The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale. Diane Setterfield. 2006. Atria. 416 pages.

For Margaret Lea books are the main focus of life. She lives above her father’s bookshop, she reads daily, she has simple writings published and she would rather be reading than interact with people. Things change on the day she receives an unexpected letter. One of the country’s best loved – and most mysterious – contemporary authors requests Margaret to write her biography. Miss Vida Winter is a famous author who is as well known for not revealing any personal information as for her bestselling books. For some reason she has selected an unknown amateur author to share the truth she has kept hidden from the world. Why is she ready to tell her story and why choose Margaret? As Miss Winter begins to reveal the story of her haunted past Margaret must discover the hidden truth and face pains in her own history. Together Miss Winters and Margaret begin a ghostly tale of loss and attempt to bring peace through truth.

I am always on the lookout for the next interesting new book to read. When I saw this book added to several “must read” lists I figured I’d give it a try and was not disappointed. This story has a strange ghostly feel to it and brings to mind stories like Jane Eyre or Rebecca. This book kept me guessing and made me look over my shoulder once or twice. The characters are haunted by tragedy in the past and the revelations take time to discover. This was a great read and was one of those books that stayed with me and played in my mind over and over. Reading this story was like taking a walk into the mysterious past.