The Witch’s Orchard, the first in a new series by Archer Sullivan, I had no ideal what to expect but let me tell you I was blown away by this debut. This new series follows PI investigator Annie Gore, she was hired by a young boy to find his sister, who went missing ten years ago. Annie travels to a small town in the mountains of North Carolina, where she learns that three young girls went missing ten years ago and one was returned a few days later. I absolutely loved everything about this book, I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait till the next book in this series. Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this arc. I highly recommend this book to anybody that likes a good mystery.

It looks like this is the first in what will be a new series--and what good news that is!

Annie Gore is a PI: ex-military and struggling. As the story gets going, she agrees to meet with a potential client from Quartz Creek, NC--Max Andrews--who tells his tale about 3 girls who disappeared 10 years ago. One was found--the rest (including his sister) were not.

Things get intriguing and unsettling from there (ug, the apple head doll!) The story is filled with creepy atmosphere and compelling tales from the Appalachian setting. This is more mystery than thriller, but totally worth the slow burn.

Fantastic setting, fantastic mystery--fantastic debut. I can't wait to see (I hope) another one in this series.

I love a good atmospheric Appalachian setting and The Witch’s Orchard delivers on it. Mystery, myths, and mysticism, what more could you ask for?

I really liked Annie as a character. Former military, private detective, tough, she’s like a female Reacher. Some of her dialogue came off a little flat at times, but I still really like her. It feels like this may be the start of a series featuring Annie, and I hope it is. There definitely feels like there’s more to her story.

The mystery kept me guessing. Just when I thought I knew who it was, there’d be another breadcrumb dropped and I’d change to someone else. Some of the events that took place felt a little OTT for the scope of a week in this small town, but I was able to suspend reality enough to enjoy this procedural.

Triggers: kidnapping, alluded to SA

The Witch’s Orchard is a wonderful debut novel. Archer Sullivan truly captures the magic and mystery of the Appalachians.

Set in a North Carolina holler, PI Annie Gore tries to unravel a 10 year old mystery to find two missing little girls.

Plenty of suspects and folklore to keep you entertained. I enjoyed all but the final resolution. The first part was believable but the second part didn’t work for me.

What a tasty treat of a mystery this book is! The Witches Orchard chronicles the disappearance of 3 little girls, and the affect on the small community they all live in. PI Annie Gore, who comes from a similar small town, is hired by the brother of one of the victims to find out what actually happened to his sister, and hopefully find her. Annie has has a childhood history of her own that comes back to haunt her as she searches for Molly, and ultimately for the other missing girl.

I loved how this book was written, how it shows that the the past comes back to haunt us, and how a local legend has a huge impact on what happened to the girls, and why it has taken so long for local law enforcement and the FBI to figure things out. I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in one day! I can’t wait to see what Archer Sullivan comes out with next!

This was an absolute page turner and a fantastic read! I loved every minute of it! I would highly recommend this book!

3.7
Hey, look, no complaints, genuinely. Also? I know I'm not going to think of this again after tomorrow, ever. So, no problem, but, no protien either.

I can't tell you why that first paragraph hooked me - "Roxanne's has a smell that is somewhere between bacon grease, burnt coffee, and sticky-sweet pecan pie. The linoleum on the floor hasn't been replaced since the fifties..." And so this story begins. I live a stone's throw from Asheville - and the story takes place in a small village close to Asheville.
Annie Gore is a private detective, apparently without much work. A young man, Max, hires her to determine what happened to his sister 10 years ago. She agrees to work for 1 week only - because his sister is quite obviously dead.
This town is a wee bit strange - no one much wants to talk to her - so she's combing through every living witness from that time. Some folks are just downright rude, including the sheriff who gives her a rather severe warning.
Things just get stranger when Max's sister, now in her teens, turns up dead - having been strangled. And - another small girl is kidnapped. The plot revolves in numerous circles - and I just KNEW who was behind it all - except that I really didn't.
I love Annie's car, Honey - probably on its last spark plug and yet manages to get Annie where she needs to go.
A LOVELY story and I really do hope this is the beginning of a series. I do appreciate St. Martins Press for providing this advanced copy for review.

This was an engaging mystery with an intriguing setting and a protagonist I would definitely like to read more about. I believe this is the author's first novel and I hope it won't be her last. I did feel like the story suffered a bit from too many threads and a bit of a convoluted conclusion, but overall it was compelling and kept me guessing.

This was a great read. Annie the PI heads to a small town in the Appalachians to try to solve the mysterious disappearance of two young girls ten years before. Lots of suspense and potential suspects kept me reading it in one sitting. The twist was good. The dialogue sharp and realistic. I would have liked a little more backstory on Annie. There were lots of snippets of her childhood and her time in the Air Force. Not sure why we didn’t get more, unless another story is coming!
A really strong debut from an author I can’t wait to read more of.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I really loved The Witch’s Orchard—it was spooky, mysterious, and hard to put down. Thank you for allowing me to read the arc! The setting was creepy in the best way, and the story slowly pulled me in with its mix of folklore, family secrets, and a touch of magic. The writing was beautiful without being too complicated, and I liked how the truth came out bit by bit. Overall, it was a haunting and memorable read. If you like dark stories with a twist of the supernatural, this one’s a must-read. 4.5 stars!!

The author is an incredible storyteller. The story wrapped around me as I was reading it. There are twists and turns. A bit of suspense and some shocking discoveries. This is a new author to me but I will definitely be reading more of her books. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I absolutely loved this book. This reviewer couldn't stop reading yet didn't want the story to end. I became totally immersed in the unique characters and Appalachian setting of The Witches Orchard.

The protagonist, private detective Annie Gore, is easy to like. She's smart, former military, and desperately in need of cash. When she's hired to solve a cold case involving missing girls kidnapped ten years earlier, her arrival to town is like a grenade tossed in a beehive.

Despite the chaos her investigation causes, allies come to her aid. Through the eyes of desperate mothers, a bakery owner, a hunky sheriff's deputy who adds romance to the story, and the grieving brother who saves every penny to hire Annie, she sifts through clues to expose the kidnapper. Annie interviews possible witnesses and explores the town in her vintage Japanese car named Honey, giving readers additional insight into Annie's personality.

I could go on and on about the colorful images in this mystery novel, but I suggest you read the book. Archer Sullivan's writing is stellar, the pacing is excellent, and the storyline captivating. I cannot wait to reconnect with Annie Gore in book two of what I assume is a new series. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

I’ve been wanting to find a new mystery series and I think I might have found a good one! The Witch’s Orchard is a debut novel, and it pulled me in quickly. Annie is an interesting character with a background that I really, really want to know more about. There are hints throughout about some past experiences and relationships that were intriguing. I actually think the author could have developed the character’s background just a tad more to set up what I think will be a series.

I liked the small town dynamics and Appalachian atmosphere. The use of the local folklore was interesting and added to the creepiness of what was going on. I look forward to reading more from Sullivan!

A great debut with good pacing and intriguing characters! The story takes place in the Appalachian Mountains (turns out, near my hometown!) and I felt that the author did the setting and the locals justice. I really enjoyed the FMC and appreciate that there were just enough skeletons in her closet revealed to make me hopeful for a sequel. The conclusion of the story felt a little bit predictable and rushed, but all in all it was a solid 3-3.5 ⭐️ read. I would happily pick up more of the author’s work in the future, and would recommend this to those who enjoy a well-paced mystery.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First my thanks to St Martins Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this novel 🫶

As always, I see a book with “Appalachia” in the description and I gotta get my grubby little hands on it and as always I was not disappointed.

This book is a fantastic fall read full of folklore, mystery, and suspense.

Our main character is a PI and a mountain holler girl herself. She is tasked with finding girls who went missing over 10 years ago in a different, although similar, mountain holler.

Through her investigation she uncovers truths about the people of the town that many of them would rather keep hidden. As she interviews the locals she must untangle the truth from the folklore and the prejudice while keeping her own history and biases in check.

Will she complete her mission in Quartz Creek and find the missing girls or will her questions just stir up more trouble in an already troubled town?

The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan was soooo good!

The characterization went above and beyond what I am accustomed to. The slow build doling out bits and pieces of the main character, Annie's background and allowing the reader to experience what motivated her was masterful..

Moreover, the setting--was atmospheric--somewhat creepy. The gradual immersion into the community and getting to know the people who lived there brought the book to life.

I'd love more books about Annie, so I hope there will be more.

So good! I really liked Annie, the main character. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Appalachian small town and really want to go to that bakery. A few twists and I didn't guess who did it. Great debut! Hopefully this is a series? I'll be looking forward to more!

I have to say I absolutely loved this book! The main character, Annie, was believable and very human and did not do dumb thing after dumb thing. I liked that the story had folklore, witches and small town drama. This book helped me get out of a book slump I've been in for awhile. I really hope this continues on as a series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc for my honest opinion.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Witch’s Orchard.
This novel centers on Annie Gore a former military officer who is sent to Appalachia to help solve a missing child mystery.
Annie is a great example of how strong female character.
This is not a typical missing case mystery. The locale and writing is very different from others I have read
A bit slow but the details are interesting and important to the story.
A good read3.5 stars.