Witch Hunt

Joint Task Force 13 (JTF 13), Book 4

By: Casey Moores

Narrated by: Talon Beeson

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

They’ll fight the unseen evil, on the land or on the sea!

During one of the earliest blockade actions of the Civil War, Sergeant Alexander Philips of the United States Marine Corps witnesses an unspeakable horror. With no explanation, he finds himself in charge of a group of hotheads and misfits in a strange, unorthodox unit. His new commander is the enigmatic Lieutenant Addison Green, who knows nothing about the military, but a great deal about something else entirely. He comes bearing a collection of weapons geared toward fighting something other than Confederates.

The marines of M Company take part in the Battle of Roanoke Island, doing a job far different than that of the other soldiers. They learn their true purpose - hunting the monsters that flood into the world in times of conflict. In the jungles of Roanoke, they find their first mission - to hunt down the mysterious woman in white, a witch who commands the legions of hell and enchants the unsuspecting.

Their journey takes them through Saint Augustine and behind enemy lines to New Orleans, where they find an even greater threat to the Union than they ever expected.

©2021 Casey Moores (P)2022 Three Ravens Publishing

10% witch, 90% Historical Fiction

This was not what I was expecting. From the description, I was expecting a whole lot of spooky New Orleans, monsters, and voodoo witch action. What I got was a decent piece of historical fiction about the Civil War with a handful of witchy moments. The story isn’t bad, and the supernatural moments are kind of fun, though a little lackluster in terms of overall world building. If you like historical military fiction, you’ll probably love this. If you’re hoping for pervasive monster brawls and supernatural weirdness, you’ll probably be happier somewhere else.

My rating here is based on what I see as the objective quality of the story, not how much I enjoyed it personally. This was definitely not my thing, but it’s a solid fit if you’re into the sort of story this is.

A jewel in the crown of the JTF franchise!

Moores has crafted a well-researched (notes included) tale of adventure and heroism set in one of the darkest periods of our Nation's past. Within, he intricately weaves real persons and events with a tale of the fantastic. Stretching from the sinking of the Governor, to the Lost Colony, to the Battle of New Orleans, Special Unit 'M' charges the field to put an end to an evil that is as vile as they come.
Pick this one up, you will not be disappointed!
Side note, this story recently won Best Historical Fiction Novel at Imaginarium Con 2022.