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

Refreshing and Different

Reader was terrific.
A difficult theme but handled very well -
A good insight into Denial and all the issues that it brings up!

New England towns people, a bit of adultery, real estate, psychology and class, and just a little glass of wine

The character development was superb, narration outstanding and I must say I learned a lot about myself listening to this book.

A great read!

I wasn't sure about this book - I guess I was expecting something cheesy. Surprise, surprise - brilliantly written, witty and well-read! I definitely recommend it :-)

Narrator Enhances Story

I think this is a book that is significantly enhanced by Mary Beth’s narration. It’s an interesting story and has interesting characters but she really draws you in to Hilly’s world.

Loved the story and the narrator.

One of my favorite audible books ever! Mary Beth Hurt was Hildy, I was captivated and felt like I was there. What a keen insight into alcoholism, relationships, and family.

Really Good!

Such an incredible story of a woman in denial! Perhaps it can help those of us who may know someone struggling in this way. Very moving story!

entertaining

i enjoyed the lead character in this book. She was flawed and interesting. Nice, quality writing paired with a good 'who done it' and some interesting relationships mixed in. It's not your typical factory novel, but it still has some predictable paths, which was just fine for me. A good read to pass the time while cleaning the house or driving to work.

And the narration was top notch - very well done.

Well Done

It was so intriguing listening to alcoholic Hildy's story which all seems so reasonable, then hearing what actually happened from the non-inebreated supporting cast of this novel. Leary does an excellent job drawing the character of Hildy and letting us love her while still seeing her bumps and bruises. Well done!

Narrator's voice was perfect for the character.

If you could sum up The Good House in three words, what would they be?

Fun, troubling, well written.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters were quirky, original and believable.

Which scene was your favorite?

Where do I start? There were so many.

If you could rename The Good House, what would you call it?

I'd still call it the Good House ... it's a descriptive and symbolic title for this story.

Any additional comments?

One of my favorite listens ... the narrator, the story, the characters and the message.

The best narrator I have ever listened to.

Which character – as performed by Mary Beth Hurt – was your favorite?

I loved Hildy and hated for the story to end because I won't be able to keep up with her. Mary Beth Hurt MADE this book so enjoyable and real.

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

Hildy because we would drink wine and have a good talk.