What a disappointment. I was excited to read this based on the description and ratings on good reads. The story revolves around Clare and Adele, two mothers living in a communal complex. The first 2/3 of this novel are painfully slow. I had difficulty liking the characters and it was not until the last third of the book when Grace (Clare's daughter) is hurt. The novel took too long to get that moment and the resolution was predictable. I would pass on this one.

Interesting plot that wasn’t developed well

Well written, nicely narrated.

It was a great story.

Another great book by Lisa Jewett. Had me guessing until the end. Her characters are always so relatable that you find yourself thinking about them later

the story was well told.it was an easy listen

Truly a great story that touched on the intricacies and complexities of the secret world of girlhood, that others never experienced or that some of us forget having experienced. Loved hearing the different POVs. Great narrator!

Decent story, decent Narrator. I wish we could give in between stars, I’d say 3.25 for the story and 3.75 for the narrator. The story is interesting enough, I have a similar complaint as I did for the other book I read by her. I feel like they overly explain some characters and then others you are like why are you even in the book, for no other reason then to possibly add another suspect to the mix. The narrator though, she was pretty good as she had dozens of characters to play and for the most part you could always tell who she was in the moment, Worth a read as it wasn’t bad , just not a wow book

Great read!

ugh!!!! This book is so dry, that I can not even finish it. Maybe to someone else this maybe a wonderful book but for me it just is dull. I am 3/4 into the book and nothing wow has happened. Even skipped to the last hour and it still seems to drag on. it just wasn't what I expected

I enjoyed reading this book, hearing about what life is like in England. It was an interesting twist at the end as you find out finally what happened to girl in the beginning. I like the regression of storytelling, from present day moving back in time and progressing to present time. I found it a bit unbelievable that a young girl could pull that trickery in the end. I think the ending was a bit rushed compared to the rest of the story.

Another compelling and gripping novel by Lisa Jewell. Whilst The Girls In The Garden is considered a mystery and thriller it lacks that quality that many novels that fall under the same genre cause you to bite your nails and sit on the edge of your seat with suspense. The novel itself is still enthralling enough to make it difficult to make it difficult to put the book down. The plot itself is interesting but it’s the characters themselves that really make the story so good. Lisa Jewell truly has a way of writing her characters that makes them feel real and makes readers not just sympathize with them but understand them. The Girls In The Garden is a bit grittier than I was expecting. It reminded me of one of my favorite authors, Gillian Flynn, and the way she writes. There’s a rough and real feeling to Flynn’s writing that I feel can be found in this novel. The difference is that it’s British and not quite as rough and gritty as Flynn’s stories. The plot itself and the way it’s told was one of my favorite parts. The story is told in three parts and throughout we get the story told to us through several different characters. My personal favorite point of view was Pip, the younger sister of Grace, who I feel, displays the childlike innocence and curiosity the story needed, and Adele, the mother of three of the girls who befriend Grace and Pip. Adele is very much the mother and friend that everyone would likely love to have. She’s also one of the only characters that truly seem to understand how disturbing some things that occur before the incident are. I think if you’re a fan of Lisa Jewell and character-driven stories you would enjoy this book. However, if you are simply looking for a thrilling mystery you may find yourself a bit disappointed.

This book did not grab my attention as it seemed to drag on and on. This is not a book to recommend unless you like boring books. Novel took too long to get into. I listened to the first 8 chapters and then put it down.

I tried to listen on multiple occasions and just couldn't get into the story

great story

The start was very slow and the ending was a let down.

Gréât book well written characters, great twist and well narrated

Great listen - very well defined characters, few good twists and the narrator did a great job overall.

Loved this book!!

Truly engaging characters. So very intriguing!!

This book was part of my vip. I really glad I didn't actually "pay" for it. The book's not bad but takes way too long to get to anything. The story is very drawn out.

I really enjoyed the world the author created and the quirky characters. I found the book well-paced and entertaining. The narrator was great and her Scottish accent was surprisingly good!

great listen!

I enjoyed this book and liked the narration a lot...

It’s a great book I love the turns and twists in it I would recommend it