A dark, compelling thriller from bestselling authors Sarah A. Denzil and Anni TaylorYoung backpackers Gemma and Hayley arrive at a remote mango farm, out of money and desperate for work. The farm’s owner, Tate Llewellyn, welcomes them in with open arms. An enigmatic, wealthy chemist, Tate spends his days running his hobby farm and cultivating rare orchids in his greenhouse.The weeks go on, a blur … weeks go on, a blur of fruit-picking, parties, campfires and wading beneath waterfalls in the nearby hot springs. Tate calls the girls his orchids…his pretty orchids.
Until the night the girls find themselves on a dark highway, bruised and bloodied.
How did everything go so wrong?
Senior Detective Bronwen McKay and psychologist Megan Arlotti question the terrified girls. But Hayley and Gemma are telling two very different stories of what happened to them over the past three months.
Which story is the truth and what are the girls covering up?
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This was a slow starter. I almost stopped reading it, but as I got in past the first part it picked up and got really good. If you do get this, push past the beginning and get to the real story. I did enjoy it and would recommend it if you like this genre.
Loved this book! Thought I had it figured out and then it would take a twist in another direction.
needed editing and paring, otherwise a good plot.
I read and enjoyed the experience of reading this novel. However, once I was finished, I realized that I had several questions that the novel failed to answer. I was also not sure what the takeaway was supposed to be from the ending or even if it made sense given the each of the character’s experiences. I will probably read future work by these authors if they choose to collaborate again.
Sure messed up my mind.
Kept you guessing, but a tad unbelievable
The premise of this book made me want to read it right away. The idea of Gemma and Haley running away from a situation, covered in blood, but each telling a different story seemed intriguing.
The beginning is very good and pulls you into the girls lives. Who is telling the truth? Both in shock, both covered in blood and a dead man at the scene. Then the story goes into how the girls met and traveled to work at a mango farm. Again, interesting and mysterious as the people at Tate’s farm are introduced. There’s Ellie, Clay, Sophie and the very rich owner Tate. It seems a bit off, more a commune but with strict rules about phones and recruiting.
The story goes back and forth in time between the hospital and the farm. The police however seem to be run by incompetent cops and they miss ample opportunities to solve crimes.
A psychiatrist named Megan becomes involved and pays attention to the evidence and behavior of the girls. Why the local cops
were not utilized is beyond me as it seems the locals knew something was wrong. Drugs, the chemist, the commune atmosphere are all there but the police spend their time deciphering the girls behavior instead of really looking into the farm.
Writing and beginning plot were excellent but as it went on, it became chaotic and unrealistic and the ending dragged on for a long time with no closure…..and as the only intelligent person is killed toward the end…it just made me despair as the book continued onward. Don’t drink the water, lemonade, or tea and skip this book.
People seem to love it but only the first part is worth your time……the authors had a nice idea but it just fell apart….a better editor might have helped tighten this up and rethink the ending. 3 stars
Sarah A. Denzil never fails to disappoint! Poison Orchids is an intense psychological thriller with twists I didn’t fathom. This book is an unpredictable, twisted, haunting page-turner. If you are too busy to sit and read, the audiobook version is fabulous as the narrator really brings the characters to life.