The Witch’s Orchard

Author Archer Sullivan’s debut novel, The Witch’s Orchard, is a highly atmospheric, bewitching novel rich in the cultural traditions and folklore passed down through generations in the small, off-the-beaten-path towns deep in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Within a few pages, I was mesmerized by the picturesque narrative, with visions of early misty mornings, the sun peeking over majestic mountaintops, foggy holler bottoms, and old apple orchards with the cry of crows echoing throughout the mountains.

Sullivan awakens readers’ five senses in this gripping, melodic, heartfelt mystery, with authentic scenes and characters that make The Witch’s Orchard not only impossible to put down but also unforgettable.

Former Air Force investigator Annie Gore accepts a plea to investigate the decade-old disappearance of three young girls in a small Appalachian town much like the one she escaped by joining the Air Force after graduating from high school. Annie, now working as a private investigator, is hired by Max, the brother of one of the missing girls, to find out what happened to his sister. In each kidnapping case, a young girl vanished into thin air, with an old apple-head doll left at the scene. When Annie arrives in the small, tight-knit town, the feeling of déjà vu is overwhelming—the town’s resemblance to the one she fled is undeniable. She knows how guarded mountain people can be—wary of strangers and fiercely protective of their privacy. Her job won’t be easy, and as she feared, Annie’s attempts to question locals stir up a hornet’s nest. Soon, accusations and gossip—fed by mountain superstitions and folktales—intertwine with personal recollections and conflicting versions of what may have happened to the girls, including the chilling rumor that they were taken by the “witch of Quartz Creek.”

When another young girl suddenly disappears, the town shatters under the weight of fear, accusations, and finger-pointing. Annie must find the girls and uncover the truth behind these strange occurrences before another child is taken. Of one thing she is certain: this small Appalachian town is hiding ugly secrets, and someone is desperate to keep them buried. Driven by her own need to know—and haunted by the deafening cries of the crows—Annie’s search unearths decades-old secrets as the past threatens to repeat itself. Time is running out.

Debut author Archer Sullivan has crafted a chilling, culturally rich, immersive mystery that will have readers burning the midnight oil. The tone she maintains throughout is electric, alive with malice and a creeping sense of unease that builds page by page until the frenzied climax. The characters are authentic and well-developed, with deep, believable connections to the land, and Annie Gore is a protagonist I hope readers will see more of in the future. Sullivan brilliantly weaves the folklore and superstitions of the region into the plot in a way that engages the senses without overwhelming the central mystery—no doubt drawing on her own ninth-generation Appalachian heritage.

The Witch’s Orchard is an intense, emotionally charged, beautifully written mystery with heart. It’s a story of mountain lore, dark secrets, resilience, hope, and letting go. I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Emily Pike Stewart, whose performance brings the heart of these people and this region to life. Fans of thrillers and atmospheric mysteries will devour this one!