By: Emily Carpenter
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
ISBN: 9798895944301
Publisher: RBmedia | Recorded Books
Kensington Books
Publication Date: 03/25/2025
Format: Audiobook & e-book
Duration: 12 Hrs. 15 Min
My Rating: 5 Stars (ALC) (ARC)
In an immersive Southern Gothic with echoes of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, a restauranteur lured by pandemic-era incentives moves her family to a seemingly idyllic small town in Georgia, only to discover a darkness lurking beneath the Southern hospitality and sun-dappled streets...
Welcome to gentle Juliana, where you can have it all…if you pay the price.
The email that lands in Billie Hope’s inbox seems like a gift from the universe. For $100, she can purchase a spacious Victorian home in Juliana, Georgia, a small town eager to boost its economy in the wake of the pandemic. She can leave behind her cramped New York City rental and the painful memories of shuttering her once thriving restaurant and start over with her husband and her daughter. Plus, she’ll get a business grant to open a new restaurant in a charming riverside community laden with opportunity. It seems like a dream come true…or a devil’s bargain.
A few phone calls and one hurried visit later, and Billie, Peter, and six-year-old Meredith are officially part of the Juliana Initiative. The town is everything promised—two hours northwest of Atlanta but a world away from city living, a “gentle jewel” with weather as warm as its people. Between settling into their lavish home and starting her new restaurant, Billie is busy enough to dismiss any troubling signs…
But Billie’s sleep is marred by haunting dreams, and her marriage with Peter is growing increasingly strained. Meanwhile the town elders, all descended from Juliana’s founding families, exert a level of influence that feels less benevolent and more stifling day by day.
There’s something about “Gentle Juliana”—something off-kilter and menacing beneath that famous Southern hospitality. And no matter how much Billie longed for her family to come here, she’s starting to wonder how, and if, they’ll ever leave.
For readers of Stacy Willingham, Sarah Langan, Ashley Winstead, and Jess Lourey, a bewitchingly foreboding story about sacrifice, privilege, family, guilt, and the vengeful ghosts of a haunted past – from the bestselling author of Burying the Honeysuckle Girls.
About the Author
Photo by Sean Patrick
Emily Carpenter, a former actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant, was born and raised in Alabama. After graduating from Auburn University, she moved to New York City and now lives in Georgia with her family. She is the author of Amazon bestselling Burying the Honeysuckle Girls and The Weight of Lies.
Visit Emily on Facebook and Instagram. WEBSITE
My Review
Emily Carpenter's latest Southern Gothic thriller and soon a TV series, GOTHICTOWN, is a dark, creepy, and atmospheric wickedly delicious thriller. It beckons you into a seductive world, where all your desires can be fulfilled… if you're willing to pay the price.
The story unfolds in a seemingly idyllic town in Georgia, rich with history and a chilling atmosphere, making it a captivating read for fans of the genre.
A restauranteur from NYC is lured to Southern town in Georgia, post-pandemic, with all the enticing incentives that turn into a horror nightmare for her and her family.
About...
Billie Hope was a successful owner of a New York restaurant called Billie's that celebrities often frequented; however, during the pandemic, she was forced to close.
She is at odds since her mom decided to join a cult in Maine, and she misses the busy restaurant to keep her busy.
She learns of a Southern town, two hours north of Atlanta, in (fictional) Juliana, Georgia, offering incredible incentives to build up the city and business. A beautiful, spacious Victorian home (furnished), land to grow things for a restaurant, and a large grant to open a restaurant. Billie is delighted, thinking this is fate.
Gentle Juliana Beckons You…
"Start your life today in a community that cares, courtesy of the Juliana Initiative.
Founded in 1832, Juliana, Georgia, is an idyllic, historic, riverside mill town that offers every amenity you need to start your new business, continue your remote work, or set up your practice in a safe, secure, and vital environment away from city life. Juliana has always been its own town, and we are proud of it. The weather is warm here and so are the people. We welcome all to our jewel of the South."
— Gentle Juliana
Finally, Billie convinces her husband, Peter (therapist), and young daughter, Mere, to make the move, filled with hope and excitement at the prospect of the beautiful home and the opportunity to open her dream restaurant.
But then, things take a bizarre turn. Sleep becomes elusive, nightmares and strange events unfold, evil forces of Juliana surround their home, and the town's leaders exhibit peculiar behavior. Rumors about a well on their property add to the mystery. Beneath the town's warm hospitality, something sinister lurks. As the stress mounts, their marriage is tested, and Billie is left grappling with the inexplicable.
The story is filled with suspense and tension, keeping you on the edge of your seat, wondering if they will escape.
Check out the website for more: Gentle Juliana . So much fun and a playlist!
My thoughts...
I loved GOTHICTOWN! The author cleverly creates the Southern Gothic chilling atmospheric setting that is so enticing on the outside with a menacing sinister horror lurking with every page turn and those creepy EVIL characters!
From the evil forces of Juliana to its eccentric characters, sins of the town's past, and sinster ghostly events, all make for an engrossing unputdownable tale.
GOTHICTOWN is the author's finest work yet, and I eagerly anticipate a sequel. The TV series based on this gripping tale only adds to the excitement.
Audiobook...
The audiobook is superb, narrated by one of my favorites, Cassandra Campbell! Her performance was award-winning, elevating the story with vivid settings and the perfect impressive voice for all the characters, particularly Billie! I highly recommend the audiobook.
The area...
An Atlanta gal for many years, spending my entire career there, living in Vinings, Buckhead, and Midtown, and later Big Canoe, GA (which I loved) about an hour north of Atlanta, and dated a guy in Dalohenga (mentioned in book) until I moved to Florida. I love stories set in Georgia, and Atlanta will always be home for me (my grown sons wish I still lived there as Florida is not an easy drive from NC). I adore and support Atlanta authors.
Author's Note...
I thoroughly enjoyed the author's note. It provided a fascinating insight into the inspiration behind the book and the history of Roswell, GA. Wow, I could not wait to find the inspiration—adding depth to the story, making me appreciate the author's work even more.
Ironically, years ago, I was the Director of Membership and Events for the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (overseeing the cities of Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, and Mountain Park) and did not know about all this scandalous history! Later, I was an associate publisher for Atlanta's largest commercial real estate directory for many years, Atlanta B2B Magazine, Publisher of Atlanta New Homes Data Book and several online commercial real estate companies in Atlanta, covering these areas. It is always fun to learn something new. Fascinating. Thank you, Emily!
Note to Emily...
Please write a ghostly Gothic book set in Columbus, GA! This town also has many historic Victorian homes, and the city has ghosts, very mysterious, creepy, and strange townspeople, making this a perfect setting. I had a client located downtown, and I spent six months there and could not wait to leave! Lots of haunting stories here.
Recs...
GOTHICTOWN is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Ashley Winstead, Stacy Willingham, Laura McHugh, and Jennifer McMahon—for readers who enjoy well-written Southern Gothic tales with a touch of horror.
Thanks to Kensington, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the gifted advanced review and listening copies in exchange for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: March 25, 2025
Praise
*A Publishers Marketplace BUZZ BOOKS Selection*
“A high-energy read that effortlessly reinvents the modern Gothic while delivering all the elements that make the genre so captivating: a haunting atmosphere, a dark legacy, a determined heroine and a whisper of horror. I love the Gothic and I love Gothictown.”
—Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author
“Just the right amount of creepiness to add a scary but not terrifying element to the promised gothic tale, and the post-pandemic what-do-I-do-now feeling is spot on.”
—firstCLUE on Gothictown
“The story masterfully intermingles mystery and psychological tension, making Gothictown a very engaging read. While Billie wrestles with her new reality, so does the reader, in this thrilling adventure into the depths one will go to for family and the haunting shadows which can lurk beneath the surface of a picturesque facade.”
–John Raab, Suspense magazine on Gothictown
“Reminiscent of Christopher Golden’s Italy-set The House of Last Resort (2024), Carpenter’s brisk southern gothic skillfully deploys the genre’s familiar tropes to explore the disturbing ramifications of abuses of power and societal complicity. Horror fans will find it hard to put down.”. – Booklist STARRED REVIEW for Gothictown
“Carpenter has a spectacular voice, and I was drawn into this story immediately. With all the gothic spookiness layered into a suspenseful family drama, this pulse-racing story of a New York family relocating to an idyllic southern town with a dark secret is timely, intense, and terrifyingly good.”
—J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of A Very Bad Thing on Gothictown
"Troubled waters rise slow, and dark, and sneaky in Gothictown... Prepare to breaststroke your way through Carpenter’s latest feat to where the floodwaters recede, revealing an utterly satisfying conclusion."
—Robert Gwaltney, award-winning author of The Cicada Tree on Gothictown
"Inviting and atmospheric, this engrossing tale of a charming town hiding a chilling past is southern gothic at its best. Carpenter expertly turns up the heat as a seductive offer turns out too good to be true and dark secrets come to light, raising the temperature until the plot boils over. I was hooked from the very beginning!"
—Katherine Wood, author of Ladykiller on Gothictown
"A gothic banger of a story. Carpenter's talents really shine here: quirky characters that come alive on the page through her voicey Southern prose, and a sneaky, steady building of tension to claustrophobic proportions. Creepy in the best possible way, Gothictown is an absolute knockout."
—Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of The Paris Widow
"The Queen of Southern Gothic dominates in this unputdownable feast in which deeply-drawn characters who inhabit a tantalizingly secretive southern town play a role in deadly secrets that link back to the past. Haunting, atmospheric, sexy, wildly vivid, original, and entrancing, Gothictown proves Carpenter is the master of balancing all the ingredients for a reader's sleepless night of turning the pages."
—Shannon Kirk, international bestselling author ofMethod 15/33andGretchen
“Influenced by Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” Carpenter creates a Southern gothic tale for horror-curious readers… Those who prefer a slow-burn story with an increasing sense of unease will enjoy this book, and fans of suspense novels with a small-town setting could find this a perfect way to try some gothic horror. Read-alikes include The Invited by Jennifer McMahon and The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons.”
– Library Journal on Gothictown
Congrats to Emily!
NEWS: GOTHICTOWN COMING TO TV!
