Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Orphaned 17-year-old Evander spends his days managing a severe unknown illness that causes episodes of missing time and requires frequent surgeries. All the while, he's sequestered within the Hazelthorn estate--owned by his reclusive guardian Byron--who forbids Evander from leaving the mansion, entering the gardens, or interacting with Byron's grandson, heir apparent Laurie, who tried to kill Evander seven years ago. But when Byron seemingly dies of poison, and his death is brushed off, Evander determines to uncover the killer. His mission is complicated, however, when Evander--not Laurie--is named heir to Byron's fortune and estate. Soon Bryon's money-hungry relatives descend upon the manor, and Evander finds an unlikely ally in Laurie, who helps him both unravel the mystery of Byron's murder and navigate Hazelthorn's increasingly fraught social politics. As the boys' bond grows, so too do the estate's strange gardens and the family's tangled web of secrets. Recalling elements of The Secret Garden, Drews (Don't Let the Forest In) deploys crisp prose to spin a gothic psychological thriller rife with brutal twists and gruesome scenes of botanical body horror. Characters cue as white. Ages 13--up. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--Chronically ill teenager Evander has been locked inside his bedroom in the Hazelthorn mansion for the last seven years. His guardian, billionaire recluse Byron Lennox-Hall, blames Evander's isolation on his own grandson, Laurie, who attempted to kill Evander when the boys were younger. But Evander's obsession with swaggering, sarcastic Laurie has grown, and when Byron abruptly dies, the two boys are flung back together at last. Evander is determined to find his guardian's killer, Laurie is keeping secrets, and the extended Lennox-Hall family is descending on the mansion--and the fortune--they have been exiled from for so long. As the tension in the mansion ratchets steadily higher, the garden outside becomes more unmanageable by the day. Foreshadowing and recurrence are key to this enthralling blend of genres. The mix of botanical and body horror underscores the main character's fragile state, while lush descriptions sprinkle plant-based similes throughout the work, keeping the off-limits mansion garden constantly at the forefront. Flashbacks and a murder mystery subplot propel the story forward, and as the animosity between the two boys shifts into something deeper, a breathless slow burn romance is added to the mix as well. The main characters are intense and impulsive, but they both learn and grow throughout the work--a further hook into readers who will already be obsessively engaged. Trigger warnings, including for abuse, are located in the front of the book. VERDICT Deeply unsettling and absolutely perfect for those who understand the vulnerability behind even a vicious monster.--Maggie Mason Smith
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Review by Horn Book Review
Evander recalls almost nothing about his past, but he remembers nearly being buried alive seven years ago by Laurie Lennox-Hall, the boy whom he hates and obsesses over in equal measure. A sickly teen kept confined to the Hazelthorn estate, Evander (who is autistic, though that's stated directly only in an author's note) owes his life to Laurie's grandfather Byron, who has served as his guardian since his parents' death. However, when Byron dies under suspicious circumstances and Evander is named his sole heir, his quiet life is upended. The estranged members of the Lennox-Hall family begin showing up with an eye toward exploiting Evander as a means to accessing the family fortune. Suspicious of everyone, Evander begins investigating Byron's murder on his own even as it brings him dangerously close to Laurie. Meanwhile, the sentient "blood garden" of Hazelthorn threatens to uncover long-buried secrets and claim Evander for itself. Drews delivers an immersive gothic horror story in prose designed to assault the senses and the psyche. The novel explores the all-consuming desire -- in this case, literally -- for freedom and acceptance in the face of abuse and self-loathing. Evander and Laurie's complicated relationship brims with tension as forced proximity brings their repressed vulnerabilities to the surface, providing a solid emotional core and compelling romantic subplot for this dark and cathartic narrative. Shenwei ChangJanuary/February 2026 p.69 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A family's secrets rise to the surface as a young man investigates a suspected murder. Evander, who's 17 and lonely, never leaves his room in the manor on Hazelthorn Estate. He's told he's too fragile and is locked away "for his safety" while an elderly butler feeds him brain-addling "medicine." But one night changes Evander's life--and the manor's future--forever. Byron Lennox-Hall, Evander's billionaire guardian and the family's patriarch, dies unexpectedly. Relatives descend upon Hazelthorn like vultures as a shocking twist reveals that Byron left everything to Evander alone. Without Byron around to keep his only grandchild and presumed heir, Laurence "Laurie" Lennox-Hall, away from his ward, Laurie and Evander become the unlikeliest of allies. When they were boys, Laurie attempted to kill Evander--but, maddeningly, Evander can't stop thinking about him. He also suspects that someone murdered Byron. Drews' latest starts off as a straightforward whodunit and turns into something that's far more sinister--and delicious. From descriptions of moth-eaten decay to vivid floral imagery, Drews luxuriates in atmospheric prose. Their literary green thumb nurtures intertwining themes of monstrosity and abuse alongside yearning, first love, queerness, and mystery. The slow-burn romance at the root of this blend of gothic and body horror is as tender as it is unforgettable. Evander is cued as autistic, and main characters present white. A uniquely arranged bouquet of terrors, as disturbing as it is beautiful. (author's note)(Horror. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
