The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (2006, Hardcover)

There were some strange circumstances surrounding my reading of this book. It was listed in an email ad I received last week and I thought that it sounded interesting. A few days later, someone mentioned it on an email list that I'm on and I became even more interested in reading it. Then I went home and found it sitting on top of a box of books in my living room. I have no idea how it got there, nor does anyone in my family.

So you would think that when I read the book it had some deep hidden meaning that I was just meant to read! Well, no. But it was a really, really good book that I would recommend to anyone who love a brooding, gothic-type mystery. And its setting of the main character in the world of antiquarian books was especially interesting for a book lover like me.

Margaret Lea is summoned to the home of a famous author whose life has been shrouded in mystery and who is known for telling far-fetched stories about her past. Vida Winter asks Margaret to write her biography, but Margaret is skeptical of the author's claim that she wants to tell the truth at last. As the story unfolds, however, Margaret is drawn in. As the plot moved between the telling of the story and Margaret's efforts to corroborate it with visits to the author's childhood home, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat as I feverishly flipped the pages.

The Thirteenth Tale deals with secrets and their revelation and whether it is really true that the truth sets people free. A very pleasant and satisfying read.