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Hazelthorn

Pages
368
Published
2025
Language
English

Synopsis

AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! 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. Also by CG Drews Don't Let the Forest In Scorpion Deep

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About the author

C
C. G. Drews

CG Drews is the award-winning author of The Boy Who Steals Houses and NYT Bestseller Don’t Let The Forest In, which is also a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Indie Next Pick, and Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick. Their next YA horror, Hazelthorn, is out October 28th, 2025, with debut adult horror, You Did Nothing Wrong, coming in 2026. Their work has been translated into six languages, received a nomination for the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal, and won the 2020 CBCA Honour Award. CG l...

Characters

Evander (Hazelthorn)Protagonist

Seventeen-year-old ward of Byron Lennox-Hall, confined to the Hazelthorn estate under three ironclad rules; suspects his guardian was murdered.

Laurie Lennox-HallAntagonist

Byron's grandson and presumed heir, back from boarding school; tried to kill Evander as a child, yet the two form an uneasy, complicated alliance.

Byron Lennox-HallSupporting
CarringtonSupporting

The Hazelthorn estate's butler — administers Evander's medicine and enforces Byron's rules.

All characters in Hazelthorn

Frequently asked questions

  • Is Hazelthorn part of a series?

    No. Hazelthorn is a standalone gothic horror novel by C.G. Drews, published October 28, 2025.

  • Is Hazelthorn available as an audiobook?

    Yes. The unabridged audiobook is narrated by Michael Crouch and published by Recorded Books, with a runtime of about 9 hours and 9 minutes.

  • What age group is Hazelthorn recommended for?

    Hazelthorn is a young adult novel; the publisher recommends it for readers ages 13-18, and it carries a 15+ guidance rating from Common Sense Media for graphic violence and body horror.

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