The Thirteenth Tale

ReclusiveauthorVidaWinter,famousforhercollectionoftwelveenchantingstories-equallyasnotoriousforitsmissingthirteenthtale-hasspentthepastsixdecadespenningaseriesofalternatelivesforherself.Nowoldandailing,sheisreadytorevealthetruthaboutherextraordinarylifeandtheviolentandtragicpastshehaskeptsecretforsolong.CallingonMargaretLea,ayoungbiographertroubledbyherownpainfulhistory,Vidadelvesbackintimetothelifeshemeanttoburyforgood.Margaretismesmerizedbytheauthor'staleofgothicstrangeness-butcan'tignorehersuspicionsaboutVida'ssincerity.ShedemandsthetruthfromVida,andtogethertheyconfronttheghoststhathavehauntedthemwhilebecoming-finally-transformedbythetruththemselves.作者简介：DianeSetterfieldisaformeracademic,specializingintwentieth-centuryFrenchliterature.ShelivesinYorkshire,England.