AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN by Camilla Bruce is a mesmerizing gothic story filled with vengeful ghosts, murder, greed, manipulation, and a battle of wills between a murderess and her two young nieces under her care.

Lily and her sister Violet are grieving from the death of their parents, who perished while on a mountain climbing trip. Now, the two young girls must live with their closest relative, Clara Woods. Clara is a secretive woman who owns a large house in the small town of Ivory Springs. On the outside Clara appears genuine, but Violet and Lily can see through her lies and realize Clara has ulterior motives, including getting a hand on their inherited wealth. Soon, Violet starts seeing ghosts in the dining room and the garden at the bottom of the hill. The ghost at the bottom of the hill is an angry man, and when he asks for Violet’s help, she obliges and brings him back to haunt her Aunt Clara. Violet does the same with a few other ghosts. What has Aunt Clara done in her past to have so many angry ghosts seeking vengeance? As the two sisters start to understand their aunt and her actions, they realize they are in a battle of wills with a woman who will do anything to enhance her fortunes and further her jewelry line. Can Violet and Lily outsmart their aunt and find their happily ever after?

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN is a wickedly addictive dark gothic ghost story. Violet and Lily have separate powers, but together they can detect the evil around them. Clara is a true villain with no compunction for killing to improve her life’s circumstances. She is humanized only by the events of her childhood, which the author reveals throughout the story. The story flows gracefully, and the characters are nuanced and delightful. Crescent Hill becomes a prison setting for the young girls, who have to rely on themselves, an empathetic housekeeper, and their animal familiars. This story contains it all – a murderess guardian, a missing husband, a body in the garden, vengeful ghosts, unusual powers, flying objects, a fork in the forearm, toxic mushrooms, possessions, a daring escape, and a fitting conclusion.