A young woman is found strapped to a hospital bed on commune property where the entire commune has been found poisoned in a mass poisoning-authorities consider her lucky to be alive.
Romy finds herself suddenly in the “real world”, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of modern living and learning to cope in a culture which is extremely different from the ascetic, highly disciplined cult culture of her upbringing.
Meanwhile Sarah, Romy’s aunt, is trying to make sense of her life in their childhood home which she has inherited. Suddenly she finds herself responsible for two of her sister’s minor children, who somehow survived the mass poisoning on the commune. Her desire to make post-mortem amends with her estranged sister conflicts with her fears and inadequacy as she navigates the shaky world of foster parenting and tries to befriend her sister’s oldest daughter, who is pregnant and alone.
The Poison Garden, by Alex Marwood, is a psychological thriller which keeps you guessing and will keep you up at night. People are not what they initially seem to be, and children are not always innocent or unmarred. No one is safe. The sweetest faces hide the most terrible deeds.