The Poison Garden

By: A. J. Banner

Narrated by: Sarah Mollo-Christensen

“[A] sharply written and taut psychological thriller...” - Seattle Times

A woman’s idyllic life becomes a deceptive hall of mirrors in a thriller of exquisitely constructed psychological suspense by A. J. Banner, bestselling author of The Good Neighbor.

Elise Watters seems to have it all - a blissful marriage, a gorgeous Victorian home surrounded by lush gardens, and a dream job running her late mother’s herbal boutique.

But on the eve of her first wedding anniversary, Elise makes a shocking discovery that turns her life upside down and casts doubt on everything she thought she knew - about her marriage, her friends, and even herself. As she treads into dangerous territory, Elise is forced to wonder: Is her whole future at stake? Or is paranoia getting the best of her?

If she is to believe what she sees, Elise has every reason to fear for her life....

©2019 Anjali Writes LLC (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“The Poison Garden is a taut, absorbing, richly atmospheric thriller. I started it one morning and finished it late the same night. A. J. Banner is a master of smart psychological suspense.” --Cristina Alger, bestselling author of The Banker’s Wife and Girls Like Us

“A fast-paced ride that leaves you guessing until the last page. The Poison Garden is sure to please fans of Banner’s work. Engrossing and fun, I read it in one sitting.” --Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of The Good Liar and I’ll Never Tell

“A. J. Banner has crafted yet another wonderfully dark tale of love and loss with The Poison Garden, a fast-paced, twisted ride into the depths of obsession and deceit.” --Victoria Helen Stone, bestselling author of Jane Doe

Good twists

I read this after another novel of hers, After Nightfall. I liked it and the narrator. I searched for another book and purchased this. Good twists and keeps you guessing all the way through. Well done conclusion. On to another of her suspense novels.

Good Read

I loved it couldn't put it down. The characters were real. The story line was very intriguing.

kept me wondering...

I like a mystery that keeps me wondering who is the so-called 'bad guy' and this book was one of those! I will be looking for more from this author to add to my library in the near future.

Good

As far as this genre goes, good, entertaining. I've read many many many I love the genre, but not all can hold my interest. It's interesting right from the start. When I review I don't consider if it is great literature, I consider how lost I was into the story, how much pleasure I got from the read. This was enjoyable so for me it's a 5er. Narration was good too. Good use of credit.

Well - that came out of left-feild.

A story of bad people that makes it all worth it at the end. The suprise in suspense of this book threw me for a much needed loop. I never knew a story could be written this way, with these kind of horrific people doing terrible things to each other. I was guessing wrong the entire book.

Tedious and Unbelievable

I can’t believe I stuck it through to the end. The storyline grew more and more unbelievable the longer I listened. I guess that was meant to “keep the reader guessing.” I put it at 1.4x speed to get through it faster. Overall, 2.5
stars charitably rounded up to 3.

Lots of surprises

The main character is a pharmacist who knows how to make herbal remedies, just as her mother did. The two topics are interesting and different. Their home is charming on an island reachable only by boat. Characters are believable, and the storyline offers lots of surprises. I'm glad I read it.

The Poison Garden

I loved this book! It keeps you wanting to listen -- and the narrator was excellent - a clear but not sharp lady's voice. You will think you have it figured out but other characters will confuse the matter. You'll want to listen to every word.

Meh

Not completely terrible but felt overly long even though it is pretty short. Just meh to me.

Very engaging and hard to stop listening!

Book is not the same old story, and as such leaves, the reader wondering throughout, who to trust (and keeps you changing your mind.) I love it when I can't figure out the plot before it fully reveals itself. It was is interesting to learn the backstories of the characters, which enabled you to remain interested in character development. There are unexpected twists with only a few that I saw coming. I would have given it all five stars, but I didn't like the ending. Keep in mind that this is my opinion and interpretation. It seemed to indicate to me that you shouldn't trust anyone. I don't want to give spoilers, and I don't always require a HEA in fiction, but this left me feeling sad for the main character and I didn't see the possibility for the to have better futures or to be able to trust again after what she went through. That could just be me, and perhaps a more profound symbolism was lost on me. All in all, I highly recommend and leave you to your interpretation of the ending.