The Gardens of the Dead

by: William Brodrick

Published by: Viking

Reviewed by Jeff Foster

The Gardens of the Dead opens with London barrister, Elizabeth Glendinning's untimely demise from heart failure as she is in the process of calling police. In the sad aftermath of her funeral, her estranged son, Nicolas, and her former colleague, now a monk, Father Anselm Duffy work together, yet separately, to piece together a series of mysterious clues about a case that has haunted Anselm, and more so Elizabeth, prior to her death.

Anselm and Nicolas are provided post-mortem clues to the case and are lead through a series of riddles and challenges that send them step by step backward in time through the case of Regina vs. Riley.

Anselm and Elizabeth won the case. They way they won it, has left both of them asking "why?" Anselm, at a loss for further questioning, asked the case's prime witness why he used his middle name and not his proper name--and with that, the witness left the court and the case was over. Why? It is a curiosity that has consumed Elizabeth and is now drawing Anselm deeper into the cold case as he searches to find the meanings of what transpired years ago.

The story flows slowly, but in such a way that the book is hard to put down. For a mystery, or thriller, where you have death in the first few pages, but little action to follow, the writing must be exceptional--and it is.

William Broderick's has presented us with something so very rare in today's times--a new novel that draws you in, holds you and leaves you thinking about the characters and how this story will play out long after you have finished reading.

Armchair Interviews says: Another good book for mystery lovers.