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Karen Hugg
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The Forgetting Flower (Botanique Noire) Paperback – April 1, 2020

by Karen Hugg (Author)
3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 45 ratings
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"Superb characters and alluring prose make for a truly exceptional read."

—Kirkus Reviews

Secrets and half-truths litter Renia Baranczka's past, but the city of Paris had offered the refuge of her dream job. The specialty plant shop kept her busy, but also had brought her to a new friend, Alain. His presence had buffered the guilt of what happened to her sister but, all too suddenly, Alain turns up dead. His demise threatens every secret Renia holds dear, including the rare plant hidden in the shop's tiny nook. It emits a special fragrance that can erase a person's memory - and perhaps much more than that. As Renia races to figure out the extent of the plant's powers, she's confronted by figures from her past who offer a proposal she can't outright refuse. Bit by bit, she descends into an underworld of black market mobsters, navigating threats and fending off abuse to protect the peaceful life she's worked so hard for in Paris. Desperate to outwit her enemies, Renia maneuvers carefully, knowing one wrong move will destroy not only the plant, but the lives of her and her sister.

Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Botanique Noire
  2. Print length
    296 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Woodhall Press
  5. Publication date
    April 1, 2020
  6. Dimensions
    5 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1949116344
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1949116342
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Superb characters and alluring prose make for a truly exceptional read." —Kirkus Reviews

"A lush mystery with the underpinnings of a fairy tale shot through with magic and tragedy. Karen Hugg is the rare author who can blend wonder and suspense." —Emily Carpenter, Author of Until the Day I Die, Every Single Secret, and Burying the Honeysuckle Girls

"The literary side of the novel brings sensitivity and texture to the struggling characters and their surroundings, and the thriller side kept me up late, anxious to find out what happens next." —Sue Burke, Author of Semiosis

"Intriguing and atmospheric, The Forgetting Flower has a fairytale quality, a journey into the sensuous magic of plants." —Deborah Lawrenson, Author of The Lantern, 300 Days of Sun, and The Sea Garden

"Karen Hugg's The Forgetting Flower instantly captures a reader's imagination. A book for those who love not only Paris and flowers, but also intrigue and danger." —Marty Wingate, Author of A Potting Shed Mystery Series

About the Author

Karen Hugg writes literary mysteries and thrillers inspired by plants. Her stories are set in worlds where plants, real or imagined, affect people in strange new ways. A certified ornamental horticulturalist and Master Pruner, her passion is living green things and her aim is to entertain and inspire readers, to get them thinking while their hearts are pounding. Karen has her MFA from Goddard College and lives in the Seattle area with her husband, three children, and four pets. When she's not digging or writing or all else, she sits outside and stares at the sky. ? Learn more at https://karenhugg.com/

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Woodhall Press; First Edition (April 1, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1949116344
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1949116342
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 45 ratings

About the author

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Karen Hugg

Karen Hugg

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Karen Hugg is a writer with a passion for plants. She draws on her almost 20 years as a professional gardener to write nonfiction books about how plants can better our mental health. She also writes literary mysteries and thrillers that spotlight unusual or magical plants. Her aim is to entertain, educate, and inspire readers. She has an MFA from Goddard College and lives in the Seattle area. To learn more, explore http://www.karenhugg.com.

Customer reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars
3.6 out of 5
45 global ratings
An intriguing story!!
4 Stars
An intriguing story!!
The Forgetting Flower is an intriguing tale where the author takes us into a magical world of flowers and the beautiful city of Paris. The story revolves around the twin Polish sisters who have been given a plant with magical powers which can erase one’s memory. Renia who is trying to build her life in Paris suddenly finds her life spin out of control. Her friend Alain dies suddenly and then her sisters boyfriend who is a drug dealer and mobster finds her. This is a story with twists and turns and has been told beautifully from an immigrant’s point of view. I loved the descriptions of flowers and plants that the author uses in details. The book cover of the African Violet is absolutely beautiful. I truly enjoyed this book as I am both a plant lover and a fan of Paris. Thank you Karen Hugg for your giveaway which I truly enjoyed. Looking forward to reading more books by you.
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Top reviews from the United States

Luke Ruggenberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty and Beautiful.
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
At once gritty and beautiful, desperate but hopeful, full of whimsy and all too real; The Forgetting Flower walks a tightrope and never looks down. Karen Hugg pairs an original premise with authentic characters and sends the combination spinning off into the twinkling, sordid fray of modern Paris. The result is a taut, well-paced tale of family, loss, and what it takes to carve a meaningful life from an indifferent world. Where other authors might get mired in bleak reality or scattered to the wind on flights of fancy, Hugg manages to draw strength from both, putting the story firmly in the hands of her able protagonist, Renia. To the very end, her story accepts the consequences of its actions, for better or worse, and grows through the tumult into something beautiful. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
2 people found this helpful
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Mary C.
4.0 out of 5 stars fun and engaging
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
Fiction with plants as such a strong through line is unusual. It adds a dimension to this engaging story. I did want to slap Palomar!
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Bythebook
3.0 out of 5 stars Dark Blooms
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
Exotic plants, mysteries by nature, create tragedy when used by unscrupulous characters. A Parisian botanist and threatening aspects provide suspense.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Plants and Paris
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
A fun, fast-moving story centered around a pair of Polish twins who are gifted a plant that has the ability to erase one's memory. It's a great premise that leads to surprising twists, and I enjoyed the larger questions about the fallibility of memory that arise. The author clearly loves plants, a lot, so this book will especially appeal if you appreciate plants and gardening.
One person found this helpful
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shannonreads
5.0 out of 5 stars Unique premise and great ride!
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2019
Verified Purchase
This novel was really well written and the Paris and Russian mobsters story line really kept it moving! I loved the characters and their balance of good and evil. Can't wait for her next one!
11 people found this helpful
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Sandra Iler Kirkland
4.0 out of 5 stars A Mystery About Plants
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2023
Renia Baranczka has come to Paris, fleeing an estrangement from her sister back in Poland. The two had visited a plant breeder and he had given Renia's sister a unique plant that he had created by crossbreeding several others. Although it is unique, it is also dangerous as those who smell it forget whatever has happened.

When the sister falls in with a thuggish boyfriend who abuses her, she starts to use the plant to forget about her pains. Renia can't convince her to leave the boyfriend so she steals the plant and moves to Paris with it. There she works in a flower shop and hides the plant away from everyone.

But the boyfriend shows up in Paris and wants to start dealing the flowers to his criminal associates. Renia resists at first but when she is hit with financial trouble she gives in. Just once she thinks but soon it is more and more frequent. In the meantime, she also contacts a professor of botany who is fascinated by the plant and hopes to identify it and use it to create new pharmaceutical drugs to help those suffering. Which of the two men will sway Renia and gain the plant?

Karen Hugg spent twenty years as a professional gardener. That expertise shows through as she writes about plants, nurseries and flower shops. Renia is not as finely drawn as it is unclear whether she will be swayed by her better nature or by her desire for money. She is torn between pushing away the man who abused her sister or partnering with him to get the money she needs to survive. This book is recommended for mystery readers who are looking for something a little different.
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Girlsound / Patty Smith
2.0 out of 5 stars For me this one was forgettable
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2019
Many thanks to NetGalley, Magnolia Press, and Karen Hugg for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of The Forgetting Flower. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

This had such a solid premise. I mean a plant whose flowers make you forget? Yes!!! Think of all the possibilities and where do I sign up. Renia has left Poland, moved away from her whole family including her estranged twin sister. Trying to make a go of it in Paris, she works at a flower shop where, in the back, she has a special plant hidden away. When one of the shop’s best customer dies of an apparent suicide, Renia becomes worried the plant may be responsible. Around the time Renia is trying to avoid the police, the shop’s owner gives her some bad news. Renia is now going to be able to make ends meet financially.

Lo and behold, her sister’s ex-boyfriend shows up in Paris from Poland. He says he has customers who will pay dearly for the flowers of the plant and pay a lot of money. The boyfriend is bad news, treated her sister horribly, including beating her up. So, of course, Renia decides to do business with him. Now the Russians are involved and after a couple of deals, Renia can’t reconcile her conscience and wants to stop selling the flowers. She tries to work a couple of extra jobs to meet her financial commitments but is still having problems. But the really bad people want those flowers and are willing to do anything to get them. Including murder.

This story just didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t that interesting. The suspense never built up enough and I don’t think that I cared enough about the characters to be emotionally invested in their outcome. Renia tried to be a character with a moral compass. That never held true. She caved too easily when she was up against it. That’s when your moral compass has to kick in and stop you from doing things you know are bad. You’re supposed to hold onto what is right, even when it is the hard thing to do. She had a lot of options. She didn’t have to live in the expensive part of Paris. She could have found a different job. She could have left altogether. She knew the aftermath of using the flower.

Her decisions weren’t very sound. Why get into business with the one person whom you supposedly can’t stand. The one who beat up your twin sister and caused such a rift that you don’t speak to her anymore. The other characters in the story didn’t seem to be nice enough to care about. I didn’t have strong feelings one way or the other. The plant was the most interesting part, but it never developed. We knew it did something, but we never got to see it up close and personal. It would have been better to have a character in the story use it and for the reader to see the effects happen. Renia should have used it, maybe on the shop owner?

I can clearly see that I am in the minority but I didn’t really enjoy the story. I wasn’t caught up in it to care enough about the outcome. But I wasn’t railing against what was happening either. It just sort of plunked along. I was maybe a little bored? I was glad when it was over. I was hoping for much more.
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Top reviews from other countries

BM
2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting story but uncomfortable cultural stereotypes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
I think this is an interesting story, but some aspects of it came across as totally racist towards Poland and Polish people that it made me really uncomfortable. For example, the author writes about the main character "She was not a Parisian...she was a lowly Pole". Frankly, I'd expect better in this day and age.
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