The Thirteenth Tale

Simply brilliant Kate Mosse, international bestselling author of LABYRINTH

Everybody has a story...

Angelfield House stands abandoned, a shadow of its former self. This once grand estate was home to the enigmatic March family. Within its walls lived fascinating but manipulative Isabelle, her brutal and dangerous brother Charlie, and the wild and untamed twin sisters, Emmeline and Adeline. The house harbours a chilling secret that lies at the heart of their lives, a dark mystery that tore them apart and left the estate in ruin.

Margaret Lea, a bookish biographer with her own troubled past, is summoned to the decaying mansion to uncover the truth about Angelfield. Margaret's task is to chronicle the life of the mysterious and celebrated writer, Vida Winter. Known for her enchanting storytelling and reclusive nature, Vida lures Margaret into her world of gothic strangeness and ghostly pasts.

As Margaret delves deeper into Vida's tale, she finds herself drawn into not one, but two parallel stories. The more she learns about Angelfield and its haunted inhabitants, the more she discovers unsettling truths that resonate within her own life. The boundaries between reality and fiction blur as Margaret grapples with the dark secrets that Vida's history unveils.

What sinister events lie buried within the ruins of Angelfield? What connection binds Margaret to the tormented souls of the past? And will the unraveling of Vida's secrets help Margaret confront the ghosts that have plagued her own heart?

The Thirteenth Tale is a spellbinding mystery, a love letter to the art of storytelling, and a modern classic that evokes the very essence of gothic fiction. With its richly layered narrative and captivating characters, Diane Setterfield's novel ensnares readers in a hauntingly beautiful exploration of hidden truths and the power of stories to heal and transform.