The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch: Book Review

 *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past.
 
FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.  

Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.

As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she's penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she's not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she'll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter "Patched In" at www.jessicarpatch.com. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

Oh my goodness... talk about a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat! This might be one of the creepier suspense reads I've read in quite some time... allowing us glimpses into the mind of this serial killer who collects women like twisted trophies. As such it's one I had to step away from at times... and certainly one that I found I was unable to read at night... but the story was intriguing and drew me in right away. Tiberius Granger is an FBI agent who grew up in a religious cult, which leads him to investigating crimes that seem to take on a religious nature. This particular killer seems to be related to his own past. His history makes him very critical of religion in general... and while those opinions in the beginning made me stop to check that I hadn't picked up the wrong book, I appreciated the realness to his experience and how that allowed us to see him grow as the story went on. The story also doesn't shy away from other tough topics--- it's gritty and raw with imperfect characters you cannot help but to be drawn to. There were several twists I did not see coming... and while the nature of the story didn't make it the most enjoyable read at times, it was certainly a wonderful written one! 

If you enjoy Christian suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, you won't want to miss this one. 

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3VS84Xh