🐉RATING: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 “The day had been going so well, until the bones turned up.” The discovery of skeletal remains on the Gardener Estate sets this mystery by Laurie R. King in motion. Back to the Garden is a story told with dual timelines - the present day search for the victims of a recently identified serial killer and the events from 1975 to 1979, when the estate was home to a hippie commune. This investigative mystery was the first novel I’ve read by Laurie R. King, and I’d certainly read more. I enjoyed Back to the Garden’s somewhat leisurely pace and the time spent on the historical narrative. Raquel Laing, the unofficial detective, is an intriguing character and the story’s ending seemed to set-up Raquel for a series. I absolutely love touring house museums when I travel, so I found the vivid description of the Gardener Estate and the commune’s way of life to be very engaging. I also appreciated Raquel’s obviously neurodivergent mind and how her unique perspective was a strength in her investigations. The positive LGBTQ representation is yet another plus. Back to the Garden might not be a fit for readers who crave a high level of suspense in their mysteries, but those who enjoy historical fiction and detective series should definitely check this book out. ❓QOTD: Do you ever wish you were born in a different decade? ❓AltQOTD: Do you enjoy touring historical homes? Thanks to @randomhouse and @netgalley for the eARC. #backtothegarden #laurierking #mysterybooks #detectivebooks #historicalfiction #bookrecommendations #bookreview #arcreview #newreleasebooks #netgalleyreads #bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CiaqwJSgS2h/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
