that Middle Eastern comment, I assume?). This entire characterization seemed to me a bit too much like a stereotypical woman written by a man, which is not something I personally enjoy.

Other than that, I mentioned how the plot dragged quite a bit. I expected more about the witch, her motives, and her character in general but I got very little. In general, the first half of the book deals more with Sterling's personal life and her private issues. Namely, it deals with the consequences of an affair she had with a married coworker (whose wife and child she knows), and it is pretty obvious there are some unresolved feelings left there.

I said the book is shelved as lgbtq, and that is because Sterling is presumably bisexual (during the first half of the book there was no label mentioned, but a previous relationship with a woman was referenced). I've seen some reviews mention that they didn't like how the book was shelved as queer when the queer woman pined after a man the entire time. Personally, I have no issue with that, the book is still queer if the protagonist is, no matter who they date. However, my problem is that we learn of her queerness through that mention of an ex-girlfriend, but also through another scene - the one where I stopped reading.
(Spoilers ahead)
So at that point, Sterling has arrested the witch, witnessed her coworker's wife die, lied to said coworker about his wife being fine, and drove home during an enormous storm. So she gets home and starts thinking about herself and her coworker having sex, starts masturbating while she pictures the witch's face, all while hysterically crying. I truly have no idea what the point of this scene was. Not a single clue. I really could not justify in my head reading further, because this book has just been a mess from chapter one, and I didn't understand how this scene benefited the plot in any way. I feel like it kind of feeds into the concept of bisexuals being slutty and cheaters with the whole setup of the story, but even if we ignore that stereotyping, the scene was entirely unnecessary. It was enough reading for me at that point.

All in all, I was quite a bit disappointed with this book. While it had great potential, it pushed its core, its main plot to the background for personal issues of the main character which I really found unneeded. If there were more scenes from the witch's POV this would've been much more enjoyable to me. It maybe picks up in the second half, I cannot attest to that, but I don't think I would recommend this. If you still are interested, don't expect much scariness in the first half. Again, not because the witch isn't scary, but because she isn't really in the forefront!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!

[erraticdemon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than I expected to. The slow-building dread and tension through the beginning and the ramp up in action at the end were very well done. The middle section spends a lot of time on back story and point of view from other characters and tended to drag a bit. Some of the flashbacks got very repetitive but once the importance of these were made clear I understood why they were included.

The weakest part of the book was the very, very end. The main character's story was not given enough time to breathe to make an impact in the way it could have. The same can be said for the lore of the witches which took a very long time to be revealed in the book. The ending would be improved with a bit more time spent on the witch and the main character and less time on the other side characters, especially the kid.

Overall this was a good solid horror book with a lot of blood and guts and scary stuff and everything you want. Oh, and the best part was the art included in the book! The art enhanced the narrative and gave it a nice moody atmosphere. Excellent addition.

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.


Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/

[Ashley (Chris's version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 23% the description of the book sounded interesting, but the book didn't draw me in at all I found myself flipping through the pages and putting the book down instead of reading.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a complex book with complex characters. I can’t say that I liked any of the characters besides the little boy, Max. They were unique and genuine. They had lots of flaws. Like the people you meet in real life.

The main character, Sterling, was driven by her past and her mistakes. They shaped every action she took. Her partner, Chase, was equally haunted by his past mistakes. And a villain can easily sweep in and manipulate someone who’s that vulnerable.

I loved the atmosphere of this book. It was dark, isolated and brooding. The freak storm, the power outages, the loss of communication; it was all very ominous feeling.

Awesome book with characters that felt real and a witch who knew how to exploit every little thing.

[Harri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch 13 is a dark, creepy novel that reads a bit like a horror movie. It is visual and visceral, with some beautiful and creepy illustrations that definitely add to the experience.

On the night that Sheriff Sterling Marsh is leaving her job, things get weird. There are accidents, missing people and personality changes, all happening whilst a storm rages on outside, making everything feel very atmospheric and claustrophobic. And behind it all, there is the question of who, or what, is the witch? The mystery definitely kept me reading. The novel is fast paced and very readable, with some absolutely wild plot twists. My only issues were that on occasion it felt a little overwritten, and the large cast of characters was a little overwhelming at times.

[OneEy3dJacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch 13. A peculiar title for a very strange book.

This is my third time reading work from Patrick Delaney and when I saw the cover for this one and read the premise I immediately became excited for whatever journey I was about to be put on. Witch 13 is a horror book yes, but it is also contains elements of fantasy and maybe even a little science fiction if you squint hard enough.
Now I am a fan of all things spooky whether it be haunted houses, demon, or ghouls but I am especially partial to witches and let me tell you the titular witch in this story is definitely the kind of witch I look forward to reading about in my horror stories. The story revolves around a young sheriff named Sterling Marsh who when we meet her is about to resign from her position, but of course life has a different idea for her and she doesn't quite get to do that and that is on the account of the appearance of an eerie and mysterious, yep you guessed it, Witch.

What follows after is a creepy and claustrophobic battle to discover what the intentions of this witch are and what kind of power she holds over the sleepy small town being controlled by her influence.

The character roster of Witch 13 is well put together with your heroine Sterling as the lead with a wonderful set of supporting characters that were fleshed out enough that I felt an attachment to almost all of them and cared about whether or not they would survive this ordeal. The star of the book however is of course, the Witch. What do you with a person who doesn't move, talk, or do much of anything other than just radiate sinister vibes whenever she's around? well, that's a question you will have to answer yourself when you read the book. The Witch is a fascinating antagonist because she is your worst enemy in the same way that Michael Myers is: silent, deadly, and unpredictable and more than likely un-killable.

If I had mention something I didn't like about the book it would be the pace of the plot. The beginning is fine and does a fine job at establishing the plot, characters, and introducing the mystery of the story, but I found the middle to be long and drawn out. There was many scenes of the crew in the police station doing and saying the same thing chapter after chapter, and while it didn't detract my interest from the book it just lagged the story along a little. The last half of the book once you get past the lag of the middle is very quick and action packed! It gave me all the horror movie vibes I would be looking for in a book like this and it delivers quite nicely. The ending is something I am still tossing around in my head as to whether I hate it or like it. I always find endings are a hard thing to land in any kind of book, but especially in horror. I do wish the ending sequence was a little more fleshed out and explained a little clearer, but overall I suppose it was probably the only way a story like this was ever meant to end.

I have to give a special shout out to the illustrations that were scattered throughout the book! It was so nice to have a moment where something new was introduced and I would have a moment where I would be thinking 'I wonder how that would look?' and as I went to the next page it turns out the image was supplied for me. The illustrations were stunning and I felt they added an extra dimension to the reading experience of this book! Great addition!

As a reader of previous works by Mr. Delaney I also liked the little easter eggs to his other books! It's always a fun addition when authors can seamlessly include things like that without being too obvious or distracting.

Witch 13 is a peculiar read, but one that I couldn't stop reading until I discovered exactly what and who the Witch was and I have to say the journey was an enjoyable one. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Sterling and the gang as they went through a grueling journey that had many twists and turns leading to a confrontation with the titular witch in which many of the characters lives in danger and much more.

I recommend picking this one up when it releases! It's not too long so it doesn't require much of your time and could easily be finished in a few days with enough intrigue and spook factor to keep you interested!

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own!

[Damiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch 13 is a bloody, violent, unpredictable Holiday tale.
This story was deliciously eerie. The stormy night setting, rather than coming off as cliche, dropped me immediately into the dark mood of the book. Delaney doesn’t stop with visual description. He elegantly infuses all the senses until I was trapped in the setting, unable to put the book down. Everything from the damp, the sounds of the storm, the smells of rot and gingerbread, and the heart-racing experiences created a spider web that wrapped around me and didn’t let go until the end.

The setting and story had me more enthralled than the characters, I have to admit. I rarely pick up books that have cops as main characters but I’m glad I did this one even if I couldn’t really thrum up sympathy for Sterling. I just couldn’t figure out why she felt so hard done by the world. Yes, she is dealing with grief, but honestly, I felt like she was simply the female version of the older jock who was mourning their glory days.
Even Max, who I found to be the most sympathetic of characters, was weirdly written. In one moment he comes off as an older kid who is very smart and good with puzzles. In another moment he is calling his mother “Mommy” which my own 6 year old doesn’t even call me. Delaney does the same with other child characters, like he’s not entirely sure how to write them in their ages and blends the intellect of an older child with the emotional maturity of one very young. I don’t think this was necessary for sympathy or for being terrified of the Witch, since I found myself sympathizing and scared for them despite these discrepancies.

The action and story line in this book, while compelling and exciting, I think would make an even better horror movie. Delaney has a knack for creating a scene that plays in technicolor in my mind. I could watch it play out and was even holding my breath in some moments, wondering what was going to happen. Would they live? How would they die? It was great!
If we ever are blessed by a Witch 13 movie – I could see it brilliantly done either by the makers of Silent Hill or by the studio that gave us Gretel and Hansel (or perhaps a collaboration for the best results). I felt both movies in how this books was written. The cop hero fighting monsters and dealing with interpersonal drama. The gore! And the eerie setting with fairy tale fear sprinkled on top.

Also, I LOVED the illustrations. I couldn’t find the artist name or clarify if Delaney did them himself or if it was the same artist as the cover designer, Ross Nischler, but whoever did them did a fantastic job.

Lastly, I think that Witch 13 would be well loved among the SCP community. For those unaware, SCP stands for Secure. Contain. Protect. The SCP Foundation could easily be the community Bill belongs to and thats all I can say without spoiling too much of the story.

Recommendation

Lovers of Silent Hill, Gretal and Hansel, modern fairy tales, and the SCP Foundation will enjoy this winter tale as much as I have. Witch 13 by Patrick Delaney is an edge-of-your-seat ride into horror.

[Isabel Tyldesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars!

Witch 13 is a contemporary, grimy fairy tale set during a single, stormy night in a small town in Connecticut. It's two weeks until Christmas, and Sherriff Sterling Marsh is working the night shift when a mysterious and deadly figure appears; a witch. The storm has cut all power, and there's no way out of town. It is a dark fairy tale, indeed.

It wasn't real, and it never would be. Because life isn't a fairy tale.

The premise and plot is what drew me to this book, and what I enjoyed the most! I adore creepy fairy tales and folklore retellings, especially ones revolving around witches. This was such an interesting twist on the genre! Delaney embraces the horror cliches that continue to creep us out (I mean, they're cliches for a reason, right?!). Children's giggles, flickering Christmas lights (very Stranger Things-esque), unnaturally cheery holiday music playing on a scratchy record player. I felt constantly on edge whilst reading.

A witch. / That was Sterling's first thought when she laid eyes on the figure. Wearing an intricate black dress and a tall, pointed hat, the figure reminded her of a witch torn straight from the storybooks, only not nearly as comical. No, there was nothing funny about this witch. There was an edge to her like a blade; everything sharp with purpose.

Delaney's characters are all beautifully flawed and complex, each of them led to hopeless desperation by the world. However, I found it hard to like any of them. The majority of the adult characters I found to have few redeemable qualities, and so I found it difficult to feel invested in them; though, perhaps this is fitting for the dark and decrepit town in which they live. Oddly, my favourite character was the little girl from the prologue, partly because I did resonate with her. She reminded me of how I looked at the world at her age, by putting a magical twist on my surroundings:

She made a note of the mist creeping along the woodland edge, pretending she was somewhere where magic did exist.

I greatly appreciate the levels of description Delaney gifted us with. Broad imagery of the appearance and history of places and people provides the reader with a vivid and well thought out setting, firmly situating us within the decrepit little town. Sometimes, however, the descriptive exposition was almost like reading a newspaper article, or a crime report. This fits beautiful with Sterling's character voice, as she is the Sherriff and it makes sense that this is how she was view and think about the world, but it wasn't really a writing style for me. Occasionally, the introductions of character felt cut-and-paste in terms of style; rather than slowly revealing details, they were promptly reported to us. For example:

Spencer King, a fifty-seven-year-old man with a bulging belly and a short fuse, served as her second deputy.

I adore the physical character details, - I found I could picture them all so easily - but sometimes I wish we were shown the details such as the 'short fuse', rather than just instantly told.

There was something beautiful about the witch the same way there was something beautiful about death, and Sterling was both terrified and exhilarated.

With themes of relationships, growing up, desperation, loss, heartbreak and folktales, this makes for a wonderfully dark and gloomy read. Delaney's writing is beautifully cinematic; each scene played out so clearly in my mind. It was like I was watching, rather than reading, a thrilling screenplay adaptation.