Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.

As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love --- and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.

THE GOLDFINCH is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

Carol’s Audiobook Editorial Comment: Okay, I will confess that the idea of 26 discs can be daunting. That is, until you start listening. It’s like Donna Tartt’s words were meant to be read to enjoy the nuances of her writing and brilliant use of language. It’s lush listening for those who want to explore this Pulitzer-winning title.