Sheriff Sterling Marsh is not having a good time. She is estranged from her family after the death of her father. A series of choices has left her career in shambles. She’s on the verge of giving up and retiring. Then the Witch arrives in town.
Patrick Delaney’s “Witch 13” is a delight. The story and plot are great examples of the horror genre. There is this sense of dread prevalent throughout the text. No one feels like they have plot armor. Plus, he’s not afraid to be morbid.
The prose reads a little like a noir detective novel at times. Delaney is willing to go deep into the thoughts of the characters to give you a sense of them. He is willing to use memories to flesh out character motivations and uses his prose to build the atmosphere in the tale.
“Witch 13” was a fun and creepy read. Worth a look for any horror fan or anyone who wants a break from the manufactured holiday cheerfulness. I look forward to seeing where Delaney goes from here. ( )

*This ARC was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Overall rating: 3.5 rounded down to a 3

Content/Trigger Warning: domestic violence, suicide, gore, adultery, loneliness, emetophobia

Brief Summary: It is Sheriff Sterling Marsh last day as an officer in Drybell, Connecticut, and is resigning after a string of bad decisions leaves her life in shambles. Two weeks before Christmas and expecting a long night of paperwork, she’s surprised when an unnerving stranger appears in the form of a witch, complete with pointy hat and long black dress. But things aren't exactly as they seem. (And that's all you really need to know when going into this book tbh)

My thoughts: Patrick Delaney definitely does a greta job at setting up a creepy atmosphere. I was hooked from the first pages. Very unsettling vibes right from the start. But then for me it kinda trailed off during the middle point. I felt very bored and tired when I got to the middle and was missing some type of action to happen. It picked back up at the end, but this middle section was just a little too long and empty for my tastes.

The cast of characters was one of my favorite parts of the book. I enjoyed how all of them were flawed in some way and had their own issues instead of there just being that one righteous person that horror novels usually seem to have. I just wish that the ending would have tied up their stories a little neater.

Now, the Witch was a pretty fantastic character. Dark, menacing, and totally what you need if you're looking for a little bit of horror to spice up your reading. I enjoy that although she is described in such a stereotypical 'witchy' way, she doesn't act like one. She is mostly mobile for the scenes she is in, which I think makes her more mysterious and terrifying. There's something really off-putting about a witch standing in the corner and not doing anything rather than attacking constantly. I just wish that there was a little more done with her. I was wanting more with her character every time I saw her in the book. Like I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what she would do when she actually moved.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is just getting into the horror genre and doesn't want to be too scared by anything. I could see many people curling up with this book come October when people are really itching for creepy vibes. ( )

Witch 13 by Patrick Delaney is a trope that many horror fans find to be comforting. What… Horror and Comforting in the same sentence?! Yes, that’s why so many people love horror because you can get your adrenaline pumping, but you know that good will triumph in the end… or at least one person will survive.

Witch 13 is the classic evil witch tale, this time she takes over a whole town on Christmas Eve… if you believe, the night that Jesus was born, so what a wonderful time of the year to introduce an ancient evil that has been around since at least when the Great Pyramid was being built.

Where Delaney shines is in his nightmare scenes where the witch is tempting people with their own desires all while the smell of chocolate and other sweets is wafting in the air. Delaney is able to incorporate lots of horror tropes and give his own unique spin to them.

Where he lost me was in the character development. The reader was thrown into the chaos, as it often happens in horror books and movies, and usually by the end the reader/watcher has some empathy or sympathy for some of the characters. Besides the boy, I really didn’t care if the rest lived. While the reader gets information as to why the main characters are so troubled, it felt more like the author dropped some typical reasons into a hat and picked a couple out. The characters were just a bit too one dimensional for me.

If you’re looking for some interesting material for your next nightmare, Witch 13 may be perfect for you. But if you’re looking for a story that is filled with well developed characters, you may want to look elsewhere. ( )