The Exes
Will be published approx. on 12. February 2026
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-0-241-72560-3 (ISBN)
Description
Pre-order now! Unbearably tense and unmissably twisty, this is the outstanding debut suspense novel from the most exciting new voice in thriller writing, Leodora Darlington
'An excellent read - entertaining, intriguing and exciting. Bravo!' LIZ NUGENT
'Beautifully written, and full of unexpected twists and turns' TASHYA CORYELL
*****
Natalie chose James carefully, because he's different from all the men she'd loved before. Calm. Competent. Kind.
And there are three very good reasons she needs to be so careful. Their names are Marc, Luca and George.
Natalie prefers not to think about what they did to her. Let alone what she had to do to them.
Except now, on a night they are meant to be celebrating how happy they are together, Natalie and James are lying in separate bedrooms. She is asking herself how she could have been foolish enough to let yet another man hurt her like this.
Slowly, Natalie realises she's already holding a knife.
But she's not going to do anything with it. She's not.
Not again.
*****
5 STAR READER REVIEWS
'I have read so many thrillers and I have never ever read anything like this. Leodora isn't just entering the thriller arena - she's kicking the door clean off its hinges. Thriller royalty, take note: she's coming for the crown.'
'There's hotness and mess but also nuance and sensitivity. Plus a cracking, layered plot. 2026 is going to be Ex-Obsessed'
'The twists, oh my god, the twists'
'Consider my flabbergasted. I cannot believe this is a debut novel...I absolutely devoured this book in one session'
'A mystery which reveals itself page by page in the most unexpected of ways'
'I raced through this book. It gripped me from the very first page and I couldn't stop reading! ... Loved it. The writing is razor sharp, the characters are brilliantly crafted and the story is propulsive and pacy. More from this writer please!'
'This is the easiest 5-star review I think I've ever written'
'This new author has become an automatic one-click favourite for me! It was a phenomenal debut novel and I can't wait to read more!'
'An excellent read - entertaining, intriguing and exciting. Bravo!' LIZ NUGENT
'Beautifully written, and full of unexpected twists and turns' TASHYA CORYELL
*****
Natalie chose James carefully, because he's different from all the men she'd loved before. Calm. Competent. Kind.
And there are three very good reasons she needs to be so careful. Their names are Marc, Luca and George.
Natalie prefers not to think about what they did to her. Let alone what she had to do to them.
Except now, on a night they are meant to be celebrating how happy they are together, Natalie and James are lying in separate bedrooms. She is asking herself how she could have been foolish enough to let yet another man hurt her like this.
Slowly, Natalie realises she's already holding a knife.
But she's not going to do anything with it. She's not.
Not again.
*****
5 STAR READER REVIEWS
'I have read so many thrillers and I have never ever read anything like this. Leodora isn't just entering the thriller arena - she's kicking the door clean off its hinges. Thriller royalty, take note: she's coming for the crown.'
'There's hotness and mess but also nuance and sensitivity. Plus a cracking, layered plot. 2026 is going to be Ex-Obsessed'
'The twists, oh my god, the twists'
'Consider my flabbergasted. I cannot believe this is a debut novel...I absolutely devoured this book in one session'
'A mystery which reveals itself page by page in the most unexpected of ways'
'I raced through this book. It gripped me from the very first page and I couldn't stop reading! ... Loved it. The writing is razor sharp, the characters are brilliantly crafted and the story is propulsive and pacy. More from this writer please!'
'This is the easiest 5-star review I think I've ever written'
'This new author has become an automatic one-click favourite for me! It was a phenomenal debut novel and I can't wait to read more!'
Reviews / Votes
An excellent read - entertaining, intriguing and exciting. Bravo! -- Liz Nugent This is the book I've been hungry for. Sharp and smart, The Exes grips with a well orchestrated story, while exploring deeper themes with a deft hand and underlying humour. * Mary Watson, author of The Cleaner * Beautifully written, and full of unexpected twists and turns, The Exes is a cathartic book for anyone with a terrible ex, with profound things to say about family and the lengths we'll go to protect the ones we love -- Tasha Coryell The Exes explodes out the gate and never lets up, delivering twist after shocking twist right up until its deeply affecting end. A razor-sharp debut about the secrets we keep even from ourselves -- Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines A real wild, rollercoaster read. Such a great premise, executed brilliantly. Beautiful writing and great pacing. People often talk about 'shocking twists', but this thriller truly delivers - literal jaw drop! I absolutely loved it! -- Shalini Boland I rarely get so excited by a book that I want to shout out loudly about it non-stop, but this one absolutely captured me from the off ... A tremendous read always leaves a happy afterglow for a few days. The Exes has left a burning fire as I still find myself still musing over the characters and such a clever plot. Readers will be completely satiated by this terrific read. -- Carol Wyer An exquisitely written wild ride of a story full of complex characters, taut suspense and plot twists you won't see coming -- Jessica George, internationally bestselling author of Maame A brilliant and exciting new voice in thriller world. Deft, tense, and deliciously twisty. More, please, Ms Darlington, and soon -- Anna Mazzola, bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl A twisty and addictive read, sprinkled with exceptional writing and psychological insights. Darlington's descriptions of Natalie as a trauma-scarred child are original and heartbreaking. There's hotness and mess but also nuance and sensitivity. Plus a cracking, layered plot. 2026 is going to be Ex-Obsessed -- Jo Leevers, author of Radio 2 Book Club pick Tell Me How This Ends THE EXES is taut, sharp, and exciting. I LOVE the writing! Honestly, it's special. Leodora is a star. Superb debut! * Sunday Times bestselling author, Mandasue Heller *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 39 mm
Weight
636 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-72560-3 (9780241725603)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Person
Leodora Darlington is a writer from London with Ghanaian heritage. She received a distinction for her Masters in Creative Writing from Brunel University, where she studied under authors like Benjamin Zepheniah and Will Self. A Bookseller Rising Star in 2021, Leodora is also an editor and has published a range of bestselling fiction. The Exes is her debut novel.