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The Turnglass

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The Turnglass

By: Gareth Rubin
Narrated by: Joe Eyre, George Greenland
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About this listen

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'The Turnglass is a bold, breathtaking piece of writing that absolutely nails its two books in one conceit. I doubt I’ll ever read anything like it again, which is the highest compliment I can offer' Stuart Turton

'Not just a book, but an experience - one in which twists and turns are both on the page and in the very act of reading itself. Two haunting narratives conspire to create a dark, menacing tale that spans half a century of secrets as they echo back and forth - all while the sand slowly drains away . . . This is a story about stories and their perspectives, the passage of time and the slow march of the inevitable. Vivid, resonant, melancholy and beautiful' Janice Hallett

‘A stunning, ingenious, truly immersive mystery. The Turnglass is a thrilling delight' Chris Whitaker

Stuart Turton meets The Magpie Murders in this immersive and unique story for fans of clever crime fiction.

1880s England. On the bleak island of Ray, off the Essex coast, an idealistic young doctor, Simeon Lee, is called from London to treat his cousin, Parson Oliver Hawes, who is dying. Parson Hawes, who lives in the only house on the island – Turnglass House – believes he is being poisoned. And he points the finger at his sister-in-law, Florence. Florence was declared insane after killing Oliver’s brother in a jealous rage and is now kept in a glass-walled apartment in Oliver’s library. And the secret to how she came to be there is found in Oliver’s tête-bêche journal, where one side tells a very different story from the other.

1930s California. Celebrated author Oliver Tooke, the son of the state governor, is found dead in his writing hut off the coast of the family residence, Turnglass House. His friend Ken Kourian doesn’t believe that Oliver would take his own life. His investigations lead him to the mysterious kidnapping of Oliver’s brother when they were children, and the subsequent secret incarceration of his mother, Florence, in an asylum. But to discover the truth, Ken must decipher clues hidden in Oliver’s final book, a tête-bêche novel – which is about a young doctor called Simeon Lee . . .

PRAISE FOR THE TURNGLASS:

'Rubin has pulled off the difficult trick of writing an ambitious novel that is also an easy, enjoyable read' The Times, Crime Book of the Month

'An intricate and thoroughly mesmerising tale of family plots and schemes across several generations' Guardian

'Your initial amazement at his ingenuity comes to sit alongside an appreciation of the heart and depth he brings to his stories. A risky idea, beautifully executed' The Telegraph©2023 Gareth Rubin. All rights reserved. (P)2023 Simon & Schuster, UK. All Rights Reserved.
Crime Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Traditional Detectives Fiction England Detective

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Critic reviews

'Not just a book, but an experience - one in which twists and turns are both on the page and in the very act of reading itself. Two haunting narratives conspire to create a dark, menacing tale that spans half a century of secrets as they echo back and forth - all while the sand slowly drains away . . . This is a story about stories and their perspectives, the passage of time and the slow march of the inevitable. Vivid, resonant, melancholy and beautiful' Janice Hallett

‘A stunning, ingenious, truly immersive mystery. The Turnglass is a thrilling delight' Chris Whitaker

All stars
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great story good narration two books in one one very haunting story one to tie up first book great twists and turns however did guess outcome of second book well worth a listen

wow

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An extremely well written book with a fantastical story that proves it.
I would highly recommend you to dive in and enjoy.

Absolutely Brilliant!

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really good story well thought out, clever plot well narrated, definitely worth listening to, thanks

the turn glass

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I was surprised to be so thoroughly immersed in both sides of the book. I appreciated the different styles of writing to match the era. I faced through at first and then slowed down as I didn't want to finish.

A real page turner

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This is one of the most extraordinary books I have had the pleasure of experiencing in many years. A format of 2 interlinked stories with, in this case, each section voiced by separate readers to emphasise the change. The story winds itself through from one to another in the harrowing tale of a family & it's dark secrets, to a literal storm of a shocking finale. I won't spoil any of it but can't more highly recommend this wonderfully written tragic tale & it's unusual format made all the more alive by this audible production

Refreshing, unusual, extraordinary!

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