My Name was Eden

  • “…a compulsive, didn’t-see-it-coming thriller – and a tender take on parenting, isolation, and intergenerational trauma…”

    Abigail Dean
    Author, Girl A

When Eden is rescued from the lake, her mother Lucy has a second chance.

No one knows why 14-year-old Eden almost drowned on her way home from school. But now she’s safe, Lucy can start being a good mother. The mother she should have always been, before the loss of Eden’s twin during the pregnancy consumed Lucy, all those years ago.

But when Eden wakes up in hospital, she claims that Eden isn’t her name. That her name is Eli – the name Lucy had reserved for the unborn twin.

Could it be that all this time, Lucy’s grief has been misplaced?

Eden, it seems, is the twin who’s really disappeared . . .

My Name was Eden by Eleanor Barker-White

Critics’ and Authors’ Reviews

“…marketed as a perfect read for fans of Ashley Audrain’s The Push. Let’s just say this debut thriller delivered.” READER’S DIGEST 30 Most Anticipated Books of 2024

“MY NAME WAS EDEN is a compulsive, didn’t-see-it-coming thriller – and a tender take on parenting, isolation, and intergenerational trauma. Barker-White creates the kind of claustrophobic dread you only find in the unhappiest of families, right to the final, sucker punch few pages.” Abigail Dean, international bestselling author of Girl A.

“I really, really enjoyed this book. It’s dark and creepy but still manages to stay realistic and within the confines of domestic noir. Nightmarish, but in the most compelling way. A proper page turner’ Katy Brent, bestselling author of How to Kill Men and Get Away with It

“Complex, dark, utterly gripping. Barker-White compellingly peels back the layers of family life revealing the diseased heart at its core. Had me reading far too late into the night.” Tammy Cohen, author of The Wedding Party

“In this captivating and highly original novel of psychological suspense, Eleanor Barker-White takes the reader on a journey into the heart of maternal grief and intergenerational trauma. My Name Was Eden is a fantastic debut—unpredictable, tense, and absorbing.” Rose Carlyle, #1 international bestselling author of The Girl in the Mirror

“Takes a deep dive into parental guilt and the messy emotions of love and mourning, and it’s also genuinely creepy and uncomfortable with a unique premise. Clever writing and insightful observations make this a great read.” Helen Fields, international bestselling author of The Institution. 

“Gorgeously written and brimming with spine-tingling tension, MY NAME WAS EDEN hooked me from the first page. This is not just a first-rate thriller but also a fascinating dive into questions of identity, perception, and who we choose to hold dear, be they living or dead. Barker-White is a major new voice in psychological thrillers.” Mindy Mejia, bestselling author of Everything You Want Me to Be and To Catch A Storm

“Eleanor’s characters had me at the edge of my seat. I became submerged in the murky world so beautifully depicted. A story of memories, longing and of heartbreak. Stunning debut.” Kelechi Okafor, author of The Edge of Here.

Where to Buy:

Ebook: Amazon (UK)

Paperback: Amazon (UK) | Amazon (US) | Waterstones (UK) | Bookshop.org

Aubiobook: Audible