Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil

By: Oliver Darkshire

Narrated by: Oliver Darkshire

A hilarious and surprisingly moving cozy fantasy novel from the best-selling author of Once Upon a Tome.

In a tiny farm on the edge of the miserable village of East Grasby, Isabella Nagg is trying to get on with her tiny, miserable existence. Dividing her time between tolerating her feckless husband, caring for the farm’s strange animals, cooking up “scrunge,” and crooning over her treasured pot of basil, Isabella can’t help but think that there might be something more to life. When Mr. Nagg returns home with a spell book purloined from the local wizard, she thinks: what harm could a little magic do?

This debut novel by beloved rare bookseller and memoirist Oliver Darkshire reimagines a heroine of Boccaccio’s Decameron in a delightfully deranged world of talking plants, walking corpses, sentient animals, and shape-shifting sorcerers. As Isabella and her grouchy, cat-like companion set off to save the village from an entrepreneurial villain running a goblin-fruit Ponzi scheme, Darkshire’s tale revels in the ancient books and arcane folklore of a new and original kind of enchantment.

A delightful and entertaining story of self-discovery—as well as fungus, capitalism, and sorcery—Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is a story for those who can’t help but find magic even in the oddest and most baffling circumstances.

©2025 Oliver Darkshire (P)2025 Hodder and Stoughton, Limited

Terry Pratchett would be proud

Fun, playful, well-read, and witty. So much fun. I immediately bought another book by this author.

What a surprise!

I confess: I didn't think I was going to get anywhere in this book. The prologue was very confusing. But, on reflection, I'd say you have to be in the right mind set when you start this story.

The story itself will not disappoint.

The story is read by the author. I've grown to like stories read by the author because I think you get something much more authentic. The author knows when something is supposed to be funny and you can almost hear it in their voice before they get to the funny part. I enjoy that and I feel like I am sitting with the author as they read it.

This is a new to me author and I got this book on a whimsy. I might be a new fan.

There were some absolutely brilliant parts that I savored and I want to say Kudos to the author!

It comes together like a well done three-part harmony.

Thank you to your sister for asking for a story. 🤗