“An acid-etched portrait of murder and manners in post-war Britain, THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS is a sinister delight, like a chocolate-coated cherry bomb. Emma Garman’s astonishingly deft debut is an absolute must-read, and heralds a brilliant new voice in crime fiction.”
—JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING, New York Times bestselling author of At Midnight Comes the Cry
“What pure pleasure to discover Emma Garman’s irresistible debut. Reading this ingeniously plotted, diabolically clever story of human deception and connection was like discovering a 1950s classic that was written with a surprisingly modern sensibility. Smart, original, darkly funny, and moving, it’s everything I want in a mystery. I adored it.”
—KAREN DUKESS, USA Today bestselling author of Welcome to Murder Week
“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.”
—STEPHEN SPOTSWOOD, author of Dead in the Frame, a New York Times Top 10 Mystery of the Year
“I couldn’t put down this intricately woven debut by the talented Emma Garman. Set in perfectly-drawn 1950s London, THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS is a tantalizing historical mystery that revolves around a house full of boarders—all of whom have something to hide—and the mysterious death of a man who has recently moved into their home. Twisty, fast-paced, brilliantly plotted and deliciously entertaining … an absolute must-read!”
—KRISTIN HARMEL, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars, The Paris Daughter, and The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
“The most fabulous debut… I loved every single character in this story (with a special mention for George), and they all burst into life immediately, thanks to Emma’s wonderful writing and her mind-blowingly brilliant attention to detail … pure escapism and utterly joyful.”
—JOANNA CANNON, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, Three Things About Elsie, and A Tidy Ending
“Emma Garman’s debut is a beautifully woven novel full of escalating secrets and a found family of characters who tunnel their way into your heart. Hugely enjoyable, and with one of my favourite Epilogues ever, I’ve been recommending it to everyone.”
—AJ PEARCE, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Emmy Lake Chronicles series
“THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS drew me in immediately with its distinctive, singular voice. From there, an intricate, compelling plot developed, driven by a cast of characters so intriguing I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough... Here is sublime storytelling and I couldn’t have been more delighted to be taken along for the ride … a triumph of a debut novel.”
—KATE KEMP, author of The Grapevine: Winner of the Stylist Prize for Feminist Fiction
“A wholly delightful novel brimming with unpredictable characters and prose as elegant as it is sharp. With a true nod to Christie-esque tradition, Emma Garman whisks readers through fog-shrouded London, delivering every ingredient of a classic whodunnit with a wit and flair entirely her own. Fans of golden-age mysteries, buckle in for a thrill ride through this literary house of mirrors!”
—SARAH CROUCH, USA Today bestselling author of Middletide
London, 1953. Jimmy Sullivan lies dying on the drawing room floor while his housemates look on, their lives about to change forever.
One foggy night in the dead of February, a young man arrives 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 teenage sleuth; George, the debutante; and Saul, the haunted refugee. Jimmy Sullivan is a family friend, Honor says—yet clearly, something is not right. Despite everyone’s misgivings, she lets the stranger move into the attic.
As they each try to disprove Jimmy’s 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.
In a house built on lies, the truth will get you killed.
