The Beloveds, Maureen Lindley
The Beloveds, Maureen Lindley
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The Beloveds

Author: Maureen Lindley

Narrator: Fiona Hardingham

Unabridged: 8 hr 32 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/03/2018


Synopsis

An exploration of domestic derangement, as sinister as Daphne Du Maurier’s classic Rebecca, that plumbs the depths of sibling rivalry with wit and menace.

Oh, to be a Beloved—one of those lucky people for whom nothing ever goes wrong. Everything falls into their laps without effort: happiness, beauty, good fortune, allure.

Betty Stash is not a Beloved—but her little sister, the delightful Gloria, is. She’s the one with the golden curls and sunny disposition and captivating smile, the one whose best friend used to be Betty’s, the one whose husband should have been Betty’s. And then, to everyone’s surprise, Gloria inherits the family manse—a vast, gorgeous pile of ancient stone, imposing timbers, and lush gardens—that was never meant to be hers.

Losing what Betty considers her rightful inheritance is the final indignity. As she single-mindedly pursues her plan to see the estate returned to her in all its glory, her determined and increasingly unhinged behavior—aided by poisonous mushrooms, talking walls, and a phantom dog—escalates to the point of no return. The Beloveds will have you wondering if there’s a length to which an envious sister won’t go.

About Maureen Lindley

Maureen Lindley, born in Berkshire and raised in Scotland and England, was trained as a psychotherapist. She is the author of two previous novels, The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel and A Girl Like You. She lives in the Wye Valley on the border between southern England and Wales. Visit her at MaureenLindley.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Holly on March 25, 2018

Let me count the reasons I LOVED this novel… 1. Gothic feel with a mansion that is an integral part of the story. 2. Mounting tension as the pages turn. 3. Creepy narrator who converses with the house. 4. The witty, yet dark and disturbing humor. Told from the point of view of Elizabeth (Betty) Stash, wh......more

Goodreads review by Carrie on March 29, 2018

The Beloveds by Maureen Lindley is going into my oh my gosh what did I just read pile of books. When finished with this one I felt a bit like I needed to go wash my eyes or perhaps even my brain clean from reading this one and going so far into the mind of such a disturbed character. Elizabeth ‘Betty......more

Goodreads review by Zuky on February 10, 2022

(Review from 2018) I'm super excited to be on The Beloveds blog tour with Titan Books today, and wow, what a book! I was hesitant going into this one as I'd seen some very mediocre reviews, but I needn't have worried. This was absolutely enthralling and the perfect for my bookish tastes. 
The writing......more

Goodreads review by Monnie on March 16, 2018

There was a little girl who had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead; When she was good, she was very, very good, And when she was bad she was horrid. -Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme It's hard to believe there's a more horrid girl than Elizabeth Stash (a.k.a. Betty). She's paranoid, narcisstic,......more

Goodreads review by Sheila on January 01, 2019

3 stars--I liked the book. This is a novel narrated by a sociopath. Her mind is a dark and twisted place, both unloving and illogical. I thought it was interesting that the book didn't go the way I thought it would--it deviated several times and surprised me. Writing and characters were both good. How......more