Devil's Knob

by Rachel Callaghan

Deputy Sammie Rae Wheedle thought she'd seen it all in her small Appalachian town, but stumbling upon Jesse Napier's brutally murdered body is just the beginning of the nightmare. As zombies and voodoo become the talk of the town, Sammie Rae finds herself juggling an investigation, a drug epidemic, and two mysterious men with secrets of their own.

Being the only woman in the sheriff's department is tough enough, but now Sammie Rae's got to navigate the charming DEA agent Al Lansing and the enigmatic Dr. Thaddeus Overton, a former addiction doctor from Haiti. Oh, and let's not forget about keeping the town's pill-popping locals, including her own dad, out of trouble.

As bodies pile up and trust becomes a luxury, Sammie Rae's left wondering if she can solve the case before becoming the next victim. With her meddling best friend Darla, trigger-happy dad, and a cast of crazy friends "helping" her out, she might just crack the case... if they don't drive her nuts first.

Can Sammie Rae catch the killer and restore some semblance of normalcy to Lark County? Or will the town's secrets be the death of her? Buckle up for a wild ride through the heart of Appalachia, where nothing is as it seems.

354 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2025

Reviews

[Kristi Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devil’s Knob takes place in the hills of West Virginia. A place where survival of the fittest often means enduring the harsh economy, watching out for goats, and solving the mysteries of the dark woods. Deputy Sammie Weedle is a strong, female cop in a world where females aren’t supposed to want to be in the men’s world. Mysteries of drug lords, murders and potential zombies challenge this Deputy to up her game.
There was humor, a little spice; and a lot of unexpected turns of events in this book. If you are looking for a mystery that you can get behind, this book might be for you.
I don’t know if this is a sequel, but if so… it will be interesting to see what happens next. Deputy Weedle is just getting started.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! All of the characters are very well written and I thoroughly enjoyed their interactions. The storyline kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed learning about historical events and how they shaped the lives of the people. It is very well researched. There is plenty of dark humour too. I highly recommend this story to anyone 18 or over.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Steven Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book, it keeps you on your toes throughout the storyline, as you veer from thinking it's taking you one way, before it heads off in a completely different direction. Set in a small town, it follows our heroine, Sammie Rae, as she battles against dark forces that defy rational logic. Throw in local tensions, workplace dramas, and some well written (and slightly mad friends) and you begin to get a small understanding of the adventure within these pages.

[Alina Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I rarely read thrillers, and this one was far from what I expected. It felt like an interesting and refreshing mix of several genres. Sammy Rae is a great protagonist, and I enjoyed the humor of the story as well as twists and turns.