Diane Setterfield - The Thirteenth Tale Reviews

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield — Don't worry, I won't give away any secrets! — — Margaret, the main character of the story, is a book lover who works with her Father in the family owned book store.  She is also an new biographer who likes to research the dead.  Imagine her surprise when she received a letter from one of the world's most famous Authors, who is still alive.  Decade after decade, Vida Winter had made up stories about her past and was finally ready to set the story straight, before dying, and she wanted Margaret to write her… read full review »

 Hightly enjoyed this book - it was entertaining and kept my attention have recommended it to many people.  Each person who has read it has loved it.  It is definately a page turner!  I even bought this book for my mother as a xmas… read full review »

The book "The Thirteenth Tale" by Dianne Setterfield kept me interested through two readings--I needed to re-read it for a book club meeting.  I found the second time around that it was even more intriguing (less confusing in retrospect).  This book reminded me of old gothic mysteries written by authors like Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney--the creepy and haunted houses, the evil relatives, the elusive family secrets, hidden clues, etc. — A troubled and somewhat reclusive book store owner is summoned to write the official biography of a beloved and dying… read full review »

I read a lot.  Rarely do I come across a book as great as this one.  I had a hard time with the first chapter but after that I found myself coming home from work and picking it up and reading until I was forced to put it down.  It was absolutely amazing.  My husband who reads sci fi and fantasy novels and old history volumes picked it up at my urging and loved it!  I have loaned this book out to all my friends (on the condition they return it!) and everyone has loved it.  It was great. — Parts of it were sad but I thought that it led to the poignency of the… read full review »

The Thirteenth Tale is a good choice for those who like to read mysterious, intriguing books. The tale is a sad one, but has a good ending. It will keep you guessing until the end. It reminds me of "A Shadow of the Wind," which is another good book, but "Thirteenth Tale" is much shorter. The narrator is a bookish young lady who is asked to write the biography of a well-known but reclusive author. In unlocking the secrets of the author, the narrator discovers and deals with her own past. I haven't read anything else by Diane Setterfield, but I will be looking for more works by her.… read full review »

Obviously, the author is an avid reader herself--I felt completed identified.  Despite some distressing character situations, I found myself thoroughly involved in the story, surprised by the plot twists, and sympathetic to the characters, including their flaws and struggles.  I found the story a complete page-turner with fabulous characters and descriptions, beautiful writing, and a "make you feel better while you stay up late curled under your reading blanket getting lost in a new wonderful world" type of… read full review »

I listened to this book on tape all the way through 2 times before I had to return it to the library. It was so captivating and with so many suprises. Great characters. Great story.… read full review »