The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

'The Thirteenth Tale' by Diane Setterfield

Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten. It was once home to the March family - fascinating, manipulative Isabelle, brutal, dangerous Charlie, and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But Angelfield House hides a chilling secret which strikes at the very heart of each of them, tearing their lives apart...

Vida Winter is the most respected and widely read living writer, now coming to the end of her life. Throughout her career, she's been interviewed many times but has always given different and fantastical stories about her life, so that she's preserved an aura of mystery.

Margaret Lea is a young, repressed woman who lives above her father's bookshop. All her life she has loved reading, but has never attempted a write a novel. She's written a few articles on her non-fiction research, one of them having been published in an academic journal. Margaret receives a letter in terrible handwriting, an invitation from Vida Winter, who wants Margaret to write her biography.

Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past - and the mystery of the March family starts to unravel. What has Angelfield been hiding? What is its connection with the enigmatic writer Vida Winter? And what is the secret that strikes at the heart of Margaret's own, troubled life?

As Margaret digs deeper, two parallel stories unfold, and the tale she uncovers sheds a disturbing light on her own life...

I loved this book. My friend Frances recommended it to me, so I went on Amazon to purchase it and while there read the reviews. Even though after reading some of the negative reviews I still brought the book as Frances had said how good it was. It was only when I finished the book that I was amazed about the negative comments. As I said I loved it. The Thirteenth Tale is Diane Setterfield first novel (her second came out in May this year) and I think for her first book, it was great. The mystery kept me turning the pages and just couldn't wait to reach the end - kept me guessing!

I look forward to reading her second novel. Thanks Frances for recommending it to me.
Would recommend