The Thirteenth Tale: A NovelInstant #1 New York Times bestseller “Readers will feel the magnetic pull of this paean to words, books and the magical power of story.”—People “Eerie and fascinating.”—USA TODAY Sometimes, when you open the door to the past, what you confront is your destiny. Reclusive author Vida Winter, famous for her collection of twelve enchanting stories, has spent the past six decades penning a series of alternate lives for herself. Now old and ailing, she is ready to reveal the truth about her extraordinary existence and the violent and tragic past she has kept secret for so long. Calling on Margaret Lea, a young biographer troubled by her own painful history, Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good. Margaret is mesmerized by the author's tale of gothic strangeness—featuring the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire. Together, Margaret and Vida confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves. |
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Adeline Angelfield appeared asked Aurelius baby began called Charlie child closed course dark dead DIANE SETTERFIELD doctor door Emmeline expected eyes face father feel felt fingers fire garden gave ghost girl give gone hair half hand happened head heard heart Hester inside Isabelle John Judith kind kitchen knew later leave letter light living looked lost Margaret mean mind Miss Winter Missus mother mouth moved never night once opened perhaps question reached remember returned seemed seen shoulders side sister sleep smile sound speak steps stood stopped story sure tell thing THIRTEENTH TALE thought told took truth turned twins voice waited walked wanted watched window wondered writing