A Sharp Scratch
Published on 19. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-1-4059-7468-4 (ISBN)
Description
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Things We Do To Our Friends, comes a timely, gripping novel about the dark underbelly of wellness culture
'DARWENT HAS A GREAT CAREER AS A THRILLER WRITER AHEAD OF HER' SUNDAY TIMES
We can fix you.
It's a promise that Betsy has heard far too many times. From the child psychologist, from her husband, and from the wellness trends that scream at her from her screen.
So far, it's been a lie.
But this time, she believes it. Because Betsy has been offered a place at Carn - a luxurious, unorthodox retreat, where healing really is possible. At Carn, she discovers that her imperfections make her unique, not weak. She isn't broken, just special.
All Betsy has to do is follow the rules . . .
---
Praise for Heather Darwent
'Satisfyingly dark, cleverly plotted' Emma Flint, Little Deaths
'Smart, sophisticated, seductive' S J Watson, Before I Go To Sleep
'Startlingly lovely, like a fine, dark silk shivering on your skin' Julia Heaberlin, We Are All the Same in the Dark
'A deeply compelling story of friendships turned rotten' Rosemary Hennigan, The Truth Will Out
'Dark academia and twisted friendships in gothic Edinburgh - what more could you want?' Cailean Steed, Home
'DARWENT HAS A GREAT CAREER AS A THRILLER WRITER AHEAD OF HER' SUNDAY TIMES
We can fix you.
It's a promise that Betsy has heard far too many times. From the child psychologist, from her husband, and from the wellness trends that scream at her from her screen.
So far, it's been a lie.
But this time, she believes it. Because Betsy has been offered a place at Carn - a luxurious, unorthodox retreat, where healing really is possible. At Carn, she discovers that her imperfections make her unique, not weak. She isn't broken, just special.
All Betsy has to do is follow the rules . . .
---
Praise for Heather Darwent
'Satisfyingly dark, cleverly plotted' Emma Flint, Little Deaths
'Smart, sophisticated, seductive' S J Watson, Before I Go To Sleep
'Startlingly lovely, like a fine, dark silk shivering on your skin' Julia Heaberlin, We Are All the Same in the Dark
'A deeply compelling story of friendships turned rotten' Rosemary Hennigan, The Truth Will Out
'Dark academia and twisted friendships in gothic Edinburgh - what more could you want?' Cailean Steed, Home
Reviews / Votes
Darwent has a great career as a thriller writer ahead of her * Sunday Times * A compulsive and unsettling read * The Sun * Heather Darwent reinvents Gothic horror for the Goop generation in this seductive novel about wellness culture, psychological manipulation and the female body -- Kate Brody An atmospheric and visceral read, reminiscent of Donna Tartt. Pacy, unsettling and wildly unpredictable, I loved it! -- Callie Kazumi Heather Darwent's deliciously dark second novel has a real bite to it; I'm going to be thinking about THAT ENDING for quite some time. It's a fever dream of a book for fans of My Year of Rest and Relaxation and Earthlings. -- Cailean Steed This book cements Darwent as the best modern thriller writer working today -- Alice Bell Kept me guessing until the last page . . . I can't wait to read more from this author -- Caroline Corcoran A compelling and original tale of chronic illness and obsession. A wonderfully dark satire on the wellness industry and modern living -- Catherine Balavage So dark, so sharply written, pulsing with tension and weirdness... Unforgettable -- Louise Beech A thrill ride of a novel: hugely original and absorbing and packed full of OMG moments -- Niamh HarganMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
228 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4059-7468-4 (9781405974684)
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
Additional editions
Heather Darwent
A Sharp Scratch
A dark and deliciously twisted new novel from the bestselling author of The Things We Do To Our Friends
E-Book
05/2025
Penguin Books Ltd
€8.99
Available for download
Person
Heather Darwent is based just outside of Edinburgh, the setting for her Sunday Times bestselling debut, The Things We Do To Our Friends. Originally from Yorkshire, she came to Scotland to study and never quite left. When she's not writing, you'll find her reading chaotic non-fiction about Silicon Valley and swimming in the sea . . . or being unbearably boring in conversation about swimming in the sea. A Sharp Scratch is her second novel.