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The Key

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The Key

By: Kathryn Hughes
Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt
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About this listen

A hidden note. A lost love. A second chance....

From the number one best-selling author of The Letter, Kathryn Hughes, comes The Key, an unforgettable story of a heartbreaking secret that will stay with you for ever.

1956

It's Ellen Crosby's first day as a student nurse at Ambergate Hospital. When she meets a young woman admitted by her father, little does Ellen know that a choice she will make is to change both their lives for ever....

2006

Sarah is drawn to the now abandoned Ambergate. Whilst exploring the old corridors she discovers a suitcase belonging to a female patient who entered Ambergate fifty years earlier. The shocking contents, untouched for half a century, will lead Sarah to unravel a forgotten story of tragedy and lost love, and the chance to make an old wrong right.

©2018 Kathryn Hughes (P)2018 Headline Publishing Group Ltd. Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Women's Fiction

Critic Reviews

"A wonderful, enthralling story; one that I didn't want to end." (Lesley Pearse on The Key)

"Gripping." (Good Housekeeping on The Secret)

"Hughes creates a sense of time and place effortlessly. The social context is incredibly important and once again, conveyed so well that the reader feels immersed in the world of Ambergate. Even though some of the story is set in the past, it still feels relevant and still raises questions about attitudes to mental illness, trauma, motherhood and grief." (Bibliomaniac on The Key)
All stars
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To be honest the only reason I downloaded this book is because Joanne Froggatt is an absolute legend! If it wasn't for her, yet again, unbelievable performance I would've found this book harder to get through. I did like it I just felt it dragged on a bit and was somewhat predictable.

Only ok

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A great listen made exceptional by narrator Joanne Froggatt ( Anna from Downton Abby) who seems to bring the story to life like no other. All audio books should have Joanne as their narrator!

Audible's best narrator

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Beautifully written original story narrated by one of UKs best talents, loved it
Absolutely recommend it and also The Letter by the same author

Lovely story

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. What a great story. I particularly enjoyed it because of the way Joanne Froggatt narrated it, she is very skilled at bringing every character to life. I look forward to more books narrated by her.

Wonderful

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enjoyed the story with it's twists and turns, easy to listen too, will read other books by the same author

good fe

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Written in a style that doesn’t require intense concentration to keep up, this book is most enjoyable in audio format. Interesting characters, brought to life by Joanne Froggatt as, I’m learning, she is so wonderfully skilled at.
It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and in a couple of instances I was moved to tears, due in no small part to the artistry of the narrator. At times I felt as though I were listening to a play, rather than a narration, and it added a very emotional dimension to the experience.

Moving story, beautifully narrated.

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I was entranced throughout the whole book and was surprised many times! The narrator is the best possible narrator so she makes this book even better! Read it!

Amazing

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Well written and well read. Unusual and kept me interested the whole time! Definitely recommend.

Loved it

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ok story lulled a bit in parts but overall good. the narrator helped lift the story

not bad

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Great book... loved every bit of it beginning to end... could not put it down

I was hooked

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