{eBook / 276 pages | Publisher: Thomas & Mercer}
"Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden.In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding... "
I have to admit, Allie from Hardback Hoarder on YouTube did mention she read this and quite enjoyed it. I had realized in that moment I had an eBook copy and knew nothing about it so I decided to get comfy in my pajamas with a cup of tea and get stuck in. I've had this book stuck on my kindle for a few years now and I can't believe it's taken me this long to glance at it. The power of book-tubers is real. I also really need a physical copy of this book. -makes mental note to buy book-
The Butterfly Garden, is a book I've had lingering in my kindle since it was first published. I have no idea what this book was about until Allie from Hardback Hoarder explained to me in a recent video she made.
Set in the present, two FBI agents are tying to piece together what happened at a crime scene they have been brought to. "The Garden" a prison where a serial killer known as The Gardener has kept women trapped for many years. Calling these women, his "Butterflies" as he tattoos wings on each one of the victims before giving them new names and later preserving them in his garden. As they interview a survivor of the garden, Maya, who knows what went on behind the walls of the garden and what horror lied in wait for young girls, hints that she knows more than she is letting on. As she continues to provide her statements about the garden, it's clearer she is hiding something and Agents Eddison & Hanoverian need to find out what Maya is hiding from them.
I was fascinated by this well written morbid thriller as well as the characters that we come to know. Bliss, the one who talks too much, Zara the one who is mean to everyone, Lyonette, who acts like the mother to the girls and we have Lorraine who is so far gone she just wants to be loved by the Gardener. We've got the Gardeners sons, one is as psycho as daddy and the other is just a bit oblivious to what really goes on around the place. Each character has a unique voice and I really rooted for some of them.
This book is bizarre, twisted and a times a little frustrating. I've
loved every minute reading this novel, I'm a sucker for horror/thrillers
and this ticked all the boxes. I gave this book a 3.5/5 stars on Good
Reads just for the fact that the first half of this novel really gripped
me but then it took another four months to complete. I put it down due
to the frustrations I had with the characters and their attitude towards
being in the garden. There were that many girls against an old man and
no one thought to try and fight their way out?! Near the ending of the novel, I will warn you that the subject matters do get even more disturbing and then the ending completely fizzled out for me without giving anything away.
This book would be fantastic if it was adapted as a Netflix film. The visuals would be stunning in my opinion.
*TRIGGER WARNINGS*
Kidnapping, rape, pedophilia, serial murder, child molestation, torture, self harm / suicide
What is your current thriller you are enjoying?
HAPPY READING - J
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