Hazelthorn

De: CG Drews

Narrado por: Michael Crouch

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.

"Genuinely creepy … Lush, angsty, queer horror."—Kirkus Reviews

©2025 CG Drews (P)2025 Recorded Books

Such an interesting story

I love this feeling of an unreliable narrator. The gothic ambience and the creeping garden are the perfect setting. The author does a great job of conveying the anxiety of not being comfortable in your own skin.

Hazelthorn 1 : Lennox-Halls 0

A gorgeous and creepy and angsty and compelling story of botanical horror and queer yearning. Michael Crouch’s narration + a CG Drews novel = perfection.

another stunning book from CG Drews

I loved absolutely everything about this. I'm feral for it. I want to get a physical book, tear out the pages, and devour them as I listen to the audiobook again. The narrator is fantastic as always, and the story - ugh, absolute horrible perfection.

Hauntingly Beautiful

After thoroughly enjoying Don’t Let the Forest In, I had high hopes for this story. It did not disappoint. The story was engaging, with twists and turns that felt both unexpected and satisfying. The characters felt so real, with layers that I was excited to peel back. The prose was enchanting, with beautiful and horrifying descriptions that made me crave more. The house and garden felt alive and ready to consume, and the antagonistic force of the family felt impossible to overcome, making it all-the-more satisfying to reach the ending. I was concerned that the relationship would fall into typical enemies-to-lovers tropes, but was instead given something that felt so true and loving. The body horror and thrill of the mystery kept me on my toes, and the story was handled with such care that I want to listen to it again. The performance was wonderful, with each character having a unique feel. It made the story jump off the page and the experience truly haunting.

Let it rip you apart

So visceral. This book was captivating from start to finish. She rips you apart in the best way possible.