The prologue grabs you and makes you want more immediately! I did find there were too many characters introduced all at once, which made it overwhelming at first. It did interrupt my flow in reading fluency, as I occasionally found myself saying, “Wait who is that again?” I certainly enjoyed the underlying plot of this book. As the story goes on, the author excels at character development. Each character is unique and their emotions are discussed well and they’re explained throughout the book in great detail. My favorite part of this whole book was the plot. I would love to see this made into a television show or movie. I tore through this book in no time at all, so enthralled by the wonders transpiring in the small town of Dahlmouth.

It's rather tragic that we live in a world where a book cannot be sold without being given a cross-stamp of comps: X meets Y. For one thing, it discourages originality. For another, it's often a misleading representation. In this case, for instance, the novel itself is very far from either Mare or Outsider, sharing only the most distant of echoes.
Tough female cop meets shapeshifting evil ... sure, yeah, kinda.
Truth is, there's much more to this book, and that's a good thing.
Yeah, there's investigating, and yeah, there's definitely evil in the woods of that small town, the kind that may cause people to disappear. I mean, the town's next to Roanoke, what'd you expect?
What sets this book apart from your standard mommy thriller or even your standard small town evil fare is its characters and just how far Gunn is willing to push them.
She boldly dares to make her protagonist, Rachel--the Kate Winslet's Mare in this equation, presumably--profoundly unlikable. And Finn, the hapless sadsack she married (when she really, really shouldn't have) doesn't fare much better. Their marriage is built of false assumptions and is finally falling apart following the death of a child.
Rachel's gay (though she'd probably go by a more trendy queer) meaning she slept with women before and during her marriage, but also (inexplicably) with Finn, and also married him when he knocked her up, and also proceeded to stay with him for fourteen years and have two more kids. And this is present day, not some backward repressive past. So, they've both essentially been surviving on denial.
And now, that Finn has finally messed up very, very badly, she is resenting him not just for the death of their son, but for the entire marriage. This creates a very fraught dynamic you don't often see in genre fiction. The two of them, so busy tearing each other apart, questionable parents and terrible spouses, must work together to figure out what is going on around them. Because people are disappearing somewhere, even if it's Nowhere.
All this makes for a pretty fun read. And I liked the dark, realistic ending. So yeah, pretty good for a debut that initially showed every signed of being formulaic. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

I enjoyed this novel. It kept me interested and on my toes. It very much had the Appalachian folk vibe. Good characters and good story line.

Nowhere by Allison Gunn is a gripping horror debut that intertwines family drama with chilling supernatural elements. The story follows Rachel Kennan, a police chief coping with the loss of her son, and her struggling husband, Finn. As Rachel investigates a disturbing crime linked to Appalachian folklore, she uncovers dark forces threatening her family and community. Gunn’s writing creates a tense atmosphere with well-developed characters, though the pacing can be uneven. Overall, Nowhere is a compelling read that delves into the deeper fears within us

If there was a creepiness scale for rating books, this one would get a ten. Take a small town in Appalachia, mix in some old mountain legends and a cult-like religious fervor and you have all the ingredients for a deliciously frightening story-and Nowhere delivers in spades. I read a lot of horror and I have to admit that this one gave me the frights.
This is Allison Gunn's first novel, by her admission. If it's true that people get better at what they do as they do more of it, I can't wait for her next ten. They should be awesome.

A creepy, spooky novel that would be great for the Halloween season. It is not my usual style of book, but it was engaging and kept me turning pages.

This was not just a book, this was a production. A dark and unsettling Appalachian town with a judgmental Christian population, a family who does not fit the mold and is riddled with trauma and anger, missing children and whispers weaving through the branches in the forest…
The Kennan family has recently moved to Dahlmouth. Their middle child passes away unexpectedly and his parents, Finn and Rachel, are at each other’s throats casting blame. Rachel is the small town’s police chief, and strange things begin to happen. The young children are acting weird - or disappear altogether - and some of the adults are performing violent and unthinkable acts. Rachel is thrust into trying to keep the peace while her personal/family life is in shambles. Her husband of fourteen years is sleeping in the basement every night, one of Rachel’s daughters has a personality change overnight, and the town is blaming her and her sexuality for what is happening to the people of Dahlmouth.
Full of body and psychological horror, Appalachian folklore, a quick pace and so much happening you’ll never want to put this down; Nowhere is an unforgettable read that will haunt you for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nowhere reminds me of the folklore that my grandparents would share. Nowhere leads you in, fearful of what will happen next. Such a great telling of this story, a lot is going on and keeps you on the edge. I don’t want to say too much, for fear of ruining it for someone. Lucy was my favorite character in the story. Such a surprise ending. If you love creepy, suspenseful, supernatural, horror, this is a must read. Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Allison Gunn for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my was this one great novel. This one will definitely be a bestseller! What a page turner that keeps you on your toes and edge of your seat. Twist and turns throughout the whole novel; characters are well developed. Tension drives this story forward and is a just read.

I don’t even know where to start with this one. I sat looking at my device, just reeling from what I’ve read. This book is just, wow. It starts as an incredibly raw and realistic look at tragedy and a disintegrating marriage, including one of the most vicious and sad arguments I’ve ever read or seen between a married couple and then it gets really freaking scary, and gory, and crazy in the best possible way. The ending is both so satisfying and horrifying. I can’t wait to recommend this to as many people as possible.

First I want to thank NetGalley, The publisher for the E-ARC! The cover of this book drew me in and it did not disappoint! I’m not usually into paranormal books but anything that’s has to do with children and the unknown creep me out! This book definitely kept me engaged and had a problem with not wanting to put it down!

Solid 3.5 ⭐️!! The characters were really fleshed out albeit, they were unlikeable except for the youngest daughter. There were plenty of times while reading the novel that I was scared! Chilling and interesting if just a little predictable with the introduction chapter. I enjoyed it overall! It was grimy in the best way!

Thank you Atria Books eGalley and NetGalley for the eArc and a fun time! The ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

In the small town of Dahlmouth, Rachel and Finn Keenan and their children, Charlie, Aiden, and Lucy try to make a good life. But this was one of the worst places they could have chosen to live.The residents believe that their God and their beliefs are the only ones that are right. Rachel and Finn do not fit into that mold, and they are treated with distain. Perhaps more Finn than Rachel since she is the police chief and gets some respect. Finn though is a writer and what ever he publishes aggravates everyone in this town. Somehow, they still believe they can make a life that works in this backwoods town.
That is until bad things start to happen. The first one destroys the heart of the Keenan family, and it isn’t long before what lies in the woods wants not just this family, but the entire town. Creepy, creepy, creepy, and I could not figure out how Rachel or anyone in this town could beat what was calling from the woods. I was screaming right along with Lucy when she was telling someone who shall remain nameless to run and not look back.
This is one of those books where everything I want to say could potentially be a spoiler. I’m not sure if the description conveys the dread that is lurking between the covers. I can say that I was stunned by the ending. I must have grown up reading too many happily ever after endings, or good triumphing a bit over evil. I am not sure who in this town deserved another chance. Few of the adults, but I would say most of the children. That is it. My lips are sealed until this book publishes and I can talk about it to people who have read it. 4.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Nowhere” by Allison Gunn is a masterfully crafted horror novel that plunges you into the eerie, atmospheric world of a small Appalachian town where the line between the supernatural and reality blurs in terrifying ways. Set in the remote town of Dalmouth, Virginia, this debut novel delivers a chilling, multi-layered horror experience that is as much about the darkness within people as it is about the horrors lurking in the woods. The characters in this book are not perfect by any means; they are filled with flaws, especially Rachel and Finn, but they both will do anything to protect their family. As someone who lives in Virginia, specifically around 30 minutes away from Roanoke (just like where Dalmouth is located) I couldn’t wait to read this book, and I definitely won’t be going into the Virginian woods anytime soon after finishing this book. There is a good amount of gore and graphic descriptions in this book, which make it an excellent atmospheric horror story.

The story follows Rachel Kennon, a tough, morally complex police chief who relocates her family from Richmond to Dalmouth, hoping for a fresh start. But from the moment they arrive, it’s clear that they are outsiders in this tight-knit, insular community. The Kennon family is haunted by their own demons—Rachel struggles with her hidden sexuality and fractured marriage, while her husband Finn battles alcoholism and grief. As if their personal struggles weren’t enough, a series of bizarre and horrifying events begin to unfold in the town, starting with the discovery of a grotesquely mutilated body in the woods and the mysterious changes happening to the town’s children, including Rachel's own daughters.

Gunn’s writing is richly atmospheric, perfectly capturing the wild, untamed beauty of the Appalachian wilderness while imbuing it with a creeping sense of dread. The forest scenes, particularly those involving the Spirit Folk, or faeries, are among the most memorable and terrifying in the book. I really loved the descriptions of these creatures, especially when they were impersonating humans as changelings. These descriptions felt unique and really sucked me into the world that Gunn created. The horror in the book is not just of the supernatural variety; it’s also deeply rooted in the real-world horrors of being an outsider in a small town as well as family trauma.

The characters in Nowhere are vividly drawn and deeply flawed, making them both compelling and relatable. Rachel, with her rough edges and fierce maternal instincts, is a particularly strong protagonist as she is a morally gray character who just wants to protect her family, almost to a fault (especially towards the end of the book). Her interactions with Finn, a once-promising writer now hollowed out by his own failures, are tense and heartbreaking, adding an extra layer of emotional depth to the story. The dual perspectives of Rachel and Finn, along with brief glimpses into the lives of minor characters, create a well-rounded story that explores the impact of the town’s dark secrets on everyone involved.

The horror in Nowhere is expertly layered, combining the immediate terror of the supernatural with the more subtle, insidious horrors of small-town life—gossip, drug use, homophobia, and the casual cruelty of neighbors. Gunn doesn’t shy away from graphic descriptions, especially as the story hurtles towards its fast-paced, chaotic conclusion, where all hell breaks loose and the true nature of the town’s curse is revealed. I absolutely loved the ending of the book and I was speeding along in the last 30% as I couldn’t wait to see what would happen and if the feeling of dread that accumulated while reading the book would be released or not.

Overall, “Nowhere” is a must-read for horror fans, especially those who appreciate stories set in the hauntingly beautiful yet ominous backdrop of Appalachia. With its strong character development, atmospheric writing, and multi-faceted approach to horror, Allison Gunn’s debut novel marks the arrival of a significant new voice in the genre. Whether you’re drawn to supernatural thrillers or stories that explore the darker side of human nature, “Nowhere” is a book that will keep you captivated from start to finish.

This book was AMAZING. it's a perfect paranormal/wtf is going on kind of read to kick off spooky season. I literally had to put this book down several times because I was so scared to see what would happen next. If you're looking for a good suspenseful story this is it! 10 out of 10 recommend.

This one was a creepy mystery horror book which would be perfect for spooky season. Overall had a good plot and enough twists to keep you engaged
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this book

Wow…what a ride. This book had it all - perhaps too much?!

Religious themes, internalized homophobia, body horror, guilt, shame, generational traumas, small town lore, class issues, etc. etc.

I am a fan of LGBTQIA+ horror but this was not what I was expecting in terms of character development (no spoilers!)

It was creepy and atmospheric … children beckoning people into the woods. Also, I mean, children in general am I right?

This book is a difficult one to review succinctly without spoilers…it built tension well, conveyed a palpable sense of dread, and had some gory elements.

Most of the time as I read through the book, my reactions were akin to something like this:

What??

Huh??

ABSOLUTELY NOT.


I will leave you all who are off to read Nowhere with this piece of advice… BUCKLE UP.

In this debut novel Rachel Kennan is police chief in the small town of Dahlmouth, Virginia, outside Roanoke. She recently lost her eight year old son Aidan in a car accident where the vehicle was operated by her husband, Finn, a washed-up writer who was drunk at the time. The two are trying to deal with the pain and are only staying together for their daughters, teenager Charlie and young Lucy, both of whom are troubled following what happened. This whole family is barely holding it together. If they are.

Then a disturbing crime takes place and an ominous force seems to be calling the children of the town, making them disappear. What is happening in Dahlmouth?

First, ignore the cover copy because it really doesn’t give an accurate idea as to what this book is about. Given that, I thought I would like the book that was described pretty well, but this book wasn’t that. I really wanted to like it, since the writer lives in wild, wonderful West Virginia, but, other than the end, which I actually did appreciate, the book just seemed like a whole lot of running around in the woods to me.

Creepy woods, a troubled main character, and some spine-tingling horror? Yup, sign me up. THIS is the type of book they mean when using words like “gripping” and “haunting” to describe them. More often than not, my jaw was wide open and I could not turn the pages fast enough.

The author does a remarkable job of making you truly feel like you are immersed in the horror. I cannot believe this is a debut novel and Allison Gunn is definitely on my immediate buy list now!

A big thank you to Netgalley, Allison Gunn, and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!