The Girls in the Garden | ⭐⭐⭐ | ARC Review

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⭐⭐⭐

The Girls in the Garden

Written by Lisa Jewell

Published July 2015 by Atria Books

#Mystery, #Thriller, #Crime, #Contemporary, #Suspense

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(Originally read in June of 2015 to be posted before release)

Lisa Jewell was a name I was well acquainted with but never really picked up any of her books. I heard they were mysteries and I am very picky when it comes to the writing in mysteries so I was always wary. I saw this book on netgalley and requested it because the premise appealed to me and, at the very least, I had heard of her so she was popular enough.

I'm not sure if it was just the fact that I had barely heard of her but I was pleasantly surprised by the way that this book felt more like a thriller than a mystery. Don't get me wrong, I am just as picky with my thrillers, I'm just more inclined to like them I suppose. This book did read a little like soap opera at times, but I felt like the atmosphere was as far from soap opera-y as possible. That might have been a useless explanation. If you took out all of the writing and I were to regurgitate a summery of the plot you would probably say, "Gosh, sounds like day time tv." I think the real beauty of this book was hidden in the garden itself.

I always love a book that can make the environment its own sort of character. In a way, this book did just that. The way she was able to blend the different pockets and edges of the garden into various different tonally appropriate spaces. It was a little bit weird for me to think about a garden in a way I might a winding wood in a thriller or maybe even the seedy underbelly of a metropolis but at times I almost did. Not quite, it was still a garden but it really took on a life of its own in this.

I think that's really all I have to say on this book. It wasn't my favorite book ever, I did enjoy it though. If the premise intrigues you I think its worth picking up I'm not sure I would hand it to someone and say they need to read it right now, but if someone asked me about good mysteries that came out this year I might mention this one in there.  I feel like this was super short, but it was just one of those books that fits nicely into its genre and doesn't stand out all too much, which explains why she is such a popular author.  If you can find a niche and stick too it, then by all means, milk it.

Die hard fans of this blog will note the distinct lack of videos from me, and I do have to apologize for that, but I have been moving and the internet at my new place is kind of the worst.  I need to figure out a way to edit and upload my videos without it taking 300 years.  I don't have the patience I need.  Hopefully we will get it all together soon.