Garden of Madness by Tracy L. Higley

The story is a historical fiction set in Babylon during the life of king Nebuchadnezzar and the captivity of the Jewish people. Tiamat, Nebuchadnezzar's daughter, loves her father so much and it hurts her when she sees the king living like a beast in the Hanging Gardens of the palace, separated from the world. Tiamat's life is hard, beginning with her forced marriage to the captive Jewish prince and the unseen forces that try to push her down. With her husband's death and the death of a nobleman she has to discover the truth, find answers to her unanswered questions. The king's family is threatened by a mage's plot, if the queen doesn't intervene with a plan: Tia should marry the Persian prince. The powerful mage Shadir knows the family's secrets and wants to reveal them, if Tia doesn't marry his own man on the throne. Pedaiah, the Jewish brother of Tia's dead husband, helps her to find the truth about the things that happen in the palace and challenges her knowledge about the gods she thinks she knows and can trust.
A battle goes on in Tia's heart and she has to decide which path to take. In the time when she has to choose to be willing to loose everything to save the kingdom and her family, Shadir uses malefic powers to influence her and make her think she is going mad like her father. But will Tia see the truth and not fret it? 

What made the story so interesting and captivating was the suspense all through the book. I really liked how the author talked through this story about the presence of malefic powers (demons) who lie to people and control them by making them think they control their lives and how Tracy Higley offered the solution for their problems: Yahweh, the One God! The author also dealt with the human pride, with judging other people for being different and with the truth, that there is only One true and loving God who gives the power to whom He chooses and chooses whom He wants.

 Her Biblical historical fiction is rich
in details she uncovers from
frequent travel and research.
  “It’s my desire to shine the light
of the gospel into the cultures
of the past,” says Higley. 

What I also liked was the "unclean" love between Tiamat and Pedaiah. It was so interesting to see how Pedaiah's rejection turned into affection, because he realized that Tia was God's choice for him. I like how Pedaiah put it after realizing it: 

" 'Forgive me, Yahweh.' He breathed through the storm of emotion, trying to gain control. He did not want to concern his family. But his hypocrisy overwhelmed him, and his unloving and judgmental spirit toward those the Holy One called to Himself left him broken and weeping. [...] 'Of all Your people, I should have seen how You graft the nations onto the root of Jesse." Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba. 'My own family line- a testament to Your far-reaching grace.' [...] 'Forgive me, Yahweh.' he whispered again, splashing his face. 'Make me clean in Your sight. Give me a heart to love those whom You love."

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