The Witch's Orchard

I had never read anything by this author before. There are multiple characters but I was able to remember who was who thanks to the author's skill. The plot was skillfully designed and everything that took place advanced that plot. The ending tied up all the loose ends - something that I always appreciate. Despite the name of the book, it really isn't about the paranormal or witchcraft. It's just a great story!

Ten years ago in the quiet mountain town of Quartz Creek, NC three girls under the age of seven were mysteriously taken; two from the grounds of the local Baptist church and one from her own home. Left in their places were strange, yet common to the area, handmade applehead dolls. Jessica Hoyle, four years old, was the first girl taken. Jessica came from a poor family and rumors abounded that made the police suspicious to put forth much investigative effort. Shortly after Jessica' disappearance five year old Olivia Jacobs was taken from a Church function, she was as mysteriously returned home two weeks after she was taken. Olivia is autistic, and was never been able to communicate anything that happened. Four days later Molly Andrews was taken from her home. Ten years later local law enforcement is no closer to solving the abductions, despite assistance from the FBI, the cases are essentially considered cold. Not to Max Andrews who was eight years old when his sister was taken, he is determined to discover what happened and if the girls are still alive. He travels eight hours to meet Annie Gore, down on her luck, yet a fierce and fearless PI. Annie grew up in a dysfunctional family in a similar mountain town; she joined the Air Force and left home as soon as she could. Annie is reluctant to accept the case, yet touched by it and Max's sincerity. She made it clear that there were no guarantees and it would be very challenging after so much time, but agreed to working a week in Quartz Creek. The Witch's Orchard is a debut novel by Archer Sullivan; I was hooked from the first page to the final one. Her descriptions of the area and its people seemed very realistic and the characters were very well developed and believable. It is fast-paced and very suspenseful. It is my hope that this is the first book in what may become a series; I am curious as to where Annie Gore goes next. Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Archer Sullivan for the opportunity to read an ARC of this recently released debut; I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.

Atmospheric, immersive and captivating. I loved this story from beginning to end. It’s a slower burn mystery but it’s a total page turner. The author weaves together a story of mystery and lore and paints a very realistic and heartbreaking story of Appalachia and a decades old cold case of three missing girls. By far the best part of the story is Annie, the protagonist and PI who’s down on her luck. Her character is just one you absolutely root for. She felt so real to me and I honestly hope the author takes her story further in future books. Please pick up and copy and enjoy this. It’s set against a fall backdrop so perfect for the upcoming season.

I could not put this book down. The characters were vivid and memorable, enough so that even I could keep track of the large cast. Although I do not have the main character's tenacity and patience, I was happy to follow her as she dug and dug and dug to find the truth. There were plenty of red herrings and twists to keep you turning the pages! The setting was a little bit atmospheric and mysterious, but not so much that it distracted from the PLOT. My rating is knocked down to four stars only because of some language and a completely off-page one night stand. Pick up this book to get lost in the small NC mountain town vibes and swept up into a mystery that will keep you devouring chapter after chapter, without keeping you up at night with the willies.Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a free eARC of this novel!

It was a good story and kept me interested. Some parts were confusing because there were so many different names kind of hard to remember who was who but I enjoyed the story