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The Qualities of Wood  By  cover art

The Qualities of Wood

By: Mary Vensel White
Narrated by: Amy Paonessa
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Publisher's summary

When Betty Gardiner dies, leaving behind an unkempt country home, her grandson and his young wife take a break from city life to prepare the house for sale. Nowell Gardiner leaves first to begin work on his second mystery novel. By the time his wife Vivian joins him, a real mystery has begun: A local girl has been found dead in the woods behind the house. Even after the death is ruled an accident, Vivian can’t forget the girl, can’t ignore the strange behavior of her neighbors or her husband. As Vivian attempts to put the house in order, all around her things begin to fall apart.

The Qualities of Wood is a novel about secrets. Family secrets. Community secrets. And secrets between lovers, past and present. And all of these secrets have their price.

©2012 Mary Vensel White (P)2019 Mary Vensel White

What listeners say about The Qualities of Wood

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The Qualities of wood

It was a good story.This was a weird one to rate.I liked the story,though it seemed undone.Vivian seems to have grown a year in a matter of a month or so.She is clearing out her husband grandmothers house,she runs into mysteries,also there is the dead girl in the woods to think about.The ending was abrupt after this long ,winding saga.Amy Paonessa had an oddly paced way of reading.Had she picked it up and cut ah hour off the book,it may have been better.She has a nice voice though.I also had an issue with the sound.It sounded like it was coming from a can,no matter what I played it on and it was hard to get it loud enough. I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

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Emotional tale

First I have to start off by saying that this book was given to me free of charge for a review of the audiobook, but as always, this does not change my opinion and will not determine how I review the book or the rating that I give it.

I connected with this book from a genuine place in my heart. This book is better for the more mature readers (not adult-wise, but just as an adult and a mother I feel the emotions more in this book than someone who is more YA readers).

You feel the emotions of the main character as they deal with loss and overcoming emotions of grief. Great read. Loved it.

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1 person found this helpful