Brimstone Hollow

• Author: Archer Sullivan
• Genre: Mystery
• Publication Date: August 11, 2026
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Series: Annie Gore #2

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Following her powerful debut in The Witch’s Orchard, private investigator Annie Gore returns in Brimstone Hollow, bringing readers back to the mountains that author Archer Sullivan, a ninth generation Appalachian, knows so well.

There isn’t much that happens in the Appalachian Mountains that Private Investigator Annie Gore hasn’t seen. Before she joined the Air Force, she was born and raised in those rolling hills, and lately Annie’s cases have called her away from her Louisville office and closer to the small towns of her youth than she ever anticipated. But when her newest client asks if she’s ever been to a snake-handling church, Annie knows she’s about to enter unknown territory.

Katie May has been estranged from her father―one of Appalachia’s last infamous snake handling preachers―for twenty years. But when Katie finds out he’s been fatally bitten, and a funeral was held within twenty-four hours, she questions whether someone deliberately rushed the process. Despite Annie’s doubts, she takes the case. After all, when she looks at Katie, she sees a version of herself: a girl who needs to understand her father in order to understand herself.

As she navigates the hidden hollers and dangerous secrets of this insular Eastern Kentucky town, Annie works fast, hoping to find the truth in record time for her client―and before too many memories from her own childhood surface. But it soon becomes apparent that someone wants Annie’s investigation to stop―by any means necessary.

I was first introduced to Archer Sullivan’s writing with the first book in this series, and I couldn’t wait to read this one. It wasn’t long before I was completely engrossed. The fact that the author has deep roots in Appalachia herself lends an authenticity to the stories, settings, and characters. So let me share my thoughts on this book.

Since this is the second book in a series, I already know and love Annie’s character. She’s capable and no-nonsense with a background as an Air Force Special Investigator, and she’s the perfect mix of tough and vulnerable. In addition, she comes from a town much like the one her latest investigation takes her to, and we get to see a little more about Annie’s background. However, this also allows her to know how small town dynamics work and how to connect with people who tend to be very insular. I find it interesting that Annie has spent her entire adult life working in male-dominated fields, and I had even more respect for her character as a result.

The story starts in Annie’s office in Louisville as she meets a new potential client who has a unique issue. Katie tells Annie about her estranged relationship with her father, a snake-handling preacher who died and was already buried before she even found out. Since all the funeral preparations happened in less than 24 hours, Katie is suspicious that there’s something she wasn’t told, and hires Annie to investigate.

It isn’t long before Annie starts to see the similarities that Brimstone Hollow has with the small Appalachian town she grew up in. Flashes of her own past keep cropping up like she’s playing a game of whack-a-mole as she uncovers clues to what happened, although that is more like pulling teeth in this town. Sullivan’s ability to set a scene is outstanding, as she creates a vivid and atmospheric setting. 

The pacing of the story was a bit uneven, slowing down in the middle portion of the book, but I still enjoyed watching how Annie interacts with the locals and gains their trust with the help of the local sheriff. I was curious to see if there was going to be some kind of romantic subplot hiding in the story, but I won’t spill the beans either way. Instead, the way that Annie slowly becomes accepted kept me riveted. I like her easygoing manner, although she finds herself in danger in this rural town that has closed ranks now that one of their one is dead and someone doesn’t like her poking around. 

Sullivan inserts a new bit of Appalachian history and folklore in this book, with the plot centering on the idea of snake-handling churches. Katie’s father, Ezra, was known for his snake-handling preaching and making the rounds at tent revivals. This is an uncommon brand of Christianity for most of the world, but in this book it seemed completely natural to have this be what Ezra did, but also what is said to have killed him. 

Side note: I was so invested that I got the audiobook for when I was driving, and Emily Pike Stewart might just be my new favorite narrator. Each character had their own voice tone and accents, and this made it almost like reading a full cast narration, especially with the church hymns sung in the background in parts. But all that pales in comparison to her scarily realistic impression of a rattlesnake. 

Overall, this was a suspenseful mystery that delved into more folklore and traditions of Appalachia that feel like we could only live them through the words of an author who knows that area inside and out. Annie is a wonderful mix of tough yet vulnerable, and I really liked watching her not only work to get people to trust her enough to share what they know, but also learning to put her trust in others. She exhibits a lot of character growth, and there were plot twists that surprised me every time. While this one was a good story, it just didn’t quite hit the same as that first book did, with the creepy tension and twisty plot. Even so, it was still a great read and I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment!

Bottom line: A great story with an atmospheric setting, complex characters, and local folklore that kept me glued to the pages. Just beware, the pacing slows a bit in the middle part of the book but it speeds up again at the end.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase through my links.