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Linda Mahkovec
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The Garden House Paperback – October 28, 2016

by Linda Mahkovec (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 489 ratings
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“I was completely swept away by this tale. I was engaged in the mystery, the confusion and all the secrecy….This book is one that will definitely test your intuition.” —NetGalley Review

“Mahkovec’s prose is sharp and fluid, building tension in small domestic scenes….The premise is a fun one, and Miranda is a finely drawn character.” —Kirkus Reviews

Set in Seattle amid sensuous garden beauty and lush summer evenings, The Garden House is about finding meaning in the second half of life.

Turning fifty has Miranda re-evaluating her life now that her two children have left the nest. In an attempt to rediscover the thrill and hope of her younger days, she decides to convert the garden house into an artist studio – only to find that her husband has already rented it to a somewhat mysterious young man. Though Miranda at first welcomes the shy tenant, she soon develops a sense of unease about him. Is he the nice man he appears to be? Or is he the reason behind her increasingly disturbing dreams?

An uplifting—and sometimes suspenseful—story about a woman who pursues a life of love, creativity, and beauty.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    212 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    October 28, 2016
  4. Dimensions
    5 x 0.53 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1946229121
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1946229120
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Thrilling
"I was completely swept away by this tale....The atmosphere was astonishing, and the story telling was extraordinary....It was a perfect novel, and the cover is stunning. I especially enjoyed reading Mahkovec's beautiful descriptions of the garden and the garden house....I loved this book, the hope it inspires." -NetGalley consumer review

A beautifully-written story "Mahkovec has written a story that defies the reader to put it down before the end, and the end is impossible to guess. The Garden House is a slow-paced, insightful novel that I enjoyed very much, the sort of beautifully-written story I associate with literary fiction."
- Readers' Favorite Review

A lovely, beach-day read! "The author is a gifted storyteller, as this book engages the reader on several levels. The descriptions of the garden and home; the emotions and relationships of the characters; intuitive aspects of dreams; and the interesting plot are skillfully interwoven throughout the novel....At the same time, the novel is easy to read, due to the seemingly effortless flow. This is a lovely, beach-day read!"-Readers' Favorite Review

"Mahkovec's prose is sharp and fluid, building tension in small domestic scenes...and Miranda is a finely drawn character...An engrossing, if subdued, psychological tale." - Kirkus Reviews

A captivating tale"The Garden House by Linda Mahkovec tells the story of Miranda, facing her own mid-life crisis after her children have left home. She fills her days with beautifying her garden, and mourns times past when her creativity was so prominent in her life. But there is a void, and so when William moves into the Garden House, Miranda's imagination takes her on a reluctant path to explain and justify the somewhat reclusive and private tenant. Her patient and tolerant husband, Ben, tries to settle her wild imaginings, especially as these manifest into disturbing dreams. Eventually Miranda uses all her wiles to find out her tenant's secret, at the same time realising that she holds the key to contentment in the home she has created.

"The author has woven a captivating tale of a woman whose children have flown the nest and she finds herself lost and wistful of the past... The suspense comes gradually, tipping the story from a gentle tale of reminiscence to one of intrigue and possibilities until the climax which is totally satisfying and plausible. The characters are well-developed and believable and the writing has a steady pace and voice. Congratulations to Linda Mahkovec for a well-rounded and comforting piece of work that would be perfect reading for a summer afternoon or a rainy day." - Readers' Favorite Review

From the Author

Though this story deals with a few dark themes, the overall feel of the book is uplifting and hopeful. It is very much about home, family, friendship, and love.
It is also a book about what it means to live creatively, and about other ways of knowing. Miranda is an extremely intuitive person, often guided by her feelings - though sometimes she doesn't know what to do with her insights and perceptions. Woven throughout the story is the love of gardens and flowers, beautifully set tables, and the magic of what happens when you live life with love.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bublish, Inc. (October 28, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 212 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1946229121
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1946229120
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.53 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 489 ratings

About the author

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Linda Mahkovec

Linda Mahkovec

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Linda Mahkovec is the author of THE CHRISTMASTIME SERIES set in New York City and the rural Midwest during the World War II years. Her whimsical novel, THE NOTEBOOKS OF HONORA GORMAN, chronicles several decades of a woman pursuing her dream of being a writer. AND SO WE DREAM takes place over the summer of 1970 in small-town Illinois. She has also written THE GARDEN HOUSE, set in Seattle, and two collections of short stories, THE DREAMS of YOUTH and SEVEN TALES of LOVE.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character – whether she is a writer, an actor, a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. (Previously published as Agnes Irene)

To find out more, please visit her at lindamahkovec.com, and on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
489 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

teachlz
5.0 out of 5 stars Beauty, Love and Meaning
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
MY REVIEW OF ‘THE GARDEN HOUSE’ BY LINDA MAHKOVEC

I love everything about “The Garden House” by Linda Mahkovec. Linda Mahkovec writes stories about Love, Beauty and Meaning! In this heartwarming and emotional touching story, Linda describes the landscape and gorgeous flowers, the home, the people in all ways that touch the senses.

Miranda is turning fifty, and is experiencing the empty nest syndrome. Both of her children have left home, and Miranda is not quite sure what she wants to do and can do. Miranda once had dreams of doing something artistic, since she has talent. She has thought of working in a nursery school. Her husband tries to encourage Miranda to do what she wants to do since she has freedom

Miranda works miracles with the flowers in her garden and around the Garden House on her property. The Garden House holds many dear memories of her children’s playdates and parties. The way the author describes the grounds, landscaping and flowers is just so appealing. Miranda’s husband suggests renting The Garden House to a youngish teacher for a few months.

Miranda starts having mysterious dreams when the new tenant moves in. The dreams become more intense. Miranda has a feeling about this person. Something is just so unsettling. What is happening to cause Miranda to feel this way?

I would recommend this Fiction book to any reader that likes a mystery, and enjoys such a well written book.
12 people found this helpful
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Verlyn Hobbs
4.0 out of 5 stars Slow to start
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2021
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Ms Mahkovec has again introduced me to a lovely idea of home and, finally, fulfillment. Miranda is a healthy, spirited, intelligent, talented woman. A recent empty nester just turned 50 and wondering where should she go from here. For the first 70% of the book I was kind of impatient her. She had a wonderful husband, a beautiful house and a luscious and very large flower filled garden that had taken her and her family many years to turn into an almost fairy land. What more could she ask for? Well, into her nice, if apparently empty life, comes a young man to rent her garden house for the summer. No sooner does he settle in than does her unease about her future take on a sinister feeling with nightmares about a young boy trapped somewhere. The dreams affect her so much that they start to color her daily life to the point that her loving husband is getting impatient with the whole thing. He assumes that she is having a midlife crisis and pretty much tells her to get on with life. As expected that doesn't help. She continues trying to figure out what her tenant is up to and finally the story starts moving with only 20% of the book left. It's a happy book, so it has a happy ending. Not nearly as good as her Christmastime books, but a nice little story. Quick to read and quick to finish! Recommend it? Yes, for a nice light read. Not entirely fluff, but nothing too deep.
3 people found this helpful
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Mary
3.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable mystery
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
The Garden house is an enjoyable mystery novel. With Miranda's children grown and out on their own she misses them and feels lost and empty. After renting out their garden house for the summer to William, Miranda starts having disturbing dreams that she feels are connected to him. This book was a short read and held my interest to the last page. I really enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of flowers and gardens. Thanks to author Linda Mahkovec, publisher BooksGoSocial and to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.
3 people found this helpful
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Nanci Johnston
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely story with a beautiful ending
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is the first time I’ve read one of Linda’s books. I truly enjoyed it - the characters were wonderful and I remembered my life at this age with fond memories. The parts of the book about memories and intuitions resonated with me and the way Linda told the story with a few moments of mystery made it hard to put down. I’m looking forward to reading her next book.
One person found this helpful
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Glynn Young
4.0 out of 5 stars The story of a woman grappling with major changes in her life
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2021
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Miranda has turned 50, and she’s having something of a mid-life crisis. Happily married to Ben and living in a home she loves in Seattle, her two children are grown and both recently moved away. She’s considering returning to the art she loved in her youth but keeps putting it off. Her husband and her friends offer advice; it’s well-meaning but leaves her dissatisfied. A visit to drop a donation off at a homeless shelter for teens leaves her confused after sharp words from one of the girls there.

She loves her garden. And she loves the garden house, a small two-story structure her kids used for play and parties. But it’s empty, not unlike what she feels about her life.

She begins to have dreams about threatened children. There’s a boy and a girl, and they’re both in danger. Miranda (and Ben, when she tells him) writes them off as a response to the anxiety and dissatisfaction she’s feeling. But the dreams continue.

When a young professor rents the garden house for two months, Miranda doesn’t at first know whether to be pleased or not. She likes William Priestly, and he’s a quiet, keep-to-himself tenant. But her dreams come to be associated with him, and Miranda worries that something is clearly wrong.

“The Garden House” by Linda Mahkovec is a slowly building suspense story that avoids becoming a super-charged thriller. I’d call it “quiet suspense,” one that raises questions about dreams, personal crises, and how the past controls our lives.

Mahkovec is the author of seven novels in the Christmastime Series, set during the World War II period, and two short story collections, “Seven Tales of Love” and “The Dreams of Youth.” She’s currently working on her next book, “The Tower: A Small Town Tale of Dreams.” A native Midwesterner, she holds a Ph.D. degree in Victorian literature and lives in New York City.

“The Garden House” tells a realistic story of a woman dealing with significant changes in her life, unsure as to what direction she should go, overlaid with dreams of danger involving children.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Susan Pearson
4.0 out of 5 stars A Story
Reviewed in Australia on August 25, 2022
Verified Purchase
Labelled as a novel the story is really about life, dreams and getting older. The loss of identity some people say comes with age and an attempt to live a life well with enjoyment and a little mystery.
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