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.

A fun, darker take on 'Murder She Wrote' if Jessica Fletcher had been a librarian in Upstate NY. This was an entertaining and fun concept though the world building got confusing at times. Halfway through the book it's mentioned that people are dressing like it is the 1980s and there is no internet? I enjoyed the way it poked fun at the cozy mystery tropes and tried to go for something more sinister with the added demonic element. It didn't all come together perfectly for me but still an enjoyable read and a perfect book for Halloween.

Many thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC.

I received a gifted galley of THE VILLAGE LIBRARY DEMON-HUNTING SOCIETY by C.M. Waggoner for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, PRH Audio and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

THE VILLAGE LIBRARY DEMON-HUNTING SOCIETY follows Sherry Pinkwhistle, a librarian who seems to stumble into a large number of mysteries. All around her, people keep dying and she’s enlisted to step in and solve the murders. When the latest victim is someone she cares about, it sends her spiraling and she can’t help but wonder why her small town has so many deaths. She’s beginning to think there is something supernatural at play, which is reinforced by the demonic possession of her cat. She enlists the new priest in town and some friends to try to figure out what is going on.

I have a bit of a mixed history with cozy mysteries, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. It is pitched as Murder She Wrote crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I think it leans more Murder. I really liked the way it pokes a bit of fun at cozy mystery tropes (how do these innocent main characters find SO many bodies?) and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I also enjoyed the fact that we got an older main character who is out to save the day.

Overall, I did find the story a bit slow for me and while it had some interesting twists (the demonic cat possession for one), I didn’t find myself entirely invested in the story. Still I think this is one that I would recommend this to those who love cozy mysteries and are looking for an interesting take!

The Village Library and Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner features a librarian, Sherry Pinkwhistle with a knack for solving murders. In the book, the first murder is Charlotte's husband John, a local gallery owner. Sherry solves that murder in pretty short order, but the next murder is close to Sherry. A good friend. The Sheriff starts beating on her door demanding her assistance in solving the case - something he would never do, and then her cat, Sir Thomas Cromwell, becomes inhabited by the spirit of Thomas Cromwell, yes that one, and Sherry knows something is seriously amiss. The sets up a meeting with the new, and very handsome, parish priest to talk to him about demonice possession. Then the priest, Sherry, the ever grateful Charlotte, and Sherry's bestie form the Village Library Demon Hunting Society to solve the case. This is a cozy mystery with a demon and I really enjoyed this read. Thank you to #netgalley and Berkeley Publishing for my advance reader copy.

Sherry lives in small town Winesap. She’s very proud of the help that she’s given to the sheriff’s department in solving various murders. While older, she’s not exactly elderly but she IS a librarian. A perfect cozy novel heroine. Or is she? It seems odd that there are so many deaths in her town. And it’s even odder that so many people come to her to solve the murders. It all starts to go off the rails when someone close to her dies. Is this really her life or is there something more… demonic going on?
While there isn’t as much demon hunting as you might think based on the title, this book is laugh out loud funny in several places and I really, really hope that there are going to be more in the series.

Four stars
This book comes out September 24, 2024
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Overall, a fun cozy-adjacent mystery! Obviously, I love a librarian MC. I love a small town. And the paranormal twist was unique. But was it particularly necessary to the mystery here? That’s… questionable. Suffered with pacing about 75% of the way through and had trouble being connected.

This is a fun cozy mystery with a twist. I quite enjoyed this book. It 100% has the flow of a cozy mystery, and that little surprise is perfection. This is one of the best cozy mysteries I have read this year. I don’t want to say too much as to give away anything, but if you like a good cozy and are willing to try something new. This book is for you.
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley/Ace, and C.M. Waggoner for an e-arc of The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had such a good time reading this. I loved the premise of an older librarian being tangled up in the fight against demons. The cast of characters were diverse and I loved the friendships formed through the course of the book. I also loved all the throwbacks to the classic detective novels such as Poirot and Mrs. Marple, and trying to piece together the mystery as I was reading was so much fun.

The only thing that knocked it down a star for me was the beginning. It started off pretty slow and didn’t really hook me until around the 30% mark. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this and I hope there will be a sequel.

Very fun, very cozy, and very meta. I would definitely read a potential sequel and will hope for one!

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society was a fun cozy mystery featuring an older (60s) protagonist, Sherry Pinkwhistle, and a loveable collection of friends and neighbors. I loved how eccentric just about every person in this story was. Father Barry and his dinner parties was a particular highlight, and Lord Thomas Cromwell the possessed cat was a joy whenever he appeared. There was, however, much less demon activity than I expected from the title. Most of this story follows Sherry's internal monologue as she sleuths her way through the mystery. Sherry is shrewd and funny, but also rambling. While her final deductions were impressive, we weren't privy to how she actually came to her final conclusions - we sort of skipped from her initial thoughts straight to some much more complex criminal activity that Sherry deduced off page. Overall a fun and light read, but more geared for a cozy mystery audience than an audience pulled in by the "Demon-Hunting" part of the title.

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C. M. Waggoner is a fun, cozy mystery with a paranormal aspect. Our protagonist, librarian Sherry Pinkwhistle, unofficially helps the police solve the alarming number of murders in their small town. Occasionally, Sherry will consider it odd that there are so many murders, but then the thought slips from her mind. Until there is a murder that is a little too personal to Sherry, and she starts to realize that there may be a demon problem in her town. The cast of characters in this book are lovable and quirky, and I enjoyed watching them solve the mystery in their little town.

Unfortunately this read was not for me. I was not a fan of the writing style. It felt like I should have had context to another book but this is the first one. Some might like the crime solving aspects of this book. I do think the female main character will resonate with some readers. She was very quirky and knew what she enjoyed.

Sherry Pinkwhistle moved to the town of Winesap in upstate New York several years ago and has been happily serving as the town librarian and amateur sleuth ever since. Every once and while Sherry is puzzled by the amount of murders in a town with such a small population, but she doesn't dwell on it for too long. However, when one murder hits a little too close to Sherry, it's revealed that there may be something supernaturally diabolical at play. Now, Sherry must use all her detecting skills (plus a little assistance from her friends and a talking cat) to confront the darker forces that have taken control of Winesap. This book has been written by someone who ADORES the mystery genre and is affectionately romping with all sorts of tropes in their personal sandbox. Despite the gleeful winks and nods to classic mystery stories, the characters and the universe are very well-crafted and the witty conversations were a pleasure to read (such a relief to know other librarians delight in a new vocabulary word!). This fiendishly clever book is a killer way to start leaning into your fall reading. Give to mystery fans who don't mind a bit of a laugh over their favored genre's foibles or folks who've commented on sleepy towns that are also murdery hotspots.

This was Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote) meets Miss Marple (Agatha Christie). This was essentially a cozy, supernatural murder mystery.

The main character, Sherry, finds herself in the center of multiple murder investigations. She feels like her best self when she helps the local sheriff solve a murder. Also to note, her cat, Lord Thomas Crowell, might be possessed as he starts to talk to her. Then her boyfriend ends up dead and she has to help solve his murder. She makes her suspect list, of which she has to include herself, and things in her village start getting strange.

Sherry never questioned why there were so many murders until her boyfriend ended up dead. In a town just over 5000 people, how can so many people be murdered? And why is her cat suddenly talking to her? She starts to wonder if she doesn't need an exorcist. As a librarian, Sherry has access to research, but where to start?

The secondary characters in this are just as interesting. Sherry befriends the local priest, who is very young and also has a twin brother. Sherry finds she has more friends than she thought in this small little quaint village. I especially enjoyed her rich best friend turned grieving widow, Charlotte. These secondary characters are more than mere background—they’re integral to the story, offering humor, heart, and sometimes surprising insights that keep you invested in every twist and turn.

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner is a delightful mash-up of Jessica Fletcher's sharp wit and Miss Marple's shrewd instincts, set against a charmingly supernatural backdrop. This cozy murder mystery pairs village intrigue with demon-hunting adventures, making for a whimsical yet suspenseful read. Waggoner masterfully blends the familiar comforts of a classic whodunit with a touch of the arcane, crafting a story that feels like your favorite detective series—with a twist of the paranormal. Perfect for fans who love their mysteries with a side of magic.

I struggled with this book. The main character was a delight in the fact that she was older, a librarian, and a little odd. She was fun to read about. I was waiting for the paranormal aspect, and it took almost 40% of the story before it appeared.

This was a fun, easy to read cozy mystery. I enjoyed the twists and turns and hope that there at more books to follow along this plot/storyline. This was my first read by this author and I'm excited to read more of their work.