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A Real Page-Turner
Peggy Hepburn's newest book for The Gardens duology hits 5000 sales in the UK in its first week on shelves.
Written by Zane Duncan Published on 15/02/2026, 10:10
Established British author, Peggy Hepburn, has recently released the second book in her horror duology The Gardens titled 700 Metres Deep to raging success from the press and the public. The book stars the love interest to book one's protagonist, Judy, stuck in a submarine after joining the navy and carries heavy themes of psychological horror and claustrophobia.
Critics rave about how tense certain chapters of the book feel, keeping readers on the edge of the seat throughout the novel, with twists and turns that will make you scream and cheer. Even we were impressed with how well the book was written, keeping us engaged and losing track of the hours when reading. If you're looking for a gift for the horror fanatic in your life, then this is the perfect book for them.
We recently got to have an exclusive interview Hepburn herself to ask about the creative process behind writing in her world, a video version of which is at the bottom of the page, and here is what she had to say about her work:
"This book is one of my proudest pieces that I've worked on, it has one-upped the last book in horror and shock value, and I'm kinda sad that this is a duology because, I know all the plot lines have been tied up but I would love to do more with them. If I work with these characters again it would probably be in a spin off book or some small personal works that'll go up on my social media just for funsies."
"When it comes to working on the actual book, it takes FOREVER to get started, almost as if it's physically painful because of my ADHD, I struggle to just sit down and get started on my work but I found that working on parts of the book, even if it's in little bits and pieces, it'll help spur you along when you're in a writer's block. For those of you that struggle to write for long periods of time consistantly, keep a little notepad - either on your phone or a physical one - on you at all times and every time you have a little idea, write it down. You can often use those little ideas when you're back in a writing mood to create something bigger and more detailed."
"The best advice I can give is "You shouldn't boil an empty kettle." Is the actual phrase "You can't boil an empty kettle."? Yes, but that's inaccurate to burnout. You absolutely can boil an empty kettle but it will cause damage to it, warping and ruining it. If you attempt to push through active burn out or writer's block you can damage yourself mentally and physically and eventually, when you pull yourself out of it, you'll find your body actively steering yourself away from your work because it's caused you distress in the past. Never work through a burn out, take care of yourself and take time away from a project if it means the final project comes out better quality for it."
Peggy Hepburn always champions for positive mental health in a working environment and will always make sure to prioritise everything else above work as to not bring stress to your life when it's not needed. If you want to see a full, in person interview done with Hepburn herself, check it out on our YouTube page.