“Gardner spins a strong, atmospheric story…Her rendition of Gemma and Esther’s friendship will reverberate with many young female readers who might appreciate a more relationship-centered spin on the backpackers-gone-astray trope of Alex Garland’s
The Beach. A tragic thriller about curdled friendships and the dangerous thrills of the unknown…”
—Kirkus Reviews“Gardner’s stark setting—not the exotic tourists’ India but its dank, grimy backwaters—heightens the characters’ senses and builds uneasy suspense page by page until the surprise conclusion starkly underscoring the theme of betrayal.”—Publishers Weekly
“Gardner’s first book is a page-turner with substance, a thought-provoking read that is evocative and alluring…Fast-paced, this tale grips like a vice, carrying you along until the unexpected twist hits you square between the eyes.”—Irish News
“A rip-roaring, page-turning psychological drama…the female version of The Beach. Both are about the implosion of friendships, the stripping away of Western niceties to reveal something much more sinister. And both are about backpackers who choose to explore so much more when they put their world in a bag and head off. Which is why both have been translated into dozens of languages, and will inspire ex-hippies everywhere to dig out their ragged diaries hoping to find the seeds of a world-class bestseller.”—Sunday Express
“This is not a country of spices and exotic romance depicted in so much fiction, but a chaotic and frightening place, convincingly seen through young Western eyes. The narrative centres upon the rituals of travelling itself—in rickshaws, trains and planes—but this is mainly a spiritual journey, about growing up as much as backpacking….Scorching stuff, indeed.”—The London Times
“Like these two girls, you, too, will be sucked into the confusion…When the horrifying thing finally happens, it’s not what you think; Gardner has planted her clues with expertise.”—The London Daily Telegraph
“A menacing study of friendship and self-knowledge.”—Sunday Mirror
“Gardner manages to make the themes of journeys and transformations all her own by weaving them into a cracking traveller’s tale…It is an impressive debut which will enthrall gap year travellers and terrify their parents, proving that it’s not always nice to go travelling, or to come home. Still, with books as good as this to read along the way, the journey will always be worthwhile.” —The Herald
“A promising debut…This well-plotted first novel moves quickly and maintains suspense. The characters are rich and well-developed, revealing secrets that betray the reader’s initial impressions.” —Booklist
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