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The Thirteenth Tale  By  cover art

The Thirteenth Tale

By: Diane Setterfield
Narrated by: Bianca Amato, Jill Tanner
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Publisher's summary

All children mythologize their birth... So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's beloved collection of stories, long famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale. The enigmatic Winter has always kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she summons a biographer to tell the truth about her extraordinary life: Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth remains an ever-present pain.

Disinterring the life she meant to bury for good, Vida mesmerizes Margaret with the power of her storytelling. Hers is a tale of gothic strangeness, featuring the Angelfield family, including the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, and a devastating fire. Struck by a curious parallel between their stories, Margaret demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them.

The Thirteenth Tale is a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and we loved as children. Diane Setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter, and in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the shore of your everyday life.

©2006 Diane Setterfield (P)2007 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Literary Fiction, 2007

"Bianca Amato is stunning as Margaret....[her] respect for the power of story and the written word is heard in every utterance. Jill Tanner accomplishes a tour de force as the enigmatic and mysterious Vida. In conversation her voice has the hesitancy and fragility of an elderly woman, but her voice takes on the strength and power of a master storyteller as she weaves her spellbinding life story." (AudioFile)
"Readers will be mesmerized by this story-within-a-story tinged with the eeriness of Rebecca and the willfulness of Jane Eyre. The author skillfully keeps the plot moving by unfurling a new twist in each chapter and leaves no strand untucked at the surprising and satisfying conclusion. A wholly original work told in the vein of all the best gothic classics. Lovers of books about book lovers will be enthralled." (Booklist)

What listeners say about The Thirteenth Tale

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    3 out of 5 stars

Very strange...

This had a strange overtone to it. It is a very sad story and kept waiting for a mystical twister something that never happened. I don't think I'd read anything else by this author. The story was a bit pointless.

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Twists & Turns

Rarely does a work of fiction keep me guessing. I couldn’t get through this book fast enough because I was captured by the characters and the fantastic storytelling.

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  • Overall
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A must read book

The story and characters make it hard for me to stop reading. I’ve read this book, one of the few, three times over the years and am never disappointed. Excellent character development and story line and performance

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Ahhh - perfect!

Brilliant narration makes this story live. If you ever want to curl up by a fire with a storm raging outside, you might find this story the perfect comforter to snuggle up with. I loved it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

must read

I loved this book more then I thought I would! sharing! total curve ball and then what I thought and a great ending!

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Stick with it - it's worth it! Smart book

There is a ton of detail in this book which creates an atmosphere of suspense and history. The overarching theme of every human's life as a story connects the subplots as the stories overlap and influence each other. Everyone's personal story is a puzzle in this book. The ending provides some key missing puzzle pieces.
One great sentence from this book: "She ate her pain and it became strength inside her."

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Absolutely captivating

An exquisitely layered story that I could not put down, The Thirteenth Tale has haunted my every moment since I commenced listening. I'm dismayed to arrive at its conclusion, forced to disentangle myself from the magic tapestry of the books exquisite prose. Beautiful narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Just try to get out of the car!

Subtle suspense that sneaks up on you... Wonderful storytelling... Poetic use of language... Pay attention to your driving or you'll go past your destination and run your tank to empty ... This is a good "read"!

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this book is a work of art!!!

loved this book so much..... beautifully written. beautifully narrated.....complex and page turning with drama, fear, joy, surprise....you will never know where this writer is taking you!! just love this one!!

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fantastic

this is a wonderful story that is expertly narrated by two very talented readers! outstanding!!!

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