The Thirteeth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Genre: Fiction - Mystery
Publisher: Atria, 2006
Other Works: Debut novel
Rating: A+, or Must Read Now!
Premise: Margaret Lea is a self proclaimed bibliophile and a great writer as well. She gets on offer to write the biography of a lifetime--that of Vida Winter, a wildly imaginative and eccentric author whose past is shrouded in mystery.

I read this book for a book group and really didn't have any expections going in. I was pleasantly "wow-ed" by this author!

The book carries a feeling of mystery and ominousness, ghost-story-around-the-campfire style, that I found quite thrilling. Because of this, the dialogue could seem stilted, but instead the author has used the language to create a foreboading tone. This is something I enjoyed all the way through the book to the very last sentence.

A young, nose-in-the-books daughter of a bookshop owner, Margaret Lea, receives a request to become the biographer of a prominent author, Vida Winter, whose life story has been sought after by many. She's a stubborn and harsh woman, whose piercing green eyes Margaret cannot seem to escape. As much as Vida's life story is shrouded in mystery, even more so is one of her books, which was reprinted as having 12 tales, after being published a few times claiming to have 13. And so, the 13th tale was never uncovered. +/-

As Margaret struggles through the research for the biography, she not only discovers the truth about Vida Winter and her tales, but also more about her own history. She gains insight into her own painful and complicated life as she pieces together the twisted past of a pathological liar, otherwise known as a storyteller.

Thrilling until the last moment with no lack of twists, I would recommend this book to just about anyone.

BC About the Author: Diane Setterfield

Diane Setterfield grew up in England, and attended Bristol University where she studied French Literature. She started her career in academia and taught in various universities in England and France, where she lived for several years. Prior to her first novel, The Thirteenth Tale, Setterfield published several academic works about 19th and 20th century French literature, in particular the works of André Gide (a French writer, humanist, and moralist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1947).

She left academia in the late '90s. She enjoyed teaching but hated university politics, and after five years was still working to pay off the loan she had taken out to fund her Ph.D. "I gave up my job to write before I knew what I wanted to write about," she says. "It might seem bold or brave, but really it comes down to how much you want to do something. If you want to do something so badly, then you have to make a bold decision." +/-

Setterfield was so tired of academic work after leaving her job as a professor that she decided to pursue other, more physical ventures. So, she began teaching private French lessons on the side and spending most of her time renovating her home. Then one day, the voice of Miss Winter came to her and she set about a first draft, which was completed 18 months later. She had read French literature exclusively for so long, that she found herself wanting to go back to English classics, which she’s loved so much as a teenager. And so, Setterfield decided to write her book, The Thirteenth Tale after the English Gothic tradition, with echoes of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.

Her debut novel has been an immense success both in the UK and the United States. She is currently working on a second novel. Setterfield’s all-time favorite book is The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, which she called “the most perfect book I can remember reading.” Other favorites include A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry and Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters.

She now lives in Yorkeshire, England, with her husband and four cats.

If You Liked: Rebecca

Then You'll Love
The Thirteenth Tale

Did you enjoy the way Rebecca made the back of your neck prickle? The way you could hear the echoes of Manderly? Did you like the surprise ending? Do you wish you could read another story that will give you the same thrill? Look no further! The Thirteenth Tale is for you. Follow Margaret Lea as she documents the life of the famous author, Vida Winter, a woman who's lies have shrouded her origins in mystery. Margaret is commissioned to stay at Vida's vast estate and record her biography. She has no idea what she's gotten herself into, and as the story becomes more and more fantastic, Margaret finds herself tied up in the history in a more personal way than even she can understand. The Thirteenth Tale is not for the faint of heart! Make it your Halloween read this year!