The Witch of Tophet County

Paperback, 266 pages

English language

Published Jan. 9, 2016 by Podium Publishing, ULC.

ISBN:: 9781039452251

(1 review)

The witch of Tophet County has three primary preoccupations: Kentucky bourbon, Amish romance novels . . . and protecting her true identity from the chthonic monsters who rule humanity with an iron tentacle.

Despite her best efforts to get fired, the witch is trapped in a draconian, century-long contract that condemns her to work for the Archons of the Nether Realms in the banal misery of county government. But when she accidentally pleases her many-armed overlords, the Dread Lord of Human Resources curses her with an unwanted promotion. And it involves MEETINGS.

As she enters a new bureaucratic hellscape, the witch is assigned to lead a task force investigating recent attacks on senior Archons. Fortunately, her boss has offered her a deal: if she solves the case, they'll knock fifteen years off her sentence. And if that doesn't work out, well, she might just have to find a way to …

The witch of Tophet County has three primary preoccupations: Kentucky bourbon, Amish romance novels . . . and protecting her true identity from the chthonic monsters who rule humanity with an iron tentacle.

Despite her best efforts to get fired, the witch is trapped in a draconian, century-long contract that condemns her to work for the Archons of the Nether Realms in the banal misery of county government. But when she accidentally pleases her many-armed overlords, the Dread Lord of Human Resources curses her with an unwanted promotion. And it involves MEETINGS.

As she enters a new bureaucratic hellscape, the witch is assigned to lead a task force investigating recent attacks on senior Archons. Fortunately, her boss has offered her a deal: if she solves the case, they'll knock fifteen years off her sentence. And if that doesn't work out, well, she might just have to find a way to help take down the tentaclarchy--or else be doomed to permanent civil servitude . . .

Filled with quick-witted banter, hilariously relatable office politics, and fantastically original characters, The Witch of Tophet County is Lovecraft meets "Parks and Recreation"--an explosive start to a new series guaranteed to have you glued to your seat until the very last page.

1 edition

Annie the Book reviewed The Witch of Tophet County by J.H. Schiller

The Witch of Tophet County, by J.H. Schiller

4 stars

While I think everyone has had a job that they were desperate to leave at some point in their life, no one has ever been as desperate as the eponymous protagonist of The Witch of Tophet County, the delightfully chaotic and entertaining novel by J.H. Schiller. The Witch only has a few weeks left to somehow get out of her contract with the Elder Gods that have taken over the world (the story is hilarious). If she can’t find a way out, she has to work for them forever or until her untimely death. Standing in the Witch’s way are a host of whacky distractions, clients who want a quick hex, and a mystery that only she can solve...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.