Author:Diane Setterfield
'I was completely spellbound' - Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things
'Setterfield is a master storyteller' - Madeline Miller, author of Circe
Some say the river drowned her... Some say it brought her back to life
On a dark midwinter's night in an ancient inn on the Thames, the regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open and in steps an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a child.
Hours later, the dead girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life.
Is it a miracle?
Is it magic?
And who does the little girl belong to?
An exquisitely crafted historical mystery brimming with folklore, suspense and romance, as well as with the urgent scientific curiosity of the Victorian age.
____________________
Praise for Diane Setterfield:
'An absolute feast of a book, which will keep you engrossed' RED magazine
'Brimming with folklore, intrigue and romance, this is a story to savour' Woman & Home
'Once Upon a River continues to demonstrate [Setterfield's] mastery of the Gothic genre in a way that will appeal to modern readers' The Independent
Readers are captivated by Once Upon a River:
***** 'Pure escapism, a beautifully written story.'
***** 'It felt as comforting as the fantastical stories you read as a child yet with a darker edge.'
***** 'I was entranced from the beginning to the end.'
A story, no matter how cleverly it is structured, lives or dies on the vividness of its characters. Setterfield, a true storyteller, makes us care about all her players in this beguiling novel.
—— The TimesExploring themes of storytelling, parenthood, science and society on the cusp of change, this is a richly evocative novel.
—— ObserverDiane Setterfield's debut novel, The Thirteenth Tale, came out in 2006 to wide acclaim. She made her mark by delivering her own take on the classic romantic mystery novel, infused with the spirit of Jane Eyre, Rebecca and The Woman in White. Once Upon a River continues to demonstrate her mastery of the Gothic genre in a way that will appeal to modern readers...Setterfield knows how to make the words sing. It is worth taking a journey down the Thames with her.
—— IndependentOnce Upon a River is magical, in every which way...it's the power of her storytelling that allows readers to suspend disbelief, and draws them through each tangled, dazzling chapter...This riverine novel has the mood and feel of a ghost story told late into the night, and will win over readers who enjoy a touch of age-old enchantment.
—— Financial TimesI was completely spellbound by this book. Numerous strands of the same story are skilfully woven into a magical web from which I, as a reader, had no desire to escape. Setterfield’s prose is beautiful, dark and eerily atmospheric, and her rich cast of characters convincingly illustrate the best and worst of humanity. Utterly brilliant!
—— Ruth Hogan,bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost ThingsOnce Upon a River is one of the most pleasurable and satisfying new books I've read in a long time. Setterfield is a master storyteller, her language flowing with a dark magic very like the river at the heart of her tale: swift and entrancing, profound and beautiful. Give yourself a treat and read it!
—— Madeline Miller,Orange Prize-winning author of The Song of Achilles and CirceI so didn't want to leave the world of Once Upon a River but now I have and I'm bereft of the company of country folk and river spirits. This charming story about stories and the mystery of life & death captured my heart. A truly extraordinary book.
—— Dinah JefferiesHer characters are so vivid, one feels as though one has met them, spent an evening in their company, telling stories around the hearth...Setterfield is a master storyteller herself, giving us all the depth and plot and richness of the great narrative novelists. This is dazzling, alive, all-consumer writing: one reads each page greedily, the beautiful sentences shining like jewels under the pulling current of the tale itself.
—— Daily TelegraphA satisfying, thickly characterised tale that plunges you into an evocatively realised historical setting. You care for its characters.
—— Sunday TimesA finely drawn cast and bravura storytellling.
—— Mail on SundayThis is magical, bewitching story telling – and so cleverly structured…it possesses all those narrative values I have always cherished…: high prose expressed with rare clarity, story for the unashamed sake of story, a kind of moral dreaminess.
—— Jim Crace,author of Man Booker shortlisted HarvestOnce Upon a River is a delight, just marvellous. I devoured it.
—— Jo Baker, author of LongbournDiane's masterful storytelling draws you in to a beguiling tale, full of twists and turns like the river at its heart, and just as rich and intriguing. It lures you into its depths and carries you along in its vividly evoked world.
—— M L Stedman, author of The Light Between OceansAn absolute feast of a book, which will keep you engrossed as the cold north wind whistles outside.
—— RedA bold, gripping narrative which fuses science, mystery and myth.
—— Daily MailBrimming with folklore, intrigue and romance, this is a story to savour.
—— Woman & HomeAn enchanting mix of mystery and folklore.
—— Good HousekeepingThis pungently atmospheric, quietly smoldering thriller sensitively mixes superstition, oral storytelling and the emerging psychology movement of the 19th century.
—— MetroOnce Upon A River succeeds in doing what you hope every book will do - pull you in from the first page, hold you captive in the middle, then leave you satisfied and thoughtful at the end. I loved it.
—— Renee Knight, author of DisclaimerThis enchanting historical story is full of folklore and intrigue.
—— PrimaThough Setterfield writes emotions with marvellous truth and subtlety, her most stunning prose is reserved for evocative descriptions of the natural world, creating an immersive experience made of light, texture, scent and sensation.
—— Washington PostLike Setterfield’s earlier novel The Thirteenth Tale, Once Upon a River is very much a story about the spellbinding power of storytelling...a deeply satisfying read.
—— New York Journal of BooksAs the story progresses - by turns slow and melancholy, fast and furious, like its river setting - Diane Setterfield dips beguilingly into the intertwined lives of her vibrant characters.
—— Sunday ExpressThis dense, absorbing, beautifully atmospheric novel weaves a truly hypnotic spell.
—— HeatSetterfield is a master of the medium. Like the river at its core, her plot twists and turns with ease and confidence, and her writing is beautiful.
—— SpectatorSetterfield brilliantly captures a time and place on the cusp of modernity, plays bleakness and warmth off against each other to create a life-affirming tale of what it means to be human.
—— Press AssociationAn exquisitely crafted multi layered mystery.
—— The WeekOnce Upon a River is one of the most pleasurable and satisfying new books I've read in a long time. Setterfield is a master storyteller, her language flowing with a dark magic very like the river at the heart of her tale: swift and entrancing, profound and beautiful. Give yourself a treat and read it!
—— Madeline Miller,Orange Prize-winning author of The Song of Achilles and CirceOnce Upon A River succeeds in doing what you hope every book will do - pull you in from the first page, hold you captive in the middle, then leave you satisfied and thoughtful at the end. I loved it.
—— Renee Knight, author of bestseller DisclaimerThe Need is an examination of the dark side of the best-case scenario, the necessary lamination of joy with fear, adoration with resentment and boredom, all the contradictions that attend the unfolding of an identity predicated on the loss of identity
—— Adam Mars-Jones , London Review of BooksThe terror of the home invasion is perfectly vivid, and so is the disturbing prospect that we’re embedded in the consciousness of a woman who is dangerously split off from reality. Phillips can conjure pure nightmare in a single sentence… Thrillingly disturbing, frighteningly insightful about motherhood and love, and spilling over with offhand invention, The Need is one of this year’s most necessary novels.
—— Sarah Ditum , GuardianLoved this. Funny, frightening, goes out with a BANG. Believe the hype!
—— Chris Whitaker, author of Tall OaksA brilliantly sharp and distinctive voice and super-creepy plot. Fab
—— Roz Watkins, author of The Devil's DiceFinished this creepy corker last night. Utterly compelling with a host of intriguing characters and brilliant writing. Fans of The Chalk Man will definitely not be disappointed
—— Isabelle Broom, author of One Thousand Stars and YouI loved The Chalk Man, but The Taking of Annie Thorne is even better, creepier and more addictive! I was so creeped out I had to stop reading until my husband came home one night! Brilliant stuff - well done, C. J. Tudor!
—— Elle Croft, author of The Other SisterThe Hot List
—— Inside SoapFollowing on from C J Tudor's successful debut, comes a novel about bullying, cruelty and deceit. . . Tudor keeps the novel moving at a fast pace
—— Literary ReviewA Stephen King style thriller that will have you transfixed and submerged in the entanglement of the twisting plot. This book kept me intrigued all the way to the very end
—— Places & FacesCrime meets psychological suspense meets out-and-out horror. From the stomach-churning first chapter to the grand guignol ending that is as shocking as it is surprising, Tudor racks up the nastiness . . . Another hit.
—— Buzz MagazineMatches Stephen King for creepiness. A must-read for horror fans
—— Leamington CourierCreepy beyond words. Just like Stephen King, the fact that Tudor's characters are so believable makes the events even creepier
—— People's FriendThe Chestnut Man is an intensely gripping first novel that feels anything but debut-like. Seasoned crime fans with feel as though they're in very safe hands ... [Sveistrup] throws his hat into the ring with extreme professionalism and a talent for deploying his special tricks in precisely calibrated doses.
—— BørsenPraise for The Killing
—— -Excellent . . . A shrewd mix of police procedural, political thriller and domestic drama
—— New York TimesTV of the absolute finest quality . . . the writing shines
—— GuardianA gripping psychological thriller.
—— Choice magazineThis is without a doubt one of my favourite reads of the year.
—— Ronnie Turner (Blog)Featuring two entangled families and a house with the darkest of secrets, this is a compulsive new thriller from Lisa Jewell.
—— Sheer LuxeFrom the first page we were hooked. If you’ve got a lazy day planned over the Christmas break, this is the type of novel you could read in a day…It makes us shiver just sharing the plot and we guarantee you’ll be on the edge of your seats throughout.
—— Yahoo! Style UKOf the crop of great thrillers out this year, this is my pick [...] Lisa Jewell is brilliant at creating a menacing atmosphereand this is almost unbearably tense at times, with a knock-the-wind-out-of-you ending.
—— Good HousekeepingAn enthralling tale rich in psychological suspense that mixes family saga with domestic noir.
—— VouchercodesPart family saga and part-psychological thriller, this is an exceptional read.
—— Sunday ExpressBreathtaking thriller
—— i PaperPerfect book to inhale by the fire. Had no idea how creepy and nuanced it would be but couldn’t put it down and stayed up half the night reading it. Highly recommend.
—— iNews