The Cherokee perspective: A novel of ambition and dislocation USA
Mystery set around LONDON
9th March 2026
The Exes by Leodora Darlington, mystery set around LONDON
I read this novel for Grazia Book Club, February 2026.
This a female new wave author who takes a popular theme and adds zany and unique elements. I am referencing other authors like Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash (USA) and Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater (Walthamstow).
Natalie has had a string of ex boyfriends who have met an unhappy ending (OK, spoiler alert as per the book’s blurb, they are murdered). This also is a recurring theme in the novels written by L M Chilton.
Now she is married to James and he seems so much nicer than the others. Her therapist, Dimple, nevertheless has got her to understand that she can’t escape the fact that she has a ‘pattern of dating’ based on variations of her father, to wit “callous, selfish men who know how to turn on the charm when it suits them…”.
She works for James as his PA and office manager. A conflict of interests right which might affect their relationship! James’ brother Will has been eased out of the company and is on gardening leave for various reasons and his addiction to alcohol hasn’t been helping. He has also found letters, written by Natalie, that seem to implicate her in serious crimes involving her exes – specifically George, Marc and Luca – and seemingly uses his knowledge to his advantage.
Throughout the novel Natalie revisits some episodes involving her ex partners and it is clear they are not nice people: one has ‘unwittingly’ released intimate videos into the ether, another has instigated a forced sexual encounter and another has spiked drinks. The hazards of modern dating and she certainly knows how to pick them! Invariably, her sister Claire has been around to help mop up, although she is an actor based in the US. Natalie, being the older, used to take care of Claire during their childhood, particularly when there was violence between their parents. Now the roles seem to be reversed.
The story skips between various time frames and various men as Natalie tries to assimilate her experiences and understand her violent outbursts.
This is a tightly woven storyline that moves this way and that, with a few interesting swerves. The construct was certainly inventive and dramatic at times, but the whole narrative felt rather drawn out; there were periods when I lost interest but given the chapters are fairly short, it was easy to pick up again and once again join the loop-the-loop ride. The ending is original but pretty contrived and there are so many threads that need pulling together that it feels a little convoluted. This is a tremendous example of #weirdgirllit and is a rather depressing account of contemporary relationship patterns.
Setting is virtually non-existent.
Tina for the TripFiction Team
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