Review: Ghost Orchid by Dani Cessna

Ghost Orchid by Dani Cessna

Blurb from Goodreads:

Deep in the swamps of Florida, a grieving park ranger forms a friendship with a mysterious recluse—and uncovers long-rumored secrets about a plant that raises the dead.

Once ambitious and spontaneous, all park ranger Miranda wants after losing her best friend is stillness. Her new job at Everglades National Park and the rekindled connection with an old flame offer some stability and comfort. But everything changes after a rash decision brings her face-to-face with the so-called swamp witch.

In Estelle, Miranda finds an unexpected friendship. The old woman is feisty, independent, and extraordinarily green-thumbed. Plants, Estelle tells her, have a language of their own. Miranda learns to listen to the whispers of peace lilies and desert roses, and witnesses their uncanny power to heal or reveal hidden truths.

But a hurricane brews off the coast, and tensions rise. Rumors spread about Estelle’s abilities, including her knowledge of the rare ghost orchid said to resurrect the dead—bringing the most dangerous kind of grief to Estelle’s doorstep.

In the lush Everglades, the swamp can grow, transform—or destroy. Miranda discovers that true growth means releasing the grief that keeps us rootbound. And somewhere, in the tangled heart of the swamp, the ghost orchid waits.

  This made me think about and want to visit the Everglades.  It was a bit darker than I expected but also hopeful.  The descriptions of nature were immaculate - I could picture every scene.  Perfect ending!

Ghost Orchid comes out next week on November 1, 2026 and you can purchase HERE.  

Deep in the Everglades, the swamp stretches out beyond the Loop Road. It's a flat and dangerous world, but it's a danger Miranda gladly accepts, because even though she is new to the swamp, she knows there is no better place for her. Here, she can sit in the detritus of her past. She can burrow down in the mess of her life like an oak toad, resting in the humid stillness. This swamp, even with all its danger, is her refuge and her second chance.