top of page

The Garden Gnome (Theory of Magic #1) by Jeff McIntyre


@charlotte.butler.18,




@hotchoc84, @Jeff_M_McIntyre,

#Contemporary, #Fantasy,

Where did magic go?

Our world is defined by science, but history tells us that the world was once a much more magical place. Every culture has tales of when the gods walked among us, when strange magical creatures dwelt in the dark, and when users of magic were respected and feared.

We tell ourselves that these stories are myth and superstition. But what if they aren’t?

What if magic were to return? And what does it have to do with a ten-year-old boy and his imaginary friend?

Daniel and Sophia Fitzroy are worried that their son Tony is being bullied in his new school and is struggling to cope.

Leo Schafer is reporting on a new and powerful particle accelerator experiment and the protestors who want it stopped.

FBI Special Agent Debra Kazdin is investigating the protests and trying to keep things from escalating.

Brian Cooke is being inducted into a secret society that knows the truth about magic and will stop at nothing to keep it from returning.

They will be drawn together in an extraordinary confrontation that will change the world forever.

Add to Goodreads | Smashbomb | BookBub

Available on #KindleUnlimited

4 out of 5 (very good)

Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!


The Garden Gnome is a beautiful story. I love the way that the lives of so many are interwoven and work well together. The blend of past and present, magic and science is perfect. There's enough of everything to keep everyone intrigued and reading but without being bombarded with too much of the things you wouldn't normally be into. The descriptive balance is also good, enough to build a picture but still plenty of room for your imagination to play with the carefully chosen words of Jeff McIntyre.


I'm pretty sure Jeff has some magical powers which he's used to create a cleverly refreshing story.


You'll definitely need snacks for this one as you won't be wanting to put this down!


** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Adventurous or cautious? cautious

Antique or brand new? antique

Asking questions or answering questions? answering

Bagels or muffins? Muffins (but there better be something sweet in them)

Black and white or colour? colour

Black leather or brown leather? Black leather

Books or movies? Ooh, both. I love reading, but I’m also a super movie nerd.

Boots or sandals? Boots, you don’t want to see my toes.

Bright colours or neutral tones? neutral

Cake or pie? Cake as long as it’s chocolate. For that matter, pie as long as it’s French silk.

Call or text? If it’s less than a 10-word conversation, text. Otherwise, call.

Chinese or Italian? Italian

Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate

Cowboys or aliens? aliens

Dancing or singing? singing

Dogs or cats? dogs

Drawings or paintings? paintings

Dress up or dress down? Dress down

Dresses or skirts? Trousers? I don’t think I’d look good in a skirt, but I do have nice legs.

Facial hair or clean-shaven? I can no longer envision myself without the van dyke I’ve worn for over 20 years. Shaved it all off once during covid and I frightened my friends and family. Never again!

Favourite colour? Purple!

Fiction or non-fiction? fiction

Football or Rugby? football

Freckles or dimples? freckles

Fruit or vegetables? fruit

Glasses or contacts? LASIK

Hardwood or carpet? hardwood

Hugs or kisses? hugs

Ice cream or yoghurt? Ice cream

Internet or cell phone? Internet

Introvert or extrovert? introvert

Ketchup or mustard? neither

Leather or denim? denim

Light or dark chocolate? Dark chocolate is the bomb

Light side or dark side? Dark side, they have cookies

Long hair or short hair? I like both, actually, and have had both at various times in my life.

Marvel or DC? Marvel

Morning, noon or night? night

Numbers or letters? letters

Orange juice or apple juice? Orange juice if there’s bacon involved. Otherwise, apple juice.

Pancakes or waffles? Waffles, waffles, waffles!

Pen or pencil? pencil

Pepsi or Coke? Mountain Dew

Personal chef or personal fitness trainer? Personal chef (but they would hate me)

Picnic or nice restaurant? Picnic

Raisins or nuts? Nuts with raisins

Rural or urban? rural

Sausage or bacon? Why not both? The answer is bacon

Saver or spender?Saver spender

Sci-Fi or fantasy? If you read my book, you’ll know that it’s both

Scrambled or fried? scrambled

Silver or gold? gold

Spicy or mild? mild

Spring or fall? spring

Tan or pale? tan

Tattoos or piercings? tattoos

Tea or coffee? Ugh neither

Think before you talk or talk before you think? Think before you talk. The other one always gets me in trouble.

Truth or dare? Truth

Washing dishes or doing laundry? Doing laundry

Whole wheat or white? Whole wheat (although sourdough is king)

Wine or beer? Neither. I’m not a teetotaller, I just don’t personally partake.

Winter or summer? Summer

Jeff McIntyre was introduced to science fiction and fantasy with a three-book collection of A Wrinkle In Time, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe when he was eight, but his love of the genres took off in high school when he was introduced to The Foundation and The Hobbit. He has been an avid gamer his entire life. Video games, role-playing games, and table-top wargaming. The list of games he’s played is very, very long. His day job is working in Telecommunications, and The Garden Gnome is his first novel.


He currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska, with his lovely wife Deb and 185 pounds of fuzzy dork named Magni and Zeus. They’re Hovawarts… Look it up.

Amazon | BookBub | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Smashwords | Tumblr | Twitter | Website | YouTube

10 views
bottom of page