The Girl in the Garden

An abandoned young woman and her infant son find a new home among the unusual residents of New England town in the 1970s in this poignant novel.

When June arrives on the coast of New England, baby in arms, an untrustworthy man by her side, Mabel—who rents them a cabin—senses trouble. A few days later, the girl and her child are abandoned.

June is soon placed with Mabel’s friend, Iris, in town, and her life becomes entwined with several locals who have known each other for decades: a wealthy recluse with a tragic past; a widow in mourning; a forsaken daughter returning for the first time in years, with a stranger in tow; and a kindly WWII veteran who serves as the town’s sage. Surrounded by the personal histories and secrets of others, June finds the way forward for herself and her son becoming determined by the others’ pasts, including loves—and crimes—from years ago.

In vivid, nuanced prose, Melanie Wallace—“a writer with a tender regard for the marginal, the missing, and the lost” (Hilary Mantel)—explores the time-tested bonds of a small community, the healing power of friendship and love, and whether the wrongs of the past can ever be made right.

Praise for The Girl in the Garden

“Powerful. . . . A quiet, contemplative novel that builds slowly and leaves a lasting impact.” —Publishers Weekly

© 2023 Mariner Books (Ebook): 9780544784208

Release date

Ebook: 15 December 2023