‘The Witch’s Orchard’ weaves folklore with reality

In the tiny mountain town of Quartz Creek, North Carolina, three little girls disappeared. One girl returned weeks later, but the other two were never seen again. All that could be found in their places were three applehead dolls . Ten years later, private investigator Annie Gore is hired to dig into the past and uncover the truth, hidden beneath layers of secrets and folklore. The small Appalachian town may have forgotten about the case, but Annie’s arrival stirs up old feelings and forgotten tension.

I am often skeptical of mystery novels — I find them predictable, and they rarely have me on the edge of my seat — but I was optimistic as I opened up Archer Sullivan’s “The Witch’s Orchard.” I was curious if folklore, witches and crows could be incorporated into a story and still leave r