I like not being able to guess the ending. I kept changing my mind and just when I thought I knew who was responsible, the plot would twist again!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan is a beautifully eerie small-town mystery steeped in quiet tension. Sullivan deftly distorts reality, drawing the reader into a psychological fog where nothing (or anyone) can be trusted.

I really enjoyed Annie, the lead PI, whose unwavering commitment to the missing feels deeply personal. Her journey is rooted in grief, memory, and the pursuit of truth. This book is emotionally resonant and well-paced. The slow unraveling of the town’s secrets never feels rushed, and the blend of Appalachian folklore and witchcraft adds to the mystery.

This is a mildly fast-paced mystery that I flew through. I loved the moody setting, the layered characters, and how the story kept me constantly second-guessing who was responsible for the kidnapping. The web of small-town secrets was genuinely hard to untangle.

It definitely feels like the beginning of a series for Annie, and I hope that’s the case. I’d gladly follow her into another case. A strong, satisfying mystery with a haunting edge.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Annie Gore escaped her bad home life situation immediately after high school graduation to join the military. As a Former Air Force Special Investigator Annie is now getting by as a private investigator, taking her back to the familiar scene of an Appalachian holler similar to where she grew up.

Here’s the case… Ten years ago, three little girls went missing from this tiny mountain town. Weirdly, one child was returned, while the others were never seen again. Ten years later and and still no answere, the brother of one of the girls has saved money to hire an outside investigator. He chose Annie because of her upbringing. She gets mountain towns and mountain people. To everyone, it seems folly or maybe a threat to reopen a cold ten year old case. Annie needs money and takes on the case even though it may dredge up memories of her own painful past.

Set in the slow and quietness of the Blue Ridge, Annie begins to track the truth, delving into a decade of secrets, folklore of witches and crows, and a those who do not want the facts uncovered. Annie’s arrival stirs up danger.


I enjoy reading a mystery featuring a female Investigator and Annie Gore is an interesting one, being ex military, and the product of an abusive household. I like that she drives this 50 year old Datsun she lovingly calls Honey. Honey is nearly her own character.

Annie is now on the trail to find the whereabouts of the missing sister. Ten years ago the little girl’s family was considered trailer trash so the search for her was minimal at best. Olivia, is the child who was returned possibly because she's a nonverbal autistic girl seen as damaged goods. She is the niece of the current sheriff. The thing tying the abductions together is the appearance of an apple-head doll left at the site of each disappearance. Now that’s creepy!

The characters in this saga are fascinating subjects: the preacher and his wife, the abusive dad and his criminal cousins, the wealthy piano teacher, and the witch in the woods who reads tarot cards and makes herbal remedies. All seem a little suspect.

While the story is not thrilling, it’s for readers who who enjoy a slow burn tale peppered with mountain folklore. As the story waned three fourths of the way through, I kept reading and was rewarded with a satisfying ending.

Much recommended

I devoured this one! Such a good book, with a bad-ass female lead and a solid plot. The pacing was perfect, the setting immersive, and the character development satisfyingly complex. I did not know for sure who the villain was until close to the end, and even then I wasn't 100% sure until they were revealed on the page.

I hope this is the beginning of a series, as I would totally read more books featuring Annie Gore solving cases in the hollers of Appalachia (or elsewhere). Plus, I need to know more about her situationship with Leo...

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Appalachian folklore collides with a story of two missing girls in a rural community.

Loved
- The atmosphere and setting created by the author. It was perfect for this kind of mystery!
- The way the folktale of the witch evolved depending on who told the story giving hints to each character
- The plot twist of who killed Molly
- The culture of the rural community felt so real!

Meh
- The relationship between Annie and AJ felt very one dimensional and like it was shoehorned into the plot
- I wanted to know more about Annie than the tidbits of her past that we were given

This is not my usual type of book, but I was completely hooked and felt like I was transported to Appalachia

Whew, I really enjoyed this mystery set deep in the mountains complete with family loyalty, family disloyalty, dolls, a witch's tale and mystery.

I'm guessing this is the first in an upcoming series and if it's not, it should be.

I thought Annie was a tough cookie, but also a character determined to figure out the mystery of the disappearing girls - no matter what.

I thought the details were perhaps a bit too repetitive at times, but overall the pacing of the book was good.

This was a fun, yet deep summer mystery read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books for an e-copy of THE WITCH'S ORCHARD to review.

I rate THE WITCH'S ORCHARD four out of five stars.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan finds our main character, P.I. Annie Gore, back in an Appalachian mountain town much like the one she grew up in. She’s been tasked with finding a young girl who went missing along with two other kidnappings several years ago.
The milieu is perfect: the surface friendliness but wariness of outsiders, the natural beauty, the despair from a long depressed economy, the rural setting, the resilience, independence and hope, mixed in with local religion, folktales, and a touch of the paranormal. There is an eeriness beyond just the missing girls that hangs palpably over the story.
Annie is a strong character. She’s smart, experienced, and able to defend herself but she also relates to the people around her. She has her own demons to fight from her childhood and recognizes that others likely do, too. Quite a bit of her background is left unexplored. Hopefully there will be more to come in potential sequels.
The mystery itself was not the best nor the worst. It had twists and red herrings but was not overly complicated. This is a more of a slow burn; there is enough going on that it did not seem slow or dragged down, but it is not a thriller that races from one thing to the next.
This was a captivating and well-written novel. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.
4 stars

This was a good mystery set in a run small mountain town in North Carolina. I really liked the protagonist, great character. It moved a bit slow at times, but overall I was very surprised at the end.

If a book can get me through the anxiety of flying—a tall order—I have to recommend it. The Witch’s Orchard is a twisty, satisfying read with an excellent main character and wonderfully sketched secondary characters and setting. I read it in two giant gulps while on a plane and am immensely satisfied.

Annie is a great lead—she’s imperfect, but smart and tough. I really enjoyed how Sullivan pulled back the layers of her throughout the story. I also really enjoyed how the author described Quartz Creek and its residents. Her clear-eyed observations but also clear affection for Appalachia come through in her story, and the direct sense of purpose and place kept me reading. Not that that was an issue, given the well-paced and tautly woven plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books
for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.


cool and suprising thriller filled to the brim with all sorts of twists. would definitely recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan is a beautifully written and atmospheric read that draws you into its eerie world. It captured my attention right from the beginning but then the pacing got too slow for my attention. I found myself skimming in the middle and there were moments when I wished the plot would pick up a bit faster. But once I got into the rhythm of it, I found myself pulled in by the mystery and the creeping sense of dread that builds with each chapter.

If you’re someone who enjoys a slow burn with folklore inspired vibe, this book is definitely worth your time. Just be patient, it will reward you in the end.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

There is nothing I love more than a book that grabs me from the start. The Witch’s Orchard is a solid debut thriller that took right off and kept me engaged throughout. Ten years ago, three little girls went missing in a small Appalachian town in North Carolina. Ex-military turned private investigator Annie Gore is hired by the brother of one of the missing girls to try to break the cold case. The story is fast-paced and weaves in a bit of folklore and witchcraft, adding some creepy vibes that reminded me of books I read as a child.

Fans of atmospheric mysteries will enjoy this story and there are a few good twists. I did find some aspects of the story to be a bit far-fetched, and without giving too much away, I felt that ten years for a long time to have passed with no one having any suspicions as to what happened to the girls. I also found Annie’s personification and obsession with her old, beat-up car to be odd and kind of annoying as it added nothing to the story.

If you like mystery/thrillers with creepy, witchy vibes you will enjoy this book. The Witch’s Orchard kept my attention throughout, which for me, is the best way to judge a book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I highly recommend The Witch’s Orchard. Archer Sullivan has created an interesting and twisted plot, well-rounded characters, and a very believable protagonist. I hope this is only the first of a long series.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an early copy of this book.
These opinions are solely my own, and not that of the publisher.

I could NOT put this book down! I was hooked from the first page. I finished it within 24 hours.

Private Investigator Annie Gore travels to North Carolina, in the heart of Appalachia, to help with a cold case. Ten years prior, three little girls were kidnapped. One was returned, but the other two have never been found. Annie assumes that the case will be a waste of her time, but the client, the brother of one of the girls who had been taken, is offering an amount of money that Annie cannot refuse.

Annie is sucked into the drama of the small town right away. The town is filled with interesting characters: a local "witch," drug dealers, an abusive husband, a (still) grieving dad, a former high society widow, a helpful cop, a suspicious cop, the local preacher and his wife, a brother who put his life on hold, a baker, and several others. Throughout the book is the local legend of the witch and her two daughters. It threads through the story as various characters tell their version of the legend. Annie comes to realize that this story will help her find the girls (dead or alive) and identify their kidnapper.

It is obvious that Archer Sullivan is planning on turning this into a series. This story comes to a satisfying conclusion, but there are still some unanswered questions about Annie herself. For example: What actually happened to her parents? I also wanted to know more about her Aunt Tina, as well as her close friend, Leo, who was obviously something more than just a friend at one time in Annie's life. Overall, Sullivan creates a terrific Southern Gothic atmosphere in this book, and I look forward to reading more.

Ten years ago, three young girls vanished in a secluded Appalachian holler (valley). In their place, applehead dolls were left behind. One child was eventually returned, but the fate of the others remains an enigma. When the brother of one of the missing girls approaches Annie Gore, a former US Air Force investigator turned independent private eye, she can’t resist the opportunity, especially considering her financial situation. Annie’s upbringing in Appalachia proves invaluable in understanding the townspeople and the pervasive influence of the local legend, “The Witch of Quartz Creek.”

This is a great debut novel. I couldn’t resist reading it in one day; it was captivating and well-written. The atmosphere is immersive, and there are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. Annie stands out as a unique female PI character with her mountain and military background. I like that she maintains her composure even when dealing with insults or rebuffs when approaching individuals of interest. While some elements may seem a bit implausible, the overall experience is engaging and entertaining. As a debut novel, The Witch’s Orchard deserves five stars.

Anne Gore is ex-military and now a PI very much in debt. She is approached by 18 year old Max. He wants to hire her to solve the mystery of his sister’s abduction 10 years ago. Turns out 3 girls had over time been abducted from the small Appalachian town. Anne has lots of suspects but no evidence except applehead dolls left inthe girls place. The setting of Appalachia and folklore adds to the mystery. I enjoyed this story.

Thank you @minotaur_books for the complimentary DRC.

The Witch’s Orchard is an eerie mystery based in the hills of Appalachia. Perfect for fans of slower paced, atmospheric stories, filled with tension and a creeping sense of dread.

I found the pace a little too slow. It starts off well, but once Annie begins her investigations it began to feel repetitive as she seemed to question the same people over and over again without any new insight. There was also folklore about a witch that she kept asking people about, so it was told repeatedly, though with variations. I didn’t get the point. I kept thinking it would someone circle back to the actual story but if it did I totally missed the connection.

I also guessed the baddie early in the book but not the how. When that was explained it seemed a little far-fetched.

Having said that, I did like Annie’s character. I would have preferred a little more character development and further explanation of her back story. However, I’m still intrigued enough that If Sullivan writes another Annie Gore novel I will pick it up.

How great was it to luck into an arc for a story with a female PI that's not done comedically (nothing wrong with that but I am tired of it). Annie Gore is an interesting character, ex military, coming from an abusive household which is relevant later on. She drives a 50 year old Datsun named Honey (who is practically her own character in this) and is always hocking stuff to survive. She gets a job offer by an 18 year old boy, Max, who wants information on his sister's disappearance.

10 years ago three girls went missing in North Carolina's appalachian region and Max's sister was one of them. He wants Annie because she was raised in Appalachia too and feels she'd understand the area, the people. She reluctantly agrees and drives to NC. Ten years ago one little girl went missing but since she was the daughter of an abusive man and his wife, 'trailer trash' no one did anything. But then another girl is taken, Olivia, who is returned because she's a nonverbal autistic child (and the niece of the now sheriff) and a third child is taken. In place of each of them an apple-headed doll is left (non-relevant fact, those things creeped the hell out of me as a kid)

Annie has no shortage of subjects, the preacher and his wife, the abusive dad and his criminal cousins, the wealthy piano teacher, and the witch in the woods (i.e. old mountain woman who reads tarot and makes herbal remedies who I rather identified with).

What I really liked was the folklore aspect of this. There isn't any real witches but rather the story of her. And like oral storytelling traditions go, the story changes with the storyteller. This witch and her crows and her story is important to the story and I loved that.

I am very much looking forward to Annie, especially since we finally get a mystery in which the investigator doesn't do something idiotic to get in danger for the big exciting climax. It's great to see that because so many of them lean so heavy on the crutch of making them do something dumb to get into trouble. This didn't Annie is competent and empathetic. I liked her very much.

Annie Gore is a private investigator who works for herself. She has a consultation with a young man wanting her services. He lives in a rural Appalachian town and wants Annie to locate his sister. He has been saving his money for years to hire a PI. Annie knows the disappearance has been investigated, maybe a new look at the case could bring a break. The townspeople want this mystery solved, but are wary of Annie since she's an outsider. Annie grew up in a small mountain town much like this town, she isn't concerned. As she begins learning the facts of the case and looking around town, strange things begin happening. Annie is intrigued and determined to follow this case to the end.

One of the strengths of this book is the author's obvious love for North Carolina. The descriptions of scenery are lyrical and crafted by someone who cares for the area. Another strength is Annie, the main character. Annie escaped her extremely difficult childhood by enlisting in the military. Her service taught her to be organized and methodical, skills that serve her well as a private investigator. Annie is a character who carries the story; she is essential. There is an obvious choice as to who the abductor is. Twists in the storyline will reveal the true criminal, and Annie does solve the case. Readers will enjoy this captivating tale set in the beauty of small-town North Carolina.

Thank you, NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Archer Sullivan for the early review copy.