Kudos to Rande Goodwin for a great debut novel! [book:The Witchfinder's Serpent|196931960] was a fun, paranormal mystery going back and forth from occurrences in the past to present day.

Description:
When fifteen-year-old Nate Watson moves to Windsor to live with his mysterious Aunt Celia, the last things on his mind are witches and magick and ancient vendettas. While Nate focuses on building a new life for himself and his younger brother, making new friends and adjusting to a new high school, he can’t escape the feeling that something isn’t as it seems.

Nate’s search for answers leads him to a forbidden, locked door in Aunt Celia’s mansion. Inside, he finds a witch’s workshop full of mystical artifacts, some dating back to the time of the earliest Puritan settlers. It’s no coincidence that Nate is now living in the very same town where, forty-five years before the Salem witch trials, Alse Young was hanged as America’s first witch.

Could magick be real? Nate remains skeptical until he picks up the witchfinder’s serpent—a powerful, demonic bracelet that wraps itself around his arm and permanently imbeds itself into his flesh. Now Nate must confront the truth about Aunt Celia’s unlikely ancestry—as well as his own. And with her help, he must find a way to remove the bracelet before the serpent’s previous owner returns—an ancient and powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to get it back.

My Thoughts:
I'm always up for a new book about witches, their history, and the fictional imaginings of what one could do. The historical facts woven into the book were well-researched. The characters of Nate and his brother were perfect for the roles in the story. I liked the mystery surrounding Aunt Celia. This would probably make a really good movie, probably for children over 10 up to adults. There's some scary stuff, but kids would really enjoy it. This is the first book in the series, and I look forward to the next. I'll definitely grab it if I can.

Thanks to Greenleaf Book Group through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on September 12, 2023.

Goodwin was thorough with his research on the Salem Witchcraft trials. He is very proficient at writing indepth descriptions, but I found I was overwhelmed and it was difficult to process what I was reading at times. I unfortunately lost interest in the story and the characters. I feel that more time time spent developing the characters would have been beneficial.

I had high hopes for The Witchfinder's Serpent. Goodwin has a wonderful story concept! Who doesn't love a good mystery with witches, spooky houses, and magic? I think this story would be fantastic as a show or a movie as it feels like it was written to be a screenplay.

In The Witchfinder's Serpent, the notorious witch finder from the 1640s, Matthew Hopkins, is the big bad. After staging his own death in England, Hopkins travels to Windsor, Connecticut Colony, and takes up witch-hunting again, but after seeing a piece of actual magick-working, he wants a piece. Meanwhile, young Alice Youngs witnesses her mother executed for being a witch.

Fast forward to modern day, when two orphans (I will not write "plucky" I will not write "plucky") are taken in by their mysterious aunt Celia. The boys make quick friends at Windsor High school, tumble into trouble with bullies, and –– not the least, accidentally cause the release of dastardly witch-hunter Matthew Hopkins, who has been imprisoned in a bottle by their aunt – who turns out to be Alice Youngs, not so young any more.

There is a LOT of plot here, and a ton of interesting/horrifying historical background of witch hunters. It's in some ways a rather old-fashioned kid's fantasy novel, in the tradition of Nancy Garden's Fours Crossing, and Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series, with youngsters tasked with saving the world, but having adult supervision most of the time. Though there's some salty language and gruesome gore, the novel feels as if it could adapt into a kid's movie Walt Disney could approve.

It's the first of a series, which might explain why the story felt at times bogged down in exposition-in-narrative. It's what screenwriters might call "info dumping," and I found myself skipping over the pages of lecture-speech.

That being said, it's good information the adult is imparting, but I'd like it better were it a bit more subtle. Thanks NetGalley and Greenleaf Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

This read a little YA to me. But younger me would have loved this. If you like reads about the Salem witch trials, you’ll enjoy the book.

I have a mild obsession with the Salem witch trials (and anything witchy, really) so was excited for this book. The author does a wonderful job world building and bringing to life a sleepy little New England town, a spooky mansion, a mysterious witch's workshop. The imagery and descriptions are lush and vivid - I was completely immersed in Nate's world. The dialogue and behavior of our protagonist is age appropriate, and the historical research is sound - the presentation of the history of the Salem witch trials will not overwhelm young readers but is substantial enough to keep adults interested. Overall a lovely read.