‘At The Bottom Of The Garden’ by Camilla Bruce

Published by Magpie,
30 January 2025.
ISBN: 978-0-86154-992-4 (PB)

Clara Woods is an avid collector of beautiful diamonds and has great ambitions to start her own company – Clarabelle Diamonds. She even has a top class jewellery designer lined up. There is just one small problem, she has a distinct lack of money!

Clara thinks her prayers have been answered when she is asked to look after her two recently orphaned nieces, Lily – 14 years old and Violet – 9 years old. She will be paid a large sum of money each month to educate and care for the girls. However, nothing prepares her for what is about to happen. It seems the two sisters are untrained witches; young Violet can contact the dead and Lily can tell when people are lying.

Things soon turn unpleasant for Clara; Violet can see the ghost of Clara’s dead husband Tommy. He seems to be stuck in mud at the bottom of the garden. Clara had murdered him and buried him in the flower bed years ago!

To Clara’s horror Violet finds a way to free him, and he starts haunting the house. The trouble is he is rather violent and throws things at everyone, especially Clara. Soon things get even worse, more ghosts appear, and they all resent Clara who is beside herself. Even the stuffed animals manage to tell Violet they want to get away from the house.

Then Clara comes up with a brilliant plan, she will charge clients who want to speak to their dead loved ones. She persuades Violet to contact the departed through seances, however things go horribly wrong, nothing could have prepared Clara for what happens. Their aunt now realises the girls have now become a liability, but what to do about it? Her biggest fear is losing out on the money she gets each month for looking after them.

The sisters too are really sick of Aunt Clara’s actions; can they call on the ghosts to help them solve their problem? Little does Clara know the real extent of her problems! Certainly nothing prepares her for what happens.

When I first picked this book up and saw it was about witches, I was not too keen, but oh how wrong I was. It is a brilliant story of a cynical, greedy, murdering, woman outsmarted by two seemingly innocent young girls. It is also very often darkly humorous, I loved it! Very very highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell  

Camilla Bruce was born in central Norway and grew up in an old forest, next to an Iron Age burial mound. She has a master’s degree in comparative literature and a varied work history in communications and project management. Camilla currently lives in Trondheim with her son and cat.

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.