Margaret Lea, a quiet antiquarian bookshop assistant, receives a summons to the decaying Angelfield estate to interview Vida Winter, a prolific novelist famous for her invented pasts. Winter, now terminal, promises to finally tell her true biography—the literal thirteenth tale missing from her debut collection. The narrative unspools a gothic history involving the feral March twins, Adeline and Emmeline, a devastating fire, and a silent ghost. Margaret must fact-check these memories against dusty archives while grappling with her own hidden grief regarding a lost twin sister.
Readers who enjoy Victorian gothic atmosphere and layered puzzles read this for the intricate plotting and atmospheric tension. It appeals to those fascinated by the psychological weight of family secrets and the blurred boundaries between fiction and reality. The library settings and focus on classic literature attract bibliophiles seeking a story about the act of storytelling itself. A reader finishes the book with a complete understanding of the Angelfield lineage and the resolution of both Winter’s and Margaret’s personal mysteries.
- Published
- 2006
- Language
- EN
