The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan
Publication Date: August 12th 2025 by Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio
Pages: 320
Audio Book Length: 9hrs 28min
Narrator: Emily Pike Stewart
Source: Publishers
Rating: ★★★★
My
Thoughts:
Ten years ago, three girls went missing and an apple doll
was left in their place. One was returned, but two were never seen again. Max’s
sister, Molly, was one of the girls taken and her abduction has haunted him and
his family for years. He hires Annie Gore, a private investigator and former Air Force Special Investigator,
to find his sister. Annie knows there’s a slim chance she’ll find anything ten
years later but can’t refuse Max or the money she’ll earn.
Being from a similar area gives Annie a unique advantage in
dealing with the locals in this small Appalachian Mountain town. Annie was determined
to get to the truth, and had to wade through old gossip and local folklore of a
creepy mountain witch. In the process
she ruffles feathers and stirs up action that surprises all!
The Witch’s Orchard was a captivating, atmospheric mystery
with a spooky vibe! I really liked Annie! She was tough and smart but also had
empathy for the people marked by these events. Bits and pieces of her own past
are revealed throughout the story and my heart went out to her! There was a
romantic element. I was happy with the direction that seemed to be going in the
end.
I alternately read and listened to an audio copy narrated by
Emily Pike Stewart. I thought her performance was excellent and enjoyed her subtle
Southern accent. She did well with all voices, male and female and a wide range
of ages!
4 Stars
Book Description:
A ninth generation Appalachian herself, Archer Sullivan brings the mountains of North Carolina to life in The Witch’s Orchard, a wonderfully atmospheric novel that introduces private investigator Annie Gore.
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.
In the shadow of the Blue Ridge, Annie begins to track the truth, navigating a decade’s worth of secrets, folklore of witches and crows, and a whole town that prefers to forget. But while the case may have been buried, echoes of the past linger. And Annie’s arrival stirs someone into action.
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