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A Sharp Scratch by Heather Darwent

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A Sharp Scratch

Author
Heather Darwent
Narrator
Abigail Lawrie
Publisher
Penguin Books Ltd
Publish Date
29 May 2025
Run Time
8 hours 34 minutes
Format
Audiobook
Genre
Psychological thriller, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Narrative theme: health and illness
$13.95

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Things We Do To Our Friends, comes a timely, gripping novel about the dark underbelly of wellness culture

We can fix you.

It's a promise that Betsy has heard far too many times. From the child psychologist, from her husband, and from the wellness trends that scream at her from her screen.

So far, it's been a lie.

But this time, she believes it. Because Betsy has been offered a place at Carn - a luxurious, unorthodox retreat, where healing really is possible. At Carn, she discovers that her imperfections make her unique, not weak. She isn't broken, just special.

All Betsy has to do is follow the rules . . .

'DARWENT HAS A GREAT CAREER AS A THRILLER WRITER AHEAD OF HER' SUNDAY TIMES
'Satisfyingly dark, cleverly plotted' Emma Flint, Little Deaths
'Smart, sophisticated, seductive' S J Watson, Before I Go To Sleep
'Startlingly lovely, like a fine, dark silk shivering on your skin' Julia Heaberlin, We Are All the Same in the Dark
'A deeply compelling story of friendships turned rotten' Rosemary Hennigan, The Truth Will Out
'Dark academia and twisted friendships in gothic Edinburgh - what more could you want?' Cailean Steed, Home

© Heather Darwent 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critics Review

  • Darwent has a great career as a thriller writer ahead of her

    Sunday Times

  • A compulsive and unsettling read

    The Sun

  • Heather Darwent reinvents Gothic horror for the Goop generation in this seductive novel about wellness culture, psychological manipulation and the female body

    Kate Brody

  • An atmospheric and visceral read, reminiscent of Donna Tartt. Pacy, unsettling and wildly unpredictable, I loved it!

    Callie Kazumi

See more reviews
  • Heather Darwent's deliciously dark second novel has a real bite to it; I'm going to be thinking about THAT ENDING for quite some time. It's a fever dream of a book for fans of My Year of Rest and Relaxation and Earthlings.

    Cailean Steed

  • This book cements Darwent as the best modern thriller writer working today

    Alice Bell

  • Kept me guessing until the last page . . . I can't wait to read more from this author

    Caroline Corcoran

  • A compelling and original tale of chronic illness and obsession. A wonderfully dark satire on the wellness industry and modern living

    Catherine Balavage

  • So dark, so sharply written, pulsing with tension and weirdness... Unforgettable

    Louise Beech

  • A thrill ride of a novel: hugely original and absorbing and packed full of OMG moments

    Niamh Hargan

User Reviews

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Details
Author
Heather Darwent
Narrator
Abigail Lawrie
Duration
8 hours 34 minutes
Release Date
29 May 2025
ISBN
9781405980395
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Penguin Books Ltd
Genre
Psychological thriller, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Narrative theme: health and illness

Synopsis

Brought to you by Penguin.From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Things We Do To Our Friends, comes a timely, gripping novel about the dark underbelly of wellness cultureWe can fix you.It's a promise that Betsy has heard far too many times. From the child psychologist, from her husband, and from the wellness trends that scream at her from her screen.So far, it's been a lie.But this time, she believes it. Because Betsy has been offered a place at Carn - a luxurious, unorthodox retreat, where healing really is possible. At Carn, she discovers that her imperfections make her unique, not weak. She isn't broken, just special.All Betsy has to do is follow the rules . . .'DARWENT HAS A GREAT CAREER AS A THRILLER WRITER AHEAD OF HER' SUNDAY TIMES'Satisfyingly dark, cleverly plotted' Emma Flint, Little Deaths'Smart, sophisticated, seductive' S J Watson, Before I Go To Sleep'Startlingly lovely, like a fine, dark silk shivering on your skin' Julia Heaberlin, We Are All the Same in the Dark'A deeply compelling story of friendships turned rotten' Rosemary Hennigan, The Truth Will Out'Dark academia and twisted friendships in gothic Edinburgh - what more could you want?' Cailean Steed, Home© Heather Darwent 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

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