If something sounds too good to be true...

A gorgeous furnished house in rural Georgia, completely furnished for $100 AND a small-business startup loan? That might classify as too good to be true, but I for one am glad that Billie Hope and here family didn't think so and moved to Juliana, because I loved every single page of Gothictown. Emily Carpenter's latest release is so deliciously creepy, with just enough paranormal to raise the hair on the back of my neck without going over the top. For animal lovers like me who might be wondering, Ramsey and Ever are both fine at the end,

I feel like this was is what comes from a gothic, cozy mystery and a horror-ish thriller having a baby. The tones from the beginning, middle and end of the story all felt different- but it was entertaining nonetheless.

The town of Juliana is definitely not what it seems and honestly, Billie should've known better; $100 house is jot something you jump for without enough research!

Satisfying ending, I guess the slower burn/pacing wasn't what I wanted from it, but overall, worth a read!

The premise of Gothictown drew me in - $100 to move to a small, creepy town? A house that feels haunted? Sign me up! Billie, the main character, is unlikeable and untrustworthy, which adds an element of suspense to the book. Although I was drawn in, Gothictown did fall a little flat at the end.

Emily Carpenter's latest Southern Gothic thriller, soon to be a TV series, GOTHICTOWN, is a dark, creepy, and wickedly delicious thriller. It beckons you into a seductive world, where all your desires can be fulfilled… if you're willing to pay the price.

The story unfolds in a seemingly idyllic town in Georgia, rich with history and a chilling atmosphere, making it a captivating read for fans of the genre. A restaurateur from New York City is lured to a Southern town in Georgia, post-pandemic, with all the enticing incentives that turn into a horror nightmare for her and her family.

About...

Billie Hope was the successful owner of a New York restaurant called Billie's, which celebrities often frequented; however, during the pandemic, she was forced to close it.

She is at odds since her mom decided to join a cult in Maine, and she misses the busy restaurant to keep her busy.

She learns of a Southern town, two hours north of Atlanta, in (fictional) Juliana, Georgia, offering incredible incentives to build up the city and business. A beautiful, spacious Victorian home (furnished), land to grow things for a restaurant, and a large grant to open a restaurant. Billie is delighted, thinking this is fate.

Gentle Juliana Beckons You…

"Start your life today in a community that cares, courtesy of the Juliana Initiative.

Founded in 1832, Juliana, Georgia, is an idyllic, historic, riverside mill town that offers every amenity you need to start your new business, continue your remote work, or set up your practice in a safe, secure, and vital environment away from city life. Juliana has always been its own town, and we are proud of it. The weather is warm here,and so are the people. We welcome all to our jewel of the South."
— Gentle Juliana

Finally, Billie convinces her husband, Peter (therapist), and young daughter, Mere, to make the move, filled with hope and excitement at the prospect of the beautiful home and the opportunity to open her dream restaurant.

But then, things take a bizarre turn. Sleep becomes elusive, nightmares and strange events unfold, evil forces of Juliana surround their home, and the town's leaders exhibit peculiar behavior. Rumors about a well on their property add to the mystery. Beneath the town's warm hospitality, something sinister lurks. As the stress mounts, their marriage is tested, and Billie is left grappling with the inexplicable.

The story is filled with suspense and tension, keeping you on the edge of your seat, wondering if they will escape.

Check out the website for more: Gentle Juliana. So much fun and a playlist!

My thoughts...

I loved GOTHICTOWN! The author cleverly creates a Southern Gothic, chilling atmospheric setting that is so enticing on the outside, with a menacing, sinister horror lurking on every page turn and those creepy, evil characters!

From the evil forces of Juliana to its eccentric characters, sins of the town's past, and sinister ghostly events, all make for an engrossing, unputdownable tale.

GOTHICTOWN is the author's finest work, and I eagerly anticipate a sequel. The TV series based on this gripping tale only adds to the excitement.

Audiobook...

The audiobook is superb, narrated by one of my favorites, Cassandra Campbell! Her performance was award-winning, elevating the story with vivid settings and the perfect, impressive voice for all the characters, particularly Billie! I highly recommend the audiobook.

The area...

An Atlanta gal for many years, spending my entire career there, living in Vinings, Buckhead, and Midtown, and later Big Canoe, GA (which I loved), about an hour north of Atlanta, and dated a guy in Dalohenga (mentioned in the book) until I moved to Florida. I love stories set in Georgia, and Atlanta will always be home for me. My grown sons wish I still lived there, as Florida is not an easy drive from North Carolina. I adore and support Atlanta authors.

Author's Note...

I thoroughly enjoyed the author's note. It provided a fascinating insight into the inspiration behind the book and the history of Roswell, GA. Wow, I could not wait to find the inspiration, adding depth to the story, making me appreciate the author's work even more.

Ironically, years ago, I was the Director of Membership and Events for the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (overseeing the cities of Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, and Mountain Park) and did not know about all this scandalous history! Later, I was an associate publisher for Atlanta's largest commercial real estate directory for many years, Atlanta B2B Magazine, Publisher of Atlanta New Homes Data Book and several online commercial real estate companies in Atlanta, covering these areas. It is always fun to learn something new. Fascinating. Thank you, Emily!

Note to Emily...

Please write a ghostly Gothic book set in Columbus, GA! This town also has many historic Victorian homes, and the city has ghosts, very mysterious, creepy, and strange townspeople, making this a perfect setting. I had a client located downtown, and I spent six months there and could not wait to leave! Lots of haunting stories here.

Recs...

GOTHICTOWN is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Ashley Winstead, Stacy Willingham, Laura McHugh, and Jennifer McMahon—for readers who enjoy well-written Southern Gothic tales with a touch of horror.

Thanks to Kensington, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the gifted advanced review and listening copies in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: March 25, 2025
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Thank you to the publisher for granting my request!!

Hello again dear reader,
So this is a mixed feelings one because while the book kept me engaged and wanting to reach the end to see how it would all turn out, days after finishing the more I think about it the less I’m satisfied.

The ambience is well rendered and Carpenter’s narrative pace is well regulated so as to keep you on your toes. The flashback prologue and then interludes that chronicle some of the town’s misdeeds were the best part for me as well as they complemented the developments in the present plot line.

But that’s about where the good ends for me as, past that, the story very much hinges on the protagonist making extremely stupid and frankly unrealistic decisions. I’m a big fan of Southern Gothic and the disorientation and so on that are staples of the genre but I would’ve felt much more for the character had her circumstances been more believable.
I can’t really get into it without major spoilers but in broad terms, the author can’t really lay the groundwork for a perfect partnership between spouses and then allow it to be manipulated and broken as easily as it was within this story. Even with the cracks shown at the beginning. I’m all for an unlikeable protagonist as well but not when the author is clearly trying to get us to root for her despite it all in a way that’s basically saying eeeh it’s not really her fault, she’s absolved actually (when it very clearly was her failings). That’s not quite the way it works. You either have the guts to go full out with your unlikeable protagonist/ antihero and let them be wrong, or you don’t start down that path of pretending you’re going for layering and imperfections but then wrapping it all in a bow and saying nah it was someone else’s faults.
Had it been done well, it might’ve made for a more compelling psychological study, alas this did not feel the case here.

I was very amused by the final resolution however because by that point I’d removed a level of seriousness and investment from my expectations of the story so I was more entertained. Even if there was a slight savior complex vibe through it all.

I wanted to enjoy this book more and for some aspects I did but ultimately the author failed to create a protagonist I could root for or feel invested in. By the end I was only curious to see how it would all turn out for the baddies more than rooting for a victory of the good guys.

Until next time dear reader,
Eleni A.E.

3.5/5⭐, rounded up

A perfect house in a perfect town… what could go wrong? Similar in premise to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯, Jennifer Thorne’s 𝘓𝘶𝘵𝘦, and Christopher Golden’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘵, this folk-horrorish-ghost-story of Gothictown lures a small family with an incentivized offer of a beautiful, cheap Victorian home in the seemingly idyllic town of Juliana, Georgia.

However, it doesn’t take long for strange things to start to happen at Billie, Peter and their young daughter’s lovely home and the friendly town. Is the house and town haunted? Cursed? Is it just full of crazy-culty townsfolk who all drank the kool-aid? Her family, haunted by dreams, plagued by insomnia and generally creeped out by the ‘old guard’ historical families, Billie begins to wonder if she’s made a huge mistake that proves almost impossible to extricate her family from.

I found the story well written, keeping me interested all the way through (I pushed other books away to concentrate on this one.) The mystery goes back to the civil war, and it’s a horrifying one. There are some genuinely creepy bits, and as the menace threatens her family, Billie delves into uncovering the dangerous secret at the heart of the town.

This just didn’t grab me! I don’t like books where the plot hinges on the characters making stupid decisions, and while I didn’t finish the book, from what I read it seemed like that was going to be a theme. The main characters are also insufferable, and not in a fun way. A pass for me, unfortunately.

Freedom doesn't come without a sacrifice.

Gothictown by Emily Carpenter

QUICK SUMMARY
Billie Hope moves with her family to Juliana, Georgia, after a tempting offer for a home and business grant. Despite the town's charm, she faces haunting dreams, marital strife, and overbearing influences from local elders, leading her to question the safety and permanence of their new life.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I could not put this book down. Small-town horror always has a grip on me. The historical features of this story make it all the more worrisome for the characters of this book. This take on a too-good-to-be-true offer post-pandemic and someone struggling to find herself and where she belongs in this world. The one thing that turned me off is the HP reference, just unnecessary.

A small, southern town that’s power hungry isn’t the best place to move your family to. Big houses for one hundred dollars, but certain sacrifices need to be made for this to happen.

Gothictown is an atmospheric Southern Gothic that is set post COVID and follows a married couple who move to a small town in the hopes of leaving behind their problems. You can see where this is going!

The town is not what they hope for and we soon see the picture perfect facade begin to crumble quite quickly.
This was creepy small town perfection with the perfect amount of marriage in trouble trope.
The sense of dread throughout was superb.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for my review copy.

I loved this book. Loved the audio version as well.
A creative take on a too good to be true offer after the pandemic. Creepy and full of interesting characters. So many surprises right down to the very end. Loved the weird setting of this small town full of secrets. Great book.

Gothictown, a "Southern Gothic" novel, is the first book I've read by Emily Carpenter. After reading this, I will definitely be looking for more upcoming works by her. Though there were some horror elements here, it was more of a mystery and thriller for me. After all, it's not the dead we need to be afraid of...

Billie Hope was an extremely successful New York City restauranteur and chef, until the Covid epidemic hit and she was forced to shutter her restaurant. She lives in a cramped NYC apartment with her therapist husband Peter, 6-year-old daughter Meredith (Mere) and Ramsay the cat. She dreams of something more, and then she receives an email which changes the trajectory of all their lives. For $100, Billie can purchase a Victorian house for the family in Juliana, Georgia, a small rural town north of Atlanta, which is offering incentives in order to rebuild its economy in the aftermath of the pandemic. Not only that, but she can obtain a business grant to open a new restaurant. What could possibly go wrong? It seems like the answer to their dreams! Soon Billie and family are officially part of the "Juliana Initiative", and things are soon coming together for their family. But is it all really perfect like it initially appeared to be? Billie's busy with her new restaurant, but she can't help but notice that her marriage with Peter has become very strained, Ramsay the cat has become unhinged, and the town elders seem to be hiding things from them. What's the real secret about "gentle Juliana"?

Though I didn't get the horror story I was expecting, I found this to be quite an interesting mystery/thriller. Billie, Peter and Mere were all likable characters, and I felt for them for losing the life they had before Covid hit. When Billie gets an email about the Juliana Initiative, she believes this is exactly what her family needs to get back on track. But there are strange and menacing undertones beneath the facade of Southern hospitality. Ramsay, who had always been a docile pet, now seemed to be a feral beast, and little Mere was now afraid of him. When the family was told about an uncapped well on the property, Peter became obsessed with finding it and spent entire days searching for it, in fear that Mere could fall into it. No matter who they asked about the well, no one seems to have answers, nor were they willing to try to help. Jamie Cleburne, who ran the antique shop that's attached to Billie's restaurant, became friends with Billie, and he seemed to be very attracted to his new business neighbor beyond friendship. Billie, Peter and Mere began to have strange and eerie dreams about children in the dark singing, and a woman with a crown of gray braids. How can their dreams possibly be connected? Though her new restaurant begins to take off, Billie's marriage begins to deteriorate. Peter, who had always been a kind and gentle man, has a change of personality and becomes violent, then suddenly takes off. The suspense continued to increase as the story progressed. Things that seemed normal, such as Billie's friendship with Jamie, suddenly began to have sinister undertones. All was not as it appeared on the surface in Juliana! Throughout the story we read pieces of Juliana's history, and it soon becomes chilling to find out how the founding fathers of the city managed to keep her afloat. The conclusion of the story felt rather anticlimactic to me, but all in all it was a very satisfying thriller.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Carpenter takes on some classic Southern gothic staples in Gothictown: the legacy of the Civil War, isolation, rural settings, etc. The setting, Juliana, Georgia, is appropriately spooky and populated with equally spooky people.

The climax of the novel does not, for me, justify the rather lengthy build. There is a real "and then everyone clapped" feeling to it that feels out of left field. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the read.

This is one of those stories that I liked to an extent. The more I thought of this after, the more questions I had and unsure I was. Without trying to spoil this, I have to say that this was a story that seemed to go in one direction for most of the time and then went in another. That switch of direction left a lot of earlier events unexplained to me.

Putting those thoughts aside, this was a good story with a lot of suspicious characters and a perfectly gothic atmosphere. The protagonist was fully dimensional, and while some of her choices were questionable, she remained very likable. While this wasn't creepy for me, it was intriguing and solidly paced where it was hard to put down. Overall, I give this one three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing, for this ARC.

This was a wonderful book. Emily Carpenter has done a great job of pulling me in and making my day. This is such a good book. From start to finish. Not holds barred.

When Billie is at the lowest in her life she receives an email that will change her life. Not just her life but her husband Peter and their daughter Mere's lives also. Billie is at a point where she needs a drastic change. Her restaurant has closed due to the pandemic and her mother moved off to join a cult. Things are not going good for her. Her husband is a therapist who can easily work from home, and anywhere.

This family move from NY to GA and start a fresh life. The email that Billie received was from a town called Juliana. Juliana, GA it seems is a small town and you can buy a home for only a hundred dollars. She can own a new restaurant and have plenty of land for a garden and for her daughter to be able to run and play without worries. In Juliana, GA there is no crime. Everyone gets along for the most part. And it's easy to get what you need to do whatever it is you are doing. They barter with each other a lot.

But there is also secrets in this small town. Deadly secrets. Things that have happened over the years that the founding fathers believe have made the town prosper and thrive. Seems you can do or have almost anything in Juliana if you know the right person. But there are secrets.... Deadly secrets... Be warned.

This was a very exciting read for me. From start to finish I enjoyed it. It made me hold my breath in a few places. Cringe a lot and I did shed some series tears too.

If something seems to good to be true run from it. Run fast and hard.

Thank you #NetGalley, #Kensington, #rbMedia, for this ARC.

Five big stars from me.

Readers of Southern gothic horror and mystery novels are in for a treat when they read Gothictown by Emily Carpenter. Near the beginning of the pandemic Billie Hope decided to close her successful restaurant in New York City. Post-pandemic, she gets an email that seems too good to be true. She and husband Peter can buy a home in Juliana, Georgia for one hundred dollars. On top of that, she can get a business grant to open a new restaurant in the riverside community in Bartow County.

With several phone calls and one quick visit, Billie, Peter, and their daughter Meredith move as part of the Juliana Initiative to revitalize the town. She opens a new restaurant, meets members of the community, and Peter works mainly remotely as a psychologist while Meredith makes a new friend. Things should be wonderful, but the misgivings start to grow along with the sleeplessness and nightmares.

Billie makes decisions with her gut. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. She wants to make her mother proud of her, but feels abandoned by her. Despite being surrounded by people, she’s somewhat lonely and makes some bad decisions. Peter tends to weigh pros and cons of any situation and makes fully-informed decisions. He’s normally a communicator, but has some secrets.

The book starts with a chilling prologue set in Juliana in 1864 and has some occasional flashbacks to times between then and now. These flashbacks let the readers know what is happening in the town before Billie and Peter do. However, that doesn’t deter from the suspense and horror of the situation that gradually builds.

As the situation became clear to this reader, I was cheering for Billie, Peter, and Meredith. Both adults make mistakes, making them both more realistic and more aggravating. Unfortunately, Billie’s broken relationship with her mother was discussed more than once in the book. I felt this subplot could have been omitted to make the story more cohesive. Despite this, the shocking and horrifying beginning stays with you and the tension builds throughout the book. The author did a great job of creating atmosphere and transporting readers to the community of Juliana.

The novel has a Southern Gothic feel with flawed, disturbing, and eccentric characters, alarming events, a somewhat isolated location, and a bit of the paranormal. There’s a focus on both its history and the current situation of the town. Is this truly an idyllic southern town or have Billie, Peter, and Meredith stepped into something dark and hidden? Various themes run through the novel including secrets, lack of communication, death, trust, family, belonging, and much more.

Overall, this is a dark, disturbing, compelling, and thought-provoking story, full of tension and with characters that came to life and were often unique. The author’s note and the discussion questions at the end are worth reading as well. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author. Readers who like dark southern gothic mysteries will likely enjoy this novel.

Kensington Publishing and Emily Carpenter provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 25, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

This is the perfect novel for fans of Southern Gothic horror (specifically perfect for those who are also fans of Old Gods of Appalachia). I LOVED this book and would absolutely read again!

I think I might read just about anything that claims its a southern gothic thriller lets be honest. And Gothictown did not disappoint! This is a age old tale of if its too good to be true.... it most definitely is! I loved how the story made me more and more uneasy with each page as well as the past sins of the American south. Lots of strange characters and old southern decaying atmosphere. Overall as super engaging read that will keep you thinking about it weeks after you finish! can't wait to see what else Emily Carpenter writes!

Well…..Gothictown by Emily Carpenter is not my usual genre, but………..I raced through the book, thoroughly enjoying it! 3.75 stars rounded to 4.

Peter and Billie Hope leave their life in New York after the pandemic, to start over. They move to Juliana, Georgia, a very small town, run by the “old guard”. The town is offering an initiative to anyone who moves there to buy a house for one hundred dollars, and a grant to start a business there. Too good to be true, right? Why do the people of Juliana need new residents? The story will unravel a crazy past, with eccentric characters and ghostly events. It will reveal horrific crimes and many secrets that the “old guard” is trying to cover up.

My question to you after you finish the book, would you stay in a town with a past as horrible as Julianna?

This is not my usual genre but I am glad I went out of my comfort zone and read Gothictown. I am hoping to convince my friends to read it!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing/Kensington for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is out now.

Author Emily Carpenter uses the history of her city of Roswell, Georgia in her new novel GOTHICTOWN. I have read previous books about the Roswell mills that were run by women and children during the Civil War to provide material for Confederate soldiers' uniforms and other things needed. When Sherman came through Georgia burning almost everything in his path, the mills were destroyed. Many of the women and children sent north since they were deemed as traitors. Both of the other books I've read and the Author's Notes in GOTHICTOWN, claim not all the people were accounted for after the Civil War ended.
The town in this novel is a fictional one named Juliana. Right before the Civil War ended the founders of the small town wanted to hide their gold mine by sealing it up with a woman and children inside who had worked the mine. They were afraid Sherman and his troops would have claimed the mine and burned the town. The town elders decide the "sacrifice" of the miners saved them. They pledge that a sacrifice will be needed again if the town starts to flounder.
The story truly begins two years after COVID, which really hit Juliana hard. The town founders decide they will start the Initiative to lure people from outside to boost business and keep the bloodlines from getting too close. Billie Hope is someone who sees the offer to get a nice house for next to nothing and start a new restaurant. She had a very successful restaurant in New York City, but COVID ruined it.
Billie is very excited, Her therapist husband Peter isn't. He has the feeling that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Slowly, Billie finally convinces him to make the huge move. She also believes their daughter Mere (Meredith) will love the more rural environment. They get told when arriving at their new home that there is an uncapped well on the property even though it didn't show up on the information received. Peter becomes obsessed with finding the well which is hard on the 12 acres of their land. Worse than that, Billy and Mere both start having identical nightmares. Peter has severe insomnia at night then falls asleep at inopportune times during the day. This is bad for his therapy clients, both online and in person.
This novel is in the horror genre and is full of some grisly images and plenty of unexpected twists. As a longtime fan of Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, Flannery O'Connor, this story pulled me in right away. I love how Southern Gothic tales are being published more now. As someone who has lived most of her life in the South, Southern stories resonate with me. I am going to a book launch for Emily Carpenter March 27, 2025 at my beloved indie bookstore and am very excited to learn more about the author.