The Tea Planter's Wife cover art

The Tea Planter's Wife

The mesmerising escapist historical romance that became a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller

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The Tea Planter's Wife

By: Dinah Jefferies
Narrated by: Avita Jay
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About this listen

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies, read by Avita Jay.

Nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper is newly married to a rich and charming widower, eager to join him on his tea plantation, determined to be the perfect wife and mother.

But life in Ceylon is not what Gwen expected. The plantation workers are resentful, the neighbours treacherous. And there are clues to the past - a dusty trunk of dresses, an overgrown gravestone in the grounds - that her husband refuses to discuss.

Just as Gwen finds her feet, disaster strikes. She faces a terrible choice, hiding the truth from almost everyone, but a secret this big can't stay buried forever . . .

 20th Century Historical Historical Fiction Romance Marriage

Critic Reviews

Beautifully written and heart rending, this has a magical setting with a real sense of period. (Katie Fforde)
A gloriously atmospheric and tension-filled novel that centres on the separation of a mother anher child. Immensely enjoyable, poignant and compelling' (Isabel Wolff)
Vibrant and compelling - Dinah Jefferies perfectly captures the flavour of colonial Ceylon (Rosanna Ley)
A wonderful book... intensely moving and beautifully observed. Dinah Jefferies brings to the story a power and intensity that drew me in and wouldn't let me go in this intimate and emotional tale that explores where the boundaries of love lie (Kate Furnivall)
Captivating, powerful and passionate (Deborah Rodriguez on 'The Separation')
A richly detailed story... as intimate as a kiss and as sharp as the blade of a knife (David Gilham on The Separation)
I simply didn't want to put it down. Vivid and atmospheric - you can smell the tropics, feel the drenching heat... (Isabel Wolff on The Separation)
Dark secrets lie at every turn, hidden beneath layers of 1920s racism and the fearfulness of a crumbling colonial power, making for a thoroughly gripping tale. But what I loved most of all. . . is the moving way in which Dinah writes about the loss of children and the redemptive power of love.
A terrific and atmospheric read
I was spellbound from beginning to end
All stars
Most relevant
Loved the setting, great storyline and excellent characters. Narrator does a lovely job of painting a vivid dramatic story. I enjoyed the romance element too.

Engaging and entertaining

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Could not stop listening!!! Bought it and was finished it it less than a week!

Amazing

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Narrator has a lovely voice to listen to.
Loved the story. Gripping, unexpected plot twists, emotional. Definitely cried a few times.
Loved the time it was set in ... accurately portrayed.
Totally recommend!!

What a splendid read!!

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Engaging. Great book that kept me listening. Fantastic setting. Main character development good and some twists.

engaging audio

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What disappointed you about The Tea Planter's Wife?

Very slow moving and very predictable . So boring and trite I couldn't finish it.

Would you ever listen to anything by Dinah Jefferies again?

No!

What didn’t you like about Avita Jay’s performance?

Dreadful "pommy" voice.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Tea Planter's Wife?

All of them.

Boring.

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