by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder is a debut novel by author K. Valetin and absolutely delightful in the weirdest and best possible way.

Mateo Borrero has a bit of a problem – his bruja mother (who is currently missing) trapped a demon in his body when he was born. Yet his own mother told him never, ever to use magic. Living with a demon inside your body isn’t easy, and Mateo desperately wants an exorcism, which requires funds Mateo doesn’t have.

Enter rich socialite Topher who also has a problem – he’s plagued by a curse that keeps killing the people around him. So even though Mateo isn’t supposed to use magic, what’s the harm in pairing up with his best friend Ophelia, calling himself an Occult Specialist and charging a few bucks to help Topher out? What sounds easy enough is anything but, and the group finds themselves in the midst of a deadly magical conspiracy. Oh, and the more magic Mateo does, the stronger the demon inside him grows….

I had no idea what to expect when I opened this book, and I found myself cackling as I read along. This is so much fun and hilarious. It may sound dark, but the storytelling is charming and snarky and weird and lovable.

The writing captures the amateur nature of Mateo as an Occult Specialist perfectly. He’s bumbling and Ophelia is endearing and Topher is clueless, and I love them all. And as the story moves forward, the layers of the plot are impressive. Come for the adorable weirdness and stay for the twisty, not so simple mystery.

This is perfect seasonal reading – the witchy weirdness will have readers turning the pages and opening their hearts to the endearing demon-possessed Mateo.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copy of An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “amateur witch” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 1, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.