The Good House

A Novel

By: Ann Leary

Narrated by: Mary Beth Hurt

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

The Good House, by Ann Leary, is funny, poignant, and terrifying. A classic New England tale that lays bare the secrets of one little town, this spirited novel will stay with you long after the story has ended.

Now a major motion picture starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline!

Hildy Good is a townie. A lifelong resident of a small community on the rocky coast of Boston's North Shore, she knows pretty much everything about everyone. And she's good at lots of things, too. A successful real-estate broker, mother, and grandmother, her days are full. But her nights have become lonely ever since her daughters, convinced their mother was drinking too much, sent her off to rehab. Now she's in recovery—more or less.

Alone and feeling unjustly persecuted, Hildy finds a friend in Rebecca McAllister, one of the town's wealthy newcomers. Rebecca is grateful for the friendship and Hildy feels like a person of the world again, as she and Rebecca escape their worries with some harmless gossip and a bottle of wine by the fire—just one of their secrets.

But Rebecca is herself the subject of town gossip. When Frank Getchell, an old friend who shares a complicated history with Hildy, tries to warn her away from Rebecca, Hildy attempts to protect her friend from a potential scandal. Soon, however, Hildy is busy trying to protect her own reputation. When a cluster of secrets becomes dangerously entwined, the reckless behavior of one person threatens to expose the other, and this darkly comic novel takes a chilling turn.

©2012 Ann Leary (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Both Hildy's denial and her vulnerability are dramatized extremely well by narrator Mary Beth Hurt. Hurt deftly portrays Hildy's tendency to hide her alcoholism under a veneer of polished perfection; she's a woman who can deal with anyone's problems but her own. As the novel continues, the listener feels the pain of Hildy's breakdown and relapse in Hurt's Delivery, so well does she depict Leary's beautifully plotted story.” —AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner

“The Good House is told in first person, which makes it an ideal audiobook – especially in the hands of reader Mary Beth Hurt, who simultaneously portrays Hildy as smart, funny, prickly, sympathetic and – well, pathetic.” —The Star-Ledger

“Mary Beth Hurt does a fantastic job bringing Hildy to life vocally in all her facets…The author is talented and the reader adept; they have created a comprehensively compelling audio experience.” —New World Review

You are in her shoes....

I know we all know people who are in trouble and in denial about their troubles. Hildy is one of those people. I so enjoyed being in her head and understanding what made her tick. Her justifications for everything. It is true... she wants MORE. She is too aware of appearances and misses the things that are most valued in life. I loved this book. I loved Hildy. The narration is excellent.

Fascinating

An intimate look into the denial of alcoholism as well as a folksy tale of the relationships in a quaint New England coastal village.

Surprisingly good!

I didn't know what to expect at first, but quickly became enthralled. So good! I highly recommend it to everyone.

Worthwhile read

What did you love best about The Good House?

Interesting all the way through. Not exactly a cliffhanger, but a good book, enjoyable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hildy was great.

What about Mary Beth Hurt’s performance did you like?

At first I didn't think I would like the reader, but she was perfect for the book.

If you could take any character from The Good House out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Hildy. She would be a blast at a party.

One of my favorite book in a LONG time!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Good House to be better than the print version?

I can't answer this as I didn't read it...

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hildy of course. I didn't care for the narrator though, not that she didn't do a good job, but to me, her voice sounded much older than a 60 year old woman. She sounds about 80 to me.

What does Mary Beth Hurt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think I might have preferred reading it as I didn't care for her voice. But her narration was fine, she sounded uppity, as I imagine Hildy really would.

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this book. Great story and I looked forward to listening to it daily. It's difficult for me to find books that reach out to me as this one did.

Loveable characters, slightly dramatic narration

Where does The Good House rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Right in the middle

What other book might you compare The Good House to and why?

Practical Magic. Small-town New England; great writing; lovable, believable characters; engaging plot that ends up satisfying but not mind-blowing.

What aspect of Mary Beth Hurt’s performance would you have changed?

She kind of overdid it. Not enough to make me stop listening (as I've been known to if I truly can't stand a reader), but many of the lines she read did not call for the emphasis she gave them.

Who was the most memorable character of The Good House and why?

Hildie herself. I love how the writing/narration changed ever so subtly depending on her level of drunkenness.

Best narration!

I loved the narration of this book. I’ve had narrators ruin a book for me, but never had one MAKE the book. It’s hard to describe, but when I wasn’t listening, I missed Hildys voice in my ear. Excellent writing as well.

Best Story So Far This Year

I wasn't expecting a lot from this story, just hoping for something decent to listen to. What a treasure it turned out to be. It was humorous without being silly, enlightening without being preachy, and believable without being humdrum. There were some twist toward the end of this story that I never saw coming. The narrator was fantastic. She even did the male character's voice great. In regards to the author, Ann Leary, I've never heard of her before but that lady can write! Well developed story as well as well developed characters. In a word, awesome!

Enjoyed Every Moment

This book is entirely character driven and the narration is so wonderful, it felt like I was listening to a one woman show. Upon finishing, I wanted to meet the narrator at the stage door and take her to have drinks!

the best narrator!

this is the most enjoyable audio book I've listened to in quite a while! The narrator is fantastic, she really makes the characters come alive. I'd listen to her narrate pretty much anything now