The Applegate Garden

by Roberta Gibson

When Dawn Applegate puts her happy but hectic Manhattan lifestyle on hold to return for a short visit to Druwick, Massachusetts, the picturesque village of her childhood, something undreamed of happens. Dawn’s desperate struggle to escape from those who have cruelly victimized her, form the core of this darkly clever story with a spine-chilling conclusion.

The Applegate Garden will appeal to readers who relish an eerie concept woven into the innocent fabric of everyday life.

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 29, 2012

About the author

Hi. I lived in Woodland Hills, Ca. for quite a few years while writing for the film industry. I was represent by ICM and wrote for the director John Frankenheimer, producers: Chartoff and Weinkler, The Mirisch Corporation, Robert Rosen, Alan Trustman and others. I am a member of the Writers Guild West, and The Dramatists Guild.

I now live in Charlotte, NC and I've written two novels since relocating to this charming city.

The 1st novel, THE APPLEGATE GARDEN, is in the horror genre and it has been given high praise by a lot of people here on Goodreads. It can be downloaded on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.

My 2nd novel, THE DEAL, is a mystery/thriller that's sure to generate some excitement. It will be available on Amazon. com Nov 21, 2013.

I'm currently represented by Trident Media Group in NY.

Reviews

[Cindy Holdmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very cleverly written. It is a definite page turner that will leaving you holding your breath at every turn. The author does a great job of including little nuances into the story that you may or may not pick up on. The characters are fairly well developed and the story line is wonderfully chilling. I don't compare authors to each other as everyone has their own style but kudos on this edge-of-your-seat thriller. Sleep with your lights on while reading this one and don't put it down until the very last word or you will miss something great!

[Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

I must have a different book from the other reviews. I also wasn't very pleased to see Ms Gibson reviewing her own book. I could barely finish the prologue, but I held on through chapter two. Once I read that Satan worked for some other guy, I was done. It is written very poorly. Perhaps there is a plot in there somewhere, but, sadly, not in my copy. Don't be fooled by the over-inflated 5-star reviews.

[Eugene Kusterer · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I wan't clear what I was reading - except it was a curious story - maybe not my cup of tea if it was all about the living dead, etc. But then - BOOM! - it hit me. This was the Bible turned inside out! Taking Rosemary's Baby back a few thousand years, Gibson has so cleverly and so frightingly given us not the Christmas story but the 'Garden' story with a big, big twist. Fascinating - even convincing!

[Grampy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Applegate Garden” by Roberta Gibson is a chilling tale of evil incarnate. Early on while reading this book I had occasion to wonder if, perhaps, Roberta Gibson was a new pseudonym being used by Stephen King. The story starts off at a full sprint, and maintains that pace until the utterly unbelievable ending. In the small, historic New England town of Druwick Village, first settled by the Puritans, superstitious traditions play out each and every Halloween. Little did the townsfolk understand the truth behind their traditions. A very small minority of the local residents were aware of the truth, but that awareness only served to prevent them from sharing that truth, for fear of being thought daft… or worse. The knowledge of pure evil can be a very dangerous knowledge.

Dawn Applegate had moved to Manhattan from Druwick Village after her mother’s death. In fact, her father had literally evicted her from the house, along with his sister, and began a long slide into apparent insanity until he himself also died. In a nod to irony, Dawn had driven back home for a surprise visit to see her father, and witnessed his death mere moments after she arrived. That was certainly a bizarre coincidence, but far from being the most bizarre coincidence in this story. If you enjoy the adrenaline rush of suspense-filled danger, “The Applegate Garden” is one book you’ve got to read. If you are one of those people who likes to figure out “whodunit” before the end, you probably don’t want to read this one; it will frustrate you at every turn. But most fans of horror, suspense, the supernatural, murder mysteries, and similar ilk, will find this book to be “un-put-down-able”. I very highly recommend this to be the next book you read.

[Deedles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoa.
This story had my heart pounding pretty hard a few times.

By the ending you will realize how important each part of the story had been, and the repeated image and inverted Biblical symbols all come together nicely. Expect to be left with an unsettled feeling by the time you finish.

[Roberta Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put down,The Applegate Garden. The underlying theme is darkly clever. The central character, Dawn Applegate is bound to become a household name. This book is tops with me. Would be interesting to find out what others think. Lyle

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know what to make of this book when I started it. I didn't think it would be the kind of book I would enjoy thought it would be to weird for me but once I got into it I enjoyed it. very creepy.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great read. Suspenseful. Good character development. There were a few loose ends I looked to have closed that remain a mystery. Overall, good job. I will look for more books by this author

[Katie Scarlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down!!

[Connie Anne Kikta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good spooky story.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Read.