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Here Is the Beehive Hardcover – November 17, 2020

by Sarah Crossan (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 1,055 ratings
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction
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A "gutsy, modern, deeply entertaining" debut about a love affair cut short, and how lonely it is to live inside a secret (The Observer UK).
 

Ana Kelly can deal with death. As an estate lawyer, an unfortunate part of her day-to-day is phone calls from the next of kin informing her that one of her clients has died. But nothing could have prepared Ana for the call from Rebecca Taylor, explaining in a strangely calm tone that her husband Connor was killed in an accident.

 

Ana had been having an affair with Connor for three years, keeping their love secret in hotel rooms, weekends away, and swiftly deleted text messages. Though consuming, they hide their love well, and nobody knows of their relationship except Mark, Connor's best friend.

 

Alone and undone, Ana seeks friendship with the person who she once thought of as her adversary and opposite, but who is now the only one who shares her pain -- Rebecca. As Ana becomes closer to her lover's widow, she is forced to reconcile painful truths about the affair, and the fickleness of love and desire.

 

Funny, frank, and strange, Sarah Crossan's moving novel is wholly original and deeply resonant.

New York Post "Novels Everyone Will be Buzzing About this Fall"
The Millions "Most Anticipated 2020" List
Previous page
  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Little, Brown and Company
  4. Publication date
    November 17, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    5.9 x 1.25 x 8.55 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0316428582
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0316428583
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Told in verse, this story of obsession and illicit love reads like a thriller.”―People Magazine

“A gripping exploration of obsession, risk, and loss.”―The Millions

“It flows as easily as honey . . . and it accomplishes a stream-of-consciousness feel that conveys both how quickly grief can shatter a person and how those shattered pieces still connect.”―Washington Post

"Here is the Beehive is a psychologically-complex masterpiece. Twisty, deep, and ultimately devastating, this one is impossible to put down."―Sarah Dunn, author of The Arrangement

"A fresh, affecting take on a tale as old as time."―Kirkus Reviews

“If you love Sally Rooney and Ottessa Moshfegh, you’ll devour this strange story.”―HelloGiggles

"An eviscerating account of modern marriage."―The Independent (UK)

"Beautifully written ... in stunning, spare lyrical prose, which appears like verse on the page. . . . This mesmerizing story will have readers hooked."―Publishers Weekly

"This book is just sublime . . . I loved every page."―Caitriona Balfe, star of Outlander

"This exquisitely well-balanced novel-in-verse is painful to read yet almost impossible to put down. . . . Each character is fully realized, with even walk-on characters brought vividly to life with a few deft words."―School Library Journal

"Gutsy, modern, deeply entertaining . . . unlike anything I’ve read before. . . . The writing is so bright and alive and the novel is a triumph -- crackling with psychological and sexual ambiguity."―The Observer (UK)

“Amazing . . . I absolutely love the form, which breathes new life into a familiar story making it both more elegant and more brutal.”―Emma Healey, author of Elizabeth is Missing

“One of our most original writers.”―John Boyne, author of A Ladder to the Sky

"Sarah Crossan is a truly masterful writer. . . . fascinating, gloriously written and completely unique."―PRIMER

About the Author

Sarah Crossan has lived in Dublin, London and New York, and now lives in Brighton. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and literature before training as an English and drama teacher at Cambridge University. Sarah has won many international awards for her verse novels, including the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the CBI Book of Year award and the CLiPPA Poetry Award. This is her first novel for adults.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company (November 17, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316428582
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316428583
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 1.25 x 8.55 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 1,055 ratings

About the author

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Sarah Crossan

Sarah Crossan

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Sarah Crossan is Irish. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and literature before training as an English and drama teacher at Cambridge University and worked to promote creative writing in schools before leaving teaching to write full time.

She completed her Masters in creative writing at the University of Warwick. In 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
1,055 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Thomas McCallum
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Novel
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
Super novel written in verse for a super price. Ultra-speedy shipping. Thank you for a great transaction.
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Fran
4.0 out of 5 stars The Havoc of the Affair
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2020
"How can we know which days will be the turning points? So long as we live, we gamble...you thought you had forever to make mistakes and make amends...while gorging on life".

Solicitor Ana Kelly was mourning the death of her paramour, Connor Mooney, who had suddenly died in an auto accident. Ana and Connor had recently argued. Now Ana can no longer apologize or make amends. She cannot openly grieve. "I was so grateful...and felt lucky that all my wrongdoing was unknown". Ana was slowly starting to unravel...weight loss, lack of focus at work and the development of obsessions and compulsions.

This novel of a toxic love is written in verse, the ruminations of Ana, starting from Connor's death. "Even my attendance at the funeral you would have judged a transgression-making myself real, getting too close to those you did everything to protect". Ana is obsessed. She intends to learn everything there is to know about Connor. To this end, she explores social media looking for photos and correspondence. She befriends Connor's wife, Rebecca. Three years prior, Ana had drafted Connor's will, the beginning of their "hook-up". As executor of Connor's will, Ana has motive and opportunity to sort through Connor's paperwork and documents. He has painted Rebecca as cold and controlling...a doomed marriage he is unable to leave. How does one weigh Rebecca's pain versus Ana's pain? Ana plans to be ever so helpful to Rebecca.

"Here Is the Beehive" by Sarah Crossan is a novel written in poetic form that describes the havoc and destructive forces of a love affair. The main protagonists, Ana, Connor and Rebecca are well crafted and believable. I did not find either Ana or Connor to be likable. I fully expected to pan this tome, however, Crossan's understated, subtle writing pulled me in as witness to the illicit affair of the heart. Ana's grief and guilt was palpable and all consuming. An uncomfortable, well written novel.
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A reviewer
3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing; Shallow
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2020
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I really wanted to love this. I was so intrigued by the description and it's been highly recommended and reviewed. I always want to read about love affairs, clandestine or not. The secret nature of this made it all the more appealing.

I assumed (wrongly) from the description I would be reading a "Same Time, Next Year" type of affair, i.e. a hidden love affair that was accepted within its limitations for what it was. Add to that the wife and mistress confronting each other after the man dies and the truth comes out seemed so interesting. What would they learn about each other? What would they learn about the man? What would they learn about love? How could this double life have been possible?

But that isn't what this is. The limits of the affair are never accepted and the focus is on "Will he leave his wife?" It's all about the anxiety and misery of an everyday, banal cheating scenario, which I had very little interest in. My bad for making assumptions.

I didn't learn much about their love. They said I love you, but I didn't see why, or feel it it any way. The love is mostly expressed through/as sex. At least, that's all we have to go on because the author never delves into anything else that connects them to each other.

In the end I felt I was reading a completely everyday affair. without ANY in depth or enlightening analysis. You can literally learn more from reading a million and one "other woman" blogs.

I liked the writing style, for the most part. I liked the prose-poem approach, until it got confusing about time and place, whipping back and forth, especially in the second half of the book. When I had to stop and work too hard to figure out what the heck was going on, then it just got in the way.

I thought the themes were confused and not thought out. For instance, the first part ends with a climatic sentence--with her realizing maybe it wasn't the wife who was in the way between her and Connor, but Connor who was in the way between her and the wife. Now that was potentially interesting. Why was the wife important to her? How did it play into her obsession with him? I THOUGHT that is what the second half of the book would be about, but no. There is only a few semi-stalking incidents but no deep reflection on her own psychology. The whole hook about it being the wife who tells her about the death goes NOWHERE.

I felt her relationship with her husband and family also gets short shrift. That was a whole other aspect that just doesn't get fully developed.

I appreciate the originality of the writing, but I would not recommend and have no desire to ever read it again.
14 people found this helpful
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Pamela Farland
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book great read
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2022
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Wonderful novel, could not put it down. Written in poetic prose and an unusual sentence flow. Really loved it.
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Stephen T. Hopkins
4.0 out of 5 stars Structure
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2021
In her first novel for adults titled, Here Is the Beehive, Sarah Crossan chose to take risks and trust that readers will make it all work. She chose verse as the structure for the novel and made adultery the subject. Protagonist Ana is a lawyer whose affair with Connor ended abruptly with his sudden death. Having written his will, Ana ends up getting to know Connor’s wife, Rebecca, while handling the estate. The novel moves back and forth in time without much warning, thereby requiring a reader’s close attention. The title refers to a nursery rhyme and Ana’s keeping of the great secret of her affair. We feel the sting of life for Ana as her inner and outer lives are out of sync.

Rating: Four-star (I like it)
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Professional Shopper
2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
Well, this was an interesting read, not a huge favorite...it was quick though. The book is written in a poem style format. The storyline could have been an interesting one, but Ana, the main character was self absorbed and more focused on why her lover wouldn’t leave his wife. Ana was very immature in my opinion. She had no empathy the family which lost a father...
4 people found this helpful
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JC
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and supposed to be made into a movie!
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2022
Verified Purchase
Bought this book “used”! It was in excellent condition. It a book cover and stamp saying it came from Anchorage, AK! Very cool!
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Muriel Barnes
1.0 out of 5 stars Don’t waste your time or money
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
I bought this by accident. Not sure what it was I opened it and tried to figure out why it was on my screen. It was awful. Usually I wouldn’t mind spending money on a book even an accidental book... but this book was so terrible I deleted it after a giving it a best try scan. Ugh!
6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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LORRAINE LIGHT
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in Canada on December 16, 2020
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Exquisite book! Beautifully written' I loved every page!
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MILENE PIMENTEL TAVARES
5.0 out of 5 stars Surpreendente
Reviewed in Brazil on November 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
Surpreendente é uma das palavras que podem definir Here is The Beehive, livro envolvente e que faz a gente passar um dia e uma noite digerindo o final. Compre!
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Tabitha
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
I read this on my kindle but I imagine the actual book is set out beautifully like a poem. It is a short book, an easy read and I couldn't put it down. I very much liked how it was written and how it flowed. If you are after an uplifting book this isn't one to read, however it is powerful, brutal and real and I liked it! Would read more by the author
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J. v. Kirchbach
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful novel in verse
Reviewed in Germany on December 16, 2020
Verified Purchase
Sarah Crossan is a wonderful writer with such a unique, fluid, engrossing writing style. Every word and each verse is chosen and constructed so carefully and deliberately. I love the experience of reading her verse novel, even when it delves into painful, difficult and 'ugly' places.
This book was upsetting and evoked powerful emotions in me. It felt unsettling, mainly because it was impossible to warm to Ana. She came across as needy and self-pitying, always wanting someone else to blame. It took a long time to discover she had children. The narrative was all about her and the lover, and Ana's husband who believed her when she supposedly worked late or went to a conference that was really a hotel where she was cheating on him. She was messed up, destructive, towards others and herself but lacked the self control to right her situation. She was caught within an explosive time bomb that was slowly ticking along.

Sarah Crossan showed with astute accuracy the hurt that can stem from betrayal. How could she do this was all I could ask myself continually. This really was an excellent read, short but so powerful. I highly recommend it.
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J. v. Kirchbach
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful novel in verse
Reviewed in Germany on December 16, 2020
Sarah Crossan is a wonderful writer with such a unique, fluid, engrossing writing style. Every word and each verse is chosen and constructed so carefully and deliberately. I love the experience of reading her verse novel, even when it delves into painful, difficult and 'ugly' places.
This book was upsetting and evoked powerful emotions in me. It felt unsettling, mainly because it was impossible to warm to Ana. She came across as needy and self-pitying, always wanting someone else to blame. It took a long time to discover she had children. The narrative was all about her and the lover, and Ana's husband who believed her when she supposedly worked late or went to a conference that was really a hotel where she was cheating on him. She was messed up, destructive, towards others and herself but lacked the self control to right her situation. She was caught within an explosive time bomb that was slowly ticking along.

Sarah Crossan showed with astute accuracy the hurt that can stem from betrayal. How could she do this was all I could ask myself continually. This really was an excellent read, short but so powerful. I highly recommend it.
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Patricia De Prato
3.0 out of 5 stars Written in Verse
Reviewed in Australia on September 17, 2020
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I must say this book is a little different to your regular books that you read, it is all written in verse. I enjoyed this story of love, lose ,secrets and lies.
I was interested in reading this book because Catriona Balfe has bought the rights to it, can't wait to see what she does with it.
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