The Tenth Gift

Version: Unabridged (Abridged version available here)
Author: Jane Johnson
Narrator: John Lee , Susan Duerden
Genres: Fiction
Publisher: Random House (Audio)
Date: May 2008
Length: 14 hours, 3 minutes
Ratings:
Formats :
  • MP3
  • M4B
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Overview

The art of embroidery uncannily links two fascinating women of different eras and their equally passionate love stories.

In an expensive London restaurant, Julia Lovat receives a gift that will change her life. At first glance it is a book of exquisite seventeenth-century embroidery patterns belonging to a woman named Catherine Ann Tregenna. Yet in its margins are the faintest diary entries; they reveal that “Cat” and others were stolen from their Cornish church in 1625 by Muslim pirates and taken on a brutal voyage to Morocco to be auctioned off as slaves. Captivated by this dramatic discovery, Julia sets off to North Africa to determine the authenticity of the book and to uncover more of Cat’s mesmerizing story. There, in the company of a charismatic Moroccan guide, amid the sultry heat, the spice markets, and exotic ruins, Julia will discover buried secrets. And in Morocco–just as Cat did before her–she will lose her heart.

Set almost 400 years apart, the stories of these two women converge in an extraordinary and haunting manner that will make listeners wonder–is history fated to repeat itself?

A literary mystery, historical adventure, and dual love story, The Tenth Gift literally crosses genres with narrative ease and prose that is as captivating as the characters who people this unforgettable tale.

Reviews (3)

The Tenth Gift

Written by Barbara Ann on July 10th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Reading this reminded me of "People of the Book" (one of my favorite reads last year) in that the book is the crux of the story, flipping back and forth from present to the 17th century.

Great Fun

Written by Anonymous on October 10th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This book is great fun and you get to learn a bit of history and a little bit about other cultures while you read a beautifully told love story from the past.

tenth gift

Written by Anonymous on February 8th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Engaging story, well written and well read. Good character development without becoming bogged down in descriptions

Author Details

Author Details

Johnson, Jane

Jane Johnson is Publishing Director at HarperCollins UK. While researching the story of an ancestor stolen by pirates, remarkable events changed her life. She now works remotely for part of the year from a Berber village in the mountains of Morocco.