C.M. Waggoner has created a humorous and smart mystery with “The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society.” Full of references to Buffy and Murder She Wrote, this story combines the best of both to create a funny and compelling mystery novel.
From the very start, I loved Sherry but as the story carries on, we discover more layers to Sherry and more about her life. Trapped in a town where a demon has created a decidedly unnatural environment, the best part of the narrative is how Sherry starts unraveling the secrets and peeling back the layers of truth. Not only does she solve the latest mystery but she does so with style and wit as she also grapples with the demon. The story is clever and the mystery intriguing with a brilliant and well thought out ending.
If you like your mystery with a supernatural angle and plenty of laughs, I really recommend this book. With the blend of demons and the heart of Murder She Wrote, this story is humorous and smart with a protagonist that has a ton of depth to her. And if you don’t fall in love with Sherry, you’re sure to love her possessed cat. What more could you ask for in a supernatural mystery?

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc! 3.5/5 stars rounded down, an enjoyable and surprisingly funny little mystery

when I started this book I was questioning the whole 'demon hunting' aspect of the title but woo boy, I was in for a Ride when the demon part comes in. this started off a bit like you were jumping midway into the season of murder mystery tv show, so I did feel like I'd been missing something that was previously explained. however the basics of the setting and plot get established pretty quickly, so it wasn't confusing for very long. the characters all felt like little caricatures of people, which really lent to the overall air of something being not quite right with the small town. this was definitely more of a cozy mystery, which made the parts with the aforementioned demon all that more jarring, which definitely made the book more interesting to me - the murders at the beginning of the book feel very sanitized and almost removed, despite the fact that they are in fact murders, so the switch up to her boyfriend getting murdered and then the whole demon thing throws you for a bit of a loop and keeps you engaged. overall, just a fun, quick read for cozy mystery fans

This book was fun to read and kept me on my toes as to where the story was going. I wasn’t able to guess who the murder was until it was explained in detail, which was nice. I do, however, think that the book would have been better without the supernatural side of things. I know this is odd, because I picked-up the book precisely because of the demon hunting part, but it just didn’t fit in with the rest of the story, in my opinion.

I absolutely fell in love with the concept, but unfortunately this just didn’t end up being the book for me.

The book felt a bit all over the place, which I feel was partly because there wasn’t much background into the main character and the workings of her life in general. It felt like I accidentally read the second book in a series without realizing I had missed the first. I loved the quirky characters, but they didn’t really fit cohesively into the narrative for me (most likely due to lack of background info).

I do feel like this series has a lot of promise. I love a cozy mystery with a hint of fantasy, and this definitely fit the bill! I plan to read the next book, and look forward to more from this author.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the gifted ARC!

Oh what a fun fun read! Loved the writing style, the pace, the comedy and the cozy horror?
I am an absolute no horror girl. I get nightmares so easily. So when I started reading this book, I definitely had a moment of uh-oh what have I gotten myself into. Second chapter on though, I was hooked. Loved it. No notes.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I admit when I started this ARC I was a wee bit disappointed it wasn’t another book in the world of Unnatural Magic and The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry because I loved those two books and would like more of them. But I also like a cozy mystery so ok, I’ll read about the small town librarian who has been involved in lots of murder cases, way too many murders for a small town. (And then I looked up Murder, She Wrote because I had dim memories of that…). I was enjoying the series, then the demons showed up, the cat started talking and suddenly I was absolutely the target audience for a cozy mystery with fantastical elements in it. I would happily read another book in this world too. I seem to have just added another favorite author to my favorite authors list…. I read a couple hundred books a year. It can be a long list!

Who doesn't like their murder mysteries with a side of demons?

Sherry Pinkwhistle, the local librarian, has been solving a lot of murders around her small town of Winesap. Suddenly, though, she suspects that something strange is happening. Why exactly are there so many murders in such a tiny village, and why doesn't anyone else find it odd? All of the village residents are behaving like this is completely normal and not at all weird.

Sherry is concerned. She realizes that something is definitely wrong when her cat starts talking to her. There seems to be supernatural forces at work, and her cat is possessed by a demon.

I have to admit that this has always been something that has bothered me about cozy mysteries. How could there be so many murders in a small town without anyone thinking that maybe that kind librarian or bookshop owner who keeps solving them might somehow be involved. I love how this book addresses some of that suspension of belief and in a completely bonkers way!

If you enjoy a book that doesn't take itself too seriously and has all the fun elements of a good cozy mystery then then this book is for you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This story is a sleepy little cozy mystery shrouded in curiosity and peculiarity with a just touch of the paranormal. It’s a nice break from the intense, fast-paced paranormal stories I’m used to reading, delivering clues and quirks in a quietly unassuming manner that inspires intrigue and invites readers to catch a killer alongside small town librarian turned investigator, Sherry.

When murder hits close to home and Sherry finds herself at the center of the investigation, catching this killer means more than ever. The race is on to discover who’s responsible and get to the bottom of the spate of murders plaguing this small town.

This one checks all the boxes for a cozy mystery, complete with a colorful cast of characters I adored. Murder is at the center of the story’s main plot, but it’s neither gory nor gruesome and never seems extreme. I appreciate the clever threads of paranormal elements C.M. Waggoner weaves throughout, creating just enough questions and doubt to keep the mystery unraveling until the very end.

Described as a “mix of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Murder, She Wrote,” I found that to be profoundly accurate. It’s reminiscent of Buffy in how the seemingly normal is just a bit so obviously not, leaving our library crew to band together to figure it out. I can easily picture Sherry as Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher, especially with the way Waggoner matches that energy in her methodical revelations and ultimate unmasking of the killer.

Overall this was a fun, easy read with a delightfully mischievous paranormal twist. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to be entertained by a quirky small town with a questionable murder problem where things aren’t quite as they seem. Especially if you like surprise twists!

4.5⭐️

I absolutely loved this one. A 60+ year old FMC? Amazing. Small town in upstate NY with mentions of numerous cities around me (Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, Troy)? LOVE. A murder mystery involving demon possession? So fun. A talking cat? Even better. This book was so unique, quick, and witty and I really enjoyed my time reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner is a light, fun, cozy read that is mostly murder mystery while lacking in the actual hunting of demons.

What could be better than a Golden Girls-esque librarian with a name like Pinkwhistle solving village murders? That same librarian having to appease and defeat a Sherlock/Agatha Christie/Poirot-loving demon to escape a cycle of death for the good of her small town. Oh, and she has an orange tabby who is possessed by Lord Thomas Cromwell and likes tea.

Should I bring anything tomorrow to the demon-hunting society meeting? Do we need... garlic? Stakes? Ingredients for mimosas? Are we doing brunch, or just coffee?


This story gives off the coziest of cozy vibes - but with murder! The language Waggoner uses wraps you up in the fluffiest grandma sweater you have with a cup of tea and then slides in those intrusive thoughts about how awkward it would be if what you were thinking actually came out of your mouth during a murder investigation. The stakes are surprisingly high for how campy the plot feels. While the demon plot device feels shoe-horned, the murders that surround the main character Sherry are very real. It's not as action-packed as a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, but it definitely exhibits some of the more quirky storytelling.

I laughed out loud at some of Waggoner's characterizations, dialog, and scenes. However, I think that the story could have been a little bit tighter. There were many parts that felt repetitive. Some scenes overstayed their welcome for the sake of getting in a few more clever quips or to over explain a point of interest. I felt like I was getting bogged down in the story even when the plot kept moving.

I also think that the story suffered from trying to be too many things. Is it a murder mystery? Yes. Is it a supernatural thriller/horror? Kinda? Is it a cozy-core urban found-family adventure? Also, kinda yes? Is there romance? Yes-ish? Overall, there was a lot going on and for the most part it made for a fun ride. Some of the side characters suffered from lack of depth, and the bonds of the so-called "Demon Hunting Society" came off as artificial. If there's a sequel, I'd be interested in how this group stays together, if they do at all.

Was there enough demon-hunting to deserve a title reference? Not in my opinion. Was this a fun story with lovable quirky characters to curl up and read in your favorite comfy chair with a big fluffy blanket? Absolutely. If you are a fan of granny-fic, the librarian aesthetic, Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia, or - and this may seem like an odd fit - Harry Dresden or even Sam and Dean Winchester ... if you're in that kind of weird cross-section of fandoms (which I am), then give this story a try. I'm hoping there's more to come for Sherry Pinkwhistle and her friends.

More mystery than a cozy but not quite a thriller, this book fills a niche I didn't know I needed. A librarian turned detective with a demon possed cat and a crew of similarly goal oriented characters made this a very good read. Entertaining while still enough mystery to challenge the brain meant I read this in one sitting. I certainly hope we see more of Sherry Pinkwhistle and her demon hunting society.

I'm not a fan of the supernatural or magical realism but I still try to pick up those types of books to stretch my reading. I thought the cozy nature of the book would help me with the supernatural parts but alas, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I did really enjoy the cozy small town aspects which were whimsical but the characters were a bit flat for me and I definitely started skimming to get through this one. Just not for me but if you love supernatural and cozy, this might be the perfect fall book for YOU. :)

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society is a fun, cozy murder mystery with a quirky paranormal twist.

The premise of this book instantly intrigued me. This book was sold as a cozy murder mystery with a Buffy the Vampire twist, so who wouldn't want to read it. Now, I will say that instead of saying it has a Buffy the Vampire twist I would have said it has a Sabrina the Teenage Witch twist. It really wasn't giving off those Buffy vibes; that's because when I think Buff the Vampire Slayer, I think very witty, pop culture dialogue and lots of fast-paced action, which this book does not have. I'm not saying this book is good because it is. I just don't want readers going in expecting a certain kind of vibe.

I really enjoyed this book. The author does a wonderful job at blending a Murder, She Wrote mystery with a unique supernatural twist. This book is great for bookworms who may want to dip their toes into the paranormal world. There are definite paranormal aspects to this story, but there isn't an overwhelming amount of paranormal activity in this book. This isn't a dark or scary read; it's light, fun, and cozy. I ate up all the supernatural bits and thought it was such a clever twist to make what would be a typical murder mystery really feel unique and fun. All the characters were interesting and likable. They all complement each other and play their role in this murder mystery perfectly. The mystery element was entertaining, and the author sets us up for a sequel, which is exciting.

Overall, if you are looking for a unique cozy murder mystery, I highly recommend The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society.

I really enjoyed this. I don't really read much in the way of cozy anything--cozy fantasy, cozy mystery, etc. But, this was a lot of fun. This gave me the same sort of nostalgic feeling that rewatching Charmed (that TV show from like 20 years ago) does--just cozy, fun mystery solving. I definitely think this has the strong potential to become a really popular series. I definitely think that this is going to be really popular!

Small-town librarian Sherry Pinkwhistle is the resident amateur murder investigator who becomes directly invested in solving the deaths of the village when a loved one is targeted. It seems there is a demon possessing the town, and Sherry and her friends, accompanied by Sherry’s possessed cat, must solve the murders and save their village from the supernatural. Very strong potential for a cozy mystery series.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Ace for this e-arc.*

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Any story with a main character librarian is worth considering. Sherry moved about 6 years ago to take the position in Winesap, New York. She has had quite a run on solving mysteries of town murders recently. She enjoys being good at it. I liked Sherry and her personal journey throughout the story. Her sort of friend, Charlotte asked her to investigate when her husband is killed. Charlotte is afraid of being a suspect but Sherry finds the real culprit.

Now it is her boyfriend who has been murdered and she isn't sure she wants to investigate. And she might be considered a suspect being the last to see him alive. Now things really go wild because her cat starts talking to her telling her she must investigate! Sherry starts to look into things to protect herself and her friends but when she tries to go to Albany where her boyfriend used to live to gather more information, she is stopped. Other people are unable to come to town.

Sherry realizes something more is at work than just regular people, and there are too many people dying. She goes to talk to the priest, Barry, about demons. He ends up being there when the demon takes over another person. Sherry starts carrying holy water, salt and crystals. Some of her friends help and some think she is crazy.

The Village Library and Demon-Hunting Society is not exactly what I expected. The library is not very involved, except Sherry works there and she likes to research, doing some of it at the library. I don't feel like there was much of a demon-hunting society. Her friends help with a few things, but mostly it is Sherry.

The pacing was reasonably good, and kept my interest as Sherry followed up on clues and did research. The parts of the demon interference were sort of hokey. Usually, I like more at the end of a story, which we got here, but the very last bits seemed unimportant unless there will be more books with Sherry doing more demon-hunting.

This book was just OK, but I can’t help but feel disappointed by how forgettable much of it was. I was really excited to dive in, but as I kept reading, my interest started to wane. The story centers around a small village and an older librarian who has somehow been involved in solving cases for a while now. Right from the start, we see her solving a few murders, then her lover is killed, and soon she discovers that the people in her village are being possessed. She teams up with a priest and a widow to get to the bottom of it all.

At first, I was intrigued. I thought I was getting a dark thriller with a balance of suspense and maybe a touch of satire or comedy. But instead, it’s more like a cozy mystery with possession thrown in. The structure reminded me a lot of books like How To Age Disgracefully or Queen of Poisons, where a group of people come together to solve something in their small towns, and the main characters are mostly older.

It feels like the publication was very careful not to mention the characters’ ages, and maybe that’s because books told from an older perspective tend to be softer in their approach. The author tried to blend humor, suspense, and thrills, but it didn’t quite work for me. It felt like the story was straddling genres without fully succeeding in either.

Another thing: I felt this book should’ve been number two or three in a series. We don’t get much background on our main character’s past. While I usually love being thrown straight into a story, I think it would’ve been more compelling if the book started from the librarian’s first involvement in solving cases. Imagine watching her romance develop, her friendship with the priest grow, and seeing her realize something is off in her village. By the time we got to this book, we would’ve already known her backstory and felt more invested in her loss and her fight against the possession.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite deliver in either category it was aiming for. I still love the title, cover, and the concept’s potential, but I would’ve much preferred a darker take on this story.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Ace, and Berkeley Publishing for this digital ARC.

Village Library Demon-Hunting by C. M. Waggoner is a mostly lighthearted murder mystery with a twist. Local librarian, Sherry Pinkwhistle, keeps solving murders in her tiny New England town. But she’s starting to think there’s got to be something weird going on. There are more murders in this sleepy little town than should be possible without someone else noticing. But all the townsfolk just seem to be carrying on like normal. When her cat turns out to be possessed by a demon it proves that there’s something more than murder happening in the town of Winesap.
If you like a tongue in cheek take on the cozy murder mysteries genre, this book is for you. It’s got all the cozy mystery staples, plucky protagonist with cat, a quirky case of neighbors and side characters, and a dramatic finish that Poirot would be proud of.
I appreciated the way the story wove together many different approaches to demon hunting, mingling in help from a newly minted Catholic priest alongside pagan based witch craft approaches and just plain old sleuthing. It was a fun read and would be well enjoyed with a cup of hot tea and some pastry.

This is a really charming, cozy, fantasy/mystery story that I think should appeal to a wide range of readers. It's accessible for non fantasy readers, and the excellent characters, particularly because the way aging is handled in this one is inclusive and relatable.

‘She contemplated murder all of the time.’

A bored demon takes over the town of Winesap and choses the head librarian to star in her own version of Murder She Wrote in this interesting cozy mystery. All seems normal in the town of Winesap for almost a quarter of the story, a picture perfect small town full of interesting, if eccentric characters...and then the fun begins when Lord Thomas Cromwell makes an appearance via Sherry’s cat (maybe) and the sheriff shows some unhealthy flexibility in his neck. Throw in some Hercules Poirot and a little explaining away demonic activity ala the Vampire Diaries and you’ve got satisfying and interesting take on a cozy mystery.