‘You accused Mia of being a witch and bewitching your father. Do you remember that?

When a young woman is found murdered at the foot of Pendle Hill, the obvious suspect is Will Perkins, a local schizophrenic who recently denounced Mia as a witch and sought her arrest. When DCI Liam Doyle and his team arrive to investigate, Will is already in custody and the local police are certain they’ve caught the killer, but Doyle is less sure. Where is the evidence?

What’s it about?

As DCI Doyle and his team investigate Mia’s death, they start to uncover evidence that she may have been involved in criminal activity – then there’s another brutal murder… Can Perkins really be behind these vicious deaths, or is the answer closer to home?

Meanwhile, DS Anna Morgan is still recovering from the brutal kidnapping and assault she suffered while investigating their last major case. Can she regain her confidence while investigating another violent killer?

What’s it like?

Brisk and methodical but spiced with good humour. When Doyle suspects a fellow officer of misdoing, he sets a trap and enjoys the officer’s fall. Spargo keeps the pace moving and the procedural elements flow logically, supporting an interesting storyline.

I liked the balance of time devoted to the case versus time devoted to the officer’s private lives. In particular, it was good to resolve a thread left hanging from ‘Cut Short’ by the end of this story.

Final thoughts

I enjoyed reading ‘Witch Hunt’, as much for the characterisation (including the mental health nurse who cheerfully tells her patient that, ‘I know when you are properly mad, and you’re not like that now’,) as the story telling. I love when stories feel real (whilst also having the kind of definite conclusion that they might lack in real life!) and Spargo’s work in mental health services shines through here.

Having thoroughly enjoyed book 1 (‘Cut Short‘) and book 2 in this series, I shall look forward to book 3 featuring DCI Doyle and his team.

‘Witch Hunt’,
BD Spargo,
2025, Howfen Press, paperback
Many thanks to the author, publisher and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and a spot on the blog tour.

Want to know more? Follow the tour: