The Butterfly Garden

Book Review: “The Roses of May” by Dot Hutchison

November 16, 2018 by Michele Pariza Wacek 1 Comment

But for the FBI agents, the impending thaw means one gruesome thing: a chilling guarantee that somewhere in the country, another young woman will turn up dead in a church with her throat slit and her body surrounded by flowers. Priya Sravasti’s sister fell victim to the killer years ago. Now she and her mother […]

Book Review: “The Butterfly Garden” by Dot Hutchison

November 2, 2018 by Michele Pariza Wacek 2 Comments

Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden. In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees … and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens. “The Butterfly […]

Book 1 of the award-winning Secrets of Redemption series.

A fresh start. That’s what Becca hoped the move from New York to Redemption, Wisconsin would be for her troubled family. A way to get her crumbling marriage back on track, and to bond with her difficult 16-year-old stepdaughter.

But instead of a new beginning, Becca is thrust into a mysterious past she barely remembers. A past that includes the complications of interacting with her old teenage crush, Daniel, as well as living in her aunt’s old house.

A house with a violent past. A house the locals swear is haunted.

But there’s no such thing as ghosts. Right?

So, could there be something even more sinister out to destroy them?

And can Becca discover the truth before it’s too late?

2018 Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewers’ Choice Winner (First Place)

2018 Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewers’ Choice Winner for Book Series (Second Place)

“This book grabs your attention slowly and then ramps up the intensity until your spine tingles and you aren’t sure what to tell Becca – run or stay? Who can she trust?”

Paranormal Romance Guild

Michele Pariza Wacek carries the reader along on this journey, which has twists and turns to the very last page. Her characters become friends, some you want to spend more time with and some you come to despise. She casts a spell that will keep you enthralled. A can’t miss novel from a dynamic author. 5 stars!

The International Review of Books

On the surface, Wacek employs all the devices of a standard haunted-house story full of ghosts and supernatural possessions. But her principal plot is also entangled with a mystery, family secrets, and a character study of a woman reconciling with her past that unveils before her eyes. Wacek’s ambitious story is made more complex with layers of subplots that subtly build up the overall suspense. … The different storylines working together make sense, since not all is fully resolved, and this is the first of a planned series of books. As you read, waiting to see what happens next, you may be surprised by how it ends.

The US Review of Books

Don’t miss Book 2 This Happened to Jessica and Book 3 The Evil That Was Done. You can also grab the full box set right here.

Want a sneak peek? You can check out an excerpt here or, if you’re looking for a little more meat, grab a preview here. You can also read the story behind the story here.

In a book club? You can download book discussion questions here.

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