The Gardener by E.F. Benson (1923)
The Gardener by E.F. Benson is a short story about a man who has been hired to work in the garden of an old lady. The man, named John, is tasked with maintaining the garden and keeping it looking its best. However, he soon discovers that there are some strange things going on in the garden, including a mysterious figure that appears at night and seems to be watching him. As the story progresses, John becomes increasingly unsettled by these events, and begins to wonder if there is something more sinister going on than just keeping the garden looking nice. In the end, he decides to leave his job as a gardener and move away from the old lady's house.
By E.F. Benson · First published 1923 · Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Horror · 6,333 words
First lines
Two friends of mine, Hugh Grainger and his wife, had taken for a month of Christmas holiday the house in which we were to witness such strange manifestations, and when I received an invitation from them to spend a fortnight there I returned them an enthusiastic affirmative. Well already did I know that pleasant heathery country-side, and most intimate was my acquaintance with the subtle hazards of its most charming golf-links. Golf, I was given to understand, was to occupy the solid day for Hugh and me, so that Margaret should never be obliged to set her hand to the implements with which the game, so detestable to her, was conducted.
Similar titles
- The Striding Place by Gertrude Atherton
- The Vintage by E. F. Benson
- Paul Quentin by Fred M. White
- It by Gouverneur Morris
- Jacobs Ladder by E. Phillips Oppenheim
- The Red Haired Girl A Wifes Story by Sabine Baring Gould
Genres
- Mystery — The book is built around a plot with several unexplained events, eliciting curiosity from the reader, typical of a mystery genre.
- Suspense — The book keeps the reader on the edge of their seat by building tension and suspense, marking it as a suspense novel.
- Horror — There are elements of fear and terror evoked through the narrative, aligning it with the horror genre.
- Psychological Thriller — The story delves into the minds of its characters, often using psychological manipulation and deception, thereby aligning with the psychological thriller genre.
Tags
gardening · relationships · love · betrayal · nature · society · class · family · secrets · drama · romance · character study
What this Textopian page supports
The Gardener is listed on Textopian as a novel by E.F. Benson, dated 1923 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: E.F. Benson
- Date: 1923 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Horror, Psychological Thriller
- Length: 6,333 words
- Structure: 1 section, 118 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Gardener by E.F. Benson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph