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Secrets of the Bees

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Secrets of the Bees

By: Jane Johnson
Narrated by: Oliver Hembrough
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About this listen

Bloomsbury presents Secret of the Bees by Jane Johnson, read by Oliver Hembrough

'Full of secrets, Cornwall, and wonderful detail.' Katie Fforde
'Gloriously rich and layered.' Liz Fenwick
'Characters to fall in love with.' Jackie Morris

Time has forgotten this remote corner of West Cornwall, and left its many secrets undisturbed. Until now...

Ezra Curnow has lived in the little cottage on the Trengrose estate all his life. He was born there, as was his
father, and his grandfather before that. It is his own little Cornish paradise.

Then the mistress of the estate, Eliza, dies without leaving a will, putting the cottage’s ownership into question. London financier Toby and his wife Minty are soon enticed by Trengrose’s charm and, worse still, see a lucrative rental opportunity in Ezra’s cottage.

But Ezra is prepared to battle to save his beloved home, and has a number of secret weapons in his armoury. What Ezra doesn’t know is that Eliza also took some secrets to her grave – and she doesn’t intend to rest quietly until they come to light...

A sumptuous Cornish tale packed with heart, relationships and mysteries from the past, from the bestselling author of The Sea Gate.

©2025 Jane Johnson (P)2025 Head of Zeus Mystery Heartfelt

Critic reviews

Topical. Magical. Wonderful. I enjoyed this book so much I didn’t want it to end. (Barbara Erskine)
Set in the wild heart of Cornwall, Secrets of the Bees is funny, full of wise things, and the characters are gorgeous. (Rachel Hore)
Sectrets of the Bees is absolutely gorgeous - compassionate, wryly funny, full of dark family mysteries and the wild, savage beauty of nature. I laughed and I wiped away tears. A book I will re-read and treasure. (Zoë Marriott)
All stars
Most relevant
I was so looking forward to this release. I listened all day yesterday and finished this morning as it was a book I could not stop listening to. The characters, especially Ezra, are so captivating and you are right with them throughout. I thoroughly recommend this to everyone and must also add the narration was perfect.

Fantastic story, excellently narrated.

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I loved the character of Ezra. It was so enjoyable to discover the depths of his ingenuity to preserve everything he held dear.

I delightful book.

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Enjoyed it very much. Enough to satisfy a Cornwall fan, lover of nature & hint of spirit involvement

Delightful story

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Absolutely loved this new novel from Jane Johnson with its Cornish backdrop and affinity with nature. Well plotted with great characters , really drew me in, Funny as well as serious.

Perfect writing and a Cornish back drop

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This is, without doubt, one of the top audiobooks for me this year! Secrets of the Bees is not only a wonderfully descriptive and emotive dual timeline, but also a love letter to Cornwall. Not only does the author describe the county's natural beauty in sumptuous detail, but also she doesn't shy away from intelligently commenting on the thorny issue of balancing local communities with holidaymakers and second home owners.

The story of the Trengrose Estate and Ezra Curnow is a multi-layered one, with many a twist and turn, but not once did my concentration wander. The narrator did a fantastic job in bringing the various characters to life, and I loved the use of multiple POVs; even Bucca the cat had an opinion! Also, I know that the author has her own allotment where she grows an incredible assortment of vegetables, so her observations on the flora and fauna of the area are both spot on and educational.

I absolutely did not want this audiobook to end. Well done, Jane! Yet another fantastic offering from your pen (or should I say, computer).

A wonderfully descriptive & emotive dual timeline

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