Once Upon a River: The spellbinding Sunday Times bestseller

Diane Setterfield

Dec 2018 · Random House

About this ebook

'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.

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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.'

Ratings and reviews

Diane Setterfield has a wonderful talent for writing quirky books and love them. In fact I loved this one so much that I bought it both as an e-book and then as an audio book too. The tale starts on a dark winter's night in an old inn on the banks of the Thames, the door opens to admit an injured man carrying a dead child in his arms, this would be enough to cause a stir but, a couple of hours later, the child returns to life! Who she is, where she comes from and many, many other questions are raised by this somewhat unusual state of affairs. The answers to these questions and the intertwined mysteries and secrets involved are the plot of this brilliant novel. Ms Setterfield knows how to hook her reader's interest and how to keep it hooked, I couldn't put the book down and it's uncomfortable to perch on the edge of one's seat for so long! A mesmerising tale, very highly recommended.

The book meanders through the plot and characters like the river. It is gripping but slow, then it speeds up to the ending. Wonderful characters and atmosphere. Loved it

Written in the style of an English classic author, the story and characters in this novel, where the Thames is just as important a character, hooked me in from the start and I didn't want to finish it.

About the author

Diane Setterfield’s bestselling novel, The Thirteenth Tale was published in 38 countries, sold more than three million copies, and was made into a television drama scripted by Christopher Hampton, starring Olivia Colmanand Vanessa Redgrave. Her other novels are Bellman & Black and Once Upon a River, winner of the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award. Born in rural Berkshire, she now lives near Oxford, by the Thames.