The Wind Witch Murders

“Never speak a secret near a butterfly.”

The Wind Witch Murders by Casey Dunn is a modern Southern gothic coming-of-age novel that follows Raven, who lives with her strict religious grandmother since her mother Deanne - the Wind Witch - was sentenced to a psychiatric facility, having been convicted of the murders of two boys. 

In her small Arkansas town, everyone knows the Wind Witch and what she did, and Raven hears whispers about it everywhere she goes. Because Deanne would never speak a word about the day of the murders, either to proclaim her innocence or provide an explanation, everyone assumes she is guilty. 

Deanne dies suddenly, and Raven’s father - whom she had thought dead - reappears, but instead of the answers she thought she might find, she just got more questions - including - is she meant to be the next Wind Witch and what does that even mean? 

The Wind Witch Murders was a surprising mix of gothic, mystery, science, and coming of age with easy to recognize characters and was an easy, cozy read for a long winter night. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the review copy for my honest feedback.