I get the feeling this is just the beginning of a series I’m going to absolutely love! What’s better than a little whimsy, a little murder, and a little baking? Honestly, not much.

The characters are all incredibly likable, and I’m already invested in seeing how their relationships grow and unfold as the series continues. The story strikes a fun balance between cozy charm and mystery, which made it such an enjoyable read.

I also have a very soft spot for raccoons, so I loved that they play such a staple role in the book. I’ll definitely be giving mine extra treats tonight in honor of this one!

A Dash of Demon has its roots in the Achewillow Podcast. (That is to say, it is Achewillow in book form.) Our Protagonist is a young woman named Miriam DuFour. Miriam very much wants to be a famous chef. Unfortunately, she is incredibly opinionated and extremely abrasive. This causes her problems, when she decides to tap dance on her teacher’s last nerve. After this incident, she’s kicked out of the school.

Shortly after, she gets an unexpected windfall in the form of a dead, completely unknown greataunt
She has inherited this greataunt’s cafe and second floor apartment. This is a great windfall for Miriam--she can use the money from selling the property on paying off loans and supporting herself until she can find a new school. Unfortunately, she finds out that she cannot sell the place once she signs to it. This is not great, but Miriam is determined to find a way around the clause so she can sell the place.

This property is in a town named Achewillow. The first weird thing thing about this town is that it’s placed precisely on either side of the Canadian/United States Border. There are even two mayors, whose favorite hobby seems to be arguing with each other. Miriam does not want to be in this weird little town: there is no way to become a famous in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. It is also super creepy that everyone expects her to be the second coming of her greataunt/or know instantly what their “usuals” are. (On the other hand, she is slowly falling in love with the cafe, and settling into running it.)

This kind of reads like the Weird Mirrorverse of one of those Hallmark Christmas movies where business women who end up in little towns and discover true love and the meaning of Christmas. (And then dump their fiances so they can date their childhood crush, or a former bully who has been reformed.) We got the potential love interests, who are not actually potential love interests because this is not a Hallmark Movie, and at least one of them is pretty suspicious.

I enjoyed reading this book. It’s fun with a good balance of humor and horror. Miriam is a fun character to read; She has a big ego that clashes with the egos of others. She is very much convinced that she is the only one who does things “correctly.” Miriam’s ego has also given her grandiose ideas of her skill, which makes her seem very arrogant! Miriam is one of those characters you end up liking, while also wanting to yell at them when they make bad life choices.

This review was based off a galley copy from NetGalley

If you love the podcast, you will love this book. Has its charm, its mystery, its humor all in one tightly written and well paced package.

A cozy paranormal mystery without a forced, uncomfortable romance angle??? Yes please!
This was such a good time!
I found the main character to be a bit childish and somewhat annoying at the beginning of the story, but she really did mature throughout and ended up growing on me quite a bit. The pacing was good and I'm hoping that I will have the opportunity to get to know the residents of this charming( and a wee bit terrifying) town better in future installments of the series? The Canadian content was appreciated and I do plan to test out some of the recipes included!
A big thank you to NetGalley, the authors and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to access this book before publication and free of charge. I'm leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Miriam DeFour is at her lowest—she has been kicked out of cooking school even though she believes she is exceptionally talented, and still lives with her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. The same day she is forced to leave her school she finds out that she has inherited the estate of her great grandaunt. Miriam takes the opportunity to pay-off her student loan and get a fresh start, but when she arrives in Achewillow, a town on the border of Vermont and Quebec, she learns many things are not normal and it will not be so easy to sell her inherited café. The town residents are eccentric and there’s a dangerous demon lurking in the shadows. This cozy paranormal horror read is atmospheric but also creepy, and will keep the reader entertained with intriguing and quirky secondary characters.

Review: A Dash of Demon (Achewillow, Book 1)
By J-F. Dubeau & Amy Frost

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

If you have ever wished for a cozy mystery that traded the traditional English village for a supernatural border town—and swapped the tea and scones for high-stakes baking and ancient demonic pacts—then A Dash of Demon is exactly the book you’ve been waiting for. This opening volume of the Achewillow series is a delightful, atmospheric, and often surprising blend of culinary fiction and urban fantasy.

The Plot: A Recipe for Trouble

The story follows Miriam Walters, a woman whose life has reached a bit of a stale point. When she inherits a bakery in the tiny, eccentric town of Achewillow, she thinks she’s simply getting a fresh start in the culinary world. However, Achewillow isn't your average small town; it sits on a thin spot between our world and several others.

Miriam soon discovers that her inheritance comes with more than just industrial ovens and flour-dusted counters. To keep the bakery—and the town—safe, she must navigate a world of temperamental demons, local spirits, and the kind of "special ingredients" that aren't found in a standard pantry.

The Setting: Achewillow’s Charm

The authors have done a magnificent job building the town of Achewillow. It feels like a character in its own right—quirky, slightly dangerous, and deeply lived-in. The "cozy" elements are perfectly balanced by the "weird." One moment you’re focused on the crumb structure of a loaf of bread, and the next, you’re dealing with the bureaucratic nightmare of a demonic contract. This contrast keeps the narrative fresh and prevents the story from becoming too saccharine.

Character Dynamics

Miriam is a fantastic protagonist. She is grounded, capable, and her passion for baking is infectious. Her transition from a skeptic to someone who manages magical crises with a rolling pin in hand is handled with just the right amount of humor and realism.

The supporting cast, including the local denizens (both human and otherwise), adds layers of mystery to the town. The dialogue is snappy and well-paced, reflecting a great chemistry between the co-authors. You can feel the distinct voices coming through, especially when the supernatural elements start to ramp up.

Prose and Style

The writing is lush and sensory. The descriptions of the baking process are so vivid they might actually make you hungry. Beyond the food, the "magical" prose is imaginative and avoids the typical tropes of the genre. The stakes feel real, but the tone remains "low-stress," making it the perfect "palate cleanser" read between heavier fantasy novels.

Why You Should Read It

Unique Concept: It’s a "cozy fantasy" before that term was even a mainstream trend.

Culinary Detail: For those who love The Great British Bake Off but want more ghosts.

World-Building: The lore of the town is introduced naturally without heavy info-dumping.

Final Verdict: A Dash of Demon is a heartwarming, imaginative, and deliciously eerie start to a series. It captures the comfort of a small-town bakery while keeping you on your toes with its supernatural twists. It’s a story about finding your place in the world, even if that place happens to be the primary defense against a demonic incursion.