The Gallagher Place

December 2025 Top Pick

Marlowe is used to the drama that comes with spending holidays with her family, but nothing's come as close to blowing her world apart like this visit. When she and her brothers stumble upon a dead body, it leads to an investigation that may be tied to the decades old disappearance of her childhood best friend. Soon, no one's secrets will be safe.

—Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, NY

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  • “This slow-build suspense novel is a strong debut; gothic elements abound, as the land around Gray House is almost its own character and the story moves between the past and present. The Gallagher Place is an unsettling page-turner, perfect for fans of Jennifer McMahon and Sarah Strohmeyer.”

    ―Booklist

  • “Gothic and twisty! Don’t miss it.”

    ―Lisa Unger, author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six

  • “The narrative culminates in a heartbreaking finale that will haunt readers long after the final page is turned. Doar nails it on her first time out.”

    ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  • “A strong sense of place is central to this chilling novel about old secrets and what one might choose to uncover or keep hidden. The Gallagher Place is dramatically atmospheric, expertly paced, and haunting.”

    ―Shelf Awareness

  • “A spellbinding mystery of buried secrets and family ties, set in Rip Van Winkle’s Hudson River Valley. In page after chilling page, the haunting revelations pile up in this shocking debut that resonates with the emotional weight of loss―and the even darker truths that can lie beneath it. Julie Doar is a promising new voice in suspense fiction.”

    ―Lloyd Devereux Richards, author of Stone Maidens

  • “Haunting and atmospheric, The Gallagher Place is a pulse-quickening ride through a beautiful but threatening landscape that will keep you turning pages late into the night. I loved it!”

    ―Katie Sise, author of The Vacation Rental

  • “This modern-day Hudson Valley Gothic, complete with fog-covered fields, class conflicts, and ancient folklore, will keep you guessing until the final pages. Your heart will ache―and pound―when you discover the real wolf in sheep's clothing. A perfect rainy-day read!”

    ―Sarah Sawyer, author of The Undercurrent

About the author

Julie Doar grew up in New York. As a child, she loved to imagine the abandoned barns and rolling countryside of the Hudson Valley were haunted. She attended Rice University for undergrad and studied English. She's worked as a cold-calling Sales Rep, a Starbucks barista, and a romance novel ghostwriter. Currently, she is a middle school English teacher.