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The Kindness of Strangers

'Part historical fiction, part murder-mystery . . . vivid and entertaining' THE TIMES

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The Kindness of Strangers

By: Emma Garman
Narrated by: Olivia Dowd
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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

'Intricate, compelling and intriguing . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A triumph' KATE KEMP, author of The Grapevine

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.

'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©2026 Emma Garman (P)2026 Little, Brown Book Group Limited 20th Century Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Mystery Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
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Critic reviews

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)
Intricate, compelling and intriguing . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A triumph of a debut novel (Kate Kemp, author of THE GRAPEVINE)
Twisty, fast-paced, brilliantly plotted and deliciously entertaining . . . an absolute must-read! (Kristin Harmel)
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)
All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed this novel, it was an entertaining read with interesting characters and decent plot twists. It’s well written but not a literary masterpiece, but then it doesn’t profess to be so. Recommended as an easy but interesting listen.

Entertaining

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