I thoroughly enjoyed The Witch’s Orchard by Sullivan, a gripping tale set in a small mountain town brimming with complex relationships and a tangled web of local politics. The author does an excellent job of immersing readers in this close-knit community, where everyone seems to have a hidden agenda. One of the standout aspects of the book was how the author wove a captivating folktale into the narrative, adding a layer of mystery and intrigue that enhanced the overall atmosphere.

What I appreciated most about this story was how Sullivan kept me on my toes throughout. Even though I eventually figured out who the culprit was, the author did an excellent job of keeping me second-guessing myself. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the final twist completely caught me off guard. It’s not often a book can pull off such an effective and unexpected conclusion. All in all, this book was an engaging and unpredictable ride, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted mystery with rich storytelling.

This was a really well written, great mystery. I read it quickly because I just didn’t want to stop. The characters are interesting, deep and enjoyable. The mystery is creepy, perplexing and heartbreaking. The entire book is steeped in Appalachia, folklore and symbolism. I love that we slowly get to know the main character, Annie Gore, who is a veteran and a PI from a poor Appalachian family and domestic violence. She’s smart and real, and not depicted as too annoyingly and unrealistically perfect, beautiful and brilliant but rather as great at her job because she is tenacious, caring and strong.

I hope this is the first of a series and I will happily seek out the next book.

I read a digital ARC of this book via netgalley.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
I really enjoyed the flow of this book. I didn't want to stop reading! There's a little romance, humor and mystery all wrapped in a neat bow. The author does a great job in dropping hints throughout the story while keeping the twist at the end a surprise!

This book was sad, heavy and heart breaking. I usually can guess pretty early on who done it, but with this book I was guessing the whole way through. You really feel for Max and the witches story makes you think twice about rumors, myths and stories that twist and turn with every teller. The twist at the end was one I didn't see coming for sure. It was a good story and would recommend for sure.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Annie Gore, a Private Investigator, is hired to investigate three missing girls. From the various resident's, Annie is met with resistance and help. But finding out the truth becomes more of a challenge the more questions are asked.

This was a very well written mystery and the ending was well done.

This book was a truly creepy read. The descriptiveness of the woods had me cringing but anxiously turning each page. The ending in particular creeped me out, while I thoroughly enjoyed each page! I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Former Air Force Special Investigator Annie Gore joined the military right after high school to escape the fraught homelife of her childhood. Now, she’s getting by as a private investigator and her latest case takes her to an Appalachian holler not unlike the one where she grew up. Ten years ago, three little girls went missing from their tiny mountain town. While one was returned, the others were never seen again. After all this time without answers, the brother of one of the girls wants to hire an outsider, and he wants Annie. While she may not be from his town, she gets mountain towns. Mountain people. Driving back into the hills for a case this old it might be a fool’s errand. But Annie needs to put money in the bank and she can’t turn down a case. Not even one that dredges up her own painful past! Great read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I thought it was going to be totally different going by the name but it was a fabulous book! It had great suspense, murder, kidnapping, mystery, a fantastic who done it and some wild twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me! Can’t wait for more!

Two little girls disappear, one returns, then a third goes missing. Is there even anything to find, ten years later? PI Annie Gore figures no, but starts an investigation and stirs up all kinds of trouble. Especially enjoyed the variations of the local folklore.

This story is a mystery/suspense tale set in a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The setting is vivid and the Appalachian folklore adds to the atmosphere. In this book, private investigator Annie Gore takes on a decades old cold case involving missing girls. She is hired by one of the girl's brother, Max, to try and find out what happened to his sister.
The characters are well drawn and likable, even the ones who might be suspects in the kidnappings. Annie's military background explains both her proficiency and gives us insight into her past. Clues are revealed throughout and the mystery kept me guessing right up to the end. There is a brief, closed door romance scene and also a potential love interest from Annie's past.
The title alludes to a folklore tale, and I especially enjoyed reading the different variations of story of the witch's orchard - as Annie interviews townspeople she hears this story several times, and each time it is a little bit changed.
The pace of the book is fast and there are enough hooks to keep you reading quickly to find out the solution to the mystery. I was satisfied with the ending, although there was a surprising twist that felt a little bit of a stretch - which is why I gave the book four stars instead of five.
Overall I enjoyed finding a new character, particularly a strong female main character, and I hope this book becomes the first in a series. If you're a fan of Sue Grafton, JA Jance, or Sara Paretsky, you'll enjoy reading this book.

Excellent debut novel. An interesting and very twisty mystery set in the mountains of North Carolina and filled with folk lore. The author developed intriguing characters and used their personalities and backgrounds to lead much of the mystery and explore how much our experiences and biases influence our thoughts and decisions. Very well done.

Annie is a former military and she is now a PI. When she is approached by a young man trying to find out about his lost sister she decided to help. Deep in the heart of Appalachia, with folklore of witches and crows, the story leads the reader along. Sad, but kept my interest throughout. Would highly recommend.

Set in the Appalachian mountains this book is filled with suspense and creepy vibes. If anything makes it to your TBR this year It needs to be this book.

I thought this book did an amazing job at depicting southernness. I read most of it with a southern accent in my head. The twist and turns kept me on my toes. And the characters were the kind you fall in love with. I hope to see more! 🩷

I really enjoyed this book, although the author did an amazing job with all the descriptions, it was a little hard at first for me to keep everything straight as far as the plot line. I pushed through and I’m so glad I did because I throughly enjoyed this!!! Following a pi looking for a missing girl from years ago, to new kidnappings and a twisted tale of motherhood and the things we do for our children or what people will do to have children. The plot twist in the end when I found out who the real kidnapper was blew my mind!!!

This book absolutely blew me away from the first page! I could not read it fast enough. The story was so enticing. The characters grabbed a hold of your heart and just ripped it out of my chest. Really engaging and deep story. I was surprised by the ending which does not happen to me very often. Grammatically beautiful, well structured, and no typos which was amazing for an unedited version. Bravo to this writer! I really hope there will be more stories with this main character.

The witches story was never answered. I skimmed ALOT - so many details and descriptions I think slowed the pace of story not enhance it. Archer Sullivan did a great job at taking you off the path here and there but ultimately not surprised with the initial outcome. I didn’t love the final kidnapping storyline and the fact that none of it needed to happen. The secondary love story/triangle was also not needed and the only thing it added to the story was a reason to get the military information.

3.5 stars rounded up. Good premise, loose ends could use some tying up.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

The Witch's Orchard is a beautifully written, small town thriller encased with multiple levels of heartache, hope, and the underlying pull to the supernatural. Annie is a PI with a troublesome past who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth behind the secrets that surround a small Appalachian town. Her arrival seems to ignite the past and for it's evil to surface once again. The characters are charmingly written and the myths around the town bring a haunting effect to the reader. For Annie to uncover the truth, she must confront her own past and utilize her skills to bring the evil to light. I was drawn in from the beginning and rode the wave of mystery throughout this haunting tale. I would definitely recommend to any reader of the mystery/thriller/haunting genre.

Just finished this book and I absolutely loved it. Annie is a PI and is hired by Max to find his long ago missing sister Molly. Annie unearths someone's secret because within days Annie stumbles upon Molly's now deceased body. Where has she been for 10 years? Another girl is also missing and now Annie is urgently searching for Jessica. Where has the girls been for 10 years? Who took them? This town has secrets and Annie is on the hunt to find them. I really liked Annie and this book. I would love this to turn into a series . Mystery! Suspense! Small town lies! This book has it all. Read it you will not be able to put it down. Excellent!

First, I’d like to thank the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

The Witches Orchard is about a military vet turned PI that returns to her Appalachian roots to solve a 10 year cold case that had caused a lot of heartache for a teen boy named Max.

I really enjoyed the pacing and theme of this book. Throughout it there is a folklore tale that is interwoven into the story that transforms a little each time it’s retold by someone new. That may be one of my favorite things about this novel. I feel the retelling of this story over and over doesn’t just tell you how things change by word of mouth but also how they can change based on a persons personality and the personalities of how they were raised.

This books kept me engaged the whole time and I couldn’t wait to get to the conclusion. If I didn’t have other obligations I would have read right through it as fast as I could.

I will absolutely be recommending this book to my friends when it releases!

The Witch’s Orchard, by Archer Sullivan was a suspenseful slow burning story full of Appalachian folklore, a 10 year old cold case, and secrets of a small town.

Annie Gore is a former Special Investigator for the Air Force and is now a private investigator. She has been hired by a young man, Max, to look into the disappearance of his little sister 10 years ago. As soon as Annie arrives strange things begin to happen and someone clearly doesn't want her looking into this case.

Sullivan has created an atmospheric novel that captures the very essence of a small Appalachian town and the personalities of the residents that live there.

There is a superstition amongst the townsfolk that involves the presence of the Witch of Quartz Creek and as Annie questions people, it seems that each person has their own rendition of the story of the witch. Many of the people believe the witch is responsible for the disappearance of Max’s sister. This novel was chock full of folklore and mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC to this novel and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review. I rate this novel a 3 out of 5 stars.