
Strange Nature
Mary Watson(Author)
Bloomsbury YA (Publisher)
Published on 14. August 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-1-5266-1937-2 (ISBN)
Description
Jasmin has always known that monsters are real. And they wear ordinary faces.
When she was a child, she witnessed her famous, adored grandfather attempt to kill her grandmother.
Now Jasmin is eighteen, watchful and curious. She hangs out at the local college, sneaking into the lectures of charismatic professor Theo Merrick and spying on an intoxicatingly cool group of older students. She can only dream of being part of their world.
Then, when a college student dies in mysterious circumstances, Jasmin seizes her chance to join the group as they try to solve the mystery - while unwittingly unraveling her own dark past.
A slow burn dark academia thriller, Strange Nature is a compulsive read that will haunt you long after the final page.
When she was a child, she witnessed her famous, adored grandfather attempt to kill her grandmother.
Now Jasmin is eighteen, watchful and curious. She hangs out at the local college, sneaking into the lectures of charismatic professor Theo Merrick and spying on an intoxicatingly cool group of older students. She can only dream of being part of their world.
Then, when a college student dies in mysterious circumstances, Jasmin seizes her chance to join the group as they try to solve the mystery - while unwittingly unraveling her own dark past.
A slow burn dark academia thriller, Strange Nature is a compulsive read that will haunt you long after the final page.
Reviews / Votes
A fiercely compelling, ferocious story full of fury and tenderness - a gorgeous read * Kiran Millwood Hargrave on Blood to Poison * A tale that gets into your bones * Samantha Shannon on The Wren Hunt *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Young adult
Interest Age: From 12 years
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
282 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5266-1937-2 (9781526619372)
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

Person
Mary Watson grew up in Cape Town during the apartheid years and did her Masters in Creative Writing with Andre Brink. She won the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2006 and appeared on Hay Festival's Africa39 list of influential writers. Her first novel for young adults, The Wren Hunt, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and nominated for the Carnegie Medal. This is her fourth YA novel. Mary lives in Galway with her family.