I really enjoyed this book, although the author did an amazing job with all the descriptions, it was a little hard at first for me to keep everything straight as far as the plot line. I pushed through and I’m so glad I did because I throughly enjoyed this!!! Following a pi looking for a missing girl from years ago, to new kidnappings and a twisted tale of motherhood and the things we do for our children or what people will do to have children. The plot twist in the end when I found out who the real kidnapper was blew my mind!!!

This book absolutely blew me away from the first page! I could not read it fast enough. The story was so enticing. The characters grabbed a hold of your heart and just ripped it out of my chest. Really engaging and deep story. I was surprised by the ending which does not happen to me very often. Grammatically beautiful, well structured, and no typos which was amazing for an unedited version. Bravo to this writer! I really hope there will be more stories with this main character.

The witches story was never answered. I skimmed ALOT - so many details and descriptions I think slowed the pace of story not enhance it. Archer Sullivan did a great job at taking you off the path here and there but ultimately not surprised with the initial outcome. I didn’t love the final kidnapping storyline and the fact that none of it needed to happen. The secondary love story/triangle was also not needed and the only thing it added to the story was a reason to get the military information.

3.5 stars rounded up. Good premise, loose ends could use some tying up.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

The Witch's Orchard is a beautifully written, small town thriller encased with multiple levels of heartache, hope, and the underlying pull to the supernatural. Annie is a PI with a troublesome past who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth behind the secrets that surround a small Appalachian town. Her arrival seems to ignite the past and for it's evil to surface once again. The characters are charmingly written and the myths around the town bring a haunting effect to the reader. For Annie to uncover the truth, she must confront her own past and utilize her skills to bring the evil to light. I was drawn in from the beginning and rode the wave of mystery throughout this haunting tale. I would definitely recommend to any reader of the mystery/thriller/haunting genre.

Just finished this book and I absolutely loved it. Annie is a PI and is hired by Max to find his long ago missing sister Molly. Annie unearths someone's secret because within days Annie stumbles upon Molly's now deceased body. Where has she been for 10 years? Another girl is also missing and now Annie is urgently searching for Jessica. Where has the girls been for 10 years? Who took them? This town has secrets and Annie is on the hunt to find them. I really liked Annie and this book. I would love this to turn into a series . Mystery! Suspense! Small town lies! This book has it all. Read it you will not be able to put it down. Excellent!

First, I’d like to thank the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

The Witches Orchard is about a military vet turned PI that returns to her Appalachian roots to solve a 10 year cold case that had caused a lot of heartache for a teen boy named Max.

I really enjoyed the pacing and theme of this book. Throughout it there is a folklore tale that is interwoven into the story that transforms a little each time it’s retold by someone new. That may be one of my favorite things about this novel. I feel the retelling of this story over and over doesn’t just tell you how things change by word of mouth but also how they can change based on a persons personality and the personalities of how they were raised.

This books kept me engaged the whole time and I couldn’t wait to get to the conclusion. If I didn’t have other obligations I would have read right through it as fast as I could.

I will absolutely be recommending this book to my friends when it releases!

The Witch’s Orchard, by Archer Sullivan was a suspenseful slow burning story full of Appalachian folklore, a 10 year old cold case, and secrets of a small town.

Annie Gore is a former Special Investigator for the Air Force and is now a private investigator. She has been hired by a young man, Max, to look into the disappearance of his little sister 10 years ago. As soon as Annie arrives strange things begin to happen and someone clearly doesn't want her looking into this case.

Sullivan has created an atmospheric novel that captures the very essence of a small Appalachian town and the personalities of the residents that live there.

There is a superstition amongst the townsfolk that involves the presence of the Witch of Quartz Creek and as Annie questions people, it seems that each person has their own rendition of the story of the witch. Many of the people believe the witch is responsible for the disappearance of Max’s sister. This novel was chock full of folklore and mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC to this novel and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review. I rate this novel a 3 out of 5 stars.

This was a great fast paced book. I truly enjoyed the surprising twists as the plot unfolded. My heart broke for Adam and his family. The characters were relatable and the ending was unpredictable!! A must read ! Thank you for the ARC netgalley.

The Witch's Orchard was a thoroughly enjoyable, fast paced mystery. Sullivan does an excellent job putting reader into the heart of a small town coping with tragedy and secrets. Once I picked it up I could not put it down. The final twist was wholly unexpected and made for a fantastic ending.

This was a great mystery I could not put down. I loved the folklore woven through, and I particularly enjoyed how each time someone retold the story of the Witch of Quartz Creek, it was a bit different. I'm sure if I reread it I could find the connection between that character and their version, but for now I just really enjoyed it!

I do wish I knew more about the background of the main character, Annie Gore.

The twists were great---several very unexpected even in a mystery genre where most twists have already been used. I say well done, Archer Sullivan!

This was one of the most atmospheric books I've read in recent memory. The author does an incredible job transporting the reader to Appalachia; you feel totally immersed. I thought the story was very compelling as well. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book to friends.

I read a new book that was a very interesting read. The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan was a very good read.

Wow. I could not put this one down. A bit of thrill, mystery, witch-craft, and insanely unnerving...I really want the author to create more with these characters. I am left with a lot of unanswered questions regarding the protagonist that I feel could be expanded on in future works.

What a read! From the start to finish, it pulls you in and keeps you guessing til the end. I hope there will be more Annie PI investigations!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for the advanced copy in return for an honest review, I loved it!

Back woods, folk superstition, folk magic, and small town history, secrets, and betrayals. Abuse left unchecked, kidnapping and murder that no one seems to want resolved - all tied together with a struggle bow for a PI with her own Appalachia roots to untie. Complex and addictive, dark and twisty.

Archer Sullivan’s novel follows the story of a private investigator named Annie, who was hired to dig up a 10-year-old mystery revolving around three missing girls in a small Appalachian town. As Annie searches for the three missing girls, she uncovers an underlying story of a witch, her orchard, and her two daughters. Many locals believe that the witch is somehow responsible for the girl's disappearance, showing the significant impact folklore has on local culture and beliefs.

The Witch’s Orchard is a balance between suspense and mystery. Sullivan did a great job exploring the various types of Appalachian people, how they live, and what they believe. I felt so many feels for the mother of the first missing child because of her circumstances no one really cared or raised an alarm when her daughter went missing. Sullivan creates a community where everything isn’t quite what it seems in this novel.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book . I felt it was well written and conceptualized and was a good read with an engaging setting
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher fir letting me review the book

I devoured this book in just two sittings. I picked it up Monday night before bed, forced myself to stop at 25%, and the moment I got home from work on Tuesday, I had to finish it.
Set deep in the Appalachian mountains, this novel is dripping with atmosphere—equal parts eerie, immersive, and utterly gripping. The folklore, the chilling small-town secrets, and the slow-burn intensity create the perfect storm of suspense.
At the heart of the story is Annie Gore, a brilliantly written protagonist. A former Air Force Special Investigator turned private investigator, Annie is drawn back to the kind of mountain town she once left behind. Hired by Max, the older brother of a girl who vanished a decade ago, Annie takes on a case that proves far more dangerous than she ever anticipated. She needs the money, but what she uncovers is something far more haunting than just an unsolved disappearance.
The pacing is spot-on—every chapter pulls you in deeper, and just when you think you have a handle on what’s happening, Sullivan hits you with a twist you never saw coming. As a die-hard mystery/thriller junkie, I pride myself on figuring things out early, but this one? It kept me guessing until the very end. And that ending? Absolutely satisfying. No loose ends, no unnecessary frustrations—just a perfectly executed conclusion.
Releasing in mid-August, The Witch’s Orchard is destined to be the must-read of late summer and early fall. If you love a gripping mystery with a richly atmospheric setting and masterful storytelling, do not miss this one.

I thought this book sounded good. I’ve never heard of this author and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and thoroughly enjoyed the whole book. The characters are relatable and well developed! I have already talked to some of my coworkers about this book and it is on their to be read list when it is published!

I really liked this book. I liked the characters, the setting and the storyline.

The Appalachian Mountains provides the backdrop for PI Annie Gore and an Air Force veteran. A child of the mountains herself, Annie accepts the job from a young man whose sister and two other young girls disappeared 10 years ago. Making no promises she finds herself embroiled within a small town ripe with legends, folklore and the changing story of a witch who may still be casting a spell over the residents.

This one should make it on your to be read list, with a publication of August, 2025. The ending, well let me just say I didn’t see that coming, and I hope Annie Gore comes back for more. Thank you, NetGalley.