What do you think?
Rate this book
Jane Lawless #9
Hunting the Witch
Jane Lawless reluctantly teams up with her good friend and partner, Cordelia Thorn to investigate a murder, in which her former lover, Dr. Julia Martinson, may know something about. Reprint.
388 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1999
5 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Hart
72 books222 followersEllen Hart is the author of twenty-eight crime novels in two different series. She is a five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery, a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Best Popular Fiction, a three-time winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award in several categories, a recipient of the Alice B Medal, and was made an official GLBT Literary Saint at the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans in 2005. In 2010, Ellen received the GCLS Trailblazer Award for lifetime achievement in the field of lesbian literature. For the past fourteen years, Ellen has taught "An Introduction to Writing the Modern Mystery" through the The Loft Literary Center, the largest independent writing community in the nation. Ellen's latest Sophie Greenway mystery is No Reservations Required (Ballantine). Rest for the Wicked, the twentieth Jane Lawless mystery, will be released by St. Martin's/Minotaur in October 2012. Bella Books has recently revived the out-of-print books by publishing them in both trade paperback and E-book. Ellen lives in the Minneapolis area with her partner of over 35 years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 12, 2023
Finally finished the three book arc of Julia.
I did suspect from the setup. A doctor in the 90's who sees primarily men in an LGBTQIA+ series. It was always going to be what it was.
And despite the triggering persistence of:
"When he was growing up, everyone told him he was sick and sinful just for being who he was. I wish to God he could have grown up twenty years later. He might have had a chance at a more normal life."
which remains true even twenty-three years (or technically four decades) after the book was published, the story feels aged. Perhaps it's the tape recorder and the answer phones. It's dated in that sense.
Yet it's still relevant.
I was in churches where they spread this kind of hate; they spread the message that it was less of a mortal sin to kill yourself than be gay. And that takes a lot of unpacking, so it's still a little raw. That this book is still so relevant in the hatred and social judgement present in society is disappointing.
They tell us it gets better, but it doesn't. The closet is just another coffin.
I did go into this knowing the series would hit these chords consistently, but it's not so much the books as the fact that being gay still ruins careers; that people still have to hide who they are to 'save face'.
The book itself? Very well done. Jane is completely unhinged and I love all her toxic relationship choices. She's on a downward spiral and it's excellent. She's attacked by the same person 4 times. She's reliant entirely on pain medication and alcohol and a cane. She goes into an abandoned building where someone was murdered twice. She meets a homeless man down by a bridge at night. She repeatedly gives her shady ladies so many extra chances.
It's a miserable book, and it's completely endearing in its misery. So many books in this genre overpower the protagonist, don't give them any flaws. But Jane Lawless is human and flawed and very, very well done.
18 books to go.
I did suspect from the setup. A doctor in the 90's who sees primarily men in an LGBTQIA+ series. It was always going to be what it was.
And despite the triggering persistence of:
"When he was growing up, everyone told him he was sick and sinful just for being who he was. I wish to God he could have grown up twenty years later. He might have had a chance at a more normal life."
which remains true even twenty-three years (or technically four decades) after the book was published, the story feels aged. Perhaps it's the tape recorder and the answer phones. It's dated in that sense.
Yet it's still relevant.
I was in churches where they spread this kind of hate; they spread the message that it was less of a mortal sin to kill yourself than be gay. And that takes a lot of unpacking, so it's still a little raw. That this book is still so relevant in the hatred and social judgement present in society is disappointing.
They tell us it gets better, but it doesn't. The closet is just another coffin.
I did go into this knowing the series would hit these chords consistently, but it's not so much the books as the fact that being gay still ruins careers; that people still have to hide who they are to 'save face'.
The book itself? Very well done. Jane is completely unhinged and I love all her toxic relationship choices. She's on a downward spiral and it's excellent. She's attacked by the same person 4 times. She's reliant entirely on pain medication and alcohol and a cane. She goes into an abandoned building where someone was murdered twice. She meets a homeless man down by a bridge at night. She repeatedly gives her shady ladies so many extra chances.
It's a miserable book, and it's completely endearing in its misery. So many books in this genre overpower the protagonist, don't give them any flaws. But Jane Lawless is human and flawed and very, very well done.
18 books to go.
May 1, 2012
#9 in this series featuring Minneapolis restaurateur Jane Lawless. Jane, still injured both physically and psychologically from the attack she suffered in the last book, is trying to recover and make some decisions about her relationship with Julia, who is still encouraging Jane to give her another chance, despite the lies and secrets between them. Even now, Julia speaks of "having a talk to clear the air" but it never seems to happen--and when Jane is attacked by a man with a gun at Julia's cabin, she's even less inclined to be forgiving.
Meanwhile, Patricia Kastner, a young woman who has shown an interest in Jane, gets tangled up in a murder that happened at the Winter Garden, a hotel she has purchased and is hoping to renovate. The murdered man also has ties back to Julia, as Jane discovers when his wife (who had her husband followed by a PI) seeks Julia out demanding answers. Jane begins turning to alcohol more and more to help her sleep and also deal with the pain from her injuries, and her friends are all concerned about her.
This was another book that I did not particularly like--it was okay, and I know that in real life, people go through rough times, but seeing Jane in this state is somewhat distressing, perhaps because I do think of her as a friend. I hope she is on the mend soon and back to her old self.
Meanwhile, Patricia Kastner, a young woman who has shown an interest in Jane, gets tangled up in a murder that happened at the Winter Garden, a hotel she has purchased and is hoping to renovate. The murdered man also has ties back to Julia, as Jane discovers when his wife (who had her husband followed by a PI) seeks Julia out demanding answers. Jane begins turning to alcohol more and more to help her sleep and also deal with the pain from her injuries, and her friends are all concerned about her.
This was another book that I did not particularly like--it was okay, and I know that in real life, people go through rough times, but seeing Jane in this state is somewhat distressing, perhaps because I do think of her as a friend. I hope she is on the mend soon and back to her old self.
August 6, 2024
I really enjoy this series. Jane is torn about her lover Julia and still recovering from her wounds from her last case. When a new one lands in her lap the tensions between her and Julia reach boiling point
July 8, 2022
I am a fan of the Jane Lawless series. I like the protagonist and her friends plus the setting is the Twin Cities and I can literally follow the auto routes described and see the lake and neighborhoods. I like the fact that this book had a small number of suspects and kept me guessing almost to the end. I don't understand the derivation of the title, but I enjoyed the mystery and will keep reading the series. Kristi & Abby Tabby
September 19, 2020
Very interesting conclusion to some of Jane’s emotional/relationship turmoil. Also quite interesting reading about AIDS and closeted gay men in 2020 when the book was original written/published in 1999.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2019
9 down.
January 30, 2023
Definitely the most intense book of the series so far, I really enjoyed seeing this side of Jane.
September 10, 2023
I always love Ellen Hart's books! She never fails to provide great reading!
December 9, 2024
Julia is insufferable but the book is just as interesting as the rest
January 22, 2025
randomly picked this up secondhand and was expecting it to be saucy but actually it was just a rather enjoyable, gripping murder mystery
Read
May 10, 2014Hunting the Witch, by Ellen Hart, a-minus, Narrated by Aimee Jolson, Produced by Audible Inc., downloaded from audible.com.
This book begins immediately after Jane Lawless has survived an attack which left her with a head injury that is slowly healing, but also has left her with panic attacks and nightmares. The book begins with Jane being very connected to Dr. Julia Martinson, whom she had decided to break up with because she hid too many secrets and lied to Jane about what she was doing. These lies were meant to protect Jane but they put her right in the middle of Julia’s problems placing them both in danger. In the meantime, the sister of the man who was her tenant in the last book lives right next door and continues to be attracted to her. Jane and Julia uncover the truth and live to breathe another day. Very good.
This book begins immediately after Jane Lawless has survived an attack which left her with a head injury that is slowly healing, but also has left her with panic attacks and nightmares. The book begins with Jane being very connected to Dr. Julia Martinson, whom she had decided to break up with because she hid too many secrets and lied to Jane about what she was doing. These lies were meant to protect Jane but they put her right in the middle of Julia’s problems placing them both in danger. In the meantime, the sister of the man who was her tenant in the last book lives right next door and continues to be attracted to her. Jane and Julia uncover the truth and live to breathe another day. Very good.
October 21, 2014
I have now read nine of these and each time they get better and better. I am loving the series, loving the characters and enjoying the mysteries. Ellen Hart has honed her writing skill and you can tell she loves her characters.
Jane is a wounded woman with foibles and her supporting cast of characters are definitely characters. It is interesting to read about the contemporary gay community just 10 or 15 years past and see how much has changed, so dramatically. Jane hasn't fully recovered from her attack in the last book and dealing with those consequences, her secretive lover, her potential other paramour, and now a mystery that involves all of them brings things to a boil.
Can't wait to read number 10.
Jane is a wounded woman with foibles and her supporting cast of characters are definitely characters. It is interesting to read about the contemporary gay community just 10 or 15 years past and see how much has changed, so dramatically. Jane hasn't fully recovered from her attack in the last book and dealing with those consequences, her secretive lover, her potential other paramour, and now a mystery that involves all of them brings things to a boil.
Can't wait to read number 10.
February 23, 2013
I got this book as it was recommended at a Loft Literary Center book event. I suspect now that it was recommended because the author is a longtime Loft participant and for the local interest, since it takes place in the Twin Cities and has lots of local references. I found it to be a not-very-well written mystery--I read the first few chapters and skimmed the rest.
February 10, 2011
The Jane Lawless mysteries are intelligent, interesting reads. This one was a little annoying, however, because it seemed very illogical that Jane would allow someone she didn't trust back into her life so completely. The earlier books in the series were better, I thought.
April 20, 2016
The first of Hart's books for me. The first 2/3 of the book were not bad mystery. The last 100 pages were excellent with interesting twists and turns. Also I enjoyed the character development in the final chapters
May 9, 2016
Ms. Hart sure can write a good mystery. I would also say this is a thriller, insofar there's a thrill a minute. The cast of characters are memorable.
Jane & her cohorts are again mixed up in murder and intrigue.
A wild ride!
Jane & her cohorts are again mixed up in murder and intrigue.
A wild ride!
February 25, 2011
I enjoy the main character, Jane Lawless. I admire her courage and the way she copes with adversity. She comes across as real. The plot was good. The ending was realistic.
April 25, 2011
Fast-moving, entertaining light read. I love the cast of attractive lesbian characters!
August 15, 2011
It was not her best, but I finished it.
Read
February 27, 2014Greatly enjoy Ellen Hart and Jane Lawless. Would recommend them.
July 1, 2015
This one in the series got a little melodramatic for me, but I'll just keep truckin' for now...
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews