This book is me dipping my toes into the world of Jessica R. Patch and I have to say that I enjoyed my first look into her world, and I want more. This book was an explosive, tragic, heart rendering, pulse pounding with one twist and turn after another. I cannot tell you how many times I caught myself gasping at what was happening. It's a rare and beautiful thing to be so caught up in a book that you don't know where it starts, and you end. This is a book exactly like that.

From the beginning, I loved Ty and could absolutely relate to him and his feelings towards Bex, Ahnah, and Josiah. Especially towards his family! One minute I thought I knew who the killer was and the next minute, I was equally flabbergasted at the fact that I was so completely wrong. I loved the head games and all of the clues sprinkled throughout.

At one point in the book, I really felt like Ty wasn't going to make it, that all of those poor women were going to be stuck in that house of horrors and die in the coming storm. I felt his angst, his desperation, and his agony at being stuck in not knowing then to be able to watch the process 'bloom', (yes, pun intended lol) and to see the lights overhead come on was just amazing.

To see such character growth in a story and to see how things turned out in the end? Priceless, just priceless. I cannot express how much I loved this book. My heart is pounding as I write this just reliving the ending. This book needs to be turned into a movie or a tv show. I would watch it with a blanket to cover my eyes lol.

I cannot say how much I liked this book enough. Go read this! You will not be disappointed.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Jessica R. Patch for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are my own and are completely honest.

“The Garden Girls” is the newest release in a series of thrillers following an FBI task force that specializes in crimes with religious undertones. Each book in the series highlights a different character in the team. Here, the spotlight is on Agent Tiberius Granger. While reading the other books helps understand some of the team dynamics and some of the crimes referenced, the book can be read standalone without losing context. I’d already read the first two books when I saw this one on NetGalley, so most of my review is influenced from this knowledge of the entire series.

The series in general has a very criminal minds feel to it. The team has that same type of dynamic, and even some of the characters seem reminiscent of the show characters. What I have loved about this series is how unique the serial killers are. There is a lot of originality in serial killer names and MO, and it makes the read fun (as fun as serial killers can be). This book is no different. This serial killer kidnaps women who have flowers in their names and tattoos that particular flower on the woman, over and over again. I have never read a book with a similar MO, and I read a lot of thrillers. I also like the Patch is not afraid to kill her characters. No one is safe so be careful who you get attached to!

However, I found this installment to be a bit weaker than the other two books. When I read the summary of this book, I was excited to read about Tiberius because he has been the comic relief of the previous two books, and I was excited to delve deeper into his character. But all this book did was make me hate him. He was completely insufferable the entire time. The comic relief was still kinda there in scenes with the whole team, but he was such a hard ass in his personal life. Quick to judge, quick to anger, quick to control. Outside of the characters, I thought the writing was a little repetitive and a little cheesy at times (e.g. comparing Tiberius’ inner turmoil to the approaching hurricane).

Overall, this is a solid novel and solid series in general. There are things I liked and didn’t like about this book but I really could not move past how much I hated Tiberius, and that really affected my rating the most. I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This nail-biting thriller is gripping and filled with suspenseful twists. Who knew tattooing could take on a murderous horror of its own? This page-turner will have you on the edge of your seat.
Little did FBI agent Tiberius Granger know his next case would thrust him into a spiraling, deadly, tumultuous journey. His life and the lives of his team are at stake. The killer stays a step ahead, and they don’t know how.
Bexley Hemmingway, Tiberius’ love from the past, hadn’t died as he’d thought. Happening upon her during his investigation to find the missing girls stirs his emotions in ways he can’t explain.
Confusion, anger, and disappointment overwhelm him, and then he learns she’s had a baby, and the teenage boy is his son.
Who was after them, and why? Who abducted the missing girls? A deranged lunatic or a member of the cult he’d escaped from years ago?
If you like thrillers, you’ll find yourself engrossed in this novel. Don’t miss it.

I loved “Garden Girls” by Jessica Patch! I have read every one of Jessica Patch’s books and loved all of them! And this one was no exception. This book reads like a mainstream psychological suspense, yet it is clean! This book had me on the edge of my seat and guessing the whole way through! There were a couple of twists (which I love)! I highly recommend this book if you enjoy good, clean, psychological suspenses.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest opinion.

Holy cow! The Garden Girls is a roller coaster ride like none other. The twists and turns were no match for my guesses of “who dun it”. From the first page, I was hooked and my brain turned the words into an action-packed movie in my mind, so much so, that I could only read this psychological thriller during daylight hours!! Plus, I never saw the unexpected ending coming! The author does an excellent job of weaving faith & forgiveness in with the evils of this world. I highly recommend The Garden Girls and the first two novels in this series.

I truly love these characters (Her Darkest Secret and A Cry in the Dark are absolute MUST READS as well and can be helpful for a bit of backstory for Ty)! Once again, Jessica Patch has written a true, psychological thriller with the creepiest of creeps and a story line that gets deep into your head. I'm pretty sure I dreamt about this one as I tried to figure out who the villain was day and night.

However, in iconic Jessica R. Patch fashion, I never ever ever saw that plot twist coming!!! It was such an unexpected shift in the story that I immediately had to go back and read it all a second time to try to figure out what I missed.

I also love how Jessica wove in the story of Ty discovering the difference between false doctrine with oppressive religion and truly sacrificial love that leads to healthy faith. The faith thread in all of her books is never overbearing and always points to truth while distinguishing it from the ways religious experiences have wounded people in the past.

I am so grateful for this ARC and can't wait to read it again when I get my hard copy that I already ordered.

What an absolute thriller! From the gripping beginning to the shocking conclusion, this story keeps you captivated and continues to invade your thoughts after the book is closed. It is full of suspense, twists and turns, danger, and high emotions. Just as I began to think I knew what has happening, I was blindsided by what was really happening.

The Memphis SCU team has to be on of my favorite teams. The close knit group that love each like family yet each has a twisted past that not only helps them in their jobs, but binds them together. This story primarily focuses on Agent Tiberius Granger who has intrigued me from previous books. You also learn more about team members Owen and Cami.

I cannot say enough good things about this book! I absolutely loved it and hated to see it end. It was my favorite read of 2023!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Garden Girls is a heart-pounding thriller that captivated me from the very start. We are introduced to the killer from the fist word. The relentless pace keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they navigate a twisted plot orchestrated by a truly terrifying serial killer. This one was truly disturbed.
One thing to note, this is part of her FBI series that includes several other books, but it works as a standalone read. While fans of her books will appreciate subtle references to her previous books, newcomers will find the story cohesive and easy to follow.
I enjoyed this book! It delivers a wild ride that is fast paced and thrilling!

Absolutely no one writes a chilling story like Jessica Patch. The Garden Girls delivers a haunting and intensely suspenseful tale that kept me guessing until the final chapters. Each chapter hooked me with curiosity and I was anxiously anticipating what would happen next! The killer in this book is so calculated, you could almost feel the evil radiating from the pages. There are some really intense scenes where you are just willing a character to just make it a few more steps in an escape attempt and it was truly nail biting. I absolutely did not figure out the villain or motive completely until the reveal. The conclusion was danger filled, stress inducing, and I was not ok. There were tears, I have not moved on yet, it’s ok. That’s the best I can give without spoilers. Neither of the main characters really resonated with me all that much, but I find that I didn’t really care because I was so invested in this twisted plot! There was a strong faith thread dealing with Grace, redemption and salvation and it was clear and strong. I thought it was well done and really resonated with the characters in a genuine way. I continue to be impressed by this author’s books and absolutely recommend this book if you like a darker suspense novel with a faith thread.

The queen of psychological thrillers has done it once more! Jessica Patch has this way to pull you right in to her writing and you just can’t let go until you are done. You will want to carve out time to finish in one sitting.

FBI agent Tiberius Granger is in the race against time to beat the storm at the Outer Banks and find the killer before he strikes again. He joins forces with the Special
Crimes Unit to find out why these “flower girls” are showing up dead and what significance do these flowers have.

I believe that readers will relate to Ty because he struggles with things from his past that creep up in his life, but he sees there has to be some necessary resolution. Patch always does an exceptional job of looking at the heart of the matter and showing redemption as the answer.

Get ready to use your crime solving skills in this fast paced thriller. You will be guessing to the very end! Warning: Once you read a Jessica Patch book, the addiction begins!

I was given an ARC from Net Galley and these are all my opinions.

If ever there is an author who will twist your insides and make you put a book down because it’s so intense and creepy, then Jessica R. Patch is that author, and this is that book!
Oh my goodness! This book was so intense and so twisted!
I finished it last week and I still can’t put into words what it did to me. I knew before I started reading this book that it would be intense and creepy, but I didn’t know to the extent this author would go.
The SCU team deals with many strange crimes and this one has topped all of the weird, creepy, dark, twisted crimes! The author knows how to make the evil mastermind be so sinister and unexpected.
I’m one of those readers who LOVES to “figure it out” and with this story, I was totally stumped. As I was reading this book, I thought I knew who the bad guy was, but then BAM, I was thrown totally off. The author keeps the reader guessing until the very end! I was held captive from the very first page to the last.
It was one of those books where you don’t want to put it down, but yet, you do because it gets under your skin and into your head and you don’t really want to know what’s going to happen, but yet you do! UGH! This makes for a GREAT creepy, scary, suspense.
Now, it wasn’t only full of scary stuff, it had some strong relationship plots, some crazy co-workers, and a beautiful message of God’s love and protection. Some very touching parts made my heart ache and need to have tissues on hand.
Jessica Patch is a very skilled author who weaves intriguing stories that will grip your heart and captivate your soul. Her stories also have wonderful examples of how God can take broken, worn, and lost individuals, and fill them with peace, and grace.
I highly recommend picking up this book.
However, I need to warn you, that you might not want to read this at night! Also, be prepared, you might not get much sleep until you finish reading it!

The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch is the third book in a series, but it absolutely can be read on its own though I totally recommend the other two as well. I’ve got a few authors whose books I read, and immediately think, “I need the next book like yesterday!” Her books are so suspenseful, creepy, and scary; yet they’ve got deep Christian themes throughout them.

I loved the characters, several of whom I’ve gotten to know in the first 2 books, and others who are new to this story. They are realistic, and you can “see” their upbringings in their personalities. I’m not sure about you, but if I’d been reared in a cult, my idea of God would be messed up. That’s something only God can fix. Even being educated at a Christian school (I won’t mention the denomination because not all in the denomination are like this) gave me some wrong ideas about sin and forgiveness, so I can only imagine what ideas messed up some of these characters. I think that one of my favorite parts in the book was seeing how God can reach someone even in the most awful of circumstances. You really need to read The Garden Girls to grasp the full picture of this.

Furthermore, I highly recommend that you do read this novel! Yes, there are very scary situations, and you can feel the evil in some characters. I literally had no idea what was coming next. The twists and turns made it impossible for me to predict the outcome. I had no idea who the “bad guy” was. There is sadness, but there is hope! It is a total page-turner, and I could not stop reading! If you really can’t handle this type of book, it’s okay. Recommend it to your friends who love Christian suspense! If you can, you’re going to love this amazing, unpredictable novel!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Oh, The Garden Girls, you slayed me and made me ugly cry at 2am but I love you!
Where do I even begin?

I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with the SCU team in Her Darkest Secret and A Cry in The Dark, so The Garden Girls was a highly anticipated read for me.
I love Ty in the previous books and I am so glad he got his own story. I'm sure he demanded it like his birthday party 😂
He is hilarious, smart mouthed, and straight trouble - but also deep and complex. We really get to see what makes Ty who he is in this book.
Tiberius Granger 😍😍

The Garden Girls just made me love these characters and their relationships more.
It doesn't happen often, but I want to jump into their world and stay.
In this 3rd installment, Jessica wrote a villian that takes his "handiwork" beyond strange into completely twisted and eery.
Ty, Bexley, and the SCU team are in the eye of this hurricane of evil and nothing can prepare them for what's in store.
The plot gripped me and I found myself thinking about the book and trying to piece everything together even when I wasn't reading.

Jessica has successfully moved from edge-of-your-seat to hold-you-over-the-cliff suspense.
Grab some tissues, a huge chocolate bar (for emotional support), and hang on.
I will miss these friends, especially Ty, and they'll be bouncing around in my heart for a long time. Petition for more... I think so!
🎶 You'll be in my heart 🎶

Wow! Jessica R. Patch does it again!
The Garden Girls is a peplexing and thrilling page-turner filled with strange mysteries that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat! We get to see more of the SCU team and get to know what makes Tiberius who he is, but buckle your seatbelt because the the twists and turns are unpredictable!

3.5 stars --- this kind of read like Criminal Minds fan fic. And while CM is one of my all time favorite shows, I had a hard time connecting to any of these characters.

I am seeing that this is a continuation of a series but I still had a hard time getting invested in any of the characters of the SCU, particularly our main character Ty who is an expert is religion after surviving a traumatizing childhood in a cult. He realizes that a serial killer operating on the Outer Banks and kidnapping women with floral names and tattooing them with their namesake flowers may be targeting him, and have a connection to his past. A lot of meaty stuff there to work with but still felt meh about him.

There was a LOT happening in here, on top of a serial killer with a unique MO. A cat 3 hurricane. A ton of family drama. A long lost girlfriend and a surprise son. A religious zealot father who ex-communicated him from "the family" yet somehow also still picked up his phone calls? Several team members who felt like generic crime tv show characters instead of people I was invested in. While this type of novel is usually right in my sweet spot, I felt like some of the dialogue/themes were a little immature from supposed FBI agents and I just spent the entire time wishing for a little more edge. Despite the dark subject matter, it didn't have the suspense and tension I was looking for. And there were so many different twists in the last 40 pages it almost felt like a bit TOO much.

Solid but had the potential to be great.

Jessica Patch outdid herself! This book was all of the things! Packed full of twists and turns and spine tingling suspense. So intense you won’t be able to put it down!

Wow! This one wrecked me! First of all, I loved the beautiful yet dark and creepy aspect of the flower tattoos and the gardens. I loved Ty and all that came with him. At one point I literally started crying and saying “Nooo” out loud before I realized how involved I’d just gotten in a book! There’s no way someone can read The Garden Girls and not be fully submerged in the story! It is amazing! The hope and light woven through the whole dark story was absolutely beautiful and exactly what we need more of in today’s dark world.

Wow! This series is just so good. If you like thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end, this is the book, no, the series, for you. I have been anticipating reading The Garden Girls by Jessica Patch since I finished A Cry in the Dark. It was not a disappointment!

The Garden Girls was original, creepy, thoroughly unpredictable, and totally satisfying. This story ran me through the gamut of emotions. I laughed (I love Ty’s sense of humor), was completely shocked- many times (like jaw dropping shocked), anxious (this killer is one strange character), and I cried (more than once). I was also mad, but due to spoilers, I can’t reference why. I loved seeing all the characters again. Violet’s character growth is one of my favorite things. She may just be my favorite character. I really love this team and their relationships with each other. I am hoping for more stories in this series!

If you want a read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and will keep you guessing- incorrectly!- the entire time, this is the book for you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I also purchased a copy. All opinions are my own. 5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book.

Wow! This book was great! Such a page turner. Loved the plot and the characters. It was so hard to put down.

Think criminal minds when you're starting this series. This is the third book focuses on Special Agent Tiberius Granger and his past growing up in a cult. A serial killer is targeting him, and using his first love as bait. As the SCU team unpacks the mind of a murder they try to make connections to discover who it could be. I was guessing until the end.

What I appreciate about the author's writing is the character's journey toward the gospel. His colleagues are honest about their faith, but when crisis blows up he sees how God has been at work all along.

This was a nail biter. It wasn't my favourite in this series, I had a harder time connecting with Ty and Bexley's characters and relationship, but it was still worth the read.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and for the opportunity to post an honest review.