In a small pocket of London, between the houses of No.77 and No.79 Eastbourne Road, lies a neglected community garden.
Once a sanctuary for people when they needed it most, the garden's gate is now firmly closed. And that's exactly how Winston at No.79 likes it - anything to avoid his irritating new next-door neighbour.
But when a mystery parcel drops on Winston's doormat - a curious bundle of photographs of a community garden, his garden, bursting with life years ago - a seed of an idea is planted . . .
Somewhere out there, a secret gardener made a decades-old promise to keep the community's spirit alive. And now it's time for The Twilight Garden to come out of hibernation . . .
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You'll be pleased to know the garden is already tucking itself up for the autumn.- PART 1, AUTUMN: FRIDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2018
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(HarperCollins, 8 June 2023, e-book, 400 pages, ARC from the publisher via NetGalley)
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I really enjoyed The Twilight Garden. I liked how the book moves between past and present, gradually revealing the links between the present and the past and the garden. I thought the strange letters sent to Winston and his neighbour which gradually encourage them to use the garden and bring it back to life were a nice touch. I also liked the fact that Winston and his new neighbour find common ground thanks to the garden after their frosty introduction. This is a compelling read about love, hope and friendship.
