Poison Orchids by Sarah A. Denzil & Anni Taylor @sarahdenzil

Book Description:

A compelling novel from bestselling authors Sarah A. Denzil and Anni Taylor 

A dark, medical thriller. An enigmatic chemist tends his prized orchid collection on a remote farm. International backpackers find their way there each season, desperate for work. The Chemist welcomes them all in with open arms. But what chilling, twisted secret is he hiding?

Young backpackers Gemma and Hayley arrive at the farm one summer. The farm’s handsome owner, Tate Llewellyn, seems eccentric but kind, running his hobby farm and cultivating rare orchids in his greenhouse.   
The 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…hispretty 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?

My Thoughts:

I’m a big fan of Sarah A. Denzil’s books so was just as eager to read Poison Orchids which she has co written with Anni Taylor. It didn’t disappoint and has introduced a new author to me, having not heard of Anni Taylor before.

The beginning of this story grabbed be right away. I was dying to know more about Gemma and Hayley and what had happened to them. I was cheering Megan on in being able to get to the bottom of just what had happened with their time at the farm.

The story starts off with both girls being in hospital, questioned by the police and psychologist. Then we are taken back to the girls meeting and their time at the farm. This was the best part for me as I knew that it wouldn’t be long before everything started to unravel and I learned all the farms secrets.

I loved the mixed purpose of the farm. Orchids have to be one of my favourite flowers and I could visualise the areas that they are kept in. Whilst the fruit picking sounded a bit painful due to the sap, this is the main reason for the pickers being there and to start with it looks like a lot of fun. Whilst there is a lot of hard work involved as well as some strict rules, it almost seems like one happy family with Tate at the helm.

It’s actually quite an atmospheric read set in Australia, on a farm with great views and the heat. At times I was quite envious but as things started to get a bit weird, like the girls, I was starting to get some really bad vibes. I certainly wasn’t prepared for just what horrors awaited me.

Poison Orchids will definitely have you tearing through the pages. Everytime I put this book down, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again as the need to know was so intense. The story focuses more on Gemma and Hayley but I really enjoyed Bronwen and Megan’s roles. There are plenty of twists and turns of which the story line in itself was enough to hold me captive. A dark and disturbing psychological thriller, just how I like them.

Poison Orchids is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an Amazon affiliate link).