Brimstone Hollow
Author: Archer Sullivan
Series: Annie Gore #2
Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Suspense
Format: eBook (ARC)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis
Private investigator Annie Gore is back in Appalachia for another case, this time involving one of the region's last infamous snake-handling preachers.
Katie May has been estranged from her father for twenty years, but when she learns that he died from a snake bite and was buried remarkably quickly, she begins to wonder whether his death was really as straightforward as everyone claims.
She hires Annie to find out.
Annie isn't entirely convinced there's anything suspicious to uncover, but something about Katie and her complicated relationship with her father, feels uncomfortably familiar.
Her investigation takes her deep into an insular Eastern Kentucky community where religion, family, and long-held secrets are closely intertwined. And the more questions Annie asks, the clearer it becomes that someone would very much like her to stop.
My Thoughts
After absolutely loving The Witch's Orchard, I went into Brimstone Hollow with pretty high expectations.
Thankfully, it didn't disappoint.
Do I perhaps love the first book just a tiny bit more?
Maybe.
But we're keeping that between us. Shhhh. 😂
This time, Annie is investigating the suspicious death of an infamous Appalachian preacher known for practicing snake handling. What initially appears to be a tragic but relatively straightforward snake bite soon becomes considerably more complicated.
And, naturally, Annie asking questions in a small community where everyone knows everyone isn't exactly going to go unnoticed.
One of my favorite things about this series continues to be the Appalachian setting. Archer Sullivan makes these communities feel authentic and lived-in rather than simply using the mountains as a creepy backdrop. The landscape, local culture, relationships, and history all feel intertwined with the mysteries Annie investigates.
The snake-handling church also gave this installment its own identity rather than simply recreating the mystery from the first book.
That said...
I missed my witchy vibes!
I completely understand why this story needed its own atmosphere and subject matter, and I'm glad Sullivan didn't simply repeat what worked before. But the folklore, witches, and unsettling crows were some of my favorite elements of The Witch's Orchard, so I couldn't help missing that particular eeriness just a little.
The investigation itself kept me interested and delivered plenty of twists, but the final 20–25% was where the book really came alive for me.
Naturally, I had theories. I'm physically incapable of reading a mystery without developing seventeen of them. 😂
Even so, the story still managed to give me one of those satisfying little "OH!" moments when everything came together. I always appreciate a thriller that lets me theorize without making the final answer completely obvious.
I also found myself much more personally worried about Annie this time around.
Some of what happens during this investigation feels genuinely dangerous and increasingly personal, and because I'd already become attached to her in the first book, the stakes hit differently. I wasn't simply interested in whether she'd solve the case, I wanted Annie herself to make it through everything being thrown at her.
Her own past continues to add another dimension to the series as well. Annie understands these communities because she comes from them, but returning to places reminiscent of her childhood also means confronting memories she'd rather leave buried.
Final Thoughts
Brimstone Hollow is a strong second installment in the Annie Gore series and another atmospheric Appalachian mystery from Archer Sullivan.
The unusual case surrounding a snake-handling preacher immediately intrigued me, the investigation delivered some satisfying surprises, and I loved being back with Annie.
While I personally missed some of the witchy folklore and eerie atmosphere that made The Witch's Orchard such a standout for me, I appreciate that Brimstone Hollow establishes its own identity rather than simply trying to recreate the first book.
Book one might still have my heart by the tiniest margin...
But I'm absolutely sticking around for Annie's next case.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
ARC Disclaimer
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
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