The Curse of The Wax Witch coming July 31st, 2026 from Ellis & Mars Press; 256 pages
Content Warning: Death, gore, violence, animal attacks
About the Author: “I am a writer and illustrator from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I now live in Yorkshire, UK with my husband. I enjoy food, traveling, going to the theatre, taking walks, watching movies and playing video games. I play a lot of video games. I have a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from The Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a Master’s in Media from Leeds Beckett University” (Bio from author’s Goodreads profile).
Find Katie Lee Mars on the following platforms:
Ruth Jones has moved to the historic town of Lorewood with her parents and her younger sister Gabby. They are all trying to start over from a place of grief that could only follow them around forever in the town she once called home. However, with her first Halloween in Lorewood approaching, and the discovery of a strange necklace in her attic, it becomes clear grief has been haunting Lorewood for decades—in the form of a vicious curse which makes children disappear not just from their homes, but from all memory. With the help of her stalwart friends Ben and Sarah, and a grieving ghost named Eddie, Ruth sets out on a mission to save the children who are disappearing one by one and finally put Lorewood’s darkest secret to rest.
The historic background of Lorewood was both charming and put to real work in the world-building surrounding the curse. Every reveal around the town’s history both immersed me further into the setting and engaged me into the decades-old conspiracy buried in hidden documents and memories from the townsfolk which didn’t add up. The dialogue between Ruth and the rest of the gang was snippy and sprinkled with funny Halloween pop culture references, so anyone who’s a fan of the holiday will enjoy getting a tour around Lorewood while searching for clues. That said, beyond the snippy dialogue the characters demonstrate a legitimately healthy foundation for friendship. Ben and Ruth introduce Eddie to the wonders of the internet and help him confront his guilt in a productive way. Ruth and Sarah never linger long on misunderstandings and each stand up for each other. Ben keeps the train moving when everyone else becomes uncertain or starts to lose hope. It’s uplifting to see characters with healthy relationships who hold each other up in crisis without descending into ungrounded drama. The horror scenes rely more on physical or situational elements than psychological ones, with common Halloween icons like pumpkins being warped into light-devouring spectres that enclose their victims in darkness. I do wish Mayor Wilson had been given more attention as an obstacle to the characters, but I’m satisfied with how her thread in the plot was wrapped up. Overall, I’d call this a charmingly nostalgic Halloween detective story with an affection for all things spooky.
The Curse of The Wax Witch releases on July 31st, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Ellis & Mars Press for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Julia Smith, Pine Reads Review Writer and Editor