Ghost Orchid

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. © 2026 by Danielle B. Cessna, all rights reserved.