MITCH GODDARD
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Author of Southern Gothic +
Mystery Novels
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mitch Goddard lives in Germantown, Tennessee with his wife and two sons. Raised in Georgia, he feels most at home in the misty mountains of western North Carolina—where his debut novel takes place. A graduate of The University of Mississippi with a degree in journalism, Mitch has always carried stories in his mind.
As he approached his 40th birthday in June of 2025, he realized it was time to put pen to paper before those stories slipped away. Now, he brings his first novel to life: a haunting, atmospheric mystery rooted in the rugged terrain of Appalachia.
DEBUT NOVEL
Beneath The Flame Azalea
Deep in the mountains of western North Carolina, Jeff, a seasoned hiker stumbles upon an action camera covered in mud following Hurricane Helene. Curious, Jeff salvages
the memory card and later, back in the safety of his home, loads the footage onto his laptop.
What he sees shakes him: raw, unedited footage of a solitary fly fisherman casting peacefully in a mountain stream—until the moment the serenity breaks. The footage ends in a blur of the fisherman’s shaky retreat and a series of screams.
Disturbed and intrigued, Jeff takes the mystery to a popular true crime podcast, Southern Crime All The Time. The podcast, known for solving long-cold southern disappearances, agrees to take the case. Listeners become obsessed with the footage and possible outcomes, sparking internet sleuthing and local headlines.
Jeff searches for answers while also trying to keep a long-held secret from his time on the Appalachian Trail hidden forever.
