The Thirteenth Tale

A Novel

By: Diane Setterfield

Narrated by: Bianca Amato, Jill Tanner

Length: 15 hrs and 38 mins

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)

Great Book!

Don't hesitate to listen to this book. The narrators are skilled at their craft and truly evoke the spirit of the novel. The story is excellent. I couldn't turn it off.

So good I listened to it twice!

I have recommended this book to everyone I know. It is a treat to discover such a gifted new talent in the literary world. I cannot wait to see what Ms. Setterfield does next. If I ever wanted to be an author, this is the kind of author I would want to be

Awesome!

This is a fabulous book. I found myself thinking about the characters when not listening to the story. This book held my interest till the very end and will become one of my "top 10 favorites". Hope to see this on screen someday!

What a pleasure

Would you listen to The Thirteenth Tale again? Why?

Yes. There may be some subtleties I missed

What other book might you compare The Thirteenth Tale to and why?

I dont know of any but i'd love to find them.

Which character – as performed by Bianca Amato and Jill Tanner – was your favorite?

Margaret.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were several, but I'd give too much away if I described them

Any additional comments?

Each word a delight, each character painted in depth. I didn't want it to end. I hope to find more of Ms. Sutterfield's work.

Last Book

What did you love best about The Thirteenth Tale?

The way the characters were brought together and the truth finally comes out. And also how the real story about her was written. And also written about the author.

What does Bianca Amato and Jill Tanner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Bring life to the stories characters.

If you could rename The Thirteenth Tale, what would you call it?

Her Last Book. But I like it's title now

Excellent!

Just delicious all the way through. The kind of writing that pulls you in and makes you care about the characters and the outcome. I had a really hard time turning it off. Excellent narration. Loved it.

A really good read.

This is a great performance of a well written book. The story is captivating, and the plot unfolds well.

Nice Enough

I enjoyed this book, but not to the level I would expect based on all the hoop-la about it.

Slow start with a surprising finish

When I started listening to this story I couldn't figure out where it was trying to take me. Was the characture lying or was there something I was missing?I got caught up in the story after the first couple of hours but when I got to the end I just didn't see the twist coming. I kind of felt cheated because there were no clues prior to the big reveal at the end.

Great book

Very enjoyable story, catches you at the beginning and keeps you involved.Well performed. I recommend this book.