THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN BY DOT HUTCHISON

The Butterfly Garden is a dark crime novel. While I found it to be dull despite the subject matter many readers truly enjoyed this one. I suppose it's up to you whether you read it or not. I personally didn't like it. 

​Rating: ★★
​Release Date: June 1, 2016
Genre: Dark Crime Novel
Series: The Collector Trilogy #1 
Pages: 288 pages
​Format: eBook. Kindle Unlimited.

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.

When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.

As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding…

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Read my Book Review

Release Date: June 1, 2016
Genre: Thriller. Suspense. Crime. 
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

I have read so many rave reviews for this book that I knew I had to pick it up. Unfortunately, I find myself in the minority because I thought this book was just "okay" and teetering on boring. For a book that is only 288 pages it seemed to DRAG. I didn't care to continue it when I put it down, but did with the hopes that something really good would happen... It didn't. While this book is dark and deals with serious issues like kidnapping and rape, I didn't feel the least bit sorry for any of the characters (with the exception of one at the end). That's not to say that I am desensitized by these issues because I am not. They truly horrify me. But the author only mentioned them in passing which made it difficult to connect with the situation. It's as if it never really occurred. Other than that, the book takes readers back and fourth with one character narrating what happened in the garden, and then learning in a present sense as to what was going on within it. There are only 3 chapters or sections within the book, and the past and present are merely divided with the actual use of girly dividers within the story. For some, this can be confusing because as the narrator goes back and fourth you may forget who is talking etc. I didn't like this aspect at all. Other than that, I think the plot is good. Although it could have been executed a bit better for my tastes. 

If you're looking to get lost in a dark crime novel, this book may be for you. After all, many people loved this book and would recommend it highly. Unfortunately, I found it to be a bit dull and had no problem skimming through much of the text. I suppose it's up to the reader to decide if this book is for him/her. Luckily, you can read it for free with kindle unlimited to decide!

★★

The Collector Trilogy