***4.5 STARS***

From the prologue to the epilogue, this story consumed me. I haven’t been creeped out by a book since I read Pet Sematary by Stephen King about 40 years ago.

Rachel Kennan is the chief of police in a small town called Dahlmouth. She and her husband Finn have been estranged for the past year after an accident tragically kills their young son. Still living together with their two daughters, the relationship is strained and at times volatile.

After a dead body is found mutilated and hung from a tree, strange things start to happen in the woods surrounding Dahlmouth. Children start acting bizarre and some go missing. Rachel knows the town needs some outside help but the Sheriff refuses to send anyone in. As Rachel delves deeper into what’s happening in Dahlmouth, things get even more disturbing.

Rachel is a tough character to warm up to. She is brash, unforgiving and headstrong. Finn is more likable however he has his own deep issues. Their family tragedy has left wide open wounds and lots of dysfunction. This dynamic sets the tone and as the story unfolds, it gets more ominous, intense and terrifying.

This debut novel by Allison Gunn is sure to give you chills and you will definitely want to read with the light on. I enjoyed her story very much and look forward to reading her future books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved it, and can’t wait to buy the published version. Loved the use of folklore to weave the story, and the pacing was great. Thank you so much for the review copy!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A quick paced book that left me shocked. The plot was great, and kept me intrigued to finish the book, even if I didn’t like the characters. This feels like an adult book, not young adult, which I normally read and am used to. May be why it took me longer to finish.

Unfortunately none of the characters were likeable which made me mad. But I did like the switching point of view every so often from Rachel to Finn. One thing I would’ve loved to see is exploring Michelle more, I feel she was not as fleshed out as she could have been. Overall, would recommend if you’re into a good plot based book about horror and grief.

Holy hell, what a ride! I’m still not entirely sure what happened. THAT FREAKING ENDING! I love horror, mystery, and a book that grabs me right from the start. Nowhere does exactly this!

Nowhere not only delivered on thrills but also shows the very real damage that can come from hiding our true selves and living a life we never wished for.

Allison Gunn has written a book that I am excited to share with all of my horror gays and with those considering dabbling in the genre. Applause to Gunn on her debut fiction novel, I look forward to more from this author.

What can I say? This was absolutely amazing! A page turner right from the beginning! Stephen King is one of my fav authors so when it said the outsider meets Mare of Eastown I knew it would be great! Did not disappoint.

A fairly creative mix of a number of familiar tropes: a family and marriage in distress due to the recent loss of a child that has driven the parents apart; the hard-bitten law enforcement officer who is weary to their bones of the job and, it almost seems, life itself; newcomers to a small town who are not really accepted and struggle to find their footing. All the ingredients ripe for a horror situation, and the author duly adds in a bunch of familiar horror tropes (not included to avoid spoilers) for a fast-moving plot with nicely 3-dimensional characters.

Final rating: 3.5 stars, rounded down because while the author does manage to avoid the tropes becoming cliche, the sheer number of them got a bit overwhelming and it almost felt like they were checking of a long list.

Thank you Atria Books for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Nowhere by Allison Gunn

⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Nowhere" by Allison Gunn is a captivating exploration of survival and self-discovery that kept me turning pages late into the night. The story follows a group of characters who find themselves stranded in an eerie, isolated landscape, forcing them to confront both external dangers and their own inner demons.

From the moment I started reading, I was drawn into the atmospheric setting. Gunn’s vivid descriptions made me feel as if I was right there with the characters, experiencing the tension and uncertainty alongside them. A fellow Goodreads reviewer perfectly captured this when they mentioned, “The writing pulls you in from the first page and never lets go.” I couldn’t agree more!

The character development in "Nowhere" is exceptional. I was particularly taken by the journey of the protagonist, whose struggles with identity and resilience resonated deeply with me. As I followed her path, I found myself reflecting on my own experiences, which made the reading all the more impactful. Another reader noted, “The characters are flawed yet relatable,” and I felt that their struggles were authentically portrayed.

The pacing of the novel kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had a grasp on the story, Gunn introduced unexpected twists that kept me guessing. I was especially captivated by the moments of tension between the characters, which added a rich layer of complexity to the plot. An Amazon reviewer mentioned how “the suspense builds beautifully throughout,” and I couldn’t agree more; the anticipation made it hard to put the book down.

In conclusion, "Nowhere" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys gripping narratives that combine psychological depth with thrilling suspense. Gunn has crafted a story that lingers long after the last page, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to those looking for an engaging and thought-provoking read!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for this complimentary review copy.

Wtf.. This. Book. Freaked. Me. TF. Out.

Hands down, one of the better horror stories I’ve read! The small town. The folklore. As soon as the book mentioned Roanoke I knew I was in for a ride. I had goosebumps reading this book!

Did you set out to scare me? Cause it's working 😱

The basic premise is a small (minded) town and some paranormal goings on.
However, that's the end of the basic part because this book takes you by the back of the neck and throws you in to the spooky deep end.

I live for books that ramp up my anxiety, and this did exactly that. There's no beating around the bush on this one. The atmosphere is set with haste and then shit hits the fan real quick. There's something in the woods, something old and dangerous, and it's loose.

I have heart eyes thinking on this story. It was excellent horror. *chefs kiss*
Expected publishing date is March 25, 2025. Definitely keeps your eyes out for this one.

Thank you Simon and Schuster as well as NetGalley for and early copy of this book. I really wish this book was coming out sooner so I could buy it for gifts. It would be a perfect boo basket book.

I wish I could give this book 3.5 stars. I really liked this book but couldn't bring myself to give it a 4. Before I go into my cons, I want to say the positive because it really is a great book.

I loved the story and the concept. I loved the paranormal aspect because it was so different and intriguing to me. I loved the ending too.

My cons: the main female character seemed unlikable to me and it was frustrating. I love a strong female character but I think it missed the mark in showing a tough exterior that hides the suffering on the inside. I somewhat liked her at the end. I also think that the flow was off. I backtracked alot because the writing was abruptly shifting constantly. And it could be that the writing was not my cup of tea. I do think how it was written would do great movie or series because it could cut to a different perspective effortlessly. However it became muddled between chapters because the perspectives aren't named at the beginning of each chapter, it just shifts.
This caused me to not to binge and have bigger breaks in between readings.

However, I will still recommend this book and buy it when it comes out to share with my paranormal readers. I can't say enough how much I love the concept and story of this book. I wish I could gift it sooner.

Nowhere review
Nowhere was a nice little treat read. The story follows Rachel, a cop in a small Appalachian town, as she tries to figure out why there is a dead hiker in the woods. The story shifts later to more of a paranormal mystery than a cop story. On top of that, you get to hear a lot of Rachel’s inner dialogue as she struggles with her sexuality, the town’s rejection of her, and her failed marriage/affairs.
This book was a bit scary without being overly so. I enjoyed the town she built out and the stories she told about its people. I live about where the fictional town is, so I found it fun trying to figure out if certain landmarks were real or made up.
My only bone to pick with this is I feel like the ending moved too fast and I could tell where this book was ending from about the half way point.
Did it make me look at the woods a little differently, yes. Would I recommend this to others, also yes. This book was a nice casual read without making me think too hard.

As a thriller & horror reader, I feel it takes a lot to truly scare me… and this book absolutely did! The author completely brought me into the setting with these characters and their experiences were truly terrifying. I’m almost disappointed that this is a debut because I want more like this!
Thank you to the author, Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

Publishing date March 25, 2025

respectfully, my first and last horror book… 🩷

the writing was phenomenal and my ass was scared the entire time, i have become the most jumpy person in the last twenty four hours that my ice dumping in the freezer scared the ever loving fuck out of me :)

disrespectfully, fuck rachel kennan 🖕🏻

i cannot tell you how many times i almost dnf’d this because i just couldnt fucking stand her. she was a raging bitch, i could not stop rolling my eyes at how she kept telling people to stfu with their woe is me bullshit but would turn around and play fucking victim EVERY TIME WE GOT HER POV. finn and her children deserved a way better life and truly i wish he could have gotten all of them out in time before this story could take place, which yes i know theres no book if he did but idc. they deserved better and rachel can rot 🩷

After Rachel loses her son, she throws herself into her career as a police chef in her small town and her two daughters, who keep Rachel and her husband together. When a crime rocks their community and an ominous force is calling to children from the woods, they must come together.

This was a creepy story that was right up my alley. I love horror stories that bring kids into it and this one was all about the kids. The story became a lot towards the end and I did get lost as much. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the rest of the book but it still creeped me out. It’s a great Halloween read.

“Whenever the door between this worlds and theirs is cracked, they take the little ones first. That’s how they get stronger. That’s why you gotta keep them happy.”

Nowhere comes out 3/25.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Nowhere by Allison Gunn is the kind of haunting story that grabs hold of you and refuses to let go. It’s a powerful mix of family drama, small-town horror, and Appalachian folklore, with enough suspense and emotional depth to keep you flipping the pages late into the night. This is not just a spooky forest tale—it’s a raw, gripping exploration of grief, guilt, and the terrifying things we bury deep inside.

Rachel Kennan is a complex, deeply relatable protagonist. After the tragic loss of her young son, she throws herself into her role as police chief, determined to keep moving forward. Her husband Finn, on the other hand, is drowning in alcoholism and guilt, haunted by the fact that his actions may have led to the accident. It’s the tense dynamic between Rachel and Finn, and the heartbreaking weight of their shared loss, that forms the emotional core of this book. Their fractured relationship feels real, raw, and full of the kind of pain that’s hard to look away from, even as they struggle to hold their family together for the sake of their two daughters.

Gunn does an excellent job building the eerie atmosphere of this small Virginia town, where secrets are buried as deep as the trees in the surrounding forest. When a strange crime shakes the religious community, Rachel is drawn into a mystery that feels darker and more dangerous with every turn. And then there’s the forest. The ominous force calling to the children—it's like something straight out of a nightmare. The tension builds as paranoia spreads among the townspeople, creating a deeply unsettling sense of dread.

What really makes Nowhere stand out is its ability to weave together horror and humanity. Yes, there’s a menacing force lurking in the woods, but the real terror is found in the hearts of the Kennan family and the broken people of this community. Gunn’s portrayal of grief, addiction, and strained relationships hits hard, and it’s this emotional depth that makes the horror elements even more chilling.

If there’s any critique, it’s that the pacing can be a little uneven. The story lingers on the family’s emotional struggles at times, and while it adds depth, it occasionally slows the momentum. That being said, the combination of folklore-inspired horror and a disquieting family saga more than makes up for the slower moments.

Overall, Nowhere is a gripping and deeply atmospheric debut. Fans of both psychological horror and emotionally driven stories will find a lot to love here. It’s a reminder that sometimes the scariest things aren’t what’s lurking in the forest—they’re the demons we carry within us.

There is a lot to unpack with this book. The prologue started off great! However, the first few chapters were confusing and overwhelming with the introduction of numerous characters. Parts of the book were overly detailed to the point that it was distracting. Once all the characters were introduced, the storyline flowed more smoothly.
The story is set in a town called Dahlmouth, and strange things begin to happen. The reader follows a family that is still reeling from the loss of Aidan; the family struggles through their grief. I did not care for Rachel at all, but she was a strong woman to have been handling all the things that were happening. As more eerie things happened in Dahlmouth, it kept me on the edge of my seat and I didn’t want to put the book down. The ending was a little drawn out though.
This book kind of has it all- thrills, suspense, horror, paranormal, domestic drama, grief and loss, substance abuse (the list could go on). At times it was overwhelming,but I liked the book in general. A good book for spooky season!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest and independent review.

I don't know what I expected when I started Nowhere by Alison Gunn, but WOW! I left fully satisfied and out loud saying "WTF" to myself throughout the book. The story follows a family in a fundamentalist town struggling to come to terms with life. Their past confronts the town as a whole and has to reevaluate their values and get tested to see how strong (or actually, weak) they truly are.

This was an incredible debut novel for Allison Gunn- you could feel their passion in the text before you even started the book! Just from the author's note, you start to get prepared for the insane, tragic ride Gunn creates in their story. They masterfully develop all of the characters and force the reader to challenge their preexisting ideals & feel deep empathy for BAD people. The author's bio mentions they have extensively studied marginalized communities and folklore and they bring all of their knowledge together beautifully combining it with the tragic, horror theme of the book. Even if it may not be the ending you want, Gunn makes you understand it's the ending the characters DESERVE!

This was an absolutely wonderful book to read! Thank you for the opportunity. :)
I was grabbed by the cover and also noticing the author shares the same last name at me. While I don’t live in an Appalachian town, I do live in Kentucky and am familiar with the towns, so it caught my eye!
I loved the ominous force in the book and the ending was exactly how it needed to be. That epilogue had me loving the book even more.

I feel somewhat divided about this one. While it is well-written and tells a compelling story, I was a bit irked by a few plot points here and there. I found the horror visuals rather generic, although they were creepy and set the right kind of atmosphere. Overall, I think it would have been even better as a horror-procedural-cop novel rather than a paranormal thriller; however, as it stands, it's still a finely crafted book with great pacing.

While I understand from the author's notes that the family drama aspect of the book was inspired by personal experiences, I must say that I did not enjoy either of the main characters' company.

On one hand, the overall narration tries very hard to make Finn a sympathetic character, someone to empathise with; but there's honestly no coming back from what he did, and it felt bizarre to see him act as if he were a victim of circumstances.

> “Jesus, Rach. How am I ever supposed to come back from that night?” he asked barely above a whisper.

the audacity. the entitlement.
While I disagree with the other characters calling him a ‘murderer,’ I couldn't see anything in the narration actually redeeming Finn for what he did. Where was the emotional journey? The acts of betterment in order to earn his family's forgiveness? Finn started off as a piece of sh!t, his son died, and then he remained a bitter p.o.s—albeit now a grieving one. And he turned out violent on top of that! Red flags all around.

As for Rachel, she really isn't much better for a multitude of reasons. What struck me, though, is how her bisexuality was handled in the book (side note: the word ‘bisexual’ is not actually used).

> “I wish I’d never pretended to be straight!” Rachel slapped the wheel. “I wish I’d said no when you asked me to marry you [...] I regret lying to myself. I regret shoving who I am aside over and over again to hang on to a dream that was never mine in the first place.”

I'm sorry but did she stop being bisexual at the altar? Was that part of the prenup?
What is this tirade supposed to mean? I truly hope I misunderstood that part and that the author wasn't actually saying her sole queer character can only claim her identity by having a ton of indiscriminate sex, even while committed in a monogamous relationship. That'd be a big yikes... But I probably misunderstood. Right?

In conclusion, I'd still recommend this book for a great paranormal thrill. It had good imagery, better pacing and an even better sense of place. Thank you to the publisher for giving me an advanced copy!

Rachel Kennan is incredibly dedicated to her job. She is police chief of a small Virginia town and spends most of her time at work to avoid the grief of her child who died due to her husband Finn's mistake. The town is very religious, very traditional and backward. Finna and Rachel's remaining children are doing their best to fit in. When something emerges from the forrest, the family has to band together to ensure that they survive.
Is it related to the relentless meth? Or is it another evil that no one has ever faced. Drawing from Appalachian mythos, Alison Gunn might just scare you to death with this thrilling novel! #Atria #nowhere #allisongunn