The Girls in the Garden

Genre: Mystery

Book Type: Physical

Author: Lisa Jewell

Pages: 336

Publisher: Atria Books; Reprint Edition (April 4, 2017)

Book Description:

Imagine that you live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses. You’ve known your neighbors for years and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really?

On a midsummer night, as a festive neighborhood party is taking place, preteen Pip discovers her thirteen-year-old sister Grace lying unconscious and bloody in a hidden corner of a lush rose garden. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?

Thoughts:

This is a tough book for me to describe. I enjoy a good mystery/ suspense book, and while there was definitely mystery around how Grace came to be lying unconscious in the rose garden, there were a lot of levels that were too complex or “out there” that weren’t necessary to make this a good book. While it deals with your typical: lies, betrayal, broken heart, secrets, hidden pasts, friendship and love, none of it was in much of a “normal” sense. For example, I didn’t think all of the fuss around Gordon was necessary, nor did I think Chris having a breakdown was in any way relevant to the overall suspense of the book. I don’t think it added anything to the story, and at times, drew away from the “kids in the garden,” which was more what the book centered around.

While I really enjoy Lisa Jewell’s books and writing style, this one just didn’t do it for me (I also have a high expectation for my favorite authors). I’m glad I read it, but not sure I’d recommend rushing to add this to your TBR.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️