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Such a Witch by Sarah Henning: A Magical-School Murder Mystery With Romance
Sarah Henning's YA fantasy Such a Witch, published July 28, 2026, makes its popular head prefect the prime suspect when a vampire student is murdered at her school for magic.
The premise
Embry Woodcross has her school figured out. She is popular, powerful, and head prefect, the kind of student who believes she knows how everything works. Then a vampire classmate is found dead, and the evidence points at her. With her reputation collapsing, Embry teams up with Rye Knighton to find the real killer before the accusations stick.
The marketing pitch pairs the queen-bee comedy of Clueless with the dark gothic school setting of Wednesday, which gives a sense of the tone: sharp-voiced and funny on the surface, with a genuine mystery and real stakes underneath.
The author
Sarah Henning's earlier books include Sea Witch and Sea Witch Rising, which reimagined the story behind The Little Mermaid, and The Princess Will Save You trilogy. Her full list of works appears on her website. Such a Witch returns her to witches, the territory that launched her career.
What reviewers noticed
Kirkus Reviews reviewed the novel ahead of publication. Early coverage has focused on the blend of genres and on Embry as a heroine who starts out unlikable in the way popular characters often are and has to be knocked off her pedestal before she can grow.
Who it suits
Teen and adult readers of YA fantasy who like mysteries, fans of rivals-to-allies romance, and those who enjoyed boarding-school stories with supernatural students may find it a natural fit. At around 400 pages, the mystery has room to develop.
Searching for the book
Search results for "such a witch" can pull up unrelated phrases and older titles. The edition described here is the 2026 novel by Sarah Henning, US ISBN 9780316584364.
Book details
- Title: Such a Witch
- Author: Sarah Henning
- Publisher: Hachette Book Group (US), Hachette UK
- Published: July 28, 2026
- Length: about 400 pages
- US ISBN: 9780316584364
- UK ISBN: 9781444986341