The Seduction of Water

By: Carol Goodman

Narrated by: Christine Marshall

For Iris Greenfeder - all but published, all but a professor, and all but married to her boyfriend of ten years - the sudden impulse to write a story about her mother, Katherine, leads to a shot at literary success.

The piece recounts an eerie Irish fairy tale her mother used to tell her at bedtime - and nestled inside is the sad story of her mother's death, a strange, untimely end in a fire 30 years ago.

When Iris returns to the remote Hotel Equinox in the Catskills, the place where she grew up, to write her mother's biography and search for her mother's missing manuscript, she unravels a haunting mystery that threatens to envelope her.

©2003 Carol Goodman (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Mystery, folklore, a thoroughly modern romance, a strong sense of place and a winning combination of erudition and accessibility make this...a treat." ( Publishers Weekly)

Enjoyed listening

I enjoyed listening to this book. I have to say there are a lot of characters, and they sometimes become difficult to keep track of, but the story itself kept me interested. I liked the way the author incorporated the fairytales, the art history and the NY landscape into the telling of her story.
I thought the narrator was very good. Her voice and inflections compliment the ebb and flow of the story.

Wonderful tapestry of mystery and fantasy

Such a fun story to wrap yourself into. Interesting characters, a whimsical background fairytale, and some beautiful literary imagery.

An adventure

You won't regret listening to this story. Adventure, romance and mystery. Just hit play and enjoy.

Great story - for the most part, flat reader

While the story started off a bit slow, it got better as it went along, but the monotone of the reader made the story sound boring when it wasn't. While she was good at accents, there just wasn't very much inflection. Ending was good, though, as was most of the story. I loved the fairy tales woven throughout.

Engaging & Clever

I enjoyed the story, with all its twists and turns and how it was interspersed with the fairy tale theme containing clues to the real life mysteries.