x-book ®

A Single Thread

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now €{{ price }} Send as a gift

Listen to a sample

What to expect

FROM THE GLOBALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

‘Bittersweet … dazzling’ Guardian

‘Deeply pleasurable … the ending made me cry’ The Times

‘Told with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity’ Penelope Lively

Violet is 38.

The First World War took everything from her. Her brother, her fiancé – and her future. She is now considered a ‘surplus woman’.

But Violet is also fiercely independent and determined. Escaping her suffocating mother, she moves to Winchester to start a new life –a change that will require courage, resilience and acts of quiet rebellion. And when whispers of another world war surface, she must live with a secret that could change everything…

Critics Review

‘Bittersweet … dazzling’ Guardian

‘Tracy Chevalier shows once again her ability to illuminate ordinary lives and to pay attention to those most often ignored … movingly examines hidden depths beneath quiet exteriors’ Sunday Times

‘Writing with quiet but devastating empathy, Tracy Chevalier pinpoints Violet’s predicament as a single woman, her unexpected emotional crisis and her struggle to give her life depth and meaning. I loved it’ Daily Mail

‘A well-woven story of love … Chevalier has such a sure eye for details, whether she is describing the loveliness of the cathedral or the dismal interior of a 1930s boarding house. Reading this is deeply pleasurable’ The Times

‘I enjoyed A Single Thread enormously. Tracy Chevalier wonderfully evokes the social climate of the nineteen thirties – this is the intriguing story of a young woman facing the conventions and prejudices of the day, told with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity’ Penelope Lively

’Tracy Chevalier’s quietly moving story of a woman finding freedom in the 1930s is a gem’ Stylist

‘Evocative and beautifully written’ Sunday Express Magazine

‘I loved it. So compelling and warm and subtle, and very moving’ Bridget Collins, author of The Binding

‘Evocative, beautifully written’ Daily Mirror

‘Beautifully written … utterly immersive’ Red

‘Atmospheric … wonderful’ Good Housekeeping

‘I loved it! Enchanting and full of hope. Absolutely needed in this political climate’ Laura Purcell, author of The Silent Companions

‘A fierce and moving book about the great courage of a small life’ Sadie Jones

‘It’s a chance encounter that sets Violet on an unexpectedly rewarding path in this pleasant, leisurely paced novel’ i Paper

‘Absorbing, empathetic, poignant’ Daily Mail

User Reviews

Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
5.0
5.0
A charming story well read.
PBee 04/03/2025

About xigxag and the x-book®

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required.  Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options

 

xigxag’s groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology offers a truly immersive digital book experience.  Our technology combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant integrated format, with exclusive audiobook features and a next-gen digital reading experience built in.  The x-book selection can be easily discovered by looking for the purple x-book ribbon, or filtering by x-book when searching for a book.

 

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech.  Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, a leader in audiobook innovation. Experience extraordinary customer service from their friendly UK support team.

 

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems.  Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app.  Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.