The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer ~ a Review

by MK French

Rainy March is a third-generation book witch, jumping in and out of novels to keep their stories safe from chaos. When her grandfather vanishes, and a book is stolen, she must team up with the Duke of Chicago, the hero of her favorite mystery series. Moving through different classic novels, Rainy and the Duke find danger, desire, and long-buried secrets.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

April 2026; Montlake; 978-1662529443
audio, ebook, print (255 pages); romantic suspense

Rainy grew up with her grandparents, and the only thing she has of her mother is photos before she dies when Rainy was a baby and the first Nancy Drew novel. There are supposed to be clear lines of division between the real world and the fictional worlds of books. The book witches repair stories, since damage to them will erase every copy of it from existence, and Burners are invested in destroying fiction by burning them. Rainy had always loved the Duke of Chicago mystery novels, and for a period of time, broke rules to have a relationship with him. She was soundly chastised when caught, and her boss thinks she's a terrible book witch. When her grandfather disappears, and her Nancy Drew book is stolen, she accidentally summons Duke back. Working with him rekindles the feelings they had, but they work well together both in and out of books.

I enjoyed the bit of meta discussion regarding plotting and the parts of mystery novels, recognizing Freytag's pyramid even if it wasn't outright named.  It was a fun plot twist, and it explains a lot about the world Rainy lives in. The final quarter of the book blurs the lines between fiction and reality a bit, a commentary on the effects that stories have on people. We don't always realize the effects fiction has on us, and this novel shows us in the characters and the authors who are part of the story. Rainy has the best of both worlds, and I truly loved the finale. There's a happily ever after not only for her, within the bounds of the story, but also for the other characters she meets. 

Buy The Book Witch at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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