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CG Drews, instant New York Times-bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In, returns with another deeply unsettling and yet hauntingly beautiful tale of murder and botanical body horror, perfect for fans of Andrew Joseph White, Annihilation, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Evander has lived like a ghost in the forgotten corners of the Hazelthorn estate ever since he was taken in by his reclusive billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall, when he was a child. For his safety, Evander has been given three ironclad rules to follow:
He can never leave the estate. He can never go into the gardens. And most importantly, he can never again be left alone with Byron's charming, underachieving grandson, Laurie.
That last rule has been in place ever since Laurie tried to kill Evander seven years ago, and yet somehow Evander is still obsessed with him.
When Byron suddenly dies, Evander inherits Hazelthorn's immense gothic mansion and acres of sprawling grounds, along with the entirety of the Lennox-Hall family's vast wealth. But Evander's sure his guardian was murdered, and Laurie may be the only one who can help him find the killer before they come for Evander next.
Perhaps even more concerning is how the overgrown garden is refusing to stay behind its walls, slipping its vines and spores deeper into the house with each passing day. As the family's dark secrets unravel alongside the growing horror of their terribly alive, bloodthirsty garden, Evander needs to find out what he's really inheriting before the garden demands to be fed once more.
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (10/30/2025)
I just finished Hazelthorn, a gothic horror novel, by C.G. Drews and thought it was magnificent. It's strange but hauntingly beautiful. I love when I find a new author. I'm reading Haven't Killed in Years, by Amy K. Green, and I'm enjoying it so far. I am starting the audiobook, The Emperor of Gl...
-jillg
"Drews' latest starts off as a straightforward whodunit and turns into something that's far more sinister―and delicious. From descriptions of moth-eaten decay to vivid floral imagery, Drews luxuriates in atmospheric prose. ... A uniquely arranged bouquet of terrors, as disturbing as it is beautiful." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Deeply unsettling and absolutely perfect for those who understand the vulnerability at the root of every vicious monster." ―School Library Journal (starred review)
"Searingly atmospheric ... Evander, who is neurodivergent, seeks 'normality,' a goal gorgeously juxtaposed by his fantastically bizarre surroundings, and by the story's 'normal' people intently portrayed as the true monsters. ... This is devourable horror and romance set against a malicious, vine-choked tapestry." ―Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"Viscerally atmospheric and beautifully eerie―Hazelthorn will take root inside you, drag you into its strange, thorny depths, and make you want to stay there forever. I devoured this book." ―Pascale Lacelle, New York Times-bestselling author of Curious Tides
"A beautifully written, modern-yet-gothic murder mystery full of wretched boys, tangled secrets, and a horrifying sentient garden. Devour it, lest it devour you." ―Jamie Pacton, bestselling author of The Absinthe Underground
This information about Hazelthorn was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
CG Drews is the award-winning #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hazelthorn, Don't Let the Forest In, and You Did Nothing Wrong. Their work has been translated into over 12 languages, won the Barnes & Noble 2025 YA Award, and has been nominated for the 2020 and 2025 Carnegie Medal, as well as being Indie Next Picks and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. CG lives in Australia under a pile of unread books.
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