Setterfield is an incredible storyteller, one I was eager to read more from. It was Once Upon a River, her latest release, and from the first page of that novel, I was swept up in her fantastic writing. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.Ī little over a year ago, I picked up a Diane Setterfield novel for the first time. Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida’s storytelling but remains suspicious of the author’s sincerity. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter’s story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself–all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. If you buy through it, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.Īll children mythologize their birth… So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter’s collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist. See conditions and procedure on our Refunds page.Affiliate link attached.If there are any problems with your order please email us. See our Shipping FAQs for further details on shipping methods, costs and delivery times.Instore Pickup available - please note this can sometimes take a week or two.We aim to ship your order within 1 business day.We charge a flat $10 per order shipping rate to most states ($20 per order to WA and NT).Please get in touch if you'd like more information about a particular book. There may be an inscription at the front. These are books which may have some slight wear and tear or sun fading on the edges. We sell some Secondhand Books - if a book is secondhand, this is clearly noted in the product Description.If you are purchasing a book as a gift, ask us and we can give you more information.

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The thirteenth tale novel