The Tea Planter's Wife - by Dinah Jefferies (Paperback)

About the Book

Includes essays and reader's guides (p. [423]-437).

Book Synopsis

#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.

Review Quotes

"Love, suspense, guilt, and hidden secrets with an underlying theme of race relations seamlessly blend together in a timeless story of an innocent young Englishwoman struggling to find her place in colonial Ceylon against unexpected circumstances and facing cruel choices."--New York Journal of Books

"[A] dramatic tale of jealousy, deceit, secrets and heartbreak. The intrigue and suspense, add a Gothic flair to Jeffries fast-moving plot and the evocative atmosphere along with the realistic characters will captivate readers."--Romance Times Book Review

"Spellbinding . . . effortlessly elegant, lushly descriptive . . . Combine this with the vivid, evocative manner in which Jefferies describes the beauty of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, and the captivating cast of characters she has created, and you have a superbly written novel that readers of historical fiction as well as women's fiction will treasure."--Booklist (starred review)

"An engrossing tale of mystery, manners, and prejudice set against the backdrop of Ceylon (current-day Sri Lanka)...Jeffries shows that she can weave a suspenseful tale in which characters' complex motivations converge in surprising ways."--Publishers Weekly

"Rich and incredibly evocative, The Tea Planter's Wife is historical fiction at its very best. It's just spellbinding."--The Sunday Express

"Locked doors, old dresses, even a boathouse mystery, this is Rebecca with crocodiles. Very enjoyable...mystery (and) full-blown escape into the past."--The Independent

"My ideal read; mystery, love heartbreak and joy--I couldn't put it down."--Santa Montefiore, author of The Beekeeper's Daughter

"Beautifully written and heartrending, this has a magical setting with a real sense of period."--Katie Fforde, bestselling author of A French Affair

"A terrific emotional and atmospheric read."--Elizabeth Buchan, author of Separate Beds

"Dinah Jefferies has once again created a gloriously atmospheric and tension-filled novel. Immensely enjoyable, poignant, and compelling."--Isabel Wolff, author of Shadows Over Paradise

"I was spellbound from beginning to end."--Deborah Rodriguez, author of A Cup of Friendship

"A wonderful book, deeply touching, and an unforgettable read that swept me away. I loved it."--Kate Furnivall, author of The Italian Wife

"Vibrant and compelling--Dinah Jefferies perfectly captures the flavour of colonial Ceylon."--Rosanna Ley, author of The Villa

"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."--Liz Trenow, author of The Forgotten Seamstress

About the Author

Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia and moved to England at the age of nine. The Tea Planter's Wife is her US debut.