The Tea Planter's Wife

A Novel

By: Dinah Jefferies

Narrated by: Avita Jay

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • 1920s Ceylon: A young Englishwoman marries a charming tea plantation owner and widower, only to discover he's keeping terrible secrets about his past, including what happened to his first wife, that lead to devastating consequences

In this lush, atmospheric page-turner, nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper has married Laurence, the seductively mysterious owner of a vast tea empire in colonial Ceylon, after a whirlwind romance in London. When she joins him at his faraway tea plantation, she’s filled with hope for their life together, eager to take on the role of mistress of the house, learn the tea business, and start a family. But life in Ceylon is not what Gwen expected. The plantation workers are resentful, the neighbors and her new sister-in-law treacherous. Gwen finds herself drawn to a local Sinhalese man of questionable intentions and worries about her new husband’s connection to a brash American businesswoman. But most troubling are the unanswered questions surrounding Laurence’s first marriage. Why won’t anyone discuss the fate of his first wife? Who’s buried in the unmarked grave in the forest? As the darkness of her husband’s past emerges, Gwen is forced to make a devastating choice, one that could destroy their future and Gwen’s chance at happiness.

A lavish life entwined with devastating loss

Really enjoyed this book. It was the read for the month in my book club and not really sure if I would have chosen it on my own - but it definitely turned out to be a good read. The descriptions of 1920-30's Ceylon were amazing - I kept looking images up on Google to help with the imagination. Such a beautiful place to live, but then a devastating thing happens which brings up questions for Gwen and the book takes a turn into the dark corners of jealousy, confusion, grief, and ignorance. It is a bit long, but I guess it needed to be to tie It altogether – its almost like several novels in one. It was also a little predictable but overall I really enjoyed it. The narrator was amazing as well.

Splendid story... wonderful narrative...

I could not stop once I started reading. The end left me greatful for the story. I want to read it again and spend more time with each character.

Riveting

This novel is guaranteed to bring out every emotion that fills the human spirit. Compassion, love, commitment, anger, laughter, and acceptance, make this novel feel very real even now. I enjoyed even second of this book and sat hours in my car not wanting to stop listening. Highly recommend.

Beautifully and so thoughtfully written.

This one will stick with me. Beautifully written characters and the true “what would you do” questions. Loved!

Continual lack of communication/honesty = heartbreak

A good story actually, I liked it. But my goodness if it’s not a massive lesson in ‘let’s talk it out’. Everyone afraid of saying the full truth, protecting everyone from pain but creating more pain and in the process. An interesting story though and I liked the narrator.