Book cover for Losing Gemma by Katy Gardner

Losing Gemma

2002 Released
368 Pages
5-6 Hours
Audiobook Unavailable
Hardback Unavailable
Riverhead BooksISBN 9781101191248

This is the story of Gemma and me: how I lost her, I suppose. I don't usually tell it to anyone but myself;
I save it for the darkest moments.


Losing Gemma, Katy's Gardners debut novel about adventure, losing your best friend, and self-discovery, has been translates into twelve languages and compared to Alex Garland's breakthrough novel, The Beach, among many others. This time, the backpacking heroes are girls. What makes Losing Gemma truly unforgettable, is the read itself; it's an impossibly suspenseful novel that's as gripping as it is psychologically rich. Two young women have gone looking for adventure, backpacking through India—but only one returns. The other one believes it's all her fault. And the mystery behind what really happened during their fateful visit to a secluded shrine compels the reader forward to a page-turning conclusion that's shocking, strange, and haunting.

Katy Gardner

Katy Gardner is Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Sussex and is the author of several books including Global Migrants, Local Lives (1995) and Songs at the River's Edge (Pluto Press, 1997).

More by Katy Gardner

Why Readwise Books?

Readwise Books is an ebook & audiobook platform that automatically logs how much you and your friends read, making it fun and easy to read more. Learn more →