The Taxidermist's Daughter

A Novel

By: Kate Mosse

Narrated by: Michelle Ford

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

A chilling and spooky Gothic historical thriller reminiscent of Rebecca and The Turn of the Screw, dripping with the dark twists and eerie surprises that are the hallmarks of Edgar Allan Poe, from the New York Times and internationally best-selling author of Citadel.

In a remote village near the English coast, residents gather in a misty churchyard. More than a decade into the 20th century, superstition still holds sway: It is St. Mark's Eve, the night when the shimmering ghosts of those fated to die in the coming year are said to materialize and amble through the church doors.

Alone in the crowd is Constantia Gifford, the taxidermist's daughter. Twenty-two and unmarried, she lives with her father on the fringes of town, in a decaying mansion cluttered with the remains of his once world-famous museum of taxidermy. No one speaks of why the museum was shuttered or how the Giffords fell so low. Connie herself has no recollection - a childhood accident has erased all memory of her earlier days. Even those who might have answers remain silent. The locals shun Blackthorn House and the strange spinster who practices her father's macabre art.

As the last peal of the midnight bell fades to silence, a woman is found dead - a stranger Connie noticed near the church. In the coming days, snippets of long-lost memories will begin to tease through Connie's mind, offering her glimpses of her vanished years. Who is the victim, and why has her death affected Connie so deeply? Why is she watched by a mysterious figure who has suddenly appeared on the marsh nearby? Is her father trying to protect her with his silence - or someone else? The answers are tied to a dark secret that lies at the heart of Blackthorn House, hidden among the bell jars of her father's workshop - a mystery that draws Connie closer to danger...closer to madness...closer to the startling truth.

©2016 Mosse Associates Ltd. (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Very captivating,

reader captured the story line perfectly. really enjoy this author and will look for more

Macabre

Reminded me of a good Edgar Allen Poe story...if he was a woman. Hard to put down.

Sins of the past

A beautifully somber story of justice... Imaginatively written and subtly plotted... A nicely layered tragic story w/ engaging characters easily invested... Wide imotional range and an enticing mystery... Narration was excellent in bringing out different characters and their personalities... Worth the credit...

3 overall, because I'll never listen to it again

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed the story, but I am not sure I'd listen to it again because the "tone"that the book is read in is too dark. That said, I don't think it was overly grotesque as others have written, and the story itself was very well written. The narration fits the Victorian period or there abouts, and the tale. It just seemed overall depressing even through the suspenseful and discovery moments. Heck, even through the budding romance sections, too. So although I admire the writing, when the book ended I was relieved and very much ready to move on.

Excellent Book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Taxidermist's Daughter to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version so I am not able to say.

What did you like best about this story?

The interweavings throughout the book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did cry because of the unfairness of it all. I was shocked as well by the horror on both sides.

Any additional comments?

I truly enjoy all of Kate Mosse's books. I am anxiously awaiting her next story.

Nauseating and pointless.

Unnecessarily graphic. The story was sickening, boring and pointless. The characters uninteresting and not likable, down to even their names. The narration was just an ongoing drone. After listening to Emma Thompson's narration of Turn of the Screw, I couldn't finish this lifeless, dull bit of useless rubbish.