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The Night Flowers
In 1983, deep in New Mexico’s Gila National Forest, the bodies of a young woman and two children were found. Who were they? How did they get there?
Thirty years later, two women find themselves drawn to the cold case. Librarian Laura MacDonald begins her own investigation as a way to distract herself from breast cancer treatments and becomes consumed by her search for answers. Jean Martinez is a veteran detective determined to keep working cold cases for the Sierra County police force even as her family begs her to retire. With only fragments from dusty case files and a witness who doesn’t want to remember, this unlikely duo is determined―no matter the cost―to uncover the truth behind the murders. And with their help, the woman in the woods is finally able to tell her story on her own terms and summon the power to be found.
The Night Flowers ―a haunting debut thriller written with pulse-pounding precision and a deep understanding of the psychology of violence and the tenacity of those who combat it―announces the arrival of Sara Herchenroether as an exciting new voice.
Thirty years later, two women find themselves drawn to the cold case. Librarian Laura MacDonald begins her own investigation as a way to distract herself from breast cancer treatments and becomes consumed by her search for answers. Jean Martinez is a veteran detective determined to keep working cold cases for the Sierra County police force even as her family begs her to retire. With only fragments from dusty case files and a witness who doesn’t want to remember, this unlikely duo is determined―no matter the cost―to uncover the truth behind the murders. And with their help, the woman in the woods is finally able to tell her story on her own terms and summon the power to be found.
The Night Flowers ―a haunting debut thriller written with pulse-pounding precision and a deep understanding of the psychology of violence and the tenacity of those who combat it―announces the arrival of Sara Herchenroether as an exciting new voice.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
August 17, 2024
This is an excellent debut!
According to the author, the premise is partially based off the true crime of the Bearbrook Murder. As I’m not familiar with that case, I thought this book was very original.
I loved the writing and the storytelling, plus the multi-people POV.
The author did give her heart and soul into this work.
And because she is a breast cancer survivor, she excelled in transforming her suffering into words.
Everything felt so believable, even having a ghost as one of the protagonists.
Some parts were slow or felt too long, especially going into details of breast cancer treatment and its effects, but even during those pages I thought this book was compelling and I was pleased with the execution.
ebook (Kobo): 320 pages (default), 87k words
hardcover (Tin House): 328 pages (cover to cover)
According to the author, the premise is partially based off the true crime of the Bearbrook Murder. As I’m not familiar with that case, I thought this book was very original.
I loved the writing and the storytelling, plus the multi-people POV.
The author did give her heart and soul into this work.
And because she is a breast cancer survivor, she excelled in transforming her suffering into words.
Everything felt so believable, even having a ghost as one of the protagonists.
Some parts were slow or felt too long, especially going into details of breast cancer treatment and its effects, but even during those pages I thought this book was compelling and I was pleased with the execution.
ebook (Kobo): 320 pages (default), 87k words
hardcover (Tin House): 328 pages (cover to cover)
January 11, 2023
A crime novel with all women protagonists and a few interesting elements. I particularly enjoyed the genealogical librarian, an interesting element that I hadn't seen before.
I found this unbalanced. The first half or so focuses heavily on the personal lives of our two investigators, amateur Laura and detective Jean. This is not just minor stuff. Laura is in the midst of treatment for breast cancer and we follow her through several surgeries. Jean is clearly in a kind of crisis, getting pressure from her husband to retire and help raise their impending grandchild. Then in the second half this almost entirely falls away as we focus more on the investigation and the story of the missing woman. It's not that I needed resolution, but it feels like just as things are getting complicated for Jean we lose all of that story.
I am personally not a big fan of the dead protagonist/narrator so the third of the book following the dead woman's ghost was not my favorite. Mostly, though, I thought the mystery itself was convoluted, that the book seemed to think all these pieces fit together in some way that I didn't feel as a reader.
This was fine, readable, and I'm quite picky so getting through it is its own compliment.
I found this unbalanced. The first half or so focuses heavily on the personal lives of our two investigators, amateur Laura and detective Jean. This is not just minor stuff. Laura is in the midst of treatment for breast cancer and we follow her through several surgeries. Jean is clearly in a kind of crisis, getting pressure from her husband to retire and help raise their impending grandchild. Then in the second half this almost entirely falls away as we focus more on the investigation and the story of the missing woman. It's not that I needed resolution, but it feels like just as things are getting complicated for Jean we lose all of that story.
I am personally not a big fan of the dead protagonist/narrator so the third of the book following the dead woman's ghost was not my favorite. Mostly, though, I thought the mystery itself was convoluted, that the book seemed to think all these pieces fit together in some way that I didn't feel as a reader.
This was fine, readable, and I'm quite picky so getting through it is its own compliment.
March 19, 2023
This book was really good. I started it one night and woke up super early the next morning to finish it. It centers on the mystery surrounding the bodies of a woman and 2 children in the New Mexico forest. The bodies were discovered 30 years ago but the deaths seemingly happened decades before that. Jean, a local coke case detective, and Laura, a novice genealogist, both take an interest in the case and end up partnering up to investigate. You also get chapters told from the POV of the murdered woman, who is still hanging around the murder site in a ghost-like way.
I normally don’t like a book where you hear from the “ghost” but the character was really well written and I bought into the magic. I also enjoyed both Jean and Laura and found them to be very real characters with whom I could empathize, even when they made poor, and very human, decisions. I liked the dynamic between them and felt that the author gave me just enough details to understand how their research worked together to get closer to the truth.
I struggled a bit with the genealogy piece and trying to keep straight all the many family members and how they all fit together. I got there, but sometimes had to stop and remind myself who was who and how they were connected. I guess real genealogy is likely this complicated and one part of me appreciated the author not simplifying things, even if it did get confusing at times.
Overall, a really good book that I suspect will stick with me. Would definitely recommend to those who like mysteries with a little bit of police work thrown in. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest recode.
I normally don’t like a book where you hear from the “ghost” but the character was really well written and I bought into the magic. I also enjoyed both Jean and Laura and found them to be very real characters with whom I could empathize, even when they made poor, and very human, decisions. I liked the dynamic between them and felt that the author gave me just enough details to understand how their research worked together to get closer to the truth.
I struggled a bit with the genealogy piece and trying to keep straight all the many family members and how they all fit together. I got there, but sometimes had to stop and remind myself who was who and how they were connected. I guess real genealogy is likely this complicated and one part of me appreciated the author not simplifying things, even if it did get confusing at times.
Overall, a really good book that I suspect will stick with me. Would definitely recommend to those who like mysteries with a little bit of police work thrown in. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest recode.
February 22, 2023
I received an ARC version of this book and leave this review of my own accord.
Having recently lost my own mother to breast cancer, I first have to say that I skimmed a lot of the storyline that was based around Laura and her journey with fighting her breast cancer and all the surgeries/treatments. I just can't right now.
Other than that, this book intrigued me. Bodies found in barrels, two women detectives, a mystery to solve. I liked the investigation aspect of this book more so than the other parts. But the story did seem to tie the two together quite a bit. For example, when discussing the crime, Laura would somehow tie it back to her cancer and/or other life experiences.
I'm not sure if this is because I'm still in my grieving process or not, but it just irked me. I'm going to say this has to do with me and not the book. I think if my life had been going differently when I read this I wouldn't have had the same reaction to it. For that reason, I give this 4 stars and don't hold anything against the author or the story.
I do recommend this book for anyone who likes crime thrillers. But I also have to say that this story spends a lot of time on the personal lives of the two women detectives. But on the crime and investigation front I recommend.
Definitely an author I would read again.
Having recently lost my own mother to breast cancer, I first have to say that I skimmed a lot of the storyline that was based around Laura and her journey with fighting her breast cancer and all the surgeries/treatments. I just can't right now.
Other than that, this book intrigued me. Bodies found in barrels, two women detectives, a mystery to solve. I liked the investigation aspect of this book more so than the other parts. But the story did seem to tie the two together quite a bit. For example, when discussing the crime, Laura would somehow tie it back to her cancer and/or other life experiences.
I'm not sure if this is because I'm still in my grieving process or not, but it just irked me. I'm going to say this has to do with me and not the book. I think if my life had been going differently when I read this I wouldn't have had the same reaction to it. For that reason, I give this 4 stars and don't hold anything against the author or the story.
I do recommend this book for anyone who likes crime thrillers. But I also have to say that this story spends a lot of time on the personal lives of the two women detectives. But on the crime and investigation front I recommend.
Definitely an author I would read again.
May 29, 2023
Wow, what a fantastic debut that I read through in one day. The Night Flowers follows an unimaginable 1980’s cold case involving a young mother and two children’s bodies found in New Mexico. A serial killer. A ghost POV. And the veteran female detective that deputizes a young cancer-traumatized librarian to help solve the case using her genealogy skills. CLEVER writing, an emotional/intriguing mystery AND a romance that proves to be deadly. I loved this, especially how the author incorporated everything I find interesting into one book! I’m already anticipating her next novel! 5 stars — Pub. 5/2/23
Shelved as 'didnt-finish'
May 26, 2023DNF @ 15%, this just isn't what I want right now. It's interesting and has some well realized female leads, but it's so...melancholic and sad. And a bit boring.
January 30, 2023
Haunting and beautiful - this is not your average thriller nor is it your average police procedural.
In the Night Flowers we meet Jean Martinez who is on the cusp of retiring from the force. Jean is burnt out and having trouble making time for her daughter's pregnancy, Jean is working cold cases when she is approached by an unlikely assistant - Laura MacDonald is recovering from a terrible breast cancer treatment and has utilized her librarian skills to identify missing persons in a case that Jean is working. It's a complicated situation that keeps them busy throughout the book - all of the time there may be someone on their tail trying to prevent justice.
This duo may be my favorite yet! Herchenroether has made these characters as real as your friends and neighbors and just as likeable. Just when I think I have read enough police procedurals I meet them. PLEASE Sara! Write a sequel !!!!
If you love real live heroes and strong female characters, if you love a police hunt or a cold case, The Night Flowers is for you! #TinHouse
In the Night Flowers we meet Jean Martinez who is on the cusp of retiring from the force. Jean is burnt out and having trouble making time for her daughter's pregnancy, Jean is working cold cases when she is approached by an unlikely assistant - Laura MacDonald is recovering from a terrible breast cancer treatment and has utilized her librarian skills to identify missing persons in a case that Jean is working. It's a complicated situation that keeps them busy throughout the book - all of the time there may be someone on their tail trying to prevent justice.
This duo may be my favorite yet! Herchenroether has made these characters as real as your friends and neighbors and just as likeable. Just when I think I have read enough police procedurals I meet them. PLEASE Sara! Write a sequel !!!!
If you love real live heroes and strong female characters, if you love a police hunt or a cold case, The Night Flowers is for you! #TinHouse
March 3, 2023
Review of The Night Flowers:
Murder She Wrote meets Louise Penny in this mystery about an old cold case where a woman and two little girls bodies were found in barrels.
I am an avid Dateline watcher, I love a good problem to solve.
This book is old school mystery.
It’s not the razzle dazzle of the thrillers that are on the market now, it’s subtle.
I like that about this book.
I love that the author as a breast cancer survivor, wrote a character with breast cancer.
It made the depth of the character sink in so well.
I loved the flawed female detective and all of the ways she was infused with conflict between family and her passion for her work.
What it can do to both sides of the equation when you are married to your work and married in the traditional sense.
I love that the dead characters had a role.
Overall I thought this book was thoughtful and insightful.
I really enjoyed it.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Not for every reader, but for those that like to watch a story unfold in its own timeline, this one’s for you 📚
April 28, 2023
This opens with an intriguing mystery but it struggles with pacing and delivery. I also really don’t enjoy POVs from the dead victim because then it feels like cheating the reveals of the investigation. However it is an interesting partnership between a detective and a genealogist librarian and that results in a lot of interesting research and discovery that felt genuine.
The story follows the mystery of the remains of a woman and two girls discovered inside of barrels in the heart of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. Laura is a librarian who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer and decides to chase down the identity of the woman as a way to distract from her pain and Jean is a cold case detective who needs to close out one more case before budget cuts remove her position. As both their investigations intersect they hope to give the woman back her name and get her justice.
The first part of the book is a lot of detail on the two women and their lives. I have never seen this much painstaking detail on someone undergoing cancer treatment in a thriller. It’s neither good nor bad, just a lot of pages spent on something that doesn’t have much impact on the actual case. It clearly is personal for the author. Then halfway through, the book changes direction into the actual investigation and it gets complicated really fast. I know genealogy is a complicated subject but I had a really hard time keeping the family connections and nicknames all straight. The final reveal had me going back and rereading sections to make sure I had it right.
The story follows the mystery of the remains of a woman and two girls discovered inside of barrels in the heart of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. Laura is a librarian who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer and decides to chase down the identity of the woman as a way to distract from her pain and Jean is a cold case detective who needs to close out one more case before budget cuts remove her position. As both their investigations intersect they hope to give the woman back her name and get her justice.
The first part of the book is a lot of detail on the two women and their lives. I have never seen this much painstaking detail on someone undergoing cancer treatment in a thriller. It’s neither good nor bad, just a lot of pages spent on something that doesn’t have much impact on the actual case. It clearly is personal for the author. Then halfway through, the book changes direction into the actual investigation and it gets complicated really fast. I know genealogy is a complicated subject but I had a really hard time keeping the family connections and nicknames all straight. The final reveal had me going back and rereading sections to make sure I had it right.
March 29, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Night Flowers.
** Minor spoilers ahead so read on! **
The discovery of a dead woman and her two daughters brings two very different, but very capable women into each other's lives.
A librarian and armchair detective and breast cancer survivor and a determined investigator will do everything it takes to break this cold case, even at the cost of her family.
At the same time, readers are treated to the perspective of the victim, a POV that works in some narratives, though I'm not sure it works here.
First, what I liked: two strong female protagonists; smart, savvy, resourceful.
Second, the mystery wasn't bad, but not interesting. The case broke because Laura is a pro when tracing ancestry and lineage.
Third, I felt the narrative focused too much on Laura's struggles with breast cancer, not surprisingly since the author is a survivor herself.
I imagine Laura's POV must have been cathartic to write and process as the author channeled her personal struggles with the disease into writing, but there was too much breast cancer talk, so to speak.
Also, I didn't like Laura.
I sympathized with her, dealing with any illness is no cakewalk, but for someone who was just diagnosed with breast cancer, she drinks a lot.
There's a scene at the end where she worries about eating a rotisserie chicken because of the antibiotics it contains, but has no problem downing cans of wine?
I really liked Jean and respected her. She felt more realistic; sincere about her convictions and goals.
At the end, she completed what she promised to do; solve the case and continue doing the work she loved at the cost of her marriage.
The writing wasn't bad, but the narrative lacked cohesiveness and decent exposition.
Laura's professional as a librarian isn't mentioned until midway through the story.
I don't think the author brought it up until then because all the writing seemed more focused on Laura's breast cancer surgery and recovery at times.
** Minor spoilers ahead so read on! **
The discovery of a dead woman and her two daughters brings two very different, but very capable women into each other's lives.
A librarian and armchair detective and breast cancer survivor and a determined investigator will do everything it takes to break this cold case, even at the cost of her family.
At the same time, readers are treated to the perspective of the victim, a POV that works in some narratives, though I'm not sure it works here.
First, what I liked: two strong female protagonists; smart, savvy, resourceful.
Second, the mystery wasn't bad, but not interesting. The case broke because Laura is a pro when tracing ancestry and lineage.
Third, I felt the narrative focused too much on Laura's struggles with breast cancer, not surprisingly since the author is a survivor herself.
I imagine Laura's POV must have been cathartic to write and process as the author channeled her personal struggles with the disease into writing, but there was too much breast cancer talk, so to speak.
Also, I didn't like Laura.
I sympathized with her, dealing with any illness is no cakewalk, but for someone who was just diagnosed with breast cancer, she drinks a lot.
There's a scene at the end where she worries about eating a rotisserie chicken because of the antibiotics it contains, but has no problem downing cans of wine?
I really liked Jean and respected her. She felt more realistic; sincere about her convictions and goals.
At the end, she completed what she promised to do; solve the case and continue doing the work she loved at the cost of her marriage.
The writing wasn't bad, but the narrative lacked cohesiveness and decent exposition.
Laura's professional as a librarian isn't mentioned until midway through the story.
I don't think the author brought it up until then because all the writing seemed more focused on Laura's breast cancer surgery and recovery at times.
June 30, 2023
I absolutely loved this book.
May 16, 2023
Interesting story about three bodies that are discovered in barrels in New Mexico several years ago and the murderer hadn’t been caught or bodies identified. Told from Jean the cold case police investigator and Laura a librarian/genealogist who is going through breast cancer perspectives with some Italicized portions from the dead woman’s view. Flows well. Enjoyed the story, kept me engaged and wanting to know more and what had happened to these three females.
Thanks to Netgalley and W.M Norton & Company for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and W.M Norton & Company for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 18, 2023
In 1983, 3 bodies were discovered in barrels by two hikers in New Mexico’s Gila National Forest. Having been there a while, the police were never able to identify who the women and 2 children were. Almost 30 years after their discovery, two women from across the country, with two very different lives and for very different reasons commit to identifying who the victim were. Laura MacDonald, a retired librarian with a passion for finding people’s lost loves ones, is determined to put a name to the victims so that they won’t be forgotten. Detective Jean Martinez, sees this cold case as the crux of her waning career and wants nothing more than to determine the culprit of the grisly crime. Half a decade after the crimes were committed, the unlikely pair might just be able to determine the truth behind the murders.
Told from 3 perspectives this book was lovingly written. The writing is fantastic and the idea behind the story is great. Both Laura and Detective Martinez get their chance to tell their stories. While both women are completely different, they both bring a unique take on the case, and I really enjoyed the contrast between them. However, I felt that Laura’s storyline was much more flushed out and engaging. Martinez’s character seems a little flat to me and I felt that I never really got to know her.
The 3rd POV was from the ghost of one of the victims, and while I didn’t not like the narrative, it really pulls the genre of the story into speculative fiction territory, which I struggled with. In the first half of the book, when it came to the 3rd POV, I felt slightly lost. The direction didn’t seem defined until halfway through, and so it took me half the book to understand the point of the narrative. Once I was onboard though, I did enjoy getting hear how Jane Doe perceived her death and situation. It wasn’t my favorite storyline though, so I could have also done without it.
I appreciated the Breast Cancer Survivor story and the way Herchenroether dived into Laura’s story. Her story was fascinating, and I loved the tenacity she shows not just during her Cancer journey, but just in her eagerness to find peoples lost loved ones. I think it was a great example of how sites like Ancestory.com, 23 and Me, and others are working to connect people to their roots. It’s fascinating to understand where you come from, and my dad has always been big into exploring our family tree, which has rubbed off on me as well. Personally, I found Laura’s story to be the most engaging, impactful, and interesting.
Personally, I felt that there were two distinct halves of the book. The first half dives deep into the personal lives of Martinez and Laura, with hardly any reference to the murders. Around halfway through though, it completely switches, and we get little to no more detail around their personal lives, and the focus is solely on the investigation. There was a lot of personal build up for both women, without much payoff, in my opinion. Both Martinez’s storyline and the 3rd POV of Jane Doe were just not fully engaging for me, and I felt they slowed the pacing of the story quite a bit. So, while the writing was wonderful, I felt as if I was slogging through the book at times. I would have ultimately preferred to just have the entire book written from Laura’s POV.
My last complaint involves the investigation itself. I honestly could not keep track of the suspects and families in the investigation. There were some name changes, some history around naming conventions of different cultures, but ultimately there were just too many people that were brought into the conversations. I couldn’t keep track of them all. I thought more than once that a family tree graphic would have been helpful.
There are so many great things about this book, and I hate to only give it 3 stars. While I really enjoyed a lot of parts about the story, the negatives outweighed the pros for me, which is why this was a 3.5 star read, rounded down to 3. The 3rd narrative really contributes to a more atmospheric feel, so I’d recommend reading if you enjoy more atmospheric or gothic type mysteries.
The Night Flowers comes out May 2, 2023. Huge thank you to Tin House Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.
Told from 3 perspectives this book was lovingly written. The writing is fantastic and the idea behind the story is great. Both Laura and Detective Martinez get their chance to tell their stories. While both women are completely different, they both bring a unique take on the case, and I really enjoyed the contrast between them. However, I felt that Laura’s storyline was much more flushed out and engaging. Martinez’s character seems a little flat to me and I felt that I never really got to know her.
The 3rd POV was from the ghost of one of the victims, and while I didn’t not like the narrative, it really pulls the genre of the story into speculative fiction territory, which I struggled with. In the first half of the book, when it came to the 3rd POV, I felt slightly lost. The direction didn’t seem defined until halfway through, and so it took me half the book to understand the point of the narrative. Once I was onboard though, I did enjoy getting hear how Jane Doe perceived her death and situation. It wasn’t my favorite storyline though, so I could have also done without it.
I appreciated the Breast Cancer Survivor story and the way Herchenroether dived into Laura’s story. Her story was fascinating, and I loved the tenacity she shows not just during her Cancer journey, but just in her eagerness to find peoples lost loved ones. I think it was a great example of how sites like Ancestory.com, 23 and Me, and others are working to connect people to their roots. It’s fascinating to understand where you come from, and my dad has always been big into exploring our family tree, which has rubbed off on me as well. Personally, I found Laura’s story to be the most engaging, impactful, and interesting.
Personally, I felt that there were two distinct halves of the book. The first half dives deep into the personal lives of Martinez and Laura, with hardly any reference to the murders. Around halfway through though, it completely switches, and we get little to no more detail around their personal lives, and the focus is solely on the investigation. There was a lot of personal build up for both women, without much payoff, in my opinion. Both Martinez’s storyline and the 3rd POV of Jane Doe were just not fully engaging for me, and I felt they slowed the pacing of the story quite a bit. So, while the writing was wonderful, I felt as if I was slogging through the book at times. I would have ultimately preferred to just have the entire book written from Laura’s POV.
My last complaint involves the investigation itself. I honestly could not keep track of the suspects and families in the investigation. There were some name changes, some history around naming conventions of different cultures, but ultimately there were just too many people that were brought into the conversations. I couldn’t keep track of them all. I thought more than once that a family tree graphic would have been helpful.
There are so many great things about this book, and I hate to only give it 3 stars. While I really enjoyed a lot of parts about the story, the negatives outweighed the pros for me, which is why this was a 3.5 star read, rounded down to 3. The 3rd narrative really contributes to a more atmospheric feel, so I’d recommend reading if you enjoy more atmospheric or gothic type mysteries.
The Night Flowers comes out May 2, 2023. Huge thank you to Tin House Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.
May 2, 2023
I received an ARC for this book from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
I LOVED this book. It in a way brought me out of a book slump I’ve been in and got me excited about reading again. In fairness, I don’t read a lot of thrillers so everything felt new and fresh to me.
I really enjoyed each of the characters, especially the genealogical librarian and her story. The author was able to write each character in a way that they felt trustworthy and relatable yet unique.
There were 3 POVs in this story and I liked them all equally. Multiple POVs can sometimes cause me to like one characters storyline over another and then I don’t enjoying reading their stories as much but The Night Flowers kept each storyline fast paced, relevant and as “fun” as you can get while solving a cold case murder.
This book kept me on my toes and wanting to know more. Ready the trigger warnings on this book before reading!
5⭐️
I LOVED this book. It in a way brought me out of a book slump I’ve been in and got me excited about reading again. In fairness, I don’t read a lot of thrillers so everything felt new and fresh to me.
I really enjoyed each of the characters, especially the genealogical librarian and her story. The author was able to write each character in a way that they felt trustworthy and relatable yet unique.
There were 3 POVs in this story and I liked them all equally. Multiple POVs can sometimes cause me to like one characters storyline over another and then I don’t enjoying reading their stories as much but The Night Flowers kept each storyline fast paced, relevant and as “fun” as you can get while solving a cold case murder.
This book kept me on my toes and wanting to know more. Ready the trigger warnings on this book before reading!
5⭐️
March 16, 2023
Debut author Sara Herchenroether introduces us to two richly drawn characters in this highly emotional story of a cold case crime set in New Mexico.
Laura MacDonald is a young breast cancer survivor, true crime junkie, and research librarian. The current crime piquing her interest was discovered on the day when she was born, almost exactly 30 years ago, but the murders were probably committed two decades earlier.
Jean Martinez is a veteran detective on the Sierra County police force, now investigating cold cases. She’s decided to tackle the one considered the hardest, the woman and two girls found in barrels by hikers in the middle of the Gila National Forest, as the anniversary of the find approaches.
As these two veer towards each other geographically when their individual hard work starts to scrape away some of the mystery, another POV, that of the murdered woman’s ghost is introduced to make this otherwise straight-on police procedural a spooky retelling of injustice done to a vulnerable woman (who might finally find some peace for herself and her children).
The plot was intriguing and the eventual partnership between Jean and Laura makes you want to see more of them in the future. Both are dealing with personal challenges (health issues for Laura; impending retirement for Jean). The ghost’s POV was interesting (validating Laura’s suspicion early on that she was a woman with a daughter named Daisy). The more intricate backstories of the lead characters gave the reader much to think about in terms of vulnerable women. There were times when the ghostly backstory was a bit confusing as other long ago characters appeared, although it was wrapped up neatly in the end. Yet, it’s an excellent debut thriller. 4 stars.
Thank you to Tin House and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Some hazel, dark brown and sapphire eyes, but no green ones.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): Blame it on the cover: Datura, or moonflower, jimsonweed, angel’s trumpet, devil’s trumpet, or thorn apple plays an important part of the plot and is native to the southwest and Mexico. The highly poisonous angel’s trumpet does bloom at night, but very few dark blue irises, as depicted on the cover, do.
Laura MacDonald is a young breast cancer survivor, true crime junkie, and research librarian. The current crime piquing her interest was discovered on the day when she was born, almost exactly 30 years ago, but the murders were probably committed two decades earlier.
Jean Martinez is a veteran detective on the Sierra County police force, now investigating cold cases. She’s decided to tackle the one considered the hardest, the woman and two girls found in barrels by hikers in the middle of the Gila National Forest, as the anniversary of the find approaches.
As these two veer towards each other geographically when their individual hard work starts to scrape away some of the mystery, another POV, that of the murdered woman’s ghost is introduced to make this otherwise straight-on police procedural a spooky retelling of injustice done to a vulnerable woman (who might finally find some peace for herself and her children).
The plot was intriguing and the eventual partnership between Jean and Laura makes you want to see more of them in the future. Both are dealing with personal challenges (health issues for Laura; impending retirement for Jean). The ghost’s POV was interesting (validating Laura’s suspicion early on that she was a woman with a daughter named Daisy). The more intricate backstories of the lead characters gave the reader much to think about in terms of vulnerable women. There were times when the ghostly backstory was a bit confusing as other long ago characters appeared, although it was wrapped up neatly in the end. Yet, it’s an excellent debut thriller. 4 stars.
Thank you to Tin House and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Some hazel, dark brown and sapphire eyes, but no green ones.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): Blame it on the cover: Datura, or moonflower, jimsonweed, angel’s trumpet, devil’s trumpet, or thorn apple plays an important part of the plot and is native to the southwest and Mexico. The highly poisonous angel’s trumpet does bloom at night, but very few dark blue irises, as depicted on the cover, do.
June 19, 2023
Two words…confusing and boring.
June 1, 2023
Definitely took me some time to get into this one, but the realistic characters created pulled me in and I found this book to be quite hauntingly and sadly beautiful in its own way.
It ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so I could see there being a second book in this series, but it combined a number of elements I loved. Cold cases, believable characters and ghosts in a story I am really glad I chose because of the cover.
It ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so I could see there being a second book in this series, but it combined a number of elements I loved. Cold cases, believable characters and ghosts in a story I am really glad I chose because of the cover.
September 18, 2023
The was a really good mystery with complex and likable characters. I especially enjoyed the New Mexico aspects of the story.
July 17, 2024
I really ended up enjoying this slow burn thriller!
This book is an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best Thriller, Mystery and Suspense but I don't see anything about it in the book groups that I'm currently in. But it was highly enjoyable especially after the first third of the book is through - I found myself doubting if I would enjoy it during that first bit but I'm glad that I persevered because it was definitely worth it in the end.
The book is told through two female main characters and then get the perspective of another voice which at first is unclear and then you realize it's the voice of the victim and I also enjoyed that as well.
I would recommend this one!
This book is an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best Thriller, Mystery and Suspense but I don't see anything about it in the book groups that I'm currently in. But it was highly enjoyable especially after the first third of the book is through - I found myself doubting if I would enjoy it during that first bit but I'm glad that I persevered because it was definitely worth it in the end.
The book is told through two female main characters and then get the perspective of another voice which at first is unclear and then you realize it's the voice of the victim and I also enjoyed that as well.
I would recommend this one!
February 15, 2024
This is the type of book to read as you lounge by a pool when on summer vacation. Something fairly fast-paced that doesn't require much brain power. Unfortunately, this book fails on the brain power end of things, because it's kind of convoluted and the story is disjointed. A genealogist who has been treated for breast cancer suddenly decides to go to New Mexico to help solve a cold case through her superb research skills. The detective is so impressed she deputizes her in order for the civilian to officially assist in the case? Insert eye roll. Yeah, no, not gonna happen.
The story moves from the details of the genealogist's life and cancer treatment, to looking at the detective's personal life, which is not in as much detail but hints she used to screw her old partner and just isn't into her husband. Then there's the bumbling idiocy of the genealogist, who thinks it's smart to go looking around on private property by herself (never do this in NM). There's the tangled cast of people from the past, with changed names and relationships that left me confused. The author must have known that would hapoen, because she has the genealogist give a big wrap up speech at the end, explaining everything. JUST LIKE THEY DID ON SCOOBY DOO!!!!
Then there are the ghosts/souls/spirits, which was really weird since the author seemed to be trying to make this a realistic story, but then veered into a fantastical narrative about people in the afterlife who start interacting with living persons. Insert another eye roll. And, why do so many people think they have to come to NM for spiritual purposes? Go to Sedona for that BS please!!!
Perhaps because I Iive here, I found it very off-putting that it took an outsider to swoop in and solve this cold case. Then she moves to NM to become a genealogist crime fighting super sleuth? Just like that? Nawww. It seems like a set up for additional books to come, but I will pass.
The story moves from the details of the genealogist's life and cancer treatment, to looking at the detective's personal life, which is not in as much detail but hints she used to screw her old partner and just isn't into her husband. Then there's the bumbling idiocy of the genealogist, who thinks it's smart to go looking around on private property by herself (never do this in NM). There's the tangled cast of people from the past, with changed names and relationships that left me confused. The author must have known that would hapoen, because she has the genealogist give a big wrap up speech at the end, explaining everything. JUST LIKE THEY DID ON SCOOBY DOO!!!!
Then there are the ghosts/souls/spirits, which was really weird since the author seemed to be trying to make this a realistic story, but then veered into a fantastical narrative about people in the afterlife who start interacting with living persons. Insert another eye roll. And, why do so many people think they have to come to NM for spiritual purposes? Go to Sedona for that BS please!!!
Perhaps because I Iive here, I found it very off-putting that it took an outsider to swoop in and solve this cold case. Then she moves to NM to become a genealogist crime fighting super sleuth? Just like that? Nawww. It seems like a set up for additional books to come, but I will pass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2023
Looking for a literary mystery? This was very good! Hooked me right away. Around 70%, it got a little confusing to me, but could be my e-galley copy. The characters didn't seem like their usual selves-both in actions and words, but after that blip, it got good again! We follow a genealogy expert and a detective as they connect during their work on a cold case involving a Jane Doe and two young girls found in metal barrels in New Mexico. If you are interested in how genealogy is able to help solve crimes, I think you will enjoy this. Trigger warning for breast cancer talk-one of the main characters is living with breast cancer and there's a lot of pages about it. I recommend this book!
February 26, 2023
An exciting debut thriller with a genealogist and a cold case cop joining forces to solve the 25 year old murder of a woman and 2 little girls. The genealogist's experience of surviving breast cancer is as vivid and terrifying as the murder case. I look forward to more cold cases for Jean Martinez and Laura MacDonald to solve together. Especially cool to see how genealogists work!
December 6, 2023
This book!!! Thank you Tin Books and Sara Herchenroether for this free copy!
“The Night Flowers” by Sara Herchenroether ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Psychological Murder Mystery/Ghost Story. Location: New Mexico, USA. Time: 2013.
In 1983, Gila National Forest hikers find decomposed bodies of a young woman and 2 children stuffed in barrels. In 2013, 2 women work to give a voice to the murdered.
Main Characters:
*Connecticut genealogist/librarian Laura MacDonald (30). Consumed by the investigation she started to distract herself from her breast cancer treatments.
*New Mexico Detective Sergeant Jean Martinez. Consumed by the cold case while her family wants her to retire.
*The murdered woman’s ghost retells the injustice done to her and the children.
Author Herchenroether has written an unforgettable novel that’s a ghost story inside a cold case mystery. Her descriptions are evocative: (Describing a granite canyon wall-“Its face a blend of smudged newspaper gray and burnt apricot.”) (Describing foot blisters: (“They felt like the sweaty top of a warm Jell-O cup…Same color too: cherry red.”) Her focus is characters and their development. She finds parallels between Laura’s cancer experience and violent crime victims’ experiences: fragile bodies destroyed/broken, end results, victims claiming their stories. In addition to a cold case mystery, you’ll read heart-wrenching specifics about a cancer journey. (Herchenroether is a breast cancer survivor.) Thank you Sara Herchenroether for the 6 months epilogue-it clarifies a complicated plot perfectly. It’s original, fascinating, page-turning, informative, twisty, full of tension that ramps up near the end, (plus a fresh take on ghosts/spirits), and it’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼♀️
“The Night Flowers” by Sara Herchenroether ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Psychological Murder Mystery/Ghost Story. Location: New Mexico, USA. Time: 2013.
In 1983, Gila National Forest hikers find decomposed bodies of a young woman and 2 children stuffed in barrels. In 2013, 2 women work to give a voice to the murdered.
Main Characters:
*Connecticut genealogist/librarian Laura MacDonald (30). Consumed by the investigation she started to distract herself from her breast cancer treatments.
*New Mexico Detective Sergeant Jean Martinez. Consumed by the cold case while her family wants her to retire.
*The murdered woman’s ghost retells the injustice done to her and the children.
Author Herchenroether has written an unforgettable novel that’s a ghost story inside a cold case mystery. Her descriptions are evocative: (Describing a granite canyon wall-“Its face a blend of smudged newspaper gray and burnt apricot.”) (Describing foot blisters: (“They felt like the sweaty top of a warm Jell-O cup…Same color too: cherry red.”) Her focus is characters and their development. She finds parallels between Laura’s cancer experience and violent crime victims’ experiences: fragile bodies destroyed/broken, end results, victims claiming their stories. In addition to a cold case mystery, you’ll read heart-wrenching specifics about a cancer journey. (Herchenroether is a breast cancer survivor.) Thank you Sara Herchenroether for the 6 months epilogue-it clarifies a complicated plot perfectly. It’s original, fascinating, page-turning, informative, twisty, full of tension that ramps up near the end, (plus a fresh take on ghosts/spirits), and it’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼♀️
August 30, 2024
Considering my primary motivation for buying THE NIGHT FLOWERS in the first place was its cover (impulse control, who is she?), I am properly blown away by how good this was and by how much I enjoyed it.
(To which you might respond, "It's a character-driven, proceduralish mystery based on a true crime, Taylor, of course you were going to like it"—folks, I could not have told you what this book was about before I started reading it, I am literally not joking about the cover thing.)
The storytelling was excellent—suspenseful without feeling hammy, emotional and high stakes without feeling either cheap or predictable—and Jean and Laura were some damn strong female protoganists. There were aspects of Laura's story and cancer treatment that felt, perhaps, needlessly overdetailed, probably due to Sara Herchenroether's own experience, and aspects of Jean's story and personal life that could have been fleshed out a little more, but otherwise, their partnership was great; my main issue, actually, is that I wish Herchenroether had brought them together on the page even sooner than she did. Also, big up to her for being the first author in my working memory to give a ghost character POV chapters, and it actually fucking works as a storytelling device? I'm not sure the ending would have felt half as complete without readers being able to hear Jane Doe's story in her own words.
So, yeah, mind blown. This was a good’un!
(To which you might respond, "It's a character-driven, proceduralish mystery based on a true crime, Taylor, of course you were going to like it"—folks, I could not have told you what this book was about before I started reading it, I am literally not joking about the cover thing.)
The storytelling was excellent—suspenseful without feeling hammy, emotional and high stakes without feeling either cheap or predictable—and Jean and Laura were some damn strong female protoganists. There were aspects of Laura's story and cancer treatment that felt, perhaps, needlessly overdetailed, probably due to Sara Herchenroether's own experience, and aspects of Jean's story and personal life that could have been fleshed out a little more, but otherwise, their partnership was great; my main issue, actually, is that I wish Herchenroether had brought them together on the page even sooner than she did. Also, big up to her for being the first author in my working memory to give a ghost character POV chapters, and it actually fucking works as a storytelling device? I'm not sure the ending would have felt half as complete without readers being able to hear Jane Doe's story in her own words.
So, yeah, mind blown. This was a good’un!
May 10, 2023
This book actually tugged at my heart strings. I’m obsessed. It was SO GOOD. I wasn’t even ready for any of the feels but…boy, did this book make me feel.
I couldn’t put it down. I thought about it at work. I thought about it while I was grocery shopping. I thought about it while I was trying to sleep at night.
The story captured me so quick. I needed to know. I wanted to put this puzzle together and help the characters out.
I would highly recommend!
I couldn’t put it down. I thought about it at work. I thought about it while I was grocery shopping. I thought about it while I was trying to sleep at night.
The story captured me so quick. I needed to know. I wanted to put this puzzle together and help the characters out.
I would highly recommend!
March 13, 2023
Wow, thank you to Netgalley and Tin House for this memorizing book. A woman is found in a barrel with two children, no name, and no identification. Two women go above and beyond in this book to solve this mystery while dealing with their own issues. So good and such an inspiring read. The author is one to remember and note for her courage. Thanks, Sara, for this book! The night flowers are blooming for this book!
May 28, 2023
Great debut mystery! I think this is my favourite crime-solving duo yet - a tough older soon-to-be-grandma cop and a genealogy librarian. My advice for reading: make sure you are following along all the family tree names and relationships as they come up. I will be sure to follow this author and hope to see more mysteries from her.
December 1, 2023
Read in 3 sittings so I obviously enjoyed it. But I did feel at times I was just reading fluff. Also struggled a bit with the many characters and their multiple aliases
Overall, it was a good book that kept me coming back and eager to learn more about the case.
Overall, it was a good book that kept me coming back and eager to learn more about the case.
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