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The Garden Below
She was the only child to make it out of Jabbok alive. Now, the nightmare begins again.
In 1989, four-year-old Sabine Arnot survived the a brutal FBI raid on a doomsday cult deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Sabine's sister vanished, and the site was sealed off, left to rot under snow and ice.
Thirty-six years later, the place has been reborn as Eden in the Wilderness, a reform school run by a disgraced military officer. When true-crime podcaster Rachel Kirk begins investigating, she hears uncanny echoes of the cult's buried past. Eager for answers, she turns to the only living Sabine.
Against every instinct, Sabine returns to the place that nearly claimed her life. Together, the women find a strange garden humming beneath the surface. As Sabine and Rachel grow closer, they uncover a deadly conspiracy.
To stop it, they'll have to dig up the truth—and survive it.
In 1989, four-year-old Sabine Arnot survived the a brutal FBI raid on a doomsday cult deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Sabine's sister vanished, and the site was sealed off, left to rot under snow and ice.
Thirty-six years later, the place has been reborn as Eden in the Wilderness, a reform school run by a disgraced military officer. When true-crime podcaster Rachel Kirk begins investigating, she hears uncanny echoes of the cult's buried past. Eager for answers, she turns to the only living Sabine.
Against every instinct, Sabine returns to the place that nearly claimed her life. Together, the women find a strange garden humming beneath the surface. As Sabine and Rachel grow closer, they uncover a deadly conspiracy.
To stop it, they'll have to dig up the truth—and survive it.
- GenresLGBT
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 17, 2026
About the author
Frances Lucas
6 books25 followersThanks for visiting my Goodreads page.
I write sapphic psychological thrillers. My first three books are young adult novels. I am focusing on the adult mystery/thriller market now.
Feel free to contact me through my website with any questions or comments. www.franceslucas.com
Cheers, chills, and happy reading,
Frances Lucas
I write sapphic psychological thrillers. My first three books are young adult novels. I am focusing on the adult mystery/thriller market now.
Feel free to contact me through my website with any questions or comments. www.franceslucas.com
Cheers, chills, and happy reading,
Frances Lucas
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 18, 2026
The Garden Below by Frances Lucas is a suspenseful crime mystery set in the present day, revolving around a possible incarnation of a cult that was active 30 years prior. Sabine, one of two survivors of a botched FBI raid on Jabbok, has tried to manage her trauma and create a life for herself as a botanist. She is approached by Rachel, a podcaster/radio station journalist, to assist with a story examining the parallels between Jabbok and the "reform" school currently occupying the premises. Partially motivated by the opportunity to gather clues about her missing sister, she decides to join Rachel.
Rachel and Sabine grow closer as they investigate Eden in the Wilderness, run by disgraced ex-military Colonel Aaron Neal.
The romance aspect wasn't convincing for me. I didn't feel much chemistry between the leads. That being said, I did like the women very much individually. As older main characters, they both had interesting backstories, a believable level of competence, resilience, determination, and a strong moral compass.
As much as I liked them, both characters could benefit from further development. As a couple, they were kind and understanding toward each other but lacked a foundation to create a viable relationship in such a short amount of time.
I appreciate how Lucas explored early childhood trauma and the long-term effects on Sabine's life.
What really kept me reading was the flashbacks about Sabine's experience at Jabbok alternating with the unfolding mystery of Neal's intentions. The environment at Eden was creepy with a Stepford Wives feel, as the students quoted scripted answers, performed rehearsed behaviors, and refused to speak to Rachel and Sabine alone.
I think this novel would make a good movie adaptation.
I do enjoy a good crime mystery, so this one fit the bill. I would read more by this author. I am giving this one 3.75 stars, rounded up.
#crimemystery #mysterious #suspenseful #cult #reformschool #murder #bigotry #racism #instalove #firsttime #botanist #journalist #podcaster #radiostation #Alaska #Seattle #Washington #winter #exmilitary #trauma #survivor #spicy #HEA
I received a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
Rachel and Sabine grow closer as they investigate Eden in the Wilderness, run by disgraced ex-military Colonel Aaron Neal.
The romance aspect wasn't convincing for me. I didn't feel much chemistry between the leads. That being said, I did like the women very much individually. As older main characters, they both had interesting backstories, a believable level of competence, resilience, determination, and a strong moral compass.
As much as I liked them, both characters could benefit from further development. As a couple, they were kind and understanding toward each other but lacked a foundation to create a viable relationship in such a short amount of time.
I appreciate how Lucas explored early childhood trauma and the long-term effects on Sabine's life.
What really kept me reading was the flashbacks about Sabine's experience at Jabbok alternating with the unfolding mystery of Neal's intentions. The environment at Eden was creepy with a Stepford Wives feel, as the students quoted scripted answers, performed rehearsed behaviors, and refused to speak to Rachel and Sabine alone.
I think this novel would make a good movie adaptation.
I do enjoy a good crime mystery, so this one fit the bill. I would read more by this author. I am giving this one 3.75 stars, rounded up.
#crimemystery #mysterious #suspenseful #cult #reformschool #murder #bigotry #racism #instalove #firsttime #botanist #journalist #podcaster #radiostation #Alaska #Seattle #Washington #winter #exmilitary #trauma #survivor #spicy #HEA
I received a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
June 25, 2026
Some thrillers are content to disturb. The better ones understand that fear lands hardest when it is attached to something human: grief, memory, longing, the terrible persistence of the past. Frances Lucas’s The Garden Below belongs firmly in that second category. It is a suspense novel built around cult trauma, institutional abuse, and buried secrets, but what gives it its force is not simply the darkness of its premise. It is Lucas’s understanding that the real story begins after survival, in the long and complicated aftermath of what a person is forced to carry.
That emotional intelligence runs through every part of The Garden Below. The novel follows Sabine Arnot, one of the only children to survive a deadly FBI raid on an Alaskan doomsday cult in 1989. Decades later, she is drawn back to the place that nearly destroyed her when true-crime podcaster Rachel Kirk begins investigating the site’s disturbing new life as a reform school. There are all the makings of a gripping thriller here: a missing sister, a sealed-off site, a deadly conspiracy, and an eerie garden hidden beneath the surface. However, Lucas does not rely on premise alone. She understands that suspense only truly works when revelation matters, and so she roots this story in Sabine’s grief, her survivor’s guilt, and the unresolved absence that has shaped her life for decades.
Sabine is a compelling character and probably the novel’s greatest strength. Lucas writes her as a woman whose adulthood has been quietly but profoundly shaped by what happened at Jabbok. For Sabine, surviving childhood trauma is not a single event but an ongoing condition, one that alters memory, trust, and a person’s relationship to their own past. As a result, Sabine’s return to Jabbok never feels like a contrivance designed to put her back in danger. It feels emotionally inevitable. She goes back not simply because the plot requires it, but because some part of her life has remained unfinished there, suspended between grief and unanswered questions.
This is not a novel interested only in what happened at Jabbok, but in what the survivors of that violence have been left to live with in its aftermath. Lucas makes the wise choice to tether every revelation to something personal, so that the book’s discoveries do not function merely as twists, but as emotional reckonings. Sabine’s missing sister is not just an effective hook. She is central to the novel’s emotional architecture, and the search for truth becomes inseparable from the grief and guilt Sabine has carried for most of her life.
The same care is evident in the novel’s treatment of institutional power. One of the most unsettling things about The Garden Below is the way it links the old cult to the reform school that now occupies the same ground. Lucas is clearly interested in the frightening persistence of coercive systems and the ways abuse survives by changing its language rather than its logic. Jabbok may be gone, but the novel makes clear that institutions built on control, obedience, and the exploitation of vulnerable children do not disappear simply because they have been given a new name. That thematic through line gives the book much of its force. The Garden Below is not merely about one terrible place. It is about the systems that allow harm to replicate itself under the guise of discipline, reform, or protection.
It is against that backdrop of corrupted institutions that the relationship between Sabine and Rachel becomes so important. Rachel’s role in the novel goes beyond drawing Sabine back into the past; she is the person through whom the book explores the possibility of trust after profound damage. Lucas does not rush that connection. In a story so steeped in secrecy, fear, and violated trust, intimacy has to be earned, and The Garden Below understands that. Rachel is never reduced to a convenient source of comfort or romance. Instead, she becomes something far more meaningful: a witness to Sabine’s pain, someone willing to face the past beside her rather than simply observe it from a distance.
That relationship gives the novel one of its most affecting emotional counterweights. Connection emerges slowly here, through patience, vulnerability, and the difficult work of being understood. Against a story full of institutions that manipulate, control, and consume, Lucas offers a relationship built on listening, trust, and the choice to remain. It is not the whole point of the book, but it is one of the reasons the book lands as deeply as it does.
The setting and atmosphere are just as carefully handled. Lucas makes excellent use of the Alaskan wilderness, not simply as backdrop, but as an extension of the novel’s emotional concerns. The cold, the silence, the isolation, the sense of history buried under snow and ice all reinforce the story’s preoccupation with memory and concealment. And then there is the garden itself, strange and unsettling, humming beneath the surface like a threat that has never really gone dormant. It is the kind of image that, in a less controlled book, could easily have tipped into theatrical excess. Here, though, it works because Lucas ties it so closely to the novel’s larger concerns: hidden violence, corruption disguised as cultivation, and the terrifying endurance of what should have stayed buried.
Final remarks…
The Garden Below works because Lucas never lets the suspenseful premise swallow the human story beneath it. Focusing on the haunting afterlife of violence, it becomes an intelligent thriller, showcasing grief that calcifies when people try to bury the truth. Yet something quieter and more tender comes through Lucas’s storytelling as well: the possibility that even after profound harm, a person might still find connection and some version of themselves waiting on the other side of truth. The result is a book that does more than keep the pages turning. It lingers.
Strengths…
Compelling storyline
Strong character development
Strong emotional core
Tight pacing
Symbolic cohesion
Disciplined integration of suspense, horror, atmosphere, and theme
That emotional intelligence runs through every part of The Garden Below. The novel follows Sabine Arnot, one of the only children to survive a deadly FBI raid on an Alaskan doomsday cult in 1989. Decades later, she is drawn back to the place that nearly destroyed her when true-crime podcaster Rachel Kirk begins investigating the site’s disturbing new life as a reform school. There are all the makings of a gripping thriller here: a missing sister, a sealed-off site, a deadly conspiracy, and an eerie garden hidden beneath the surface. However, Lucas does not rely on premise alone. She understands that suspense only truly works when revelation matters, and so she roots this story in Sabine’s grief, her survivor’s guilt, and the unresolved absence that has shaped her life for decades.
Sabine is a compelling character and probably the novel’s greatest strength. Lucas writes her as a woman whose adulthood has been quietly but profoundly shaped by what happened at Jabbok. For Sabine, surviving childhood trauma is not a single event but an ongoing condition, one that alters memory, trust, and a person’s relationship to their own past. As a result, Sabine’s return to Jabbok never feels like a contrivance designed to put her back in danger. It feels emotionally inevitable. She goes back not simply because the plot requires it, but because some part of her life has remained unfinished there, suspended between grief and unanswered questions.
This is not a novel interested only in what happened at Jabbok, but in what the survivors of that violence have been left to live with in its aftermath. Lucas makes the wise choice to tether every revelation to something personal, so that the book’s discoveries do not function merely as twists, but as emotional reckonings. Sabine’s missing sister is not just an effective hook. She is central to the novel’s emotional architecture, and the search for truth becomes inseparable from the grief and guilt Sabine has carried for most of her life.
The same care is evident in the novel’s treatment of institutional power. One of the most unsettling things about The Garden Below is the way it links the old cult to the reform school that now occupies the same ground. Lucas is clearly interested in the frightening persistence of coercive systems and the ways abuse survives by changing its language rather than its logic. Jabbok may be gone, but the novel makes clear that institutions built on control, obedience, and the exploitation of vulnerable children do not disappear simply because they have been given a new name. That thematic through line gives the book much of its force. The Garden Below is not merely about one terrible place. It is about the systems that allow harm to replicate itself under the guise of discipline, reform, or protection.
It is against that backdrop of corrupted institutions that the relationship between Sabine and Rachel becomes so important. Rachel’s role in the novel goes beyond drawing Sabine back into the past; she is the person through whom the book explores the possibility of trust after profound damage. Lucas does not rush that connection. In a story so steeped in secrecy, fear, and violated trust, intimacy has to be earned, and The Garden Below understands that. Rachel is never reduced to a convenient source of comfort or romance. Instead, she becomes something far more meaningful: a witness to Sabine’s pain, someone willing to face the past beside her rather than simply observe it from a distance.
That relationship gives the novel one of its most affecting emotional counterweights. Connection emerges slowly here, through patience, vulnerability, and the difficult work of being understood. Against a story full of institutions that manipulate, control, and consume, Lucas offers a relationship built on listening, trust, and the choice to remain. It is not the whole point of the book, but it is one of the reasons the book lands as deeply as it does.
The setting and atmosphere are just as carefully handled. Lucas makes excellent use of the Alaskan wilderness, not simply as backdrop, but as an extension of the novel’s emotional concerns. The cold, the silence, the isolation, the sense of history buried under snow and ice all reinforce the story’s preoccupation with memory and concealment. And then there is the garden itself, strange and unsettling, humming beneath the surface like a threat that has never really gone dormant. It is the kind of image that, in a less controlled book, could easily have tipped into theatrical excess. Here, though, it works because Lucas ties it so closely to the novel’s larger concerns: hidden violence, corruption disguised as cultivation, and the terrifying endurance of what should have stayed buried.
Final remarks…
The Garden Below works because Lucas never lets the suspenseful premise swallow the human story beneath it. Focusing on the haunting afterlife of violence, it becomes an intelligent thriller, showcasing grief that calcifies when people try to bury the truth. Yet something quieter and more tender comes through Lucas’s storytelling as well: the possibility that even after profound harm, a person might still find connection and some version of themselves waiting on the other side of truth. The result is a book that does more than keep the pages turning. It lingers.
Strengths…
Compelling storyline
Strong character development
Strong emotional core
Tight pacing
Symbolic cohesion
Disciplined integration of suspense, horror, atmosphere, and theme
February 5, 2026
This suspenseful thriller follows Sabine, who survived a deadly federal raid on the cult her parents belonged to when she was only four years old. Adopted afterward by a loving mother, she grows up to become a brilliant botanist, though the trauma of that night never fully fades. I found Sabine to be a compelling character whose past felt realistically woven into her adult life.
Thirty-six years later, a true-crime podcast draws her back to the site of the raid, now a reform school run by a disgraced former army colonel. I really enjoyed the rising tension and the layered secondary characters, whose secrets kept the story engaging. Overall, I thought this was a well-paced thriller that built suspense effectively.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thirty-six years later, a true-crime podcast draws her back to the site of the raid, now a reform school run by a disgraced former army colonel. I really enjoyed the rising tension and the layered secondary characters, whose secrets kept the story engaging. Overall, I thought this was a well-paced thriller that built suspense effectively.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have read every book that Frances Lucas has written since reading What Happened At Lee House a while back. I received an advance copy of The Garden Below from the author. My review is an honest one and Frances does not see it before I post it.
The Garden Below is a little different from her previous books IMHO, and the cult aspect of the "reform" school setting in present day narrative fits in nicely with Sabine's (our MC) experiences in an actual cult as a child in the same location/building in remote Alaska. Rachel is an intrepid podcaster/investigative journalist who suspects things are not quite above board at this “reform” school and she wants Sabine to come along for a visit and to snoop around. One thing leads to another... and I won't say more about the plot, no spoilers here.
As with Frances’s previous novels, this one is set in Alaska (as previously noted) and that is one of the allures for me, having visited there twice. The characters are believable, the dialog rings true, and there is plenty of action and suspense along the way. There’s also a little romance - eventually - and a satisfactory and satisfying ending. The story toggles between 1989, when Sabine was a child in the cult, and present day when she returns to the location of the cult, now this school for misbehaving teens. This is not a long book, and Frances manages quite a bit of character development in a short time, although naturally not as much as some readers may prefer. Me, I can deal with less than complete character development when I’m reading a fast-paced story that keeps me engaged like this one. What Happened At Lee House is still my favorite Frances Lucas book, but I really liked Lake of Secrets and The Sleeper Car also (and if you haven’t read them, you’re missing out on some great Alaska-setting thrillers). The Garden Below is right there with the others as books that I enjoyed from start to finish. The Alaska setting adds to the mystery and suspense and is a character unto itself in each of these books.
To sum up: The Garden Below is a taut thriller with strong female characters and an abundance of action and suspense that will keep you reading “just one more chapter”!
The Garden Below is a little different from her previous books IMHO, and the cult aspect of the "reform" school setting in present day narrative fits in nicely with Sabine's (our MC) experiences in an actual cult as a child in the same location/building in remote Alaska. Rachel is an intrepid podcaster/investigative journalist who suspects things are not quite above board at this “reform” school and she wants Sabine to come along for a visit and to snoop around. One thing leads to another... and I won't say more about the plot, no spoilers here.
As with Frances’s previous novels, this one is set in Alaska (as previously noted) and that is one of the allures for me, having visited there twice. The characters are believable, the dialog rings true, and there is plenty of action and suspense along the way. There’s also a little romance - eventually - and a satisfactory and satisfying ending. The story toggles between 1989, when Sabine was a child in the cult, and present day when she returns to the location of the cult, now this school for misbehaving teens. This is not a long book, and Frances manages quite a bit of character development in a short time, although naturally not as much as some readers may prefer. Me, I can deal with less than complete character development when I’m reading a fast-paced story that keeps me engaged like this one. What Happened At Lee House is still my favorite Frances Lucas book, but I really liked Lake of Secrets and The Sleeper Car also (and if you haven’t read them, you’re missing out on some great Alaska-setting thrillers). The Garden Below is right there with the others as books that I enjoyed from start to finish. The Alaska setting adds to the mystery and suspense and is a character unto itself in each of these books.
To sum up: The Garden Below is a taut thriller with strong female characters and an abundance of action and suspense that will keep you reading “just one more chapter”!
April 2, 2026
Frances Lucas has created an intriguing story in The Garden Below. It is tense, tightly plotted, engrossing and superbly written. There is no extra fluff added to create a longer story. There are no extra characters or side-plots that go nowhere. Every page builds to a frightening but satisfying ending. I also appreciate that the story doesn’t abruptly end after the climax but continues the story line of the characters. I found out what happened with them next and I liked that because I cared about them and needed closure about what happened to them.
The main characters, Sabine and Rachel, are both successful professionals who meet each other because Rachel is creating a podcast about a cult that Sabine had been part of as a small child. Sabine was one of only 2 known survivors of the cult after a botched FBI raid ends in the death of the other survivors, including her parents. Sabine’s older sister disappeared that night and has not been heard from since and Sabine continues to hope that she will find her sister again.
A new, somewhat mysterious, organization has remodeled the “Dome” where the cult was located. Sabine and Rachel become involved in discovering the secrets of this new group as well as exploring the demise of the previous cult. The result is a wonderfully crafted story. Sabine and Rachel are both strong but vulnerable, a bit jaded but still hopeful and quite likable, realistic characters. I was immediately drawn to both women, just as they are immediately drawn to one another in the novel.
There are real villains in this story. The book cover asks “Can a place be evil?” In this story, yes it can because of the actions of evil people. Sabine and Rachel face this evil armed only with their love for one another and their desperate need to stop a deranged man on a mission of horror.
If you enjoy romance, strong educated women with meaningful careers, well-developed characters, and satisfying endings you will love this book. Lucas gets better with every book and this one is terrific!
The main characters, Sabine and Rachel, are both successful professionals who meet each other because Rachel is creating a podcast about a cult that Sabine had been part of as a small child. Sabine was one of only 2 known survivors of the cult after a botched FBI raid ends in the death of the other survivors, including her parents. Sabine’s older sister disappeared that night and has not been heard from since and Sabine continues to hope that she will find her sister again.
A new, somewhat mysterious, organization has remodeled the “Dome” where the cult was located. Sabine and Rachel become involved in discovering the secrets of this new group as well as exploring the demise of the previous cult. The result is a wonderfully crafted story. Sabine and Rachel are both strong but vulnerable, a bit jaded but still hopeful and quite likable, realistic characters. I was immediately drawn to both women, just as they are immediately drawn to one another in the novel.
There are real villains in this story. The book cover asks “Can a place be evil?” In this story, yes it can because of the actions of evil people. Sabine and Rachel face this evil armed only with their love for one another and their desperate need to stop a deranged man on a mission of horror.
If you enjoy romance, strong educated women with meaningful careers, well-developed characters, and satisfying endings you will love this book. Lucas gets better with every book and this one is terrific!
June 15, 2026
Past Darkness Seeps into The Present
Once again, Frances Lucas builds tension, bringing us back to a 1989 brutal FBI raid of a cult living out in an isolated location in Alaska, which kept reminding me of the Waco slaughter. One of the MCs was a young survivor of the mishandled raid, Sabine Arnot, now a renowned scientist, and the other MC is a true crime podcaster, Rachel Kirk. Then the author brings us to the same isolated Alaska location where a reform school now resides.
Rachel, believing there's a connection between the cult of the past and the reform school of the present, seeks out Sabine to help her investigate and expose what is really going on. She wants more intimate details of the cult that kept Sabine hostage as a small child and shares what she knows of the present leader of the military type of reform school.
Slowly, we get to know our protagonists while learning more details of the past cult and what it was like inside. Then we're brought into the present day location itself, where everyone, children and adults, oddly and unquestioningly conform and acquiesce to the leader, Colonel Neal, in language and behavior.
As a sudden, unexpected winter storm rages, Rachel and Sabine wind up not being able to leave the reform school. Then an onsite woman scientist turns up dead, another woman who raises questions is locked up, and Colonel Neal rushes to load up his private plane to make a food drop. Becoming more and more suspicious, Rachel and Sabine sneak around to ask questions and finally go in search of answers, which ultimately leads to tense situations and an exciting confrontation and conclusion.
There were some attitudes and political statements sprinkled throughout this story so the reader would accept them at face value, just like things we hear today from politicians and news media that have caused many to question who's telling the truth and what's really going on, and as usual, the information is slanted. Still, the story is interesting, winding up with a satisfying ending to the mystery and a hoped for relationship HEA. My rating is 3.5, upped to 4 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Once again, Frances Lucas builds tension, bringing us back to a 1989 brutal FBI raid of a cult living out in an isolated location in Alaska, which kept reminding me of the Waco slaughter. One of the MCs was a young survivor of the mishandled raid, Sabine Arnot, now a renowned scientist, and the other MC is a true crime podcaster, Rachel Kirk. Then the author brings us to the same isolated Alaska location where a reform school now resides.
Rachel, believing there's a connection between the cult of the past and the reform school of the present, seeks out Sabine to help her investigate and expose what is really going on. She wants more intimate details of the cult that kept Sabine hostage as a small child and shares what she knows of the present leader of the military type of reform school.
Slowly, we get to know our protagonists while learning more details of the past cult and what it was like inside. Then we're brought into the present day location itself, where everyone, children and adults, oddly and unquestioningly conform and acquiesce to the leader, Colonel Neal, in language and behavior.
As a sudden, unexpected winter storm rages, Rachel and Sabine wind up not being able to leave the reform school. Then an onsite woman scientist turns up dead, another woman who raises questions is locked up, and Colonel Neal rushes to load up his private plane to make a food drop. Becoming more and more suspicious, Rachel and Sabine sneak around to ask questions and finally go in search of answers, which ultimately leads to tense situations and an exciting confrontation and conclusion.
There were some attitudes and political statements sprinkled throughout this story so the reader would accept them at face value, just like things we hear today from politicians and news media that have caused many to question who's telling the truth and what's really going on, and as usual, the information is slanted. Still, the story is interesting, winding up with a satisfying ending to the mystery and a hoped for relationship HEA. My rating is 3.5, upped to 4 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
I was given this book complimentary from Book Sirens in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.
This book is a little outside my usual FF romance and fantasy go to books but this year seems to be a year of discovery.
This is not a romance although the relationship between the two main characters is a major part of the book nor a thriller. It is a story, the story of a place, its beginning to its end (?) The thread running through is "can a place be evil?" and that is all I will say on that so as not to spoil the story for readers.
As I mentioned it is a story and a very character driven one. The interest is from how everyone's character gradually unfolds as they reveal more of themselves. The story does speed up towards the end but do not expect to see fights and shootouts it is not that kind of book
Not really a whodunit but will appeal to fans of the genre. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story with a cute romance between two likeable amin characters. I would like to read some more from this author ro dee how this book fits in her body of work.
This book is a little outside my usual FF romance and fantasy go to books but this year seems to be a year of discovery.
This is not a romance although the relationship between the two main characters is a major part of the book nor a thriller. It is a story, the story of a place, its beginning to its end (?) The thread running through is "can a place be evil?" and that is all I will say on that so as not to spoil the story for readers.
As I mentioned it is a story and a very character driven one. The interest is from how everyone's character gradually unfolds as they reveal more of themselves. The story does speed up towards the end but do not expect to see fights and shootouts it is not that kind of book
Not really a whodunit but will appeal to fans of the genre. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story with a cute romance between two likeable amin characters. I would like to read some more from this author ro dee how this book fits in her body of work.
March 31, 2026
Former Alaska nstive Sabine Arnor was saved from a cult 36 years ago, and now works in a lab in Seattle where, generally, everyone blames her quirks on that. Also, reporters keep pestering her, like Rachel Kirk.
Rachel wants to do a story on the reopening of the site the cult was on, now as a reform school run by a former Colonel Neal. But her boss won't let her do it without having Sabine on board, so she goes to try to convince her.
Rachel finds herself attracted to Sabine, but she's had bad luck in love. Sabine eventually agrees to go up to Anchorage for a weekend, and to help with the story.
Rachel reveals she was military at one point, and served under Neal who was heavily racist. His being so got bad enough he was threatened with a court martial and instead resigned.
They visit the reform school, and there are a lot of parallels to the cult. And both heroines realize something is going on.
The evil plot felt unlikely, but admittedly not a expert.
Wrap up....
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
Rachel wants to do a story on the reopening of the site the cult was on, now as a reform school run by a former Colonel Neal. But her boss won't let her do it without having Sabine on board, so she goes to try to convince her.
Rachel finds herself attracted to Sabine, but she's had bad luck in love. Sabine eventually agrees to go up to Anchorage for a weekend, and to help with the story.
Rachel reveals she was military at one point, and served under Neal who was heavily racist. His being so got bad enough he was threatened with a court martial and instead resigned.
They visit the reform school, and there are a lot of parallels to the cult. And both heroines realize something is going on.
The evil plot felt unlikely, but admittedly not a expert.
Wrap up....
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2026
While I was intrigued and quite captured by the story, I found the writing to be rather flat. What I mean is that there is a certain lack of depth to the story and the characters. This novel could be so much more if it were fuller, rounder. Sabine just mysteriously decides to talk to Rachel, a reporter, after making it clear that she doesn't want to discuss her missing sister Lisbeth. Sabine is a known curmudgeon of sorts, and now she plays nice. Next thing you know, they're falling in love. And the cult leader could not be portrayed any more unappealing. What made him charismatic to the point where people gave up their lives and possessions to follow him? While I enjoyed the plot, the storyline falls short for me. I look forward to future work from this author, there's a lot of potential there.
This ARC was provided by BookSirens and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.
This ARC was provided by BookSirens and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.
March 28, 2026
Set in a remote Alaskan wilderness camp, this story pulls you in from the start. Lucas does an incredible job building tension, slowly revealing the camp’s background and secrets in a way that kept me completely hooked.
What really elevates the story is the relationship between Sabine and Rachel. Their romance develops naturally and adds a layer of warmth and emotional depth that perfectly balances the mystery. I found myself just as invested in their connection as I was in uncovering what was really going on at the camp.
Sabine is a standout character—an intelligent, quirky botanist who brings so much personality and charm to the story. She’s the kind of character who makes Lucas’s writing style so enjoyable: unique, engaging, and genuinely fun to read.
With its blend of suspense, atmosphere, and compelling characters, The Garden Below is a fantastic read. I didn’t want to put it down—and I’m still thinking about it after finishing!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Sabine was only four years old when she was rescued from a religious cult that was led by a madman. Thirty-six years later she is contacted by a persistent radio personality who is creating a podcast focusing on the cult Sabine endured.
I enjoy Lucas’s storytelling in general. One of the main reasons is the use of Alaska as her setting. I have never been and that may be reason enough for my fascination. The nontypical storylines is another draw for me as well; case in point is The Garden Below.
There is the matter of the instant love trope that makes me roll my figurative eyes. Fortunately there is enough happening in the story for me to slide past it.
The Garden Below is an entertaining read if you love unique mysteries.
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoy Lucas’s storytelling in general. One of the main reasons is the use of Alaska as her setting. I have never been and that may be reason enough for my fascination. The nontypical storylines is another draw for me as well; case in point is The Garden Below.
There is the matter of the instant love trope that makes me roll my figurative eyes. Fortunately there is enough happening in the story for me to slide past it.
The Garden Below is an entertaining read if you love unique mysteries.
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
*** ARC REVIEW ***
This book had a lot of potential but I think fell short of really being great. It’s a decent enough mystery novel, with a little bit of sapphic love thrown in. The premise is believable, and the book starts out really strong, but then it kind of just falls apart. The characters just weren’t that well developed and as a result it was difficult to really feel connected with the story. There were parts of the story that didn’t seem like they added anything to the storyline and some characters felt irrelevant. The ending was satisfying, which is what you want in a mystery but this book left a lot to be desired.
This book had a lot of potential but I think fell short of really being great. It’s a decent enough mystery novel, with a little bit of sapphic love thrown in. The premise is believable, and the book starts out really strong, but then it kind of just falls apart. The characters just weren’t that well developed and as a result it was difficult to really feel connected with the story. There were parts of the story that didn’t seem like they added anything to the storyline and some characters felt irrelevant. The ending was satisfying, which is what you want in a mystery but this book left a lot to be desired.
March 17, 2026
Another emotional whirlwind and intriguing crime story. Frances Lucas always manages to show complex characters and breathe soul into them. Sabine Arnot struggles with past emotional trauma from something terrible, the book follows her path to overcoming fears and rediscovering life with the help of an unexpected new acquaintance. The story is interesting, intricate and painfully relevant - a cult trying to achieve its goals under the guise of good intentions, and two women overcoming themselves while trying to expose evil.
March 23, 2026
Sabine reminds me of Elizabeth Zott from Lessons in Chemistry, very smart and quirky. She doesn't think like most people but that's because of her childhood trauma. She meets a wannabe podcaster and they investigate what's going on now at the abandoned site of a cult. Lots of mystery and romance. Personally, I liked Lucas's book, The Sleeper Car, a little better but that's because I adore edgy characters.
This one, though, does not disappoint. You learn a lot about cults along the way, and it has a bang up finish that will have you staying up late, long after your usual bedtime. No spoilers!
This one, though, does not disappoint. You learn a lot about cults along the way, and it has a bang up finish that will have you staying up late, long after your usual bedtime. No spoilers!
May 8, 2026
Just finished The Garden Below by Frances Lucas and absolutely loved it. The story was suspenseful from beginning to end, with just the right mix of romance, mystery, and emotional twists that kept me hooked the whole time. Every chapter pulled me in deeper, and the characters felt real and easy to connect with. The tension built perfectly, and the ending did not disappoint — thrilling, satisfying, and beautifully done. Definitely a hard-to-put-down read for anyone who loves suspense with heart.
Review of advance copy
Thrilling and well paced with a good dash of sapphic romance on the side. The main plot keeps you turning pages to see what will happen next and the main characters are likeable and relatable. They're flawed, they're messy, and that's what makes them real.
Overall, a very enjoyable read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall, a very enjoyable read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
The garden below is a good thriller and charged level of suspense. Interesting characters and story. Fast paced that held my attention from start to finish
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 25, 2026
So glad I got a chance to read this book. I love thrillers and add in a story about a cult and you have me hooked. Sabine and Rachel are investigating a reform school where the kids act like soldiers. And in the meantime, the two main characters are falling in love. Good story!
April 1, 2026
A fascinating novel of suspense about a cult survivor and a podcaster visiting the site of the abandoned cult and what they find. I think I liked the background story of Sabine almost as much as the what's going on there now. This is one of my new favorites.
Review of advance copy
This was a great psychological thriller that kept me riveted through every page.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
April 2, 2026
A great mystery with an exciting ending. Love the characters and the dialogue.
June 2, 2026
decent read but not angsty enough sadly
June 15, 2026
2.5 Started good, then I kind of lost interest in the middle. I felt it lacked tension
January 31, 2026
This is an excellent tale about Sabine, the only survivor of a doomsday cult over thirty years ago who is in search of answers about what happened to her sister and Rachel, a current day true crime podcaster who is investigating a reform school located at the same location.
The two women’s relationship deepens as they discover connections between the past and current day.
The author provides descriptive narrative allowing the reader to easily imagine the reform school and its environs. Well paced story line will keep the reader engaged.
The two women’s relationship deepens as they discover connections between the past and current day.
The author provides descriptive narrative allowing the reader to easily imagine the reform school and its environs. Well paced story line will keep the reader engaged.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“The Garden Below” was an interesting mystery thriller. I really enjoyed the beginning. Towards the end, it became a little too predictable and wrapped up a bit too quickly. I would have liked to see it develop a bit more slowly, not come together so fast, so easily, or so predictably. The sapphic relationship in the book was interesting, but I'm not sure I fully understood it. There was an attraction between the characters, but that was about it. Some of the elements just seemed out of place or didn't quite make sense given the circumstances. Overall, it was a really good book, and I would definitely recommend it and other works by this author.
I received an arc
I received an arc
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the second book I have read from this author and although I enjoyed the first one I felt this one was far better. I loved Sabine's character which, although not neurodiverse, was affected by trauma from a young age which accounted for her more out of the normal characteristics. The author did a good job of keeping both Rachel and Sabine true to themselves while they discovered more about each other and what was going on at the dome. I was kept invested in what was going on in the story as everything was revealed at a sensible pace and had me second guessing what would happen next.
I wouldn't call this a gripping story but it did hold my interest and have me wanting to find out more all the way through.
I wouldn't call this a gripping story but it did hold my interest and have me wanting to find out more all the way through.
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