"What the hell did I just read?" Is what I thought when I finished this. It took me completely by surprise...in a fantastic way. Creepy, hair-raising, suspenseful. Really enjoyed it

This book was SCARY! As an adult, it's been a long time since I can say I wouldn't read a book at night because I might have nightmares! There's been other books done with a similar theme... small town with a big storm rolling through..everyone gets trapped with no way to leave and SOMETHING is out there. Delaney took the story further though. There's really not much location change through the book, but you feel like SO much happens. The witch is terrifying. The idea of her is more terrible than anything she actually does.

I do feel like there are parts that could be fleshed out a little more like Sterling's family. That might have made the ending make a little more sense. The ending was a bit abrupt and I have questions! Maybe that was the author's intent, but still..

I recommend this book. Definitely. If you like witches, if you want to be scared, if you like Stephen King or John Saul, you'll like this book.

This was mostly a solid read for me, in sort of three distinct pieces. Overall, it had very horror-movie vibes, in generally a good way. I loved the art throughout the book.

<b>1. The beginning:</b>

The prologue starts this off with 100% creepy factor and great imagery. We’re introduced to a lot of characters, and while the prose was dense at times, I found it didn’t take away from the story or building tension. This is the “characters begin to suspect something is wrong” phase, and it’s done well with creeping horror vibes.

We also get to know the characters, especially Sterling, more through their thoughts. I’d have liked more delineation between present and flashbacks in the character POVs, because I got lost at times.

<b>2. The middle:</b>

This is the weakest part of the book. I felt that it dragged on, and lost all the tension that had been building in the first third. There was too much time spent in various POV of characters, and random flashbacks, and I frequently felt lost. I can see the purpose in these after finishing the book, but as a first read through, it’s a significant drag. A bit of direction to these, and it’d feel less random.

<b>3. The last third:</b>

Once the action started, it really took off. This went back to the horror movie vibes, and it did it well. Back to both psychological creeping horror, and the more visceral types. Things start coming together about the witch, and some weird world stuff.

<b>As a whole:</b>

This story would have been improved if the middle had been streamlined, both in length and in language for clarity. This would have maintained the narrative/horror tension better, and made the end fit in better. As it is, the end came quite abruptly, and had less impact and less….lightbulb? moment than it could have, if we’d had a more clearly Sterling-centric storyline. Even within the other characters POV, I felt it could have been made cleaner.

<b>Overall,</b> I thought this was well done, and despite the slowness of the middle, I really enjoyed it. The art was beautiful, and added to the atmosphere.

A good book. The witch is a creepy and unsettling character.

The ending of the book left you wondering what will happen next.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The action started from the first page on but the book never gelled with me.

This book was a fun, quick horror read. It took me a little bit to get into because it felt all over the place for the first couple chapters, but it came to together well! It was a very unique premise and I really liked that the author tied this premise in with the classic fairytale witch.

dnf @ 47%

yeah... i could not get into this one. the premise seemed great and intriguing, a witch terrorizing a small town, but then i realized most of the characters were cops. it's a cop story with a witch plot. this book would be way better as a halloween special episode on a cop drama than as a whole book.

having said that, there were some great scenes, mostly involving the witch. but also some choices made me shake my head, which i can't say because those would be spoilers. overall, it's intriguing but i didn't like any of the characters (maybe max), and didn't feel the "biting my nails until the mystery is over" feeling i think the book wants me to have. it's not even that scary.

i have received this arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*I was provided an e-galley copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Witch 13 is an easy, fast paced read which does an excellent job of instilling an acute sense of paranoia and dread in its readers from the get-go.

As a horror/supernatural/thriller fan, I consume a lot of horror media. It’s rare however, where I can say I enjoyed a book in the horror genre - I am very picky!

My favorite thing about this book was the pacing. While some books suffer from a deliriously slow crawl towards plot points or moments of interest - Witch 13 ‘enchants’ you from the very first pages. Making for an entertaining, and at times disturbing, fast paced read.

Witch 13 definitely had its creepiness. From the very beginning, I was completely hooked. The prologue definitely set me up for a wild adventure that I never saw coming. Each twist and turn, made me shake my head and comment "run" so many times. Yet, the people never truly did until it was almost too late.

I’m a picky reader, but I enjoyed Witch 13! I’ve been dipping my toes into cosmic horror in recent months, and this book helped to scratch my itch for a weird, spooky read. I think my favorite part was just how entertaining it was. The characters are mostly stuck in a police station with the witch. So, there’s a locked room mystery, as worse and worse things keep happening. This is certainly not a cozy, calm read— it’s got scares, gore, and lots of deaths written in very unique ways. I found that really fun and easy to get into, but I don’t necessarily think it’s for everyone.

Overall a good book

Award-winning author Patrick Delaney grew up in varying cities in the greater Los Angeles County, where he attended Canyon High School. Throughout his childhood he pursued various forms of art, from writing short stories to drawing and modeling. Throughout his undergraduate career he gradually polished his debut novel "Dante's Town of Terror", which would go on to win the gold medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards(IPPY) in the horror category for 2018. His most recent novel is Witch 13.

The night before her resignation and half a month before Christmas, Sheriff Sterling Marsh faces a dreary life in Connecticut. Suddenly, reports of odd events begin coming into the office, and when Marsh investigates, she finds the common element is a mysterious creature dressed like a witch. Not some new-age, wicca witch gone horribly astray after one too many bad mushrooms, but a classic fairy tale witch—black hat, sinister laugh, black clothing, etc. The further that Sheriff Marsh investigates, the more she’s convinced that something otherworldly is at play, especially when the town gets isolated from the outside world due to a sudden and unnatural storm.

Witch 13 is an interesting concept of a novel. Delaney takes a classic trope, the aged cop facing one last battle before riding off into the sunset, and flips it on its head with a horrific twist. All the elements of a classic mystery are there, from the burnt out police officer whose lead a life of regrets and poor decisions, to the small town elements and familiar locals, only Delaney subverts reader expectations thoroughly by introducing a witch straight out of folkloric nightmares and tearing everything down.

What makes the novel even more interesting are the illustrations that accompany the chapters. They’re chalklike, possibly charcoal like, but add an atmospheric and ethereal element to the story that really works to build reader anticipation.

The novel is a slow burn, which works well, because it gives Delaney time to develop not just the horror and suspense, but the locale as well. There are times when the novel seems to jump from point to point a bit too much, especially in the early chapters, which almost seem like micro short stories about unique individuals in the small Connecticut town, but if readers give Delaney time to craft his story, their patience is well rewarded and all the threads will weave together into a scary story.

Overall, Witch 13 is a really dark and suspenseful novel that taps into some classic horrors. Delaney takes his time focusing on Sheriff Marsh and her struggles in figuring out this dark, otherworldly mystery, and while the pacing might be a bit slow for some readers, most horror fans will enjoy the way Delaney builds his world, only to tear it down with his witch figure. Horror fans, especially fans of folkloric horror, will really enjoy this novel .

Right before Sheriff Sterling Marsh resigns, a stranger appears who looks like a witch. Suddenly all over town, strange things start to happen.
I reviewed this book for Netgalley I love the use of pictures throughout the book which is something you do not see in many books. The plot was perfect, and I could not get enough of eerie feeling it gives off. The characters were not likeable, especially the main character. The story was filled with unnecessary information, that could have been cut and the story would still make sense. I enjoyed the spooky parts, and the prolog was written strongly with many chapters that followed that were written as strongly.

Very interesting book and not at all what I expected. Ended in a bit of a cliffhanger, which always annoys me, but was an original concept that looks promising for future.books. I would very much like to know what happens next!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Witch 13 definitely had its creepiness. From the very beginning, I was completely hooked. The prologue definitely set me up for a wild adventure that I never saw coming. Each twist and turn, made me shake my head and comment "run" so many times. Yet, the people never truly did until it was almost too late.

Enter the terrifying and strange witch. First, we don't know much about her other than the fact that likes to stand and stare at a wall. Which is super creepy if you ask me. She doesn't talk, blink, or move really. So, when every person with the precinct - no, the whole town - starts acting kind of crazy. Well, we all know who is suspect #1. The witch.

Once we start to learn more about the witch, things definitely start to make sense. Even a bit creepier if you think about it. There's little action scenes and drama throughout the book but the main one was kind of disappointing. It just made the ending feel rushed and I was expecting something else since the book was so creepy.

In the end, I really enjoyed most of the book. Heck, all of it really until the last couple of chapters. If this ever became a movie, or show, I would totally watch it. Other than that, I'm really happy that I got the chance to jump into this and look forward to the next one Patrick writes.

Sheriff Sterling Marsh is already having a bad time when a terrifying witch shows up to town and starts wreaking havoc.

First off, I love the premise and the illustrations. However, I found the prose to be uninspiring, cliched, and unengaging. There was a lot of telling going on, not a whole lot of showing. I didn't feel connected to or immersed in this at all, which is a nonstarter for horror for me. If I'm held at arm's length, how can I be thrilled and chilled? It's possible this would work for someone, it just unfortunately did not for me.

Good lord, this book was good. I've been a fan of Delaney's other works, but truly I think this tops as my favorite.

I loved that the reader is dropped into the story and Delaney writes relatable characters that I instantly fell in love with. Sterling is the sheriff in Drybell and moving onto other things. Though her last shift promises to be a doozy as a mysterious witch comes into the towns midst. What follows will blow your mind until the last page.

Let's talk about the witch for a moment too- thank you Patrick for making the witch seriously terrifying!!!!!!!! And I mean scary.

If you want to read an original horror with lots of mayhem and jump scare moments, run, don't walk, to pick this up.

As someone who loves young adult fiction and mysteries, this was the perfect marriage! Couldn’t put it down, was Halle invested in seeing the outcome… The words were rich and jumped off the page and you felt as if you were there, I literally broke out in a sweat more than once. What an outstanding read!

This was a really unexpected surprise with a totally new concept ( personally doesn't tend to happen with horror, very often).

Sheriff Sterling Marsh is on her last night as the Sheriff in Drybell, Connecticut, with it also coming upto Christmas she expects another normal quiet evening with her work colleagues and maybe a little leaving party.

Little did she know that a huge storm is stirring up which will bring with it a nightmare evening for all who work with the police department.

Sterling is called to the City Hall with a women screaming down the phone asking for help. Sterling goes by herself to find out what is wrong, little did she expect to find in the dark a witch?? She doesn't move she doesn't talk but Sterling hears voices and shadows around the witch and also sees a death of a local women, so she takes the witch into custody, from here the storyline escalates and also Sterling life and secrets start to come out, really good story, with a great concept that keeps you interested from the start. Recommended read

This book just wasn't for me. I like the pictures, I feel like they actually added something to the story. I liked the writing, I just couldn't care for the characters.

Went into this with no expectations all I knew was that it must have witches in it. I didn't know how much I missed just a good scary witch story until I read this book.

Our main players, Sheriff Sterling Marsh, her deputy Chase his son Max and fellow coworkers Rosa and Georgia are working the night shift at the station when a winter storm cuts them off from the outside world.

Drybell is usually a quiet small town, so Marsh expects her last night on job to be quiet like any other night. However, a series of events leads to the arrest of a women dressed as a witch.

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Really enjoyed this story. It kept me on my toes and had me talking to the book in exclamation points more then once! The ending was epic and if our author decided to write more about these witches I would be the first in line to read it! I don't feel I can say more without spoiling anything so just read it!

The illustrations in this book are so good and so creepy they really do add to the atmosphere of the story!!

I like Patrick Delaney's writing. He never disappoints. This was a unique, interesting take on the witchy trope. I enjoyed it.