I would like to caveat this review with a note that I don't really read much horror. If you read a lot of horror, your mileage may vary here.

I enjoyed this debut novel about a creepy little town and its spooky occurrences. The atmosphere in the house and the woods freaked me out while reading at night. The story kept moving and I liked that it wasn't always the same few creepy things happening. I did feel like after the initial momentum, the pacing slowed down for a big chunk of the middle of the book before picking up again towards the end, and I liked the unexpected conclusion to the story.

The children... shudder. The characters are flawed, but for once the cop MC isn't either bumbling or alcoholic. However, I wish we got more character development. It was mostly the same traits, habits, and past events re-hashed repeatedly, which didn't lend depth to our understanding of who they are.

Still, I think this is a promising debut and I might pick up another book by Gunn - but maybe not because I don't really have the stomach for horror any scarier than this and I can only imagine that if this is the debut, the next one will be miles scarier.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I’ve discovered recently that I’m a huge fan of Appalachian horror stories (if you hear something, no you didn’t) and this one was especially unsettling! Children are always creepy, including my own sometimes, and this book took that to a whole new level! And that end, it really got me 😳 As someone who was born and raised in the area of Virginia where this took place, I could appreciate a lot of elements of the story.

Dahlmouth, is a very small creepy town in Virginia. Rachel is the police chief and her and her family are relatively new to the town. The most serious crime this town has seen is by the meth manufacturing family, until a grizzly discovery is found in the woods. Rachel begins to investigate and realizes there’s something more sinister going on. Meanwhile, Rachel‘s family is still reeling from the death of their son, Aiden. Her two daughters each are handling the death in their own ways. The younger of the two Lucy draws strange pictures and Charlie the teenager spend as much time with her friends as possible. I can’t go into too much further without running into spoilers, but this novel certainly is very creepy.

The atmosphere of the woods and the children were done perfectly. You could feel the sense of dread building up in the town with each page you turned. However, it seemed it went from slow dread to full on action that sort of lost my interest at that point. I liked the parts with the church as well as some of the lore that was vaguely touched up upon. I think more of this would helped build more depth or filler in between the beginning and the end.

Overall, this is a very creepy book and would recommend to those who likes supernatural horror with some Appalachia lore.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was creepy in the best ways possible. It has an underlying supernatural tone and element that I really loved. It kept me on the edge of my seat with the twists and turns and I found myself staying up late to finish it.
I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries with a horror/supernatural element as well as some drama and angst between the female main character and her family.

I unfortunately did not finish this book. The story line was moving a little too slowly for my liking, but the characters were well written and likeable.

"Nowhere" by Allison Gunn is a 3-star read. Rachel and Finn Keenan are struggling to keep their marriage together after a tragic accident that claimed their son's life. While they try to maintain a sense of normalcy for their two daughters, strange occurrences in town force them to set aside their conflicts—if they can.

From the synopsis, I thought this story had great potential, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy the writing style, though it did seem to improve as the book progressed. The dynamic between Rachel and Finn was frustrating—the way they spoke and acted toward each other felt excessive and out of control. Additionally, Rachel’s interactions with her deputies seemed unrealistic, making it difficult to connect with her character. Overall, I found Rachel unlikable, and the story lacked strong character development.

However, if you’re a fan of Appalachian folklore, this book might be worth a try!

Thanks to Atria Books, Allison Gunn, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this one—but one thing’s for sure: this book was CREEPY AS HELL. The atmosphere? Absolutely chilling. The Appalachian folklore? So eerie and well done. The ending? Completely unhinged in the best way possible. 😳

That said… I hated the main character, Rachel, and her husband wasn’t much better. The domestic drama bogged things down for me, and if not for the sheer horror factor, I might have DNF’d. But wow, am I glad I stuck with it—because there’s a paragraph at the end of chapter 29 that will haunt me forever. 😆

Creepy kids freak me out, the Appalachian setting hit way too close to home (literally—those mountains are spooky and I live right by them!), and while I could’ve done with less family dysfunction, this was an incredible debut. If you like horror that gets under your skin, Nowhere is worth the read!

This book for incredible!!! So bone chilling from cover to cover! Amazing debut by the writer! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc of the book!

I was not a fan of this book. I did finish it, however, it took me forever because I just could not get into it.

DNF @ 6%. I am not usually one to DNF so early but I have reread the beginning of this book three times and I am confused on who any of the character are or who they’re speaking to. Too much cop drama to wade through for this to be worth the effort. I will not be reviewing this on any platforms since I did not get very far and it is her debut release.

This was pitched as a combination of two things I love (Mare of Easttown and The Outsider by Stephen King) but it’s actually so bad I refuse to acknowledge any comparisons. Bad writing, stupid plot, horrible characters. No thank you!

I loved this book. It was creepy, twisty, and dark. Everything I love in a book. Thank you to Netgalley for the arc of Nowhere by Allison Gunn. I can't wait for others to be able to read this. I definitely will be purchasing a physical copy of this book.

Release: March 24, 2025
Publisher: Atria

Rating: 4.25 ★ 

"Nowhere" by Allison Gunn is a haunting fusion of family drama and supernatural horror set in a small Appalachian town. The narrative centers on Rachel Kennan, the town’s police chief, who is grappling with the devastating loss of her young son. Her husband, Finn, a writer battling alcoholism, and their two daughters, Charlie and Lucy, each carry their own burdens, creating a family portrait steeped in grief and tension.
The story unfolds with the discovery of a gruesomely mutilated body in the nearby woods, thrusting Rachel into an investigation that the tight-knit, religious community is reluctant to support. As children begin to disappear and an ominous force from the forest encroaches, the Kennan family finds themselves confronting both external threats and their own internal demons.
Gunn skillfully weaves elements of Appalachian folklore into the plot, adding a layer of eerie authenticity to the supernatural occurrences. The novel’s atmosphere is thick with tension, drawing readers into a world where the lines between reality and the otherworldly blur. The author’s exploration of grief, guilt, and the complexities of familial relationships adds depth to the horror elements, making the terror experienced by the characters resonate on a personal level.

Favorite Quote:
"I can take you to heaven, but I'll have to kill you first."

What a great read, gave me total King vibes and I love it!! Haunting, horror, folklore, creepy, almost alien vibes with this one

Rachels husband Finn, her kids Charlie, Aidan (deceased) and Lucy are newer to town, and the town folks have definitely not been welcoming. Rachel is the Chief of Police and is very dedicated to her job, she became even more intertwined in her job after her son Aidan died. Finn is the writer husband, former alcoholic that had to do with Aidan's death. Finn is trying to hold the family, and anything else he can together, but it has been very tough after the loss of Aidan.

When a big crime happens in the community, Rachel is right there to try to find out what happened. But things are weird, shes not sure why. People are acting weird. And then there is the woods, where "Nowhere" lies.

This hit on so many good things for me, I loved this read. I feel like it did start a bit slow with a lot of the big action happening in the end, would have been nice to include some of that early in the book somehow

This was as dark as it promised it would. Certain things really made me uncomfortable but that only proves what a good book this is. Definitely not something to read when you are in a dark headspace. There are lots of heavy topics but they have been portrayed in a nuanced manner. The main plot was thrilling and engaging and I found the characters to be really memorable. 4.5 out of 5 stars. Full review to come soon.

Thank you @atriabooks #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

Appalachian horror? Say no more. This book is set in the middle of Nowhere, in a small town in Appalachian territory. We meet a family that is struggling to stay together and tragedy struck and their son died in an accident. Rachel, the mother, deals with the grief by completely throwing herself into her police career and her husband Finn, tries to clean his act by setting aside the bottle and focusing on his family. Thankfully they have two daughters which forces them to try and make things work. Grief is hard though and everyone is coping differently. Another crime happens that takes Rachel to people that speak of different forces calling children to the forest….never to be seen again. Rachel must get to the bottom of what is truly happening and where those children are disappearing to.

This is the type of book that made the hair on the back of my neck raise. It was soooo creepy and played out like a horror film in my head. I am shocked that this is a debut because I truly think this book had me double checking my locks and looking under my bed at night. The writing was magnificent and Allison really made feel like I was a person living in this town. It’s atmospheric, eerie, frightening and everything I want in a horror book. Please note, the main character was not likable at all but that made me enjoy the book even more. This book is a perfect book to add to your spooky season TBR!

As a horror lover, I'm so pleasantly surprised by how creepy and eerie this book was. I can't believe it's the authors debut.
Rachel and Finn live in a small town in Virginia. They're transplants and haven't been exactly made to feel welcome. Not even after their son Aidan dies (even if it's in a car crash when his dad was driving). Rachel is the police chief and Finn is a writer whose scathing article about the town further ostracized them.
When a hiker is found in the woods, his body mutilated Rachel becomes obsessed with finding out who did it. She seems extremely focused on the local meth makers. When she should be paying attention to her remaining children. Her daughters Charlie and Lucy.
Nowhere is very well written. It's descriptive and starts out with a taste of what's to come. It also captures how the people in some small towns make outsiders feel.
I loved the folklore and quite honestly how scary it is. There were parts that had me on edge. Every season is "Spooky Season" for me. But this is a read for Halloween if there ever was one.
You won't particularly like the MC's. Especially Rachel. That won't stop you from enjoying the book or racing to see what happens next.
I also wish we learned a little more about the folk in the woods.
Nowhere is descriptive and well written. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

Thank you NetGalley for this good book! It says Mare of Easttown meets The Outsider. That’s pretty good and compelling!

After experiencing the loss of her young son in an accident, Rachel Kennan focuses on her role as police chief of a small Virginia town. Her husband, Finn, a writer dealing with alcoholism, seeks to make amends and rebuild his family. Their two daughters remain a connecting factor between Rachel and Finn, while each family member faces their own challenges.

A disturbing crime shocks their close-knit, religious community, leading Rachel to pursue leads in a place that is unwelcoming to outsiders. When an ominous force in the forest begins calling to the children, fear breeds hostility among the townspeople, putting the Kennan family directly in harm's way. With no choice but to rely on each other, Rachel and Finn must unite to confront threats both internal and external.

A haunting family saga and unsettling horror debut, "Nowhere" draws from Appalachian folklore to remind us that true terror lies within our own hearts. Initially, I found the book engaging with its eerie atmosphere and suspenseful elements. The children's nursery rhyme songs emanating from the woods were particularly unsettling. The first death was grotesquely described, evoking a strong reaction.

The loss of Rachel and Finn's son Aiden in an accident is profoundly tragic, highlighting their struggle to stay together for the sake of their children amidst overwhelming grief. Their family dynamic is portrayed as being on the verge of collapse. The supernatural aspect of the book added to its intrigue.

However, the second half of the book seemed to lose its momentum. It felt repetitive, echoing events from the first half without introducing new developments. While I appreciated the folklore elements and desired more of the eerie content, the repetitiveness led to a sense of boredom. Despite my reservations I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading more from the author.

I would like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley, the author Allison Gunn, and the publisher Atria Books, for providing me with the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader's copy of Nowhere.

I have terribly mixed feelings about this one.
The tension building, elements of horror, the Big Bad, are all great. I couldn’t read this directly before bed without having a hard time falling asleep. And despite other issues I had with the book, I felt compelled to see it through.
The author clearly worked through some genuine and deep things with this book, and put a lot of her own trauma into these characters. With all due sensitivity to that fact, I did find the interpersonal drama in the book to be overblown and intentionally extreme. The connection between Rachel and Finn is difficult to root for, and the way their relationship is worked through as the horror unfolds is effective in some ways but was not satisfying for me. The supporting characters were flat and felt like caricatures.
I don’t like giving negative reviews, but I don’t have enough positive to say to outweigh my dissatisfaction after finishing.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria books, and Allison Gunn for the review ebook of this book.