• The Good House

  • A Novel
  • By: Ann Leary
  • Narrated by: Mary Beth Hurt
  • Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (4,672 ratings)

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The Good House  By  cover art

The Good House

By: Ann Leary
Narrated by: Mary Beth Hurt
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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

What listeners say about The Good House

Average customer ratings
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good House is a Good Book!

I found this story to be quite engaging, suspenseful, and very realistic in its treatment of an aging, functioning alcoholic. Mary Beth Hurt couldn't be any better for giving voice to this cast of characters, especially Hildy. She nailed it!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Surprisingly good

Great story and very good narration. The only thing bad I have to say is the narrators voice for Frank was very annoying.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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A great narrator

This is one of those books where the narrator just BECOMES the main character. Ms Hurt does a great job and thus makes what could have been just an average listen really come alive. The book can be sad at times, especially if you have ever known someone with a drinking problem, but it's worth a listen.

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Very real

I love Hildy as much as I feel sorry for her. This book has such wonderful vivid characters that you fall in love with them and feel like you know them. The characters are brought to life by the narrator who is so exceptional I am truly grateful that I listened to this book instead of reading it.

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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!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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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 :-)

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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.

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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.

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  • DP
  • 01-02-23

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!

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