The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - As most readers know you have to read a lot of books to find those few gems out there that take your breath away. My father and I trade book info on a regular basis. He had been very anxious for me to keep reading the John Dunning series. Which is exactly what I was doing when he called to tell me about The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. He then called me approximately twice each day to see if I had started the book. Which for my dad is a little odd. Previous to this book he had really really really wanted me to read The Bookman's Promise. So I was completely amazed that he wanted me to give up one book he really wanted me to read in exchange for a different book. So, I read late into the night to finish Bookman's Promise and began the Thirteenth Tale over coffee in the morning. And HOLY COW! This is an amazing book. This is a warm and rich tale that pulls you into the story so deeply that I often felt like I had fallen into a dream. It's not often that I get so deeply sucked into a story that I forget about my surroundings. This is not a story to change your life. This is not a story that will change you necessarily in any way, but it is a story that is deeply engrossing. This is a story that really makes you feel like you are a part of the adventure. A fly on the wall so to speak. A voyeur. A story written so well that the characters became individual faces and voices in my head. This type of experience is why we read. Why we read mediocre story after mediocre story. Because every once in a while we find a brilliant gem.
