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A review by parklandmom
The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch
4.0
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ & 1/4 (4.25 stars)
Read: April 2024
Format: digital ARC from Net Galley
Challenge Prompt: ARoCF’s “With gardens as a theme or on the cover of a book” AND EOW’s “a mystery or suspense” for the “read anytime in 2024”
Book #36 of 2024: This was a great psychological thriller with a largely familiar cast of characters from the previous two books, Her Darkest Secret and A Cry in the Dark. They don’t appear to be marked as a series but they should be. They would each stand alone also but I still recommend that they be read in order.
I have really enjoyed this group of FBI agents and how they work together. They have realistic relationships and have each other’s backs no matter what.
The cult background story was interesting and served a lesson or guide about the grooming, control, and lies that abound in those systems.
There were lots of twists and turns but I did feel that aspect ended up being overdone with the identity of the crazed killer. In the end, I felt the eventual identity was not as believable.
As much as I love a great suspense or a psychological thriller, the depravity/creep factor details were too much for me at times. It was a little unsettling, especially the earlier part of the novel. It may be too much for those who have been through trauma.
The faith factor is present in this book, though it comes in more evident near the end. Seeing Tiberius’ background and subsequent struggle to believe in God is quite the journey. How he ultimately sees faith and love in action is so moving. Unfortunately we live in a world that has a lot of evil; however, to see it end the way it did contained such redemption and hope.
I recommend the book but a reader would benefit from reading the previous two, in order, beforehand.
>>> I was kindly provided an advanced digital copy of this book by Net Galley but I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts, opinion, and text are my own.
Read: April 2024
Format: digital ARC from Net Galley
Challenge Prompt: ARoCF’s “With gardens as a theme or on the cover of a book” AND EOW’s “a mystery or suspense” for the “read anytime in 2024”
Book #36 of 2024: This was a great psychological thriller with a largely familiar cast of characters from the previous two books, Her Darkest Secret and A Cry in the Dark. They don’t appear to be marked as a series but they should be. They would each stand alone also but I still recommend that they be read in order.
I have really enjoyed this group of FBI agents and how they work together. They have realistic relationships and have each other’s backs no matter what.
The cult background story was interesting and served a lesson or guide about the grooming, control, and lies that abound in those systems.
There were lots of twists and turns but I did feel that aspect ended up being overdone with the identity of the crazed killer. In the end, I felt the eventual identity was not as believable.
As much as I love a great suspense or a psychological thriller, the depravity/creep factor details were too much for me at times. It was a little unsettling, especially the earlier part of the novel. It may be too much for those who have been through trauma.
The faith factor is present in this book, though it comes in more evident near the end. Seeing Tiberius’ background and subsequent struggle to believe in God is quite the journey. How he ultimately sees faith and love in action is so moving. Unfortunately we live in a world that has a lot of evil; however, to see it end the way it did contained such redemption and hope.
I recommend the book but a reader would benefit from reading the previous two, in order, beforehand.
>>> I was kindly provided an advanced digital copy of this book by Net Galley but I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts, opinion, and text are my own.