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leni67's review against another edition
2.0
I really had trouble getting through this. So many names to keep track of, so drawn out. There were so many murders/suicides along the way that I couldn’t remember who was dead and who was alive. Had to read the ending twice, still not sure whether there was abuse going on.
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
3.0
Nominated for the 2015 Agatha for Best Contemporary Novel, this atmospheric novel will keep you slightly off-kilter as the story unfolds. This is really more of a 3.5 star rating for me. The plot involves an event from the past, namely the closure an alternative school called Eden following a student's suicide, that is linked to the present, and keeps everyone involved on edge. The shuttered school is now a care home with neglected grounds and a single neighbor, Gloria Harkness whose son is one of Eden's residents. An old friend who attended the school shows up on Gloria's doorstep one night claiming that a former student is stalking him and has asked him to meet her near the site of the suicide. The dead begin to speak soon after and Gloria is compelled to help unravel the mystery. As was the case with the other stand-alone novel I've ready by this author, [b:Come to Harm|23364531|Come to Harm|Catriona McPherson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415872672s/23364531.jpg|42923978], the eerie tone permeated the story and aided the plot immensely. If you like mysteries with a bit of edge and psychological twists, Ms. McPherson does both quite well and is an author to check out if you haven't read her work already.
krobart's review against another edition
4.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/day-744-the-child-garden/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/day-744-the-child-garden/
pnwshel's review against another edition
4.0
I love a story that doesn't give up the "whodunnit" too early in. I enjoy looking into each character and trying to figure it out along with the pacing of the book.
This was the case here. Although there were a lot of characters to keep track of, the author truly brought all of them to life, even through all the twists and turns. There is a great deal of backstory but it plays a very vital role in the story. If you can get through it without needing to make any charts or graphs :) it is so worth the effort.
This was the case here. Although there were a lot of characters to keep track of, the author truly brought all of them to life, even through all the twists and turns. There is a great deal of backstory but it plays a very vital role in the story. If you can get through it without needing to make any charts or graphs :) it is so worth the effort.
johngolden's review against another edition
5.0
Great Mystery
The story was about a murder at a school and several student deaths since. Each chapter provided more clues, but there's a huge twist at the end.
The story was about a murder at a school and several student deaths since. Each chapter provided more clues, but there's a huge twist at the end.
gbliss's review against another edition
4.0
I have a new Fave...Catriona McPherson!
She does creepy, SO well.
She does foreboding atmosphere, SOO well
She does hidden, lurking surprises in the plot, SOOO well.
Sign me up for more!
She does creepy, SO well.
She does foreboding atmosphere, SOO well
She does hidden, lurking surprises in the plot, SOOO well.
Sign me up for more!
caveatlectors's review against another edition
4.0
The Child Garden kept me on my toes on who the real murderer was. I had trouble reading this for the random thoughts that would appear into Gloria's head, even in the middle of a conversation. I found it quite confusing at times and more confused at the random times she would shout "Nicky!" in her thoughts. I did enjoy the folklore woven in, it was a lovely touch.
bellygames's review against another edition
4.0
An unsettling story with descriptive writing that manages to also leave you feeling a bit cozy as well. I enjoyed this.
susanthebookbag's review against another edition
4.0
I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.
First line—"It was far from silent in the dark wood."
Okay, that's a fabulous first line. What kind of creepiness can the reader expect after that line?
With a cover like this one has, the reader knows from the start that this story is going to be quite a page-turner. I think the cover is amazing, by the way. And The Child Garden was definitely a pager-turner for me.
I think this is one of the best lines in the book, and sort of sums of my thinking through the whole story. "The worst thing is not knowing who knows what." I'm not sure I ever felt comfortable with any of the characters and I never knew who to trust. I doubted everyone and everything. And I loved it!
First line—"It was far from silent in the dark wood."
Okay, that's a fabulous first line. What kind of creepiness can the reader expect after that line?
With a cover like this one has, the reader knows from the start that this story is going to be quite a page-turner. I think the cover is amazing, by the way. And The Child Garden was definitely a pager-turner for me.
I think this is one of the best lines in the book, and sort of sums of my thinking through the whole story. "The worst thing is not knowing who knows what." I'm not sure I ever felt comfortable with any of the characters and I never knew who to trust. I doubted everyone and everything. And I loved it!
nannyf's review against another edition
3.0
Having read the synopsis for this I honestly thought it would be a book I would really get into and enjoy. Unfortunately the story fell short of what I was expecting.
The premise is a good one but the story telling was quite slow at times and a bit muddled. I couldn't quite find it in myself to understand why the main female character did things the way she did. I wanted to connect with her but I couldn't quite get there.
The mystery part of the story was not bad, although again a bit slow to get going and long winded at times. I have to say I preferred the last quarter of the story a lot more than the first three quarters as the mystery side of it started to pick up pace as we headed towards the final chapters. The red herrings which the author threw in were all so plausible that I believed them, that is until she did the actual reveal and it all made sense. The ending itself was written really well, the author has done a good job at hiding the truth until she is ready to reveal it.
For fans of mystery, myths and legends this may well be a much better story for them than it was for me. Unfortunately the way the story was told, and the pacing throughout, just didn't do it for me.
A copy was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The premise is a good one but the story telling was quite slow at times and a bit muddled. I couldn't quite find it in myself to understand why the main female character did things the way she did. I wanted to connect with her but I couldn't quite get there.
The mystery part of the story was not bad, although again a bit slow to get going and long winded at times. I have to say I preferred the last quarter of the story a lot more than the first three quarters as the mystery side of it started to pick up pace as we headed towards the final chapters. The red herrings which the author threw in were all so plausible that I believed them, that is until she did the actual reveal and it all made sense. The ending itself was written really well, the author has done a good job at hiding the truth until she is ready to reveal it.
For fans of mystery, myths and legends this may well be a much better story for them than it was for me. Unfortunately the way the story was told, and the pacing throughout, just didn't do it for me.
A copy was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.