The Kindness of Strangers
'Part historical fiction, part murder-mystery . . . vivid and entertaining' THE TIMES
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'Superbly plotted . . . pure escapism and utterly joyful' JOANNA CANNON
'Vivid and entertaining, and powered by such a wonderfully dry wit' THE TIMES
'An excellent mystery . . . superbly rendered' GUARDIAN
'A beautifully woven debut full of escalating secrets . . . hugely enjoyable' AJ PEARCE
'An intriguingly tricksy story' DAILY MAIL
London, 1953. One foggy night, in the dead of February, a diffident young man arrives unannounced at 42 Tregunter Road in Chelsea. Self-styled Bohemian Mrs Honor Wilson, who runs a minor literary journal and lodgings from this timeworn Victorian house, introduces him to her 'dear house guests': Robbie, the writer; Mina, the aspiring socialite; George, the debutante; and Saul, the refugee poet. Jimmy Sullivan is a family friend, Honor says - yet clearly, something is very amiss. Despite everyone's suspicions, she lets the stranger move into the attic.
As they each try to disprove Jimmy's dubious account of himself, secrets, jealousies, and disturbing schemes come to light, fracturing the household's delicate allegiances and setting in motion, unstoppably, a tale of perilous self-invention, complicated love, and murderous revenge.
'Intricate, compelling and intriguing . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A triumph' KATE KEMP, author of The Grapevine
'A skilfully constructed mystery full of sly twists, dark wit and rich period detail' THE ECONOMIST
'An exquisite debut mystery' SAINSBURYS magazine
'Twisty, fast-paced, brilliantly plotted and deliciously entertaining . . . an absolute must-read!' KRISTIN HARMEL, New York Times bestselling author
'A rich labyrinth of a story filled with deeply real, flawed, fabulous characters. Good luck putting it down' STEPHEN SPOTSWOOD, author of DEAD IN THE FRAME
'A wholly delightful novel brimming with unpredictable characters and delivering every ingredient of a classic whodunnit with wit and flair' SARAH CROUCH, author of Middletide
'An ingeniously plotted, diabolically clever story of human deception and connection' KAREN DUKESS, author of Welcome to Murder Week
'Vivid and entertaining, and powered by such a wonderfully dry wit' THE TIMES
'An excellent mystery . . . superbly rendered' GUARDIAN
'A beautifully woven debut full of escalating secrets . . . hugely enjoyable' AJ PEARCE
'An intriguingly tricksy story' DAILY MAIL
IN A HOUSE BUILT ON LIES, THE TRUTH WILL GET YOU KILLED.
London, 1953. One foggy night, in the dead of February, a diffident young man arrives unannounced at 42 Tregunter Road in Chelsea. Self-styled Bohemian Mrs Honor Wilson, who runs a minor literary journal and lodgings from this timeworn Victorian house, introduces him to her 'dear house guests': Robbie, the writer; Mina, the aspiring socialite; George, the debutante; and Saul, the refugee poet. Jimmy Sullivan is a family friend, Honor says - yet clearly, something is very amiss. Despite everyone's suspicions, she lets the stranger move into the attic.
As they each try to disprove Jimmy's dubious account of himself, secrets, jealousies, and disturbing schemes come to light, fracturing the household's delicate allegiances and setting in motion, unstoppably, a tale of perilous self-invention, complicated love, and murderous revenge.
'Intricate, compelling and intriguing . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A triumph' KATE KEMP, author of The Grapevine
'A skilfully constructed mystery full of sly twists, dark wit and rich period detail' THE ECONOMIST
'An exquisite debut mystery' SAINSBURYS magazine
'Twisty, fast-paced, brilliantly plotted and deliciously entertaining . . . an absolute must-read!' KRISTIN HARMEL, New York Times bestselling author
'A rich labyrinth of a story filled with deeply real, flawed, fabulous characters. Good luck putting it down' STEPHEN SPOTSWOOD, author of DEAD IN THE FRAME
'A wholly delightful novel brimming with unpredictable characters and delivering every ingredient of a classic whodunnit with wit and flair' SARAH CROUCH, author of Middletide
'An ingeniously plotted, diabolically clever story of human deception and connection' KAREN DUKESS, author of Welcome to Murder Week
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- Published: Apr 23 2026
- Pages: 336
- 218 x 140mm
- ISBN: 9780349020181
Press Reviews
Stephen Spotswood, author of DEAD IN THE FRAME
A rich labyrinth of a story filled with deeply real, flawed, fabulous characters. Good luck putting it down before you reach the dark secret at the center
Kate Kemp, author of THE GRAPEVINE
Intricate, compelling and intriguing . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A triumph of a debut novel
Kristin Harmel
Twisty, fast-paced, brilliantly plotted and deliciously entertaining . . . an absolute must-read!
Sarah Crouch, author of MIDDLETIDE
A wholly delightful novel brimming with unpredictable characters and delivering every ingredient of a classic whodunnit with wit and flair
Karen Dukess, author of WELCOME TO MURDER WEEK
An ingeniously plotted, diabolically clever story of human deception and connection
- The Times, '90 books to read this summer'
Bring back the boarding house novel! The residents of 28 Tregunter Road, Chelsea, in Emma Garman's new book prove just how valuable it is as a genre . . . A plot of Dickensian complexity
- The Economist
A skilfully constructed mystery full of sly twists, dark wit and rich period detail