The Witch Hunter by Max Seeck (thoughts)

 

Summary from Goodreads:

"A bestselling author’s wife has been found dead in a gorgeous black evening gown, sitting at the head of a formally set dinner table. Her most chilling feature—her face is frozen in a ghastly smile.

At first it seems as though a deranged psychopath is reenacting the gruesome murders from The Witch Hunter, the bestseller written by the victim’s husband. But investigator Jessica Niemi soon realizes she’s not looking for a single killer but rather for dozens of believers in a sinister form of witchcraft.

They know her every move and are always one step ahead. As the bodies start piling up, Jessica knows they won’t stop until they get what they want. And when her dark past comes to light, Jessica finds herself battling her own demons while desperately trying to catch a coven of killers before they claim their next victim."

My Thoughts:

The Witch Hunter was an atmospheric read perfect for this time of year.  This is a book meant to be read on a cold fall day where there is enough bite in the air to show that winter will be here all too soon.  Or this would also be a perfect book to read curled up by the fire on a cold, snowy day.  It just has ALL of the atmosphere which was something I really enjoyed about it.  This book also has a few genuinely creepy parts to it that I didn't see coming.  There is this foreboding atmosphere and then combined with those creepy scenes added up to quite a suspenseful read.  In fact, I really enjoyed my time with this book until the very end.  I won't spoil anything but I honestly don't know how I feel about the ending.  I think that I will know more after I read the next book in this series whenever that releases.  And I definitely really do want to read that next book because there were so many things that I enjoyed about this book.  But I also was left with questions...and enough of them that the ending left me feeling a bit taken aback.  That's the most I will say about it.  I will say that I really liked Jessica as a character and was intrigued by her.  She isn't what she seems and I'm hoping that we will have the opportunity to learn more about her as the series goes on.  Because there are so many questions I have also about her and her past.  It's going to be a long wait for that next book I tell you!  

Overall, I enjoyed this book for the most part although the end left me a bit wanting.  I hope that I was able to convey that there are so many good things about this book regardless of how I felt about the ending.  I'm really glad that this is just the beginning of a series so I can get answers and read more about these characters.  I will definitely be continuing on with this series whenever the next book releases.  I think that readers who enjoy Nordic noir, who enjoy an atmospheric police procedural, and those who enjoy their mysteries with a hint of something more should give this book a shot.  Recommended.

Bottom Line:  A suspenseful and atmospheric read that didn't quite meet my expectations at the end.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Honest thoughts are my own.

CW: Witchcraft, rape, domestic violence, teeth (I can't say more than that because of spoilers but...), murder