The Good People Audiobook By Hannah Kent cover art

The Good People

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Good People

By: Hannah Kent
Narrated by: Caroline Lennon
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Short-listed for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction

From the author of Burial Rites, "a literary novel with the pace and tension of a thriller that takes us on a frightening journey towards an unspeakable tragedy." (Paula Hawkins, best-selling author of The Girl on the Train)

Based on true events in 19th-century Ireland, Hannah Kent's startling new novel tells the story of three women drawn together to rescue child from a superstitious community.

Nóra, bereft after the death of her husband, finds herself alone and caring for her grandson, Micheál, who can neither speak nor walk. A handmaid, Mary, arrives to help Nóra just as rumours begin to spread that Micheál is a changeling child who is bringing bad luck to the valley. Determined to banish evil, Nóra and Mary enlist the help of Nance, an elderly wanderer who understands the magic of the old ways.

Set in a lost world bound by its own laws, The Good People is Hannah Kent's startling new novel about absolute belief and devoted love.

Terrifying, thrilling, and moving in equal measure, this follow-up to Burial Rites shows an author at the height of her powers.

©2017 Hannah Kent (P)2017 Hachette Audio
Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Exciting Scary Mystery
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup

Critic reviews

"The novel is thrillingly alive to the dynamic of poor, close-knit communities, where fear of the outsider trumps reason and compassion." ( Metro)
"Faith, folk-knowledge, and fear coalesce in remote 19th-century Ireland in this second novel from Kent.... Though rife with description, backstory, and a surfeit of gossip, the book's pervasive sense of foreboding and clear narrative arcs keep the tale immersive. Kent leads the listener on a rocky, disquieting journey to the misty crossroads of Irish folk beliefs past and future." ( Publishers Weekly)
"An imaginative tour-de-force that recreates a way of perceiving the world with extraordinary vividness...With its exquisite prose, this harrowing, haunting narrative of love and suffering is sure to be a prize-winner." ( Daily Mail)
Well-written Story • Beautiful Prose • Lyrical Writing • Well-crafted Characters • Compelling Storyline • Artful Voicing
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Wonderful book. The visual images alone are worth the time and effort. Add a well-crafted story, characters with depth, historical fidelity and elegant prose, this book had it all.

Poetry in Fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Beautiful writing & story, though may be hard to stomach a few parts for some. Creepy & mysterious enough that you have to get to the end to figure it out. I was hoping that the last few pages would be different or have an unsuspected twist. But I still Loved it, will definitely keep going to chat gpt for these hidden gem recommendations lol

Secretly was hoping for a different ending but it is still a great story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I absolutely love this author. The narrator does an excellent job. The story is compelling.

Historical fiction at it's best.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The Good People was very well written and performed, which is usually enough for me to be able to enjoy a book, however, the story was so depressing that I really struggled making myself get through it.

Well written but so depressing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This book is a little out of my reading comfort zone but I chose it for just that reason. It is well written and and narration is spot on. Why did I rate the story with a mediocre 3 stars you ask?
The story line is interesting and the characters are well developed. However, about midway through, the author took a turn and added so much folklore and superstitions from the time period that it became hard to follow and the characters got a little lost.

Overboard????

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Even better on the second read / listen. Can't wait for more from Hannah Kent.

Poignantly beautiful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

What did you love best about The Good People?

Hannah Kent is great at making characters come to life. Caroline Lennon added to that with her wonderful narration. Definitely recommending this book to others!

Another great book from Hannah Kent!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Well written, great detail, beautiful story. Too Sad & TOO much toil for me. So Much Hard Work, on going grief, starving, cold strife for me to really enjoy. I kept reading hoping to find the bright spot.....

Fairies Not So Fine

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I fell totally into the atmosphere and the people of this book.
It was shocking to actually hear spoken the sentiment of that time, from the contemporaries of the judge, when describing the thinking and actions of the defendants “It is genetic.”
I also loved “Burial Rites” by this fine author. Look forward to her next book.

Wonderous....compelling

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This is my second Hannah Kent novel. Such powerful imagery from nature, from cultural practice and context. Characters believable and but honorable and pitiful. Landscape and weather combine to form a chapter together. Amazing, dar, energetic prose. 5stars

Dark, Humane, Moving

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews