Nick Newman

A literary twist on The Secret Garden for fans of Shirley Jackson, Piranesi and Unsettled Ground‘Extraordinary... it already feels like a classic’ Emerald Fennell, Oscar-winning director of PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN and SALTBURN‘Glitters with menace and mystery’ Emma Stonex''A seductive modern fairytale'' Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters_____In a place and time unknown, two elderly sisters live in a walled garden, secluded from the outside world. For as long as they can remember, Evelyn and Lily have only had each other. What was before the garden, they have forgotten; what lies beyond it, they do not know.Each day is spent in languid service to their home: tending the bees, planting the crops, and dutifully following the instructions of the almanac written by their mother. So, when a nameless boy is found hiding in the boarded house at the centre of this new Eden, the reality of their existence is irrevocably shattered. Who is he? And where did he come from?____ READER''S RESPONSES to THE GARDEN:‘Definitely one of the most original books I’ve ever read and I loved every moment of the reading experience’ 5-star reader review‘LOVED this. Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived In The Castle” and Susanna Clarke’s “Piranesi”’ 5-star reader review‘Newman''s writing style and world-building are poetic and evocative, yet also eerie and suspenseful.’ 5-star reader review‘WOW! I was absolutely engrossed in this genre-bender for two days straight.’ 5-star reader review‘Fans of Emily St. John Mandel, Lily Brooks-Dalton, and Charlotte McConaghy will enjoy this book.’ 5-star reader review‘Part Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, part Lord of the Flies, part Shirley Jackson : all itself’ 5-star reader review‘Nick Newman’s distinctly creepy, quirky, mountingly tense post apocalyptic Gothic Garden of Eden novel is definitely weird, and remarkably wonderful.’ 5-star reader review‘Gave me a mixture of We Have Always Lived in the Castle and I Capture the Castle vibes’ 5-star reader review‘Outstanding. I was hooked on the story from the beginning. It had such a weird, evocative vibe from the beginning.’ 5-star reader review‘Whatever else I read in 2025, it''s definitely going to be one of my top ten.’ 5-star reader review

In a place and time unknown, two elderly sisters live in a walled garden, secluded from the outside world. For as long as they can remember, Evelyn and Lily have only had each other. What was before the garden, they have forgotten; what lies beyond it, they do not know. Each day is spent in languid service to their home: tending the bees, planting the crops, and dutifully following the instructions of the almanac written by their mother. So, when a nameless boy is found hiding in the boarded house at the centre of this new Eden, the reality of their existence is irrevocably shattered. Who is he? And where did he come from?

Writing matters. We all do it, and we all admire it when it's done well. It doesn't just express us; it represents us. We write to connect with other people - to make them laugh, or cry, or think. We also write to work out what we think ourselves: there's nothing like it for concentrating the mind. So what's the secret of a stylish essay, or story, or email? How do you make your sentences sparkle? Dorothy Parker had a point when she said that writing "is the art of applying the ass to the seat", but in this slim volume, a leading editor who is also a pop critic and sportswriter shows you much fun you can have while sharpening your pen. Tim de Lisle's book is packed with good, simple advice: be clear, be concise, be vivid, be organised. In a few breezy chapters, he explains the secrets of good writing, and along the way he quotes dozens of great lines, from the plays of Shakespeare to the journalism of Caitlin Moran. "Writing," he says, "is like dancing, in that you can tell instantly if someone is good at it. But it's also like driving in that it can be learnt." Spend a couple of hours with this book and you'll learn things that will help you in years to come.