The Witchs Orchard, Archer Sullivan
The Witchs Orchard, Archer Sullivan
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The Witch's Orchard
A Novel

Author: Archer Sullivan

Series: Annie Gore Novel #1

Narrator: Emily Pike Stewart

Unabridged: 9 hr 28 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/12/2025


Synopsis

"[Narrator Emily Pike] Stewart captures Annie's blend of vulnerability and grit as her voice shifts seamlessly among Annie's perspective and the various characters' dialogue. She seasons her narration with a credible Southern Appalachian accent and captures the rising tension, keeping listeners engaged." — AudioFile

A ninth generation Appalachian herself, Archer Sullivan brings the mountains of North Carolina to life in The Witch’s Orchard, a wonderfully atmospheric novel that introduces private investigator Annie Gore.

Former Air Force Special Investigator Annie Gore joined the military right after high school to escape the fraught homelife of her childhood. Now, she’s getting by as a private investigator and her latest case takes her to an Appalachian holler not unlike the one where she grew up.

Ten years ago, three little girls went missing from their tiny mountain town. While one was returned, the others were never seen again. After all this time without answers, the brother of one of the girls wants to hire an outsider, and he wants Annie. While she may not be from his town, she gets mountain towns. Mountain people. Driving back into the hills for a case this old—it might be a fool’s errand. But Annie needs to put money in the bank and she can’t turn down a case. Not even one that dredges up her own painful past.

In the shadow of the Blue Ridge, Annie begins to track the truth, navigating a decade’s worth of secrets, folklore of witches and crows, and a whole town that prefers to forget. But while the case may have been buried, echoes of the past linger. And Annie’s arrival stirs someone into action.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books

About Archer Sullivan

ARCHER SULLIVAN is a ninth generation Appalachian. She's moved thirty-seven times and has lived everywhere from Monticello, Kentucky to Manhattan, New York and from Black Mountain, North Carolina to Beverly Hills, California. Her work has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Tough, Shotgun Honey, Reckon Review, Rock and a Hard Place, and The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2024.

About Emily Pike Stewart

Emily Pike Stewart is a Grammy and Audie Award-winning creator of audiobooks with extensive experience across the spoken word industry.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Debra on June 27, 2025

Gripping, atmospheric, tense and mysterious! The Witch's Orchard is a captivating debut by Archer Sullivan. I was instantly drawn into the plot, intrigued by the characters, the creepy apple dolls and the local folklore. I loved the setting in Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Annie Gore, a f......more

Goodreads review by Norma ~ The Sisters on July 25, 2025

The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan Expected Publication: August 12, 2025 Genre: Fiction / Mystery & Thrillers Format: Digital ARC Rating: 4.5 ⭐️ I came for the folklore… and found a haunting Appalachian mystery, a long-buried cold case, and a heroine I couldn’t stop rooting for. Chilling secrets, eeri......more

Goodreads review by Devin The Book Dragon on June 24, 2025

Not too much longer until this one comes out. I hope you all pick this up because it was so creepy and I loved it so much. Wow, I really enjoyed this book. The setting was my favorite as I have not read many books sets in a small mountain town. The setting alone took a common theme of girls going mis......more

Goodreads review by Brittany on July 15, 2025

Ten years ago, three children went missing in an isolated town in the Appalachian Mountains. One child was returned but the other two were never found. With the case cold for several years by local police and the FBI, the brother of one of the girls is determined to find answers. He enlists the help......more

Goodreads review by Lisa on July 30, 2025

THE WITCH’S ORCHARD by Archer Sullivan is a beautifully written story that blends mystery, folklore, and nail-biting suspense into what will surely be one of my favorite novels of the year. The synopsis is compelling and that cover fantastic!! From the very first chapter, the reader is drawn into an......more


Quotes

Praise for The Witch's Orchard

"This gothic-horror story–murder mystery offers a chilling look at dark secrets in a small, poverty-stricken Appalachian town. Full of suspense, shocking twists, and a healthy dose of Appalachian folklore and traditions, it's guaranteed to keep readers spellbound from first page to last." –Booklist

“A mesmerizing mystery that blends small-town secrets with ominous folklore. . . Delivering intrigue, atmosphere, and well-shaded characters with the efficiency of a seasoned pro, Sullivan knocks it out of the park on her first try.” –Publishers Weekly

“A tough heroine who refuses to quit uses her own troubled background to crack the case.” –Kirkus Reviews

“A wonderful combination of mountain lore and history, false heroes and major new friends. . . authentic and engaging.” –first CLUE

"A riveting mystery, weaving together the darkest secrets of a small community with a beguiling thread of folklore and local legend. Sullivan has crafted a compelling and complex heroine in Annie Gore, whose wits, compassion, and grit are the beating heart of this tense and layered thriller—I couldn’t put it down." –Kate Alice Marshall, author of What Lies in the Woods and A Killing Cold

“Meet Annie Gore–tough, funny, stubborn, nosy, flippant, and highly efficient at her job: solving a mystery in a scruffy patch of Appalachia. This is a dandy tale, with crackling dialogue and unforgettable characters, all served up at a breakneck pace and dusted with the dark, gritty poetry of the hills.” –Julia Keller, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the Bell Elkins mysteries

“An enthralling trip through the twisting byways of small-town Appalachia, where everyone knows everyone—or do they? P.I. Annie Gore is a delight–tough, cynical, and determined to find the truth behind the tantalizing story of the witch's orchard—a story that changes with each teller. I read this in one satisfying gulp.” –Vicki Lane, author of the Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mysteries