Let me start by saying this was a very fast read that engaged me from the start. Its premise was excellent having both fun plotlines whilst developing a darker fantasy story. I would also say that despite being a shorter novel, it was well-paced and managed to fit a lot into it.

Where it fell flat for me, was the overall development of the story and its characters. The protagonists were great at face value but they did not seem to evolve over the course of the book and thus felt a bit one-dimensional. This was the same with the “damsel in distress” character, who had the workings to be a strong female character but that didn’t fulfil this goal. I would’ve also liked to have spent more time with the demon-hunting agency rather than the side plot that turned into the central story. Overall, a fast and engaging story at face value, but not one that had the depth that I personally wanted from a fantasy story.

TW: violence, death, domestic violence, swearing, sexism

The premise and book cover peaked my interest with this book. I had hoped I would enjoy this one more than I did. I felt that the main characters, Spencer and Bart, were kind of flat for me and did not develop much throughout the novel. Overall, it was a bit slow paced for my taste. If you told me that a city would have demons cohabiting with the public, I would think much more chaos would ensue, but that really doesn't happen here. Again, okay book for me, but just fell flat as a whole.

I was less than impressed with this one; I'm sure there's someone who this book is a good fit for, but that someone is not me.

I enjoyed this book and the concept behind it. I felt it a bit slow at times and the character development lacking. With a city full of demons and humans, I would have expected much more danger and adventure. While I enjoyed it and the unfolding of the story, I felt it lacked a bit of excitement and atmosphere.

"The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency" by Peter Oxley presents an intriguing mix of Victorian-era London, demons, and a pair of unlikely protagonists attempting to turn their lives around. While the premise is promising, the novel falls into a middling three-star rating due to a blend of engaging elements and missed opportunities.

Oxley's portrayal of a demon-infested London adds a dark and gothic atmosphere to the story, creating a unique setting for the plot to unfold. The characters, Spencer and Bart, as the city's most incompetent crooks turned demon hunters, inject humor into the narrative, providing a light-hearted twist to an otherwise dark and mysterious world.

However, the execution of the plot feels somewhat disjointed. The transition from bumbling criminals to demon hunters is a leap that lacks a seamless integration, leaving the reader grappling with the sudden shift in the characters' roles. The pacing also struggles to find a consistent rhythm, with moments of intense action followed by periods of slower development, hindering the overall flow of the narrative.

While the novel introduces intriguing elements such as the mysterious Tappers and the abduction of women, these plot points could have been further explored and developed to add depth to the story. Some questions posed in the synopsis are left unanswered or resolved too quickly, leaving readers wanting more in terms of complexity and resolution.

"The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency" has its merits, particularly for those who enjoy a blend of dark fantasy and humor in a historical setting. It offers a fun escape, but it falls short of fully capitalizing on its potential for a more immersive and well-rounded experience.

The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency by Peter Oxley is not my usual read, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The opening chapter hooked me right in. A sinister group or entity known only as The Tappers is stealing women in a Victorian London where demons and humans live alongside each other.

Along come Bart and Spencer, two bumbling, comical criminals-turned-honest-men to accidentally stumble upon something much greater and much more evil than the demons they are planning to 'hunt' for coin. They team up with Tessie, a wealthy woman whose creepy husband is plotting something nefarious.

I was really intrigued by the Tappers, what Tessie's husband (lord Marchant), and Thaddeus, a mysterious magician, were up to, and if any of their evil ways would interconnect. The book was unputdownable at times.

Solid writing, rich setting, and a combination of good action and lots of gore made this a four-star read for me. It's the start of a series, so I'd like to see what else Bart, Spencer, and Tessie get up to in subsequent books.

Couldn’t quite get into this book and after I finished it I felt a little disappointed, but to be totally fair I think that’s because I had so much going on I couldn’t really absorb what I’d been reading, I’d get to the end of a chapter then forget what I’d read.
So that’s on me and not the author.
From the little I remember I’d recommend checking it out if this is the type of thing you enjoy.

The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency is a fun paranormal book with alternate London era Victorian as setting. The book gave me enough good eerie gothic atmosphere, intriguing plot full mystery and interesting sarcastic characters.
The writing is good and easy to follow. The story make me engaged until the last page. This is fun and interesting reading, cant wait for next installment.

Thank you to Netgalley and Burning Chair Publisher for providing a copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A great book, the author has a very unique voice and I enjoyed how they told this story. The characters were very likable and were fun to read about.

This had such a fun premise and I was expecting a lighthearted read, despite the plot including demons. And, for the most part, it was. However, it couldn’t hold my interest. There was not a lot of plot development. The writing felt forced and the dialog was cringey. I needed up DNFing.

3,5/5
This was a fun quick read with surprisingly different characters and a dangerous but entertaining world. The dark tones which came through from time to time surprised me but in a good way.
'I wish the characters would have been even more multidimensional and could have left behind the aftertaste of being a pun, a stereotype.
All in all I enjoyed the Grate monster hunters and would recommend it to anyone liking satirical and funny but action driven books.

It's great to see independent books out there from smaller publishing houses, and this is a fun read.

Spencer and Bart, pretty dire as criminals, decide to reform and save Lady Tessie Marchant from her husband and the demons of the book's title. They're unsophisticated and blundering, and it's generally an amusing story.

If you're looking for literary greatness, this isn't it - but it will provide a couple of afternoons of reading light-hearted silliness.

I haven’t read many books with male main characters, but I loved it!

I laughed out loud more times than I could count while reading this book. The author did a great job!

This was a pretty fun read
I enjoyed the plot of crooks just trying and failing to make an honest living. Fate was against them
This book felt like part of a series and not the start of one. I felt like a lot of the characters were presented with no real introduction or development, as if I should know them already
There were a couple of plot arcs but as the book was so short, I was left wanting a bit more from them. I really enjoyed the paranormal elements of the book
This was the first in a new series so I would be interested to see how it progresses
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review

It reminded me of Stan&Ollie and Pinky&The Brain. Two crooks want to go straight and open a Demon Hunting Agency, as you do in Victorian London full of demons. It's supposed to be funny, but is more slapstick. There are no satisfactory answers to why there are demons in London or why the wet blanket female character has to be used to summon a demon.

If this was a middle-grade book, I'd say it needs a bit more editing to balance out the dark and humorous bits, but it's worth 4 stars. It's not a middle-grade book though.

The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency is a quick read. At this time, I really wanted to read something that was quick and easy. While I never found myself interested in any of the characters, I was intrigued enough by the plot to keep reading because I wanted to see how it all came together at the end.

Do I recommend this book? If you're into a more plot-driven book that you can finish in a setting with a sprinkle of slapstick comedy, then you will probably enjoy this.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for providing me with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I provided my feedback after the book was published and it doesn’t affect my opinions at all.

I unfortunately DNF-ed this book two chapters in. It really wasn’t the right one for me. I’ve always been fascinated with both the beauty and mystery surrounding the events of the Victorian era, so the premise of the book was certainly appealing as it incorporated haunting yet thrilling gothic elements to the story. I really expected to like this, but it sadly didn’t hold my interest at all.

The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency by Peter Oxley is the fast paced, paranormal fun I didn’t know I was missing. Oxley quickly drew me into the Victorian London setting with his excellent descriptions and quick character building. I especially appreciated the dialogue between Spencer and Bert in the early chapters as it solidified the image of each character in my mind.

Even though it is a short book at approximately 250 pages, I flew threw it (albeit over a few days due to work commitments!) and finished it in roughly 3-4 hours. It was a fun and engaging page turner that had me hooked until the last past! I loved everything about this book, from the art on the cover to the sarcastic digs from Spencer. Looking forward to more books released in this series.

Overall rating if 4/5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The pacing was great! The mood was precisely set. I genuinely felt for the two main characters who at times tugged those heartstrings even when they were being foolhardy. I am totally buying this book for my Victorian era horror loving self.

⭐⭐.5

“The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency” by Peter Oxley is set in London, 1868, where the streets are plagued by demons from beyond the Aether. Spencer and Bart, two of the city’s most inept crooks, find themselves hunted by both police and criminals alike and decide to start a demon hunting agency. However, things quickly take a dangerous turn as they become embroiled in a world of demons, criminals, and evil magicians. The book follows their journey as they try to save the day and stop the demons from taking over the city.

The cover of this book is visually stunning; unfortunately, it didn’t live up to expectations for me. The plot felt slow at times, and I found it challenging to connect with the characters as they were unlikable. Despite this, the story was filled with humorous moments that kept me entertained throughout. Fans of urban fantasy novels may enjoy this book if they can overlook some of its flaws.”

**ARC Via NetGalley**