Laurie King is a master of mystery so I jumped at the chance to read this. It surprised me because in this modern day of ACAB, the main character, a police detective, was written well. King doesn't glorify cops breaking rules like some other authors do.

Also, I generally hate books about hippies but again I found King's portrayal of the hippie community to realistic yet bearable.

Overall this was quite a good book and even though mystery isn't one of my main genres, I quite liked it.

Full disclosure, not only did I get this on net Galley (Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher) but King is a friend if my family. But if I hated the book I wouldn't have let that stop me from dragging it. But with Laurie King I knew it was going to be quality.

Rating : 4 out of 5
Blurbs :
A magnificent house, vast formal gardens, a golden family that shaped California, and a colorful past filled with now-famous artists: the Gardener Estate was a twentieth-century Eden.

And now, just as the Estate is preparing to move into a new future, restoration work on some of its art digs up a grim relic of the home’s past: a human skull, hidden away for decades.

Inspector Raquel Laing has her work cut out for her. Fifty years ago, the Estate’s young heir, Rob Gardener, turned his palatial home into a counterculture commune of peace, love, and equality. But that was also a time when serial killers preyed on innocents—monsters like The Highwayman, whose case has just surged back into the public eye.

Could the skull belong to one of his victims?

To Raquel—a woman who knows all about colorful pasts—the bones clearly seem linked to The Highwayman. But as she dives into the Estate’s archives to look for signs of his presence, what she unearths begins to take on a dark reality all of its own.

Everything she finds keeps bringing her back to Rob Gardener himself. While he might be a gray-haired recluse now, back then he was a troubled young Vietnam vet whose girlfriend vanished after a midsummer festival at the Estate.

But a lot of people seem to have disappeared from the Gardener Estate that summer when the commune mysteriously fell apart: a young woman, her child, and Rob’s brother, Fort.

The pressure is on, and Raquel needs to solve this case—before The Highwayman slips away, or another Gardener vanishes.

Thoughts :
I like this book, this is a mystery thriller book with a likable FMC, Raquel Laing. This is full of mystery and twists. I love it. Not a fan of the ending but again, it's enjoyable so I gave this book a 4 stars.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I absolutely loved this book. It hooked me and kept me turning pages until I was done. Finished it in two days! The character development was strong, and the premise was unique enough that it didn't feel like anything else I've read.

Back to the Garden is a standalone mystery novel. The novel tells the story of a female detective solving a cold case mystery. I found Raquel Laing a compelling heroine. She is very clever and observant. I loved her detective skills! I also like how she distances herself from all those around her except her mentor. Thus, she was a fascinating protagonist!

Thus, this was a very engrossing mystery novel. I found all the characters to be very realistic and complex. The few things I did not like about this book was that the historical timeline tended to be drawn out since I was more interested in the modern timeline. Still, the writing was very evocative, lyrical with vivid imagery. Back to the
Garden is a very captivating read that will be sure to engage the reader from the very first page! I hope that there will be more novels featuring Raquel Laing! I recommend this novel for fans of Rhys Bowen, Tessa Arlen, and Ella Griffiths!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bantam Books for this ARC. #netgalley #backtothegarden

This was a ⭐⭐⭐ 3.5. it was a little slow for me but it may have been just bad timing reading the book. I may re-read again later. But it has a good premise and the characters were interesting.

Inspector Rachel Laing has mad detective skills. She can read micro facial expressions to tell how the person feels and thinks. While interrogating a murder suspect who might be The Highwayman, she discovers a fifty-year-old cold case involving California's royal family the Gardeners. Interestingly, her investigation takes her to the family's garden estate where she meets folks who were once part of a commune that boasted free love. But someone murdered a woman and buried her in the backyard. Rachel works with several professional helpers to solve the case, including her reclusive hacker sister, the estate's archivist, a group of cops, and the estate's manager.
It took a while for me to get into this book, and I almost gave up. But the tension was just enough to keep me reading. And I enjoyed "seeing" the garden.
The ending was just okay. I felt letdown, actually. I had hoped for a different outcome. And the action fell flat.
I like this novel's historical look back at the 60s. And some of the characters like Meadow and Rain need a spin-off to share more of their story.
I also like that Rachel is a kick-butt detective. She can hold her own, makes up her own mind and acts decisively.

This book begins in the mid 70s when a lawyer from California drives into the woods of Oregon to deliver a message to a man living off the grid in a commune. The man has inherited a huge estate in N Cal upon the death of the "Old Bastard" - his grandfather. The magnificent mansion with its formal gardens was once the home of a wealthy family that shaped California.
Rob Gardener, a Vietnam vet, moves his commune to the estate and promptly opens it up to other like minded people embracing peace, love and equality. The Gardener Estate soon became a stopping place for musicians, artists, drugs, children and free love. The palatial trappings were removed and life was devoted to making the land productive and open.
In the present day story, an old man, Michael Johnston, the Highwayman, lies dying, while Detective Raquel Laing tries to get him to identify the names of the 10 victims he killed in the 70s. The other present day storyline concerns the restoration of the estate when a toppled statue reveals human remains and the SFPD tries to find out the victim (possibly one of The Highwayman's?).
The story moved back an forth between then (the 70s) and now. Several possible victims were introduced, but none of them were accurate. I think the author dwelled on the 70s too much, and the living conditions at the time. I was more comfortable with the present day story where the trust held the property and opened it to tours, special event venues, and restored the formal gardens and the manse.
I liked the detective although her unique skills seemed a little contrived/convenient for this case. If she is to be the central character in a series of books, I think that she would be interesting to follow.
I was surprised that Rob never gave up his hippie lifestyle and remained isolated in a cabin at the edge of the estate.

A cold case (50 years old) involving California “royalty” opens up potential information of The Highwayman victims that were never found. On probation, Inspector Raquel Laing of the SFPD Cold Case Unit is going to the Gardener Estate. The Gardener Estate is a beloved place on the West Coast. It is a splendid house on vast formal grounds. The people who lived in that house was supposedly owned by the family who “shaped” California. The estate is moving into a new future. When construction work unearths a skull unearthing a grim reality some fifty years ago, inspector Laing is assigned to work this “cold case.” She believes that it one of The Highwayman’s victims. Going back in time to the ‘70’s the Estate was a commune. It was turned into this by the heir Rob Gardener turning into a setting of peace, love and equality. At this time serial killers preyed on innocent people. Inspector Laing dives into the Estate’s archives to try to find evidence of the Highwayman’s presence there. While working on the archives, she finds a dark reality of its own. It seems that everything goes back to Rob Gardener who is now a recluse. Will Inspector Laing be able to find the answers before the Highwayman dies?

The author opens up the novel by diving into the past. King has the reader go back and forth in time. The author also takes multiple plots and ties them i together. The plots included — the cold case files of the Highwayman, the rise and fall of the Commune and Laing’s career and personal life. I sat down to read and couldn’t stop reading it because it was so good. It is a page turner and a must read for any fan of the author or for anyone who likes thriller mysteries.

This novel by Laurie R. King, Back to the Garden is about a home that was built by a wealthy family, the Gardeners. It is also about a 50-year-old murder. The home was turned into a commune by Rob Gardener, one of the sons who inherited the home when his grandfather passed. There is another grandson, Fort, who moved away to India in the 70's and really had nothing to do with the commune, although he does come back for a time. Neither one wanted anything to do with the money. Rob in the meantime had enlisted and served in Vietnam.

The title Back to the Garden is in reference to a daylong music event that happened on the grounds, to increase awareness to life in a commune and it was suspected that this was when the person buried under the statue was murdered.

A statue that was erected in the 70's is undergoing some restoration work when it is discovered that there is a skull and other bones buried underneath the statue. Inspector Raquel Laing is sent to investigate. She needs to determine if the bones are connected to other murders that took place in California by a serial killer who is now on death's door in a hospital.

It is her job to interview each person who had lived at the commune in the 70's to rule out suspects and to figure out who was buried under the statue. There are many people that lived there, Rob, Meadow his partner at the time, Jerry, the lawyer, Jen, the manager, among others. Each person becomes a suspect.

The story is told in two different timeframes, Then and Now. In the Then we learn a bit more about the dynamics of life in a commune and in the Now the reader finds that Raquel is a complex person who is determined to solve the mystery. She also wants to 'find' the victims of the serial killer Michael Johnson, the Highwayman, who abducted and murdered a string of women. This is a daunting task for her, but she perseveres and digs in some places that could cost her job.

I have read some other reviews and was surprised by some of the comments that reviewers had a hard time getting into it. Not me, I had no issues with the writing. I found the book to be an enjoyable read from start to finish. I love a good murder mystery and this one ranked up there with the best. I liked how the author set up the story in each then and now section, the nuances of the 70's and the hippy lifestyle that went along with it. Free love and all that.

I give it 5 stars.

Made a serious try at this several times. I really liked the "now" story, particularly the character, of Raquel However the "then" portion of the story seemed unnecessary and distracting. What is with this new trope of dual time periods, especially when the gap is so small.

Sorry, Laurie, but this just didn't work for me.

I really enjoyed this. If you enjoy Laurie King novels, this will be an easy story to slide into.

Not to give anything away, I will talk instead about the style of writing. I've noticed that with LK's different series (Mary Russell, Kate Martinelli, etc.) there seems to be a different style/feel to the narration. BTtG is like that, where the flow is slightly different, but still compelling to read.

3.25 stars rounded down to 3!

When performing a routine excavation at the Gardener Estate, everyone is surprised to find a human skull, which had been hidden for decades. Inspector Raquel Laing has a lot of work to figure out who truly is the person behind the skull. Is it the result of a serial killer, as they were prevalent 50 years ago? Is it someone from the commune that the Estate's heir turned the property into?

I thought this book was fine. I was really drawn in by the cover, but not very excited about the characters or really the mystery. Everything was just okay.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I personally did not enjoy or like this book. it was kinda boring and dry for me. i understand the premise but it just didnt do anything for me. I had high hopes because it looked very interesting. I think the characters were too flat for me and the plot was boring.

I enjoyed reading this mystery story. This is a new author for me which I look forward to seeing what is next for them. I found this book to be a well written story that is a who did it type. It has great growth and it left me guessing the mystery. I enjoyed how the author used their writing skills to make the characters come to life. They pulled me into the story from the start. The plot has great growth which helped it being easy to read and made it entertaining. I also enjoyed how connectable the characters were. They added to the story and were supportive of each other. This is a great mystery story that I truly enjoyed. I highlly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bantam for the opportunity to review this book.

I've been a fan of Laurie King for a lot of years. I keep thinking one of these days one book will come along that I don't care for. Well it hasn't happened yet and it certainly didn't happen with this book.

A powerful an old mansion. California royalty, family saga, a fifty year unsolved crime, everything you need in a good book. One must not forget drama every step of the way. King has developed each character really well on their own merit but she also wrote their many flaws and fit it together nicely. I read a lot of crime novels and usually I can figure out what's going on. Not in this book! I liked every single character and only when the core started to break down did I start to question any of them. I can't forget the imagery that the author wrote into every page of this book. I actually could see the setting and the old mansion as clear as day. I liked every description from the setting to each wardrobe the characters wore. It was really nice because this book spans decades and she kept up with all the change very nicely.

I would highly recommend this book and actually any of her books. Laurie King is that good!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the advanced reader copy of this latest stand alone by one of my favorite story tellers, Laurie King. I took my time savoring this book over Christmas vacation week--what a terrific read!! Here, Inspector Raquel Laing is part of a task force trying to uncover victims of a newly identified serial killer, a man on his deathbed. The race is on to get him to identify his many victims before he succumbs to his own demise. The book opens with the discovery of skeletal remains at a local legendary California estate. Inspector Laing is sent to uncover whether this may be one of the Highwayman's victims. The dual narrative between current day and the hippie scene on the estate in the 70s was very well done. Hard at times to keep track of all the players, but as usual, Ms. King does a phenomenal job with crafting her main character, her emotional journey and personal torment, but leaving enough of a mystery around her personal life to make the reader wanting more. I sincerely hope to see another episode with Inspector Raquel Laing!!

Deeply engaging and compelling.
Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book! The characters were flawed and so interesting. The flashbacks to the early 70’s brought a nostalgic element to the story. The mystery surrounding the murder was full of twists and turns. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy an historical perspective with an atmospheric feeling.

Laurie R King's Back to the Garden is a trip down memory lane (or for younger readers, an adventure in time travel to the 1960s). This novel spans decades as a contemporary crime scene resonates with an unsolved serial killer case in Northern California. The characters and mystery are gripping, and I hope this is the first of a new series.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

This was a smash-up mess of a story that I just couldn’t get into, despite really concentrating on the past history, characters, setting and dialog. Children of the Vietnam era, communes, free love and all that abound and take up part of the story. A skull discovered under an art installation reveals a murder from a time to be determined - which becomes the balance of the story. The timelines flow back and forth and not always smoothly and the characters are equally complicated, as well as unlikeable. I found the sexual innuendos and the hint, hint, maybe gay flirtation, an absurd situation - was that supposed to balance out the free love hippies? Who cares?

The story and setting had great potential but that is all that is was - potential. A disappointment because I usually find Laurie King’s books to be something to anticipate and enjoy. Thank you NetGalley and Bantam Books for a copy.