The Thirteenth Tale

Cleverly plotted, beautifully written homage to the classic romance mystery novel...It is a remarkable first novel, a book about the joy of books, a riveting multi-layered mystery that twists and turns, and weaves a quite magical spell * INDEPENDENT * Beautifully written and highly intelligent. Blissful escapism for literate (and literary) females who love an old-fashioned story * THE TIMES * A real treat...Like all the best first novels, this one seems to bulge with a lifetime's hoarded inspirations. Setterfield litters the book with references to nineteenth-century gothic literature and other meta-textual winks and nudges. The effect is of a lit-crit parlour game, which only adds to the fun * TIME OUT * Whimsical, moving and consciously nostalgic, Diane Setterfield knows the limits of enchantment, even as she tries to break them * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT * This bold, unusual debut is, as a Jane Austen character might have said, a vastly entertaining fiction * DAILY MAIL * Setterfield proves a mistress of the craft of storytelling and her musings about the pleasures of reading are beguiling * GUARDIAN * Guiltily enjoyable * MAIL ON SUNDAY * A witty, entertaining and very satisfying read * SPECTATOR * Make yourself a mug of cocoa and shut the curtains tight - a generous helping of gothic delight is about to be served * DAILY EXPRESS * A remarkably compelling debut...This is an extraordinary, unusual and atmospheric story with a sense of timelessness about it. It is rare to be able to smell a book as well as read it, but this one is steeped in the aroma of old houses in remote places with strange faded furnishings and little natural light. It will appeal to anybody with a love of literature and a passion for the feel and smell of old books * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY * Brilliantly written - recommended * EASY LIVING * A dark mystery in the vein of Daphne du Maurier about family secrets and the potency of storytelling * THE LIST * Compelling page-turner * WOMAN & HOME * A page-turner of a Gothic mystery * SHE * Setterfield establishes, from the very first page, one of those narrative voices which you trust implicitly, warming to its calm understated authority * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH * THE THIRTEENTH TALE is the sort of novel they don't write any more, which makes it all the more welcome. Add to this Setterfield's remarkable imagination coupled with her literate style and you have the makings of a modern classic * YORKSHIRE EVENING POST * This is an excellent emotional mystery which I found harder to put down every night! * WOMAN'S OWN * Setterfield writes evocatively and assuredly * LITERARY REVIEW * Setterfield is a master of pacing * THE SCOTSMAN * The moorland romances of the Brontes and Daphne du Maurier are never far away from our vision of a perfect Christmas read. Draw up a chair, then, for debut novelist Diane Setterfield. It's a windswept feast of abandoned babies, incestuous siblings and feral twins * INDEPENDENT * Simply brilliant - I haven't enjoyed a first novel so much for absolutely ages -- Kate Mosse Start reading this on the bus and, I swear, you won't only miss your stop, you might even lose the whole day * COSMOPOLITAN * Vastly entertaining * DAILY MAIL *

Born in Berkshire, Diane Setterfield was educated at Theale Green Comprehensive School and Bristol University. Her degree in French literature led her to teach in universities in England and France, where she lived for several years. Diane's previous publications have been in the field of 19th and 20th century French literature, specialising in the writings of Andr Gide. After returning to the UK, Diane ran a business teaching French to those intending to live in France. She lives in London.