I'm kind of in a phase where I want to read every book that has library or bookstore in its title. So I accepted this book for review without looking too closely at it. It wasn't until I was doing some re-organization of my review pile that I realized that it said "demon-hunting" and I was like oh no, did I get some kind of dark fantasy novel.

Short answer - no it isn't dark fantasy. It is a fantasy novel though I would probably consider it more of a twist on the paranormal cozy mystery genre. While I read a lot of cozy mysteries, I don't read very many paranormal cozy mysteries (they are usually reserved for Halloween reading). The paranormal cozy mysteries I have read usually feature a witch (occasionally another type of paranormal being) as the amateur sleuth.

In The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society, the sleuth is a normal middle-aged librarian who soon finds out her town isn't exactly normal.

In the beginning, she solves the crimes easily and makes several references to Murder She Wrote. And it is a little like a sitcom in how everything wraps up so nicely. Within a few pages, I was thinking this feels like The Truman Show (the movie starring Jim Carrey). I was not sure if I should include that reference in my review because I was afraid it would date me or my readers might not know the reference. However, when a few chapters later one of the characters had the same realization (that it felt like The Truman Show), I knew I was safe using it.

The plot was unique among the cozy mysteries I read which was a nice change.

I liked the main character. The murder mystery was kind of secondary to the mystery of why the town is demon-possessed (and how to get rid of the demon). Both mysteries are wrapped up by the end of the story.

I'm not sure if this is the start of a series. The main character makes a comment at the end of the book that very well sets them up to tackle another mystery. At the same time, it works well as a stand-alone novel (another thing that is unique to cozy mysteries in my experience).

If you are looking for a non-typical cozy mystery, this is a great book to pick up.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/02/2-entertaining-novels-you-will-want-to.html

I chose this book for my book club. It was a perfect choice! An amazing story with twists and turns that adds a supernatural flair to a mystery. Have you ever wondered how a small town in Maine could keep so many amateur sleuths so busy? What if the reason is deeper than you think? This is brilliantly written with interesting characters. It's the kind of story that leads to so many questions.
Thank you NetGalley and berkleypublicity@penguinrandomhouse.com

Sherry Pinkwhistle is the village librarian. She's also become the local, amateur detective, solving a number of murders. But the number of murders happening in her small New England town, is disturbing to her. Nobody else in town seems to think it's out of the ordinary but Sherry is convinced there's something supernatural afoot.

But when Sherry's cat, Lord Thomas Crowell, becomes possessed by an ancient demon (and also, possibly, the spirit of the real Lord Crowell) and begins talking to her, she's more certain than ever something must be done. Along with a ragtag assortment of friends (who are not all yet convinced) and the town's newly installed priest (who isn't at all prepared for such things), Sherry creates the village's demon-hunting society. But is there anything they can actually do? Well ... "'According to my cat,' Sherry said, 'it's mostly about whether we believe that it will help.'"

This was a reasonably fun cozy mystery. I'm generally not much of a fan of the cozy mystery genre (there are some exceptions) but the supernatural element here definitely helped to elevate this for me.

You know you're going in to a light-hearted adventure when you're introduced to a character with the name of "Pinkwhistle". That's a Dickens-like moniker. And the general plot hangs on to this whimsy all the way through.

I found the characters to generally be a bit flat. Sherry Pinkwhistle has a bit more depth to her, given her role, and the young priest was fun, but now, days after I finished this, I couldn't tell you anything about any of the other characters. They didn't seem important at the time, and seem less so upon reflection. It seems just a little bit strange to have a "society" but you can't picture the majority of the members.

I liked the premise and I liked the writing well enough that I would be interested in reading more, but I would really hope that we would get a little more depth to the central characters and a little more 'reality' to the extras. Concept and plot are important, but a series hangs on its characters.

Reading this was enjoyable, but I wasn't expecting, or looking for anything too serious - and that's what I got. This wouldn't be high on my recommendation list. This is a SOLID three and a half star book.

Looking for a good book? The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner is a very light, cozy, supernatural mystery. Emphasis on 'light'.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This was... something. I liked the beginning. I liked the end. I liked the cat. But the middle dragged so bad. I was invested, and then I was reading just to be done. I don't think it's a book that will stick with me at all. Like, it was silly, but otherwise, entirely unremarkable. Kinda disappointing, but at least I can say I read it.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

A super fun romantasy with that gave all the cozy feels I was hoping for, with just enough stakes to keep me invested.

As a librarian, I found The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society to be an absolute delight! It’s a charming, cozy mystery with just the right touch of supernatural elements. The vibes reminded me a lot of Murder, She Wrote, but with a fun twist—demon hunting! The quirky little town of Winesap was such a perfect setting for the story, and I couldn’t help but smile when I discovered it’s near Albany, which is close to where I live.

The characters were engaging, and the mystery kept me hooked throughout. It’s the perfect read for anyone who loves a mix of cozy mystery and supernatural fun. Overall, I had a wonderful time with this book, and I’d highly recommend it to fans of light-hearted mysteries with a dash of the occult.

Thank you NetGalley and Ace for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was intrigued by the prospect of demon hunting, but was hesitant about the cozy mystery aspect. I was also excited about an older protagonist, but unfortunately the overall tone of The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society was just way too twee and cozy for me. For a murder mystery, this felt like a warm hug. Which is fine, but I am extremely touch adverse and I often can’t handle warm hug books (I do tend to avoid small town cozy mysteries, it’s on me that I didn’t realize that this was that).

Outside of the genre mismatch, this did feel a little lukewarm overall. I don’t really think this book will stick with me very long, which is fine, but while this was a fast paced book I also felt like a lot of the interesting action took place off page. In addition, Sherry had a character trait for a large portion of the book that irritates me both in fiction—I really do struggle with nosy normal everyday folk who happen to Solve Murders through the power of… treating it like a game? (if you’re wondering! I do not like true crime.) I think the overall idea was neat and there was potential for me to be into it, but the execution and the choices the author made aren’t for me—I think people who typically enjoy cozies will have a good time, but I’m not that person.

A cozy mystery with a supernatural twist, this will appeal to readers who like some quirkiness in their books. Sherry (crime solving librarian) is an appealing main character and I would read more books with her at the center, but this book did feel like the reader was supposed to already have a familiarity with Sherry and her past mystery solving work, almost like this was not the first book in a series. I enjoyed this enough that I will pick up the next one if it does become a series and it's a worthy and unique addition to the crime-solving librarians in cozy mysteries genre.

A cozy mystery with quite the twist! The cast of characters were so fun to watch interact and work together to figure out the truly sinister mystery behind the cozy setting of the novel. Who knew that demon's could enjoy Murder She Wrote so much? It would be great to see more of these characters solving crimes of the supernatural or regular variety or even just hanging out.

I almost put this down. I read some reviews that made it seem like I should stick with it, so I did, and it did get better. Some weird things that didn't make sense were cleared up though there were still some holes there. I liked the Poirot-like reveal, and the friendship among the characters. The ending leaves it open to a possible sequel. I do agree with the others who said this felt like the 2nd or 3rd in a series which was probably intentional, but added to the weirdness.

Thank you to Ace Books for the advanced reading copy!

I was so intrigued by the premise of this book, just couldn't get into it. I ended up trying it on audio, as I was feeling unattached to the e-arc, and that was no better. The narrator didn't connect me anymore to the story than the words themselves, and I ended up only skimming through this. I felt confused for most and, despite the interesting premise, just wasn't intrigued. sad!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

3.5/5
This was fun! I am always down for a cozy mystery, and The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society did not disappoint! I mean, the title alone is an attention grabber!

Sherry doesn't seem to notice that she's always there to solve the small town's many murder cases. That is until she becomes a suspect.

With demons, a talking cat, and some surprising small town connections, this librarian proves she should not be underestimated!

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society is a cozy mystery for fans of Murder, She Wrote and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Sherry Pinkwhistle, the village librarian suspects that the spate of deaths in her small town have a supernatural aspect to them. Add a talking cat, due to demonic possesssion and you've got a charming, cozy paranormal mystery.

From the first chapters, The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C. M. Waggoner felt confusing. Despite being a standalone novel, the frequent references to prior sleuthing adventures left me feeling like I was missing key parts of the story. It created a disjointed experience that was hard to get beyond.

Initially, the concept of a librarian turned senior sleuth in a supernatural murder mystery intrigued me. However, as the story progressed, I became disengaged and ultimately decided to put the book down. The narrative didn't align with my expectations, and I couldn't connect with the plot or characters.

I'm not sure if it was the writing or if it was simply not the right fit for me. The potential was there, but it didn't quite hit the mark.

This became a DNF for me.

This cozy mystery follows Sherry, a local librarian, seeking to solve yet another murder in this small town. Lots of plot twists as Sherry, with the help of the local "demon hunting society," seek to end the murderous spree! A full cast of fun and quirky characters make for an enjoyable read.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an electronic ARC of this book.

I had such high hopes for this book, but when it came down to it the writing was just not my cup of tea. I couldn't get hooked. I wanted so badly to love this book, but I couldn't get into the first 100 pages.

Waggoner was a new author to me, and will be someone who’s backlist I want to read. This was cute and cozy and a fun mystery to unravel. A perfect book for a weekend in!

An absurd love letter to Murder She Wrote with demons. Sherry is a humble librarian with a knack for solving crime. But just how many murders does she have to solve in this sleepy town? She refuses to continue when her beau is murdered, but she can't stay away. Especially when her cat starts talking to her and she realizes that she can't leave the town before this is put to rest. The town is rich with strange characters and circumstances. Plus this book wins the prize for the best descriptive sentence--"Time sneezed". I still think of the line when life goes sideways.

This was a wonderful palette cleanser of a book. It is the type of story I expected from The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, and I love it! Cosy mysteries aren't a genre I'm super familiar with, but this seems like the type of book I would describe as a cosy mystery, with a bit of extra supernatural flavour. The ending was perhaps a bit so-so, but if there happens to be another book in the series I would certainly read it! In short, if you've always wanted to read the story of what would happen if your grandma turned out to be a monster hunter but you need a palette cleanser from the fantasy novels with hard to pronounce city names, this is a book to try out!