Listen to a sample
The Gardens
- Author
- Emma Babbington
- Narrator
- Antonia Beamish, Matt Addis
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 18 June 2026
- Run Time
- 10 hours 5 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
What to expect
'Kept me up all night reading' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'Had me guessing until the end' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'So many twists and turns that I didn't know what to expect next' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It might look idyllic, but the secrets buried there are deadly…When human bones are found in the garden attached to the glamorous London home where she grew up, Jess McIntyre prepares to receive the news she has dreaded for thirty-four years: that her sister, Nina, is dead and now here is the proof.
Nina disappeared without a trace in 1992, aged eighteen, the summer she fell in with a charismatic group of friends who squatted in a vacant house on the other side of Willow Gardens.
Having moved to Australia years ago, widow and single mum Jess arrives back in London to provide a DNA sample to help the investigation, with her teenage son, Ollie, in tow.
As they try and unravel the secrets of Nina's past, and her connection to a sinister cult, will they discover that some bodies are best left buried…?
Readers are GRIPPED by Emma Babbington's thrillers:'I could not put this down! The twists and turns – I did NOT see them coming!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'I haven’t read a book with such well developed characters in a long time and this book manages to match that with a fast, clever plot' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'You will not be able to out this one down' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'A twisty, atmospheric story that's deeper and more complex than your everyday domestic thriller' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'I stayed up well past the time I should have been asleep. Five stars no doubt. Can't wait to see what else this author has to offer' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Critics Review
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Praise for The Gardens
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'What a ride! Everything I adore in a thriller: mystery by the shovel load; killer twists; mounting, cut-the-air-with-a-cleaver tension and, maybe best of all, real heart' Trent Dalton
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'The Gardens is a complex thriller unearthing the past, with superbly clever twists. I loved the very real family relationships and Jess’s determination to discover what happened to her sister. The commune setting added another layer of intrigue and fascination. A gripping second novel from Emma Babbington' Petronella McGovern
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'Simmering with tension and intrigue, The Gardens is an atmospheric domestic thriller, that tightens its grip with every page' Kate Horan
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'The Gardens is a clever, multi-layered thriller with a dark plot and warm, real characters. Unsettling, intriguing and totally gripping' Sarah Clarke
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Praise for Emma Babbington
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'Dark, intriguing and at some times touching, this suburban Sydney drama packs a punch. With well-drawn characters, a high-speed plot and a handful of unexpected twists, this delightful debut kept me guessing – and wondering if I really know my neighbours at all' Ali Lowe
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'When two childhood acquaintances end up living on the same street in an affluent Sydney suburb, is it just a coincidence? Or something more sinister? With its delicious twists and turns, THE NEIGHBOURS kept me on the edge of my reading chair right the way through. Emma Babbington absolutely delivers in this savvy and compelling debut' Hayley Scrivenor
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'Tense, compelling and oh-so-twisty, Emma Babbington’s debut is perfect for anyone who has ever suspected that their neighbours might not be as perfect as they seem’ Pip Drysdale
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Emma Babbington
- Narrator
- Antonia Beamish, Matt Addis
- Duration
- 10 hours 5 minutes
- Release Date
- 18 June 2026
- ISBN
- 9780008764500
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Psychological thriller, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Thriller / suspense fiction, Classic crime and mystery fiction, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives
Synopsis
A gripping domestic psychological thriller, full of shocking family secrets, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and C.L. Taylor! 'Kept me up all night reading' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Had me guessing until the end' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'So many twists and turns that I didn't know what to expect next' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It might look idyllic, but the secrets buried there are deadly… When human bones are found in the garden attached to the glamorous London home where she grew up, Jess McIntyre prepares to receive the news she has dreaded for thirty-four years: that her sister, Nina, is dead and now here is the proof. Nina disappeared without a trace in 1992, aged eighteen, the summer she fell in with a charismatic group of friends who squatted in a vacant house on the other side of Willow Gardens. Having moved to Australia years ago, widow and single mum Jess arrives back in London to provide a DNA sample to help the investigation, with her teenage son, Ollie, in tow. As they try and unravel the secrets of Nina's past, and her connection to a sinister cult, will they discover that some bodies are best left buried…? Readers are GRIPPED by Emma Babbington's thrillers: 'I could not put this down! The twists and turns – I did NOT see them coming!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I haven’t read a book with such well developed characters in a long time and this book manages to match that with a fast, clever plot' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'You will not be able to out this one down' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'A twisty, atmospheric story that's deeper and more complex than your everyday domestic thriller' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I stayed up well past the time I should have been asleep. Five stars no doubt. Can't wait to see what else this author has to offer' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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