In 'Back to the Garden,' a standalone novel by Laurie R. King, the peaceful past of a Californian Eden is disrupted when restoration efforts at the majestic Gardener Estate unearth a human skull. The discovery launches Inspector Raquel Laing into an investigation that resurrects a fifty-year-old cold case. The estate, once a symbol of twentieth-century prosperity and a haven for artists, was converted into a counterculture commune by the young heir, Rob Gardener, during a time rife with the terror of serial killers, one of whom was The Highwayman. As Laing delves into the archives, connections begin to emerge, linking the skull to The Highwayman's crimes and to the troubled history of the estate. With the disappearance of several individuals tied to the commune, including Rob's girlfriend, child, and brother, Laing must navigate a web of secrets to prevent history from repeating itself as another Gardener risks vanishing.