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Bringing Down the Flowers: A spellbinding dystopian mystery
DO THE RIGHT THING – SAVE THE NATION
It’s 2063 and the UK is facing a fertility crisis. The law states that every woman must conceive and give birth to two babies from the small number of fertile men left.
But Cedar Sweyn doesn’t want to get pregnant. Nor do the other women she secretly supplies the illegal contraceptives to prepared by her hedge witch mother, Myrcia.
In denial of her magick heritage, Cedar prefers to ground herself in the scientific reality of herbalism. That is until she finds herself accused of killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child using a toxic herbal remedy. Fighting for her freedom, Cedar must do everything she can to prove her innocence and learn to embrace her mystical abilities if she is to protect those she loves.
For fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Children of Men, this futuristic witch story explores what it means to have a choice and the lengths people will go to when that choice is taken away.
You might come across these worldGovernment controlBirth Quota lawReal world spellsMysterious murderPoisons and potionsCourtroom trial Due to the nature of the content of this book it should not be read by anyone below the age of 16+.
It’s 2063 and the UK is facing a fertility crisis. The law states that every woman must conceive and give birth to two babies from the small number of fertile men left.
But Cedar Sweyn doesn’t want to get pregnant. Nor do the other women she secretly supplies the illegal contraceptives to prepared by her hedge witch mother, Myrcia.
In denial of her magick heritage, Cedar prefers to ground herself in the scientific reality of herbalism. That is until she finds herself accused of killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child using a toxic herbal remedy. Fighting for her freedom, Cedar must do everything she can to prove her innocence and learn to embrace her mystical abilities if she is to protect those she loves.
For fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Children of Men, this futuristic witch story explores what it means to have a choice and the lengths people will go to when that choice is taken away.
You might come across these worldGovernment controlBirth Quota lawReal world spellsMysterious murderPoisons and potionsCourtroom trial Due to the nature of the content of this book it should not be read by anyone below the age of 16+.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 13, 2025
6 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Denise Critchley
3 books3 followersDenise writes futuristic witchy books about fertility rights, motherhood and the challenges facing women. She is the author of The Hedge Witch Series.
She holds an MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) from the University of East Anglia and is an Arts Council award winner.
She loves reading anything witchy, tarot and weird and lives in Cambridgeshire, UK with her family and two feisty cats.
She holds an MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) from the University of East Anglia and is an Arts Council award winner.
She loves reading anything witchy, tarot and weird and lives in Cambridgeshire, UK with her family and two feisty cats.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 11, 2025
I highly recommend Bringing Down the Flowers. It is part dystopia, part crime and part romance, with a dash of witchery thrown in. It's pacey and compelling, and deftly deals with serious themes with a light touch without ever diminishing their emotional impact.
It is set in a future version of the UK where floods, famine and infertility have wreaked havoc on society as we know it. The novel follows the story of Cedar, a young woman forced to clear her name of a crime she has not committed. She battles the unfair Birth Quota system, by which the ruling Science Party have decreed that everyone must get regular fertility tests. Fertile men are then made to make regular sperm donations, while fertile women are forced by the law (and coerced by society) to be artificially inseminated and give birth to children who are then given to parents elsewhere in the country to mix up the gene pool. Thus a whole generation of mothers are traumatised by giving up their babies. Due to the unfairness of the system, many fertile men (of which few remain) try to hide their fertile status, and many fertile women seek out illegal contraception and abortions. This is where Cedar comes in - she and her herbalist mother have been secretly supplying women with contraceptive herbs ever since Cedar's own heart was broken by having to give up her son. But when a woman connected to Cedar is found dead from a herb used for abortion, she is accused of murder.
At a time when governments worldwide are backtracking on abortion laws and women's rights, Bringing Down the Flowers is a very timely novel. There are interesting discussions of fertility and our responsibility to society versus society's responsibility to us. I was particularly interested to see how the author depicts men's fertility rights and choices being just as restricted by the system, since in real life when women's rights are restricted it impacts on men's too. For example, we see a male sperm donor so ravaged by being made to constantly donate that is he unable to walk or move without help.
There are obvious parallels to A Handmaid's Tale in all this, but it is in no way derivative - Bringing Down the Flowersis a really fresh take on the same themes. I recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian or futuristic fiction, crime, or romance. I can't wait to read Book 2!
It is set in a future version of the UK where floods, famine and infertility have wreaked havoc on society as we know it. The novel follows the story of Cedar, a young woman forced to clear her name of a crime she has not committed. She battles the unfair Birth Quota system, by which the ruling Science Party have decreed that everyone must get regular fertility tests. Fertile men are then made to make regular sperm donations, while fertile women are forced by the law (and coerced by society) to be artificially inseminated and give birth to children who are then given to parents elsewhere in the country to mix up the gene pool. Thus a whole generation of mothers are traumatised by giving up their babies. Due to the unfairness of the system, many fertile men (of which few remain) try to hide their fertile status, and many fertile women seek out illegal contraception and abortions. This is where Cedar comes in - she and her herbalist mother have been secretly supplying women with contraceptive herbs ever since Cedar's own heart was broken by having to give up her son. But when a woman connected to Cedar is found dead from a herb used for abortion, she is accused of murder.
At a time when governments worldwide are backtracking on abortion laws and women's rights, Bringing Down the Flowers is a very timely novel. There are interesting discussions of fertility and our responsibility to society versus society's responsibility to us. I was particularly interested to see how the author depicts men's fertility rights and choices being just as restricted by the system, since in real life when women's rights are restricted it impacts on men's too. For example, we see a male sperm donor so ravaged by being made to constantly donate that is he unable to walk or move without help.
There are obvious parallels to A Handmaid's Tale in all this, but it is in no way derivative - Bringing Down the Flowersis a really fresh take on the same themes. I recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian or futuristic fiction, crime, or romance. I can't wait to read Book 2!
December 5, 2025
I picked up a copy of this at an indie fair and was lucky to win a audiobook of it too so I dove into the audiobook so I could read it sooner! Thanks Denise for the copy!
Bringing Down the Flowers is an interesting blend that intrigued me from when I first read about it. I love dystopian but was not sure how magic would fit into that genre as it's generally based in real or semi real worlds. I am glad to say that the book blended the two worlds perfectly. The book is set in a near future dystopian Britain where due to plummeting fertility, there is a birth quota that must be met by most women who are able. They are forced to undertake ceremonies (which are essentially the R word) and made to bear two children who are taken from them and given to another family under the reasoning of ensuring genetic diversity. Our protagonist Cedar and her mother help women to avoid getting pregnant who do not want to and the story follows some of the fall out when someone dies and the blame is placed on Cedar. Plots and schemes start to appear as Cedar tries to prevent her conviction and cracks in the system start to show.
This book is well paced, the world building is adequate without being overbearing and the character development and arcs are well formed. We meet a lot of people from different walks of life and discover that not everyone from every class is the same which is refreshing given some modern narratives. I also want to credit the author with not being overtly political one way or the other. Whilst it is very easy to make your book a veiled version of your political views especially in this sort of book, it does not do this. The government does not come across as particularly left or right but rather standard authoritarian which is how it should be IMO.
The narrator was great and I enjoyed her pace. Whilst I listed at between 1.3x and 1.7x depending on the book, I still appreciate a narrator who goes at a good pace and has good differentiation with voices which this narrator did. It helped me feel more immersed in the book and made listening to it very enjoyable.
I am looking forward to ARC reading book 2 when it's ready and think Denise is at the start of great things!
Bringing Down the Flowers is an interesting blend that intrigued me from when I first read about it. I love dystopian but was not sure how magic would fit into that genre as it's generally based in real or semi real worlds. I am glad to say that the book blended the two worlds perfectly. The book is set in a near future dystopian Britain where due to plummeting fertility, there is a birth quota that must be met by most women who are able. They are forced to undertake ceremonies (which are essentially the R word) and made to bear two children who are taken from them and given to another family under the reasoning of ensuring genetic diversity. Our protagonist Cedar and her mother help women to avoid getting pregnant who do not want to and the story follows some of the fall out when someone dies and the blame is placed on Cedar. Plots and schemes start to appear as Cedar tries to prevent her conviction and cracks in the system start to show.
This book is well paced, the world building is adequate without being overbearing and the character development and arcs are well formed. We meet a lot of people from different walks of life and discover that not everyone from every class is the same which is refreshing given some modern narratives. I also want to credit the author with not being overtly political one way or the other. Whilst it is very easy to make your book a veiled version of your political views especially in this sort of book, it does not do this. The government does not come across as particularly left or right but rather standard authoritarian which is how it should be IMO.
The narrator was great and I enjoyed her pace. Whilst I listed at between 1.3x and 1.7x depending on the book, I still appreciate a narrator who goes at a good pace and has good differentiation with voices which this narrator did. It helped me feel more immersed in the book and made listening to it very enjoyable.
I am looking forward to ARC reading book 2 when it's ready and think Denise is at the start of great things!
November 18, 2025
Bringing Down the Flowers was so much more than I expected from reading the synopsis. Set in the UK in the near future, the story is part eco-thriller, presenting a society decimated by famine and living without fossil fuels. It's a dystopian tale, with an authoritarian government that requires each woman to bear two children for the state. It's also a twisty murder mystery with a budding romance.
Although this book deals with uncomfortable issues that are too close for comfort, especially if you're female, I loved the characters. Cedar is a spunky heroine, determined to buck the system, but her mom, Myrcia, was my favorite. (I would never bet against her.) The witchy thread is quite low-key until the end, and I'll be interested to see where it goes in the next book.
This book was upsetting, infuriating, and empowering. I loved it.
Although this book deals with uncomfortable issues that are too close for comfort, especially if you're female, I loved the characters. Cedar is a spunky heroine, determined to buck the system, but her mom, Myrcia, was my favorite. (I would never bet against her.) The witchy thread is quite low-key until the end, and I'll be interested to see where it goes in the next book.
This book was upsetting, infuriating, and empowering. I loved it.
March 14, 2025
Wow what a page turner this turned out to be. Not only throwing the reader into the very believable future state of the UK but a very interesting notion of the past meeting the future. A huge change of pace from the normal stories we see today, very much appreciated, with all the twists and turns you’d expect from a seasoned writer by a new novelist, we are truly blessed. For this to be a series not just a one off, I can’t wait to see what happens next.
March 14, 2025
I loved this book! Like most, a book needs to grab me quickly which this one did. The way the author described the characters and landscapes made it easy for me to visualize as the story played out.
This isn't my usual genre but I am so glad I tried it and will definitely now start reading more dystopian novels!
I really hope there is a book sequel as I am intrigued to find out how the characters lives carry on.
Highly recommend!!
This isn't my usual genre but I am so glad I tried it and will definitely now start reading more dystopian novels!
I really hope there is a book sequel as I am intrigued to find out how the characters lives carry on.
Highly recommend!!
July 11, 2025
Really enjoyed this, will love to know what happens next with the characters
March 12, 2025
Bringing Down the Flowers: A Spellbinding Dystopian Mystery (The Hedge Witch Series Book 1)
By: Denise Critchley
Publisher: Copper Ink
Release Date: March 13, 2025
Length: 298 pages
Triggers: Government control, forced reproduction, loss of bodily autonomy, murder, courtroom trial
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Witchcraft, Rebellion, and a System That’s Straight-Up Trash
Denise Critchley’s Bringing Down the Flowers is an absolute gut-punch of a dystopian thriller—dark, gripping, and way too real for comfort. Imagine a future UK where birth rates are in the gutter, and the government’s “fix” is straight-up forcing women into pregnancies like it’s no big deal. Yeah, it’s as jacked up as it sounds—think The Handmaid’s Tale, but with backyard rebellion, herbal contraceptives, and a protagonist who’s so done with the nonsense.
Enter Cedar Sweyn, a hedge witch who’s been dodging her magick roots while running an underground birth control operation with her mum. She’s flying under the radar—until a pregnant woman drops dead from a toxic herb linked to her. Now she’s got the government on her back, the legal system breathing down her neck, and the terrifying realization that she might actually have to tap into her magick if she wants to survive.
Ms. Critchley builds a world that’s bleak AF but scarily believable. And it’s not just women getting screwed over—men are being milked dry (literally) in an endless cycle of forced sperm donations, with one poor dude so overused he can barely function. Meanwhile, women are being guilt-tripped, blackmailed, and straight-up forced into pregnancies only to have their babies snatched away, and anyone who steps out of line gets disappeared faster than last week’s viral meme. It’s giving Children of Men, but with a heavy dose of courtroom drama, poison-laced conspiracies, and a main character who’s one bad day away from setting the whole system on fire.
And Cedar? She’s the kind of badass, ride-or-die heroine you can’t help but root for—flawed, headstrong, and ready to throw hands if it means getting her freedom back. The pacing? Tighter than a cheap corset. The stakes? Sky-high. And the tension? Enough to make you sweat. Ms. Critchley doesn’t just throw dystopian horrors at you for shock value—she makes you feel every ounce of Cedar’s desperation, anger, and fight for autonomy.
If you’re into dystopian chaos that hits like a freight train, this one’s for you. Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and Children of Men will eat this up, especially if you love heroines who don’t take crap from anyone, courtroom showdowns that have you sweating bullets, and rebellion that simmers just beneath the surface until it’s ready to explode. This book isn’t just a story—it’s a full-on war cry.
Final Thoughts:
Ms. Critchley doesn’t just write dystopian fiction—she burns the whole genre down and dances in the ashes. Bringing Down the Flowers is raw, relentless, and straight-up unputdownable
By: Denise Critchley
Publisher: Copper Ink
Release Date: March 13, 2025
Length: 298 pages
Triggers: Government control, forced reproduction, loss of bodily autonomy, murder, courtroom trial
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Witchcraft, Rebellion, and a System That’s Straight-Up Trash
Denise Critchley’s Bringing Down the Flowers is an absolute gut-punch of a dystopian thriller—dark, gripping, and way too real for comfort. Imagine a future UK where birth rates are in the gutter, and the government’s “fix” is straight-up forcing women into pregnancies like it’s no big deal. Yeah, it’s as jacked up as it sounds—think The Handmaid’s Tale, but with backyard rebellion, herbal contraceptives, and a protagonist who’s so done with the nonsense.
Enter Cedar Sweyn, a hedge witch who’s been dodging her magick roots while running an underground birth control operation with her mum. She’s flying under the radar—until a pregnant woman drops dead from a toxic herb linked to her. Now she’s got the government on her back, the legal system breathing down her neck, and the terrifying realization that she might actually have to tap into her magick if she wants to survive.
Ms. Critchley builds a world that’s bleak AF but scarily believable. And it’s not just women getting screwed over—men are being milked dry (literally) in an endless cycle of forced sperm donations, with one poor dude so overused he can barely function. Meanwhile, women are being guilt-tripped, blackmailed, and straight-up forced into pregnancies only to have their babies snatched away, and anyone who steps out of line gets disappeared faster than last week’s viral meme. It’s giving Children of Men, but with a heavy dose of courtroom drama, poison-laced conspiracies, and a main character who’s one bad day away from setting the whole system on fire.
And Cedar? She’s the kind of badass, ride-or-die heroine you can’t help but root for—flawed, headstrong, and ready to throw hands if it means getting her freedom back. The pacing? Tighter than a cheap corset. The stakes? Sky-high. And the tension? Enough to make you sweat. Ms. Critchley doesn’t just throw dystopian horrors at you for shock value—she makes you feel every ounce of Cedar’s desperation, anger, and fight for autonomy.
If you’re into dystopian chaos that hits like a freight train, this one’s for you. Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and Children of Men will eat this up, especially if you love heroines who don’t take crap from anyone, courtroom showdowns that have you sweating bullets, and rebellion that simmers just beneath the surface until it’s ready to explode. This book isn’t just a story—it’s a full-on war cry.
Final Thoughts:
Ms. Critchley doesn’t just write dystopian fiction—she burns the whole genre down and dances in the ashes. Bringing Down the Flowers is raw, relentless, and straight-up unputdownable
March 15, 2025
I highly recommend Bringing down the Flowers. It is part dystopia, part crime and part romance, with a dash of witchery thrown in. It's pacey and compelling, and deftly deals with serious themes with a light touch without ever diminishing their emotional impact.
It is set in a future version of the UK where floods, famine and infertility have wreaked havoc on society as we know it. The novel follows the story of Cedar, a young woman forced to clear her name of a crime she has not committed. She battles the unfair Birth Quota system, by which the ruling Science Party have decreed that everyone must get regular fertility tests. Fertile men are then made to make regular sperm donations, while fertile women are forced by the law (and coerced by society) to be artificially inseminated and give birth to children who are then given to parents elsewhere in the country to mix up the gene pool. Thus a whole generation of mothers are traumatised by giving up their babies. Due to the unfairness of the system, many fertile men (of which few remain) try to hide their fertile status, and many fertile women seek out illegal contraception and abortions. This is where Cedar comes in - she and her herbalist mother have been secretly supplying women with contraceptive herbs ever since Cedar's own heart was broken by having to give up her son. But when a woman connected to Cedar is found dead from a herb used for abortion, she is accused of murder.
At a time when governments worldwide are backtracking on abortion laws and women's rights, Bringing Down the Flowers is a very timely novel. There are interesting discussions of fertility and our responsibility to society versus society's responsibility to us. I was particularly interested to see how the author depicts men's fertility rights and choices being just as restricted by the system, since in real life when women's rights are restricted it impacts on men's too. For example, we see a male sperm donor so ravaged by being made to constantly donate that is he unable to walk or move without help.
There are obvious parallels to A Handmaid's Tale in all this, but it is in no way derivative - Bringing Down the Flowersis a really fresh take on the same themes. I recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian or futuristic fiction, crime, or romance. I can't wait to read Book 2!
It is set in a future version of the UK where floods, famine and infertility have wreaked havoc on society as we know it. The novel follows the story of Cedar, a young woman forced to clear her name of a crime she has not committed. She battles the unfair Birth Quota system, by which the ruling Science Party have decreed that everyone must get regular fertility tests. Fertile men are then made to make regular sperm donations, while fertile women are forced by the law (and coerced by society) to be artificially inseminated and give birth to children who are then given to parents elsewhere in the country to mix up the gene pool. Thus a whole generation of mothers are traumatised by giving up their babies. Due to the unfairness of the system, many fertile men (of which few remain) try to hide their fertile status, and many fertile women seek out illegal contraception and abortions. This is where Cedar comes in - she and her herbalist mother have been secretly supplying women with contraceptive herbs ever since Cedar's own heart was broken by having to give up her son. But when a woman connected to Cedar is found dead from a herb used for abortion, she is accused of murder.
At a time when governments worldwide are backtracking on abortion laws and women's rights, Bringing Down the Flowers is a very timely novel. There are interesting discussions of fertility and our responsibility to society versus society's responsibility to us. I was particularly interested to see how the author depicts men's fertility rights and choices being just as restricted by the system, since in real life when women's rights are restricted it impacts on men's too. For example, we see a male sperm donor so ravaged by being made to constantly donate that is he unable to walk or move without help.
There are obvious parallels to A Handmaid's Tale in all this, but it is in no way derivative - Bringing Down the Flowersis a really fresh take on the same themes. I recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian or futuristic fiction, crime, or romance. I can't wait to read Book 2!
March 13, 2025
Bringing Down the Flowers by Denise Critchley is a chilling feminist dystopian novel.
Set in 2063 Birmingham, most citizens no longer have autonomy over their bodies. With an unexplained drastic drop in birth rates & fertility rates in men, boys of 18 have to start taking weekly fertility tests and girls of 18 have to be artificially inseminated with a strangers sperm. The law mandates that every woman must give birth to two live babies. But these babies are taken away from their mothers at birth by the State and placed in far away homes.
The adopted parents have the opportunity to return these adopted children to the state if they "do not bond with them"
The lead female character, Cedar Sweyn is forced to give up her first born son, but she keeps looking to reunite with him. To aid in her search, she works at a foundling home where abandoned children are returned to the state.
Cedar is accused of murdering a woman with illegal abortifacient herbs and this where the story takes off. Is Cedar guilty or not? If Cedar was not responsible for the murder, then who is?
Cedar's mother is a Hedge Witch of the Gaian movement and is adept at concocting remedies and potions from herbs and flowers. Cedar believes in the effectiveness of these remedies as science based, but rejects what her mother terms as magic.
It is these contrasting ideologies that keep the reader hooked beyond the story itself. Is this book a fantasy, is it speculative fiction, what is the reality of this world - science or does magic actually exist in it?
Bringing down the Flowers, is an easy read on the surface. Well written, engrossing and fast moving. At another level it is very heavy. The loss of autonomy over their own bodies, the injustice meted out on a regular basis in minor and major ways, the helplessness of adults and children in deference to the Science party mandates. I had to take multiple breaks as the subject matter is very upsetting, especially in the context of women losing their reproductive rights in countries where they used to have them.
This novel is as much a cautionary tale of where we could possibly be headed, as it is a work of fiction.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
Rating 4.5/5
Set in 2063 Birmingham, most citizens no longer have autonomy over their bodies. With an unexplained drastic drop in birth rates & fertility rates in men, boys of 18 have to start taking weekly fertility tests and girls of 18 have to be artificially inseminated with a strangers sperm. The law mandates that every woman must give birth to two live babies. But these babies are taken away from their mothers at birth by the State and placed in far away homes.
The adopted parents have the opportunity to return these adopted children to the state if they "do not bond with them"
The lead female character, Cedar Sweyn is forced to give up her first born son, but she keeps looking to reunite with him. To aid in her search, she works at a foundling home where abandoned children are returned to the state.
Cedar is accused of murdering a woman with illegal abortifacient herbs and this where the story takes off. Is Cedar guilty or not? If Cedar was not responsible for the murder, then who is?
Cedar's mother is a Hedge Witch of the Gaian movement and is adept at concocting remedies and potions from herbs and flowers. Cedar believes in the effectiveness of these remedies as science based, but rejects what her mother terms as magic.
It is these contrasting ideologies that keep the reader hooked beyond the story itself. Is this book a fantasy, is it speculative fiction, what is the reality of this world - science or does magic actually exist in it?
Bringing down the Flowers, is an easy read on the surface. Well written, engrossing and fast moving. At another level it is very heavy. The loss of autonomy over their own bodies, the injustice meted out on a regular basis in minor and major ways, the helplessness of adults and children in deference to the Science party mandates. I had to take multiple breaks as the subject matter is very upsetting, especially in the context of women losing their reproductive rights in countries where they used to have them.
This novel is as much a cautionary tale of where we could possibly be headed, as it is a work of fiction.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
Rating 4.5/5
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews