Southern Gothic is definitely the vibe of Gothictown by Emily Carpenter. It was creepy and filled me with unease.

Billie Hope got an email with the offer of a lifetime - move to Juliana, GA and have an amazing house for $100 as part of a way to add some new life to the town. Having shut her restaurant down during the pandemic, it seems like a great way to start fresh. Billie, her husband, Peter, and their daughter Meredith were welcomed with opens arms, but there are weird things happening and stories of past horrors. Peter has trouble sleeping and the walls of "Gentle Juliana" felt like they were closing in.

The inclusion of Billie's mom in the story was slightly confusing, and the ending seemed to be wrapped up a little too tidily. Overall, an atmospheric engaging read that drew me in.

Cassandra Campbell did a wonderful job with the narration, including several different deep-south accents and genders.

Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded books for the chance to review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review..

Our flawed female mc gets a pandemic incentive to purchase a dirt-cheap, gorgeous old house and start a restaurant in an idyllic small town. Things are perfect until the townspeople start behaving oddly with warnings about mysterious open well on their property that they can't seem to locate.
This was the first book I've read that mentions the pandemic and explores how it influences the main character's behaviour and decision-making, which was an aspect that I found really interesting. Broadly I did not find that it connected to my personal taste. I think this is because the beginning felt slower than I anticipated, and I wasn't especially interested or invested in the main character and her internal world.
However, I do think that many people will love the cult-y atmosphere and creepy plot twists.

Billie Hope lost her popular restaurant due to the pandemic, so when she reads an email offering an initiative program for a small southern Georgia town named Juliana, she tells her husband Peter about it. They wonder if this offer is too good to be true, $100 to own a home and an offer of a grant to open a business, they apply anyway and are thrilled to be accepted.

Billie, Peter and their 6 year old daughter, Meredith waste no time in pacing up and heading to Juliana. Billie finds the townspeople kind of odd and suffocating. Peter who is working from home as a therapist becomes obsessed with the fact that there maybe an uncovered well somewhere on their 12 acres, he’s not sleeping and he starts snapping at Billie. Billie finds the perfect location and starts to get her new restaurant open, and then finds herself drawn towards Jamie, the man who runs the antique shop next to hers.

Billie spins starts to realize that this town is not a blessing, that there is something dark beneath its lucious lawns. Can Billie figure out what is wrong with gentle Juliana before it’s too late?

This was an okay listen, the narrator was enjoyable to listen to. I did find the book was longer than was necessary but overall was a pretty good listen.

Thank you to NetGalley, the audio house, narrator and author for the opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this audiobook in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This one hooked me right away. Billie moves her family from NYC to a small Southern town thanks to a post-pandemic incentive program that seems too good to be true… and, of course, it kind of is.

The story is a slow burn in the best way, and I loved watching the layers of charm crumble to reveal something extremely dark. It had just enough mystery and atmosphere to keep me constantly uneasy, in a good way.

I listened to the audiobook and loved it so much I ended up getting a physical copy too. Definitely recommend for fans of unsettling small-town suspense.

Emily Carpenter's latest Southern Gothic thriller, soon to be a TV series, GOTHICTOWN, is a dark, creepy, and wickedly delicious thriller. It beckons you into a seductive world, where all your desires can be fulfilled… if you're willing to pay the price.

The story unfolds in a seemingly idyllic town in Georgia, rich with history and a chilling atmosphere, making it a captivating read for fans of the genre. A restaurateur from NYC is lured to a Southern town in Georgia, post-pandemic, with all the enticing incentives that turn into a horror nightmare for her and her family.

About...

Billie Hope was the successful owner of a New York restaurant called Billie's, which celebrities often frequented; however, during the pandemic, she was forced to close it.

She is at odds since her mom decided to join a cult in Maine, and she misses the busy restaurant to keep her busy.

She learns of a Southern town, two hours north of Atlanta, in (fictional) Juliana, Georgia, offering incredible incentives to build up the city and business. A beautiful, spacious Victorian home (furnished), land to grow things for a restaurant, and a large grant to open a restaurant. Billie is delighted, thinking this is fate.

Gentle Juliana Beckons You…

"Start your life today in a community that cares, courtesy of the Juliana Initiative.

Founded in 1832, Juliana, Georgia, is an idyllic, historic, riverside mill town that offers every amenity you need to start your new business, continue your remote work, or set up your practice in a safe, secure, and vital environment away from city life. Juliana has always been its own town, and we are proud of it. The weather is warm here and so are the people. We welcome all to our jewel of the South."
— Gentle Juliana

Finally, Billie convinces her husband, Peter (therapist), and young daughter, Mere, to make the move, filled with hope and excitement at the prospect of the beautiful home and the opportunity to open her dream restaurant.

But then, things take a bizarre turn. Sleep becomes elusive, nightmares and strange events unfold, evil forces of Juliana surround their home, and the town's leaders exhibit peculiar behavior. Rumors about a well on their property add to the mystery. Beneath the town's warm hospitality, something sinister lurks. As the stress mounts, their marriage is tested, and Billie is left grappling with the inexplicable.

The story is filled with suspense and tension, keeping you on the edge of your seat, wondering if they will escape.

Check out the website for more: Gentle Juliana. So much fun and a playlist!

My thoughts...

I loved GOTHICTOWN! The author cleverly creates the Southern Gothic chilling atmospheric setting that is so enticing on the outside with a menacing sinister horror lurking with every page turn and those creepy EVIL characters!

From the evil forces of Juliana to its eccentric characters, sins of the town's past, and sinster ghostly events, all make for an engrossing unputdownable tale.

GOTHICTOWN is the author's finest work, and I eagerly anticipate a sequel. The TV series based on this gripping tale only adds to the excitement.

Audiobook...

The audiobook is superb, narrated by one of my favorites, Cassandra Campbell! Her performance was award-winning, elevating the story with vivid settings and the perfect impressive voice for all the characters, particularly Billie! I highly recommend the audiobook.

The area...

An Atlanta gal for many years, spending my entire career there, living in Vinings, Buckhead, and Midtown, and later Big Canoe, GA (which I loved) about an hour north of Atlanta, and dated a guy in Dalohenga (mentioned in book) until I moved to Florida. I love stories set in Georgia, and Atlanta will always be home for me (my grown sons wish I still lived there as Florida is not an easy drive from NC). I adore and support Atlanta authors.

Author's Note...

I thoroughly enjoyed the author's note. It provided a fascinating insight into the inspiration behind the book and the history of Roswell, GA. Wow, I couldn't wait to find the inspiration, which added depth to the story and made me appreciate the author's work even more.

Ironically, years ago, I was the Director of Membership and Events for the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, overseeing the cities of Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, and Mountain Park, and I was not aware of all this scandalous history! Later, I was an associate publisher for Atlanta's largest commercial real estate directory for many years, Atlanta B2B Magazine, Publisher of Atlanta New Homes Data Book, and several online commercial real estate companies in Atlanta, covering these areas. It is always fun to learn something new. Fascinating. Thank you, Emily!

Note to Emily...

Please write a ghostly Gothic book set in Columbus, GA! This town also has many historic Victorian homes, and the city has ghosts, very mysterious, creepy, and strange townspeople, making this a perfect setting. I had a client located downtown, and I spent six months there and could not wait to leave! Lots of haunting stories here.

Recs...

GOTHICTOWN is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Ashley Winstead, Stacy Willingham, Laura McHugh, and Jennifer McMahon—for readers who enjoy well-written Southern Gothic tales with a touch of horror.

Thanks to Kensington, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the gifted advanced review and listening copies in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: March 25, 2025
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DNF at 44%. I had high hopes based on the start of this one, but it lost me.

In this story Billie takes her family to a small Southern town for a fresh start. You know from the prologue that this town has a dark history and dark traditions. They start having weird dreams, and Billie’s husband gets obsessed with finding a supposed abandoned well on the property. Presumably the dark traditions of the town come into play and things go from there.

I loved the prologue and what I thought that meant about the story I was going to get. I wanted a Hot Fuzz type of plot but more as a serious thriller. Instead I got a lot of domestic marriage and relationship woes. I couldn’t care less about Billie’s marriage, I didn’t come to this book for family drama. I was super bored with all that. And then the well stuff with her husband just dragged on and on. I wanted to shake them and be like, just google a company to take care of this!! 😂 There wasn’t enough spooky or gothic or thrilling to keep me engaged.

If you don’t mind something slower paced with as much about the relationship dynamics as the “horror,” then this one might be worth a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I finished Gothictown a few weeks ago, but due to a family emergency, I’m just now getting to write my review — and I’m so glad I finally can, because this one definitely deserves it.

This audiobook completely pulled me into its world. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, was phenomenal — she brought the characters to life with distinct voices and emotion that made the experience even more immersive. I loved the eerie, Southern Gothic atmosphere and the slow-burn tension that built steadily throughout the story.

Billie’s journey to “Gentle Juliana” had me hooked from the beginning, and even though I found myself wanting a little more from the resolution (especially after all the chaos, murder, and secrets that unraveled), the ride getting there was absolutely worth it. It’s the kind of story that keeps you pressing “just one more chapter” because you have to know what’s coming next.

If you enjoy creepy small-town mysteries, hidden pasts, and a whisper of Southern horror, Gothictown is well worth the listen. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of Shirley Jackson, Gillian Flynn, and slow-burn psychological thrillers.

Thank you to Emily Carpenter, NetGalley, and RBmedia for the opportunity to listen to this hauntingly vivid audiobook!

Rating: 4/5 stars
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Tempted by a remarkable pandemic deal, restaurateur Billie Hope settles her young family of three in a small town in Georgia. Though quaint, there’s something off about their new home—strange dreams, mysterious locals, creepy lore…a deeply atmospheric southern gothic!

Overall have very positive feelings towards this title. It was entertaining and captured the lazy-relaxed small town vibe incredibly. There was a bit of confusion with the back and forth between present and historical past, and I will say, without spoilers, that it felt as though you could see the twist coming from a mile away. It ended wrapped up in a very tidy bow, which was too neat for my liking but perhaps satisfying for others.

Kinda creepy... I guess

We follow our main character Billie, who lives in New York with her husband and daughter post-pandemic. Billie had a restaurant that she shut down because of the pandemic and her mom also moved away so there isn't much left for her and her family. Lucky enough she gets an offer from the Mayor of Juliana, Georgia, who gives her an offer she'd be crazy to turn down- a home in Juliana for $100! After making the move things are working out really well, Billie fits right in. There are just a few things that don't seem just right and slowly it all comes out.

I loved the concept but I was so disappointed. There wasn't one character I liked and I found the plot just wasn't as interesting as I hoped. There were times when I hoped for a different outcome but no such luck, I might have come into this book with way too many expectations which probably clouded my rating.

Thank You to Emily Carpenter, RBmedia and NetGalley for the audio-digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Actual Rating 1.5

Billie lives in New York with her family receives an email from the Mayor of Juliana, Georgia, offering her a home in Juliana for $100. Deciding it's a great idea, Billie and her family move right away, finding the town to be everything promised, and even starting a new restaurant. But then they start to feel like something isn't quite right, and their marriage falls under strain. Just what did Billie get her family into, and will they be able to make it out?

The characters of this one weren't well written. The protagonist wasn't likeable, but she wasn't written to be unlikeable. This made it quite difficult to relate to her or really care about anything that was happening. She was constantly demanding things, overreacting, and throwing little fits about things, on top of making decisions that she obviously gave zero thought to.

The writing of this one was the biggest detractor for me. The author overly relied on telling rather than showing, with a lot of "I did this, I felt this, I thought this" kind of writing. There was a romance subplot that just didn't work. It felt forced, came out of nowhere, and just made zero sense other than it being necessary for a plot point. The ending was also like the end of a cozy mystery rather than a horror, though none of the book really strayed into solid horror territory. There was some okay atmosphere and tension at points, but it got buried under all the other negatives.

I'm an outlier on this one, so if the premise sounds interesting to you don't take my word for it. My thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was the perfect Gothic horror located in a small town. When you're offered a deal that's too good to be true, you go for it right. Well, that's what Billie decides when she moves her family to a new town for a $100 massive old Victorian style home in George after the pandemic. Anyone would welcome a fresh start. The town is welcoming yet creepy. Her and her husband aren't quiet on the same page. There are so many unraveling mysteries throughout the story that you want to jump right in and shake Billie out of the story yourself. I devoured this book.

This book held my interest and I did listen to it in parts of two days. Billy Hope, her husband Peter, and their daughter Meredith move to a town called Julianna in Georgia. They are leaving NYC for the calm, quiet, and safety of a smaller town that has offered an incentive for people who want to move there. Billy had a well-known, and well loved restaurant in the City but the Pandemic hit, and like many other businesses, she had to close the doors. When she receives the email, it sounds wonderful.. They end up buying a house and 12 acres for only $100. Pretty soon, Peter, a therapist, starts having insomnia. Billy starts flirting with the man who owns the antique store next to her new restaurant. Their cat starts acting strange and things seem too good to be true. Weird things have been happening in Julianna for a while. Women and children lost their lives during the Civil War. Does this have something to do with what is going on now? Since this was a quick read, this would be great for the beach. Get this and thank me later

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook Gothictown by Emily Carpenter and narrated by Cassandra Campbell.

Peter and Billie Hope decide to move into a Victorian house in a town known as, Gentle Juliana.

Billie in particular is eager for a fresh start for her family. Especially after several upsetting situations happened one after the other, including the 2020 pandemic.

After the Hope family moves and begins to settle in their new home, the town is everything imagined… until it isn’t.

Haunting nightmares, misunderstandings and several town secrets begin to weigh heavy on both Billie and Peter.

I would call this a slow burn mystery.
Definitely engaging and keeps you curious.

Gothictown
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow, what a ride. So many twist & turns. It was a total different read for me. I loved it. I couldn't stop turning the pages! Go get this book & take this adventure.
Thank you NetGalley

I love the creepy small town with secrets trope. 😍 this books was suspenseful and entertaining. The characters kept leading your theories in different directions and the ending was satisfying. I also loved the narration.

3 stars. I wanted it to be higher. The start had good promise, but the deeper the story got the farther from what I wanted. It is good though, well written, characters that were relatable in ways that are different from normal. It was just middle of the road to me.

I loved this one! While reading this I was also reading "Cults Like Us." So it was a whole immersive experience. I love books about weird small towns. The narration was perfect.
The ending was weird though.

This was a easy listen and the narrator had a very good voice.
I liked the story and the general premise but I thought it would have had a more 'gothic' feel like the title suggests but the story didn't really delve into that and it didn't have a gothic feel.
The characters were really good but the author could have gone a bit deeper to get the spooky feel which was missing.
The language, dialogue and description was really good. I could picture the town clearly. It was well written and with the Twists and turns of the story easy to keep track of for an audio. Though it didn't blow me away, I did enjoy it.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. I was excited to read this boom. I was drawn to the cover and synopsis... I was kind of disappointed. The story is very slow. I was thinking it would have more suspense or even super natural, and it really didn't. I also didn't like how weak the main couples' characters were so weak. I found that if the MFC mom went and joined a cult that for sure this whol situation was too good to be true... I feel like this novel should have taken place back in the 1800s. All in all, I didn't hate the book. I was just expecting more..

I really enjoyed Gothictown, I'm not quite sure how the title relates to the book because it's very modern story and it didn't really get into the cult details of the town 'guards' except for what our main character saw. I loved how fast paced the audio felt for me, I feel like I binged it and didn't get bored at all. I didn't really like the characters as people but were very invested in their story in this small town. They were flawed and lacked communication but they loved and it really good. I was so sad when 'redacted' was found in the lake that I'm still thinking about these flawed characters over 24 hours later. I will definitely recommend this book to horror/suspense readers.