A solid debut! I definitely enjoyed my time reading The Witch’s Orchard and would love for this to become a series with Annie at the helm.

We start off with Annie getting hired by Max to find his sister who’s been missing for a decade, along with another little girl. The third missing girl returned home after a few days but due to her being non-verbal, isn’t much help in telling everyone where she was or what happened. Annie sets out to attempt to find the other two girls with no leads and basically no help. I liked Annie as a character and was invested in how she led the investigation. The lacking for me was in the atmosphere, I felt like it could’ve been so much creepier had we gotten more background descriptions on the location. Also the little apple dolls was a great touch but instantly reminded me of The Chestnut Man as the killer in that story leaves chestnut dolls at his crime scenes. Just too parallel of a detail for me. I also didn’t love the ending and the “who” when it was revealed.

I’d read another book from this author, especially if we get to come back to Annie for another case. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

4 1/2 stars

There were several things that drew me to this book - - mystery/thriller, possibility of witches and it was all set in the mountains of North Carolina which is where I grew up. I was not disappointed. This book had an eerie feel to it. With each page, the reader feels as if the characters are possibly being watched and it all makes you wonder what witchcraft could be involved. I had several suspicions about who could be at fault. It seemed that just when I thought I had it figured out, something would happen to change my theory. This was a clever and entertaining read, and it kept me hooked.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration for the audiobook was done quite well. I felt that this book lent itself well to audio and I was absorbed by the tale. 4 1/2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook.

Annie is a veteran turned private investigator who finds herself in an Appalachian town very similar to the one she grew up in to help solve a cold case. Ten years ago little girls were going missing, essentially vanishing without a trace or even a drop of evidence for the police to work off of. The brother of one of those girls has hired Annie to help put life back into this case again, and things happen quickly after Annie’s arrival…

Annie is a complex and driven main character who takes the reader through what it’s like to be in this tiny Appalachian town and why it feels like home to her. She knows she won’t be able to leave this town and these people until she has an answer for the families of the missing girls.

I love debut novels SO much!!

Atmospheric mystery set in the Appalachian Mountains. Annie, an ex-military PI, is hired to find a girl who's been missing for years. I really liked Annie: practical, down-to-earth, and determined to do her best on this very cold case. Good characters, setting, and plot. Would like to see more of Annie.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Do you know the story of the Quartz Creek witch? Who is the witch of Quartz Creek and why are there so many versions of the story? Does the story tie in to the three young girls who disappear into thin air? If they find the witch will they find the kidnapper? All questions to ponder while reading The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan.

I enjoyed this creepy, fast paced mystery with great characters and a great setting, it kept me engaged and turning the pages from the beginning. The ending was a lot, but good because it wasn’t all wrapped up with a pretty pink bow.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is my first book by Archer Sullivan and I will read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the ARC!

“It’s a dangerous business, stealing from someone whose job it is to track.”

This book was super interesting! I honestly was NOT expecting the twist but wow wow wow.

Annie Gore is a PI who has been hired to find a missing girl, the catch is? Molly has been missing ten years, and the only thing in her place is a doll. With the deputy the only person on her side, will Annie be able to solve this crime before someone else goes missing?

Annie is such an interesting character, with a healthy balance of badassery, wits, and charisma. These characters and story felt so raw and real, and I truly loved how the story developed. It took a bit of time to get into the book, but when I tell you I was SAT??? I was sat!

If you love a gritty, cozy thriller, this is definitely for you!

The witches orchard is well done atmospheric mystery by archer Sullivan! Led by a quirky lead detective in Annie, we follow the cold case of a missing girl-the last in a string of suspicious disappearances where dolls were left at the scene. Annie takes her car honey deep into Appalachia to uncover the truth and stumbles on folklore and mystery as everyone has their secrets to protect.

I loved the blend here of folklore and detective noir-the mix of reality with some fantasy mixed in, Annie is a great lead. Quirky and entertaining -a loner who only relies on herself and her intuition of the world around her.

This is a strong start to what I hope becomes a series as I would definitely read more and I hope she continues to blend some fantasy and atmospheric elements in with the grounded detective tropes. A strong entry into a well known genre.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book made me think of the series Poker Face, with a strong female lead who is pretty much a loner, but has skills and people to fall back on. The mystery Annie investigates was really engaging, and the characters in the Appalachian town were multilayered. I really liked how well the author used the characters from the town to protect or throw suspicion depending on the underlying history they had with each other. It is particularly interesting how Annie uses the town folklore of the story of the origins of the Witch’s Orchard to explore the range of versions that exist. This book is an exploration of community and human nature, at times heart wrenchingly so. What a great start to what I hope is a long running series!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this unique mystery.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, for sending me this ARC. 🍎🧙🏻‍♀️

What to expect:

💫Atmospheric Mystery
💫Appalachian Folklore
💫Private Investigator
💫Cold Case

Gosh, this one had me hooked from the very first page. The atmosphere was perfect and set the scene for this book flawlessly. Not to mention, the intertwining of the folklore tales added the ideal layer to the plot. I was fascinated and completely captivated by it all. The characters were well developed, and most of them were very likable. The few things I didn't care for still made sense, which I appreciate. I was a little bummed by one thing, but again, it made sense by the end of the story.

Overall, this debut book is fantastic. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy captivating and atmospheric mysteries. I'd love to see Annie in more mysteries, and I can definitely envision this book becoming a series, following her PI role wherever it takes her.

4.25-4.5 stars!

Publication Date: August 12, 2025

As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨

Annie Gore joined the Air Force right out of high school to escape her hometown and home life in Appalachia. Now a PI struggling to get by, Annie can't say no when Max asks for her help. His sister was one of three little girls taken 10 years ago; one of the girls was returned, unharmed, a couple weeks after being taken, but his sister and the other girl were never seen again. Annie warns him that she probably won't find anything but she is willing to try, so she returns to Appalachia, to a holler very much like the one where she grew up, and her presence stirs things up that many of the locals would rather leave sleeping. Well written and suspenseful with vividly portrayed characters and a spooky setting, The Witch's Orchard held my interest from start to finish. I don't know if this will be a series, but I hope so!

This book takes place in Appalachia dealing with a cold case that Annie is hired to solve, and dealing with the disappearance of little girls. As Annie digs in, the Appalachian community isn’t happy about it, and they protect themselves and not accept her. I really like the way this ended and I’m definitely going to read more of this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Archer Sullivan for giving me access to this eARC!

Things that I love in a mystery novel: folklore, twists, and badass female leads. The Witch's Orchard had all three and I gobbled it right up. This novel focuses on Annie Gore, a veteran who is now a PI, as she works on a ten year old missing case surrounding two little girls, the Appalachians, and a twisted story about a witch. We do end up getting a resolution, though it comes at a heavy price for certain characters in the novel. My attention was held from start to finish. I really could not accurately guess the twists that Sullivan gave us. I kept feeling like I was finding breadcrumbs only for them to throw me off completely. I guess I would not make a good PI!

I think some aspects of the novel were not super necessary such as the small romance angles with Annie, a sheriff's deputy, and an old army comrade of hers. I also think the ending could have been a bit more fully formed.

Overall though, I was enthralled. I cannot wait for more!!! A solid 4 star read for me.

The Witch's Orchard is a moving tale of history fiction set in the Appalachian mountains. It humanizes an often forgotten population in the context of a mystery story.

The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan

Book review: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Genre: mystery/thriller
Themes: missing children, witches, mountain towns
📖 Read if you like: The Bane Witch, The Return of Ellie Black, Where the Stars Go Dark

I think I am bound to love any sort of Appalachian mysteries. A sort of landscape that hides many things, including the truth and yet carries tales through the generations. It is here that a cold case of three missing girls will bring a wily PI at the behest of a desperate brother.

Annie Gore is in dire financial need when a young man enters her life with the sort of case you just can’t say no to. With a hard childhood herself and as a former Air Force investigator, Annie is a mountain girl first and foremost. As she returns to a place that almost reminds her of a home she has long since run from, she discovers that her fool’s errand may not actually be a thing of the past. As she pokes around asking uncomfortable questions and stirring up old emotions, not all in town appreciate her presence. When her investigation sparks one girl showing up and another being taken, this mystery will take on new weight.

With an eerie tone and an old folktale at the centre of this mystery, the environment certainly plays its role in this story. It was dark and atmospheric with a central character I hope gets a whole series of books. The town itself manage to have cozy and creepy elements. With a bakery to die for and a church somehow linked to the disappearances, there is an uneasiness that lingers in this small town, despite the bonds between the community. An air of desperation and those sorts of secrets that reside in every town keep the story suspenseful with multiple angles. I could guess at some of the larger plot points, but I think it was fairly well disguised. I really could not put this one down and highly recommend it!

🎧 Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an early ARC and ALC of this gem of a book. I actually read and listened to this book throughout and I have to say that Emily Pike Stewart really is a star. Her narration gave this story so much life and each characters had their own voice and personality. I will be listening to any audiobooks her narrates from here on out!

Ex military, Annie is currently a private detective. Finally, after years of taking orders, she only has to answer to herself. She's hired by a young man, Max, who wants to find his sister...or at least what happened to his sister. When arriving to the small Appalachian town, she can't help but see her own hometown.

As expected, everyone in town has a story, and has their own version of town lore. Annie digs deeper and deeper into the mystery of the missing girls, while having to confront her own history.

The writing is vivid and Annie is such a great character, that she will be an amazing PI to follow book after book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

This is an atmospheric mystery surrounding the disappearance of three girls from a small town in the Appalachian mountains. I was drawn to this book because I love the setting, the Appalachian mountains holding a special place in my heart. I enjoyed following this outsider, Annie, investigate an intriguing cold case in a tight-knit, tight-lipped community. My favorite part was all the version of the “The Witch of Quartz Creek” legend that Annie collected, piecing together how each person's version revealed something about them. Overall, this is a solid debut!

10 years ago, three little girls disappeared from a small Appalachia town. Desperate for some sort of resolution on his sister‘s disappearance, Max enlists the help of Annie, a private investigator. Upon her arrival Annie discovers it’s gonna be a lot harder to get answers out of this tightlipped community than she expected.

This definitely had the procedural aspect nailed down as Annie begins to investigate and question everyone who was associated with the families. There were several different red herrings throughout the way and enough clues to keep you guessing.

The one thing this book lacked for me was atmosphere . This should’ve made for a creepy read with the folklore of the Applehead dolls and the Witch of Quartz Creek, but it fell a bit flat. The investigation interwoven with the folklore just was missing cohesion. I couldn’t see the relevancy to include the folklore, but of course that is just my opinion and I may have missed an intended connection. It also felt that maybe I was missing a prequel as some of Annie’s backstory was included, but not enough to fill in all of the blanks. Maybe that is a sign we will see more of Annie in another novel?

If missing person mysteries with a pinch of folklore is your thing, this definitely is a book to check out. Would make for a good fall/spooky season read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this atmospheric debut novel by Archer Sullivan, perfectly narrated by Emily Pike Stewart. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Former AF special investigator Annie Gore joined the military after graduation to escape her home life. Now working as a private investigator, her latest case takes her to an Appalachian holler similar to where she grew up. Ten years ago, three little girls went missing. One was returned and the others were never seen again. The brother of one of the girls wants an outsider to look into the case and hires Annie. But not everyone in town welcomes Annie stirring up old secrets.

What a wonderful debut - this story was so well written, full of creepiness without gore, with lots of folk stories of witches and crows, passed down through generations, that took on a life of their own. And creepy apple faced dolls! I wasn't sure what was going on and who to trust, but Annie was a fabulous character, full of grit and passion, and I can foresee more to come with her investigating cases (that's a pretty please out to the publication universe). The audiobook was perfectly narrated, amping up the creep factor. Perfect book as we head into spooky season!

The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan is a fantastic debut novel. The Appalachian setting and folklore gives it such a haunting vibe. It’s atmospheric and easy to feel like you are in those mountains. Annie Gore, the FMC, is a strong, relatable woman that I felt invested in. Her character had me turning pages to see what would happen next. The mystery of these missing girls and her attempt to find them and stay alive in the process, kept me guessing. I do wish some of the spooky elements and Annie’s backstory went a little deeper but overall I thought it was a great first novel. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the eARC.

I began reading The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan and I soon wanted to quit. It was a story that I put down and reluctantly picked back up to finish. I enjoyed the picturesque descriptions of the area and the characters. I wish more information had been provided about Annie’s past. There are vague references, but I was left with many unanswered questions (which is frustrating). I did not understand why so much emphasis was placed on Annie’s car, Honey. I understood that she loved the hunk of junk, but I did not think that we needed to hear about it so often (it became a character like a beloved dog or cat). The story seemed to consist of Annie having conversations with people (she would ask the same question, and we would get to hear their version). I can liken the story to watching grass grow. There are repetitive details along with a predictable twist. After such a big build up, the reveal was rushed. The person who committed the crime was a wee bit obvious. The Witch’s Orchard to be a dark, dull, and redundant tale.