Flame Tree Press Blog Tour - The Garden of Bewitchment

Today I'm thrilled to once again be sharing a new title from Flame Tree Press, Catherine Cavendish's The Garden of Bewitchment.  Read on to see what I thought and make sure you visit some of the other hosts as well.

TITLE: The Garden of Bewitchment

AUTHOR: Catherine Cavendish

PUBLISHER: Flame Tree Press

PUBLISHING DATE: February 13, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: Don't play the game. 

In 1893, Evelyn and Claire leave their home in a Yorkshire town for life in a rural retreat on their beloved moors. But when a strange toy garden mysteriously appears, a chain of increasingly terrifying events is unleashed. 

Neighbour Matthew Dixon befriends Evelyn, but seems to have more than one secret to hide. Then the horror really begins. 

The Garden of Bewitchment is all too real and something is threatening the lives and sanity of the women. Evelyn no longer knows who - or what - to believe. And time is running out.  

MY THOUGHTS: Evelyn and Claire are twin sisters.  They feel they no longer belong in Yorkshire. Their parents are deceased and before dying, their father sold the family business which employed much of the town.  While this left Evelyn and Claire financially set, many lost their jobs.  Evelyn and Claire are looking for a new start and since they are budding writers who are obsessed to different degrees with all things Bronte, they move to a small cottage on the Moors.  Once their, Evelyn and Claire stumble upon a game, The Garden of Bewitchment, that shouldn't exist but does.  The neighbor, Matthew, also has had experiences with this game and even though they are leery of him, Evelyn and Claire end up seeking his help.

I really enjoyed this tale and to be honest, it would be a great read for a cold winter's night huddled in a blanket with a glass of bourbon (or coffee, but I'm in the mood for bourbon).  While not exactly action-packed, Cavendish does a great job with scenes and setting and at times I actually felt like I was on the Moors with Evelyn and Claire.  I enjoyed their sisterly bond to a point, but can't really elaborate any more for risk of spoiling things.  I also kind of figured out some of the twists early on, but that didn't damper my reading enjoyment.  My only real issue with it was that I wish it had been  a tad more scarier.  That being said, I'm not easy to scare so if you are looking for a mild horror read, this is definitely the ticket. 

While this book is classified as horror I think it might better be described as a slow-burn suspense novel.  However, it also very much feels like a Gothic horror tale.  So if any of these descriptors intrigue you, then you might want to pick this one up.  I will most certainly be on the lookout for more titles from this author.

RATING: 4 PAWS