From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

The Thirteenth Tale

Diane Setterfield

Start date: August 2, 2014

Finish date: August 21, 2014

Discussion: Books of the Month

Why we're reading this: To get to the discussion, CLICK HERE
We voted, and this was what you picked for our Anything Goes BOM. …more
[close] To get to the discussion, CLICK HERE
We voted, and this was what you picked for our Anything Goes BOM.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 163 topics — 23,382 comments total

Books of the Month

* The Names by Florence Knapp - Sep 25 Adult / Non-Fiction BOM (starts 16 Sep)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 14 posts · 84 views

last updated Sep 15, 2025 10:56PM

* The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - Sep 25 Theme BOM - South and South East Asia (Starts 5 September)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 39 posts · 74 views

last updated 15 hours, 28 min ago

showing 10 of 147 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Dec 12, 2008 Jen B rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, 2011

This one feels heavy, dark and creepy from the outset - not usually my favorite type of book. In fact, I actually put this one down when I tried to read it a few years ago. But I decided to give it another try, and this time I fell in headfirst. Setterfield is a wonderful writer, and this is a well-told, captivating story. I highly recommend the audiobook version of this one if you enjoy them - the narrators are fantastic and really enhance the story.

2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 13, 2011 Jen Ifer's Inklings rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio-books, read-in-2011, 5-star-reads

I don't give a lot of 5 star ratings, but this book really was better than most.

The Thirteenth Tale took me a few chapters to really get into, but once I did, I was hooked. I found myself always thinking about the story. Always trying to figure out what turn was going to come next.

There were a few things that I had figured out pretty quickly, but the story kept me reading anyway. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

May 19, 2009 Marla rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult, mystery, book-discussion, book-club, zz-2009, book-about-books, ghosts

I found the book interesting, but still a slow read. I thought the author did an excellent job of giving clues and answers throughout the book. This was a really good book club selection, because we had a great discussion about the different characters and twists in the story. My advice is to just keep reading...

2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 04, 2022 Soelo rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, z2022lost

Well that was just frustrating. I expected a book about reading or books or an author's career but got a dysfunctional family narrative. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 31, 2010 Yz the Whyz rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010-reads

Not a book I would have normally picked up, if not for having been recommended as part of a Pick-It-For-Me challenge.

It's a tale of Margaret Lea, a woman haunted by a dead twin, and her unexpected role as biographer to famous recluse writer Vida Winters. It is a story filled with mysteries upon mysteries, revealing secret family scandals, dysfunctional relationships, and the eerie relationships between twins.

The prose is lovely, bordering on poetic. The story, intriguing enough to keep me readi ...more

Like · see review

May 25, 2009 Avigail rated it really liked it

Only a highly skilled author can write a compelling tale about a reclusive family whose world is small and not overly exciting. Yet Diane Setterfield does exactly this in The Thirteenth Tale. Yes, it has suspense, off-stage violence, and even a ghost it also has gorgeous writing, fascinating characters, and a great plot. It was fascinating to my psychologist's mind, and enthralling. It is part Gothic; part fantasy fiction, part suspense novel. I loved the protagonist's love affair with books. I ...more

Like · see review

Sep 16, 2009 Rhonda rated it really liked it

This was a great read! I came upon it rather unexpectedly and it was so very suited for me. Incorporating aspects of mystery, intrigue, incest, quirkiness, and mental illness, this book was really well written. I particularly enjoyed the dual protagonists who were both women writers and lovers of fine literature.

Like · see review

May 05, 2009 Angela rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, read-2009, spring-challenge-09

I really enjoyed this book, especially because the ending was so unpredictable.

Like · see review

Aug 22, 2008 Angie Taylor rated it it was ok

I read this book shortly after it was released and thought it sounded like an intersting story. The writing is very compelling and the story flows well, but I felt like the author threw in some liberal issues to make her story more modern, and instead of adding to the story it detracted and made it the story less believable.

Like · see review

Sep 15, 2011 Jane rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery

Great twist at the end.

Like · see review

Mar 05, 2009 Ketutar Jensen rated it really liked it

I read the Finnish translation and it wasn't the best translation.
I love this book - it created a lust to write :-)
The authors inspiration was very visible :-) ...more

Like · see review