Homecoming

When Jess returns to Australia after almost twenty years in London she is determined to discover the true stories of past events that have never been revealed to her. Her grandmother, Nora, has had a fall and is seriously ill in hospital. Jess tried to communicate with her grandmother in the hospital but the only words offered at the end of one visit was Issy, help me ...he's going to take her from me. What did this mean? Jess was determined to discover the truth.

Nora had been Jess's prime carer when Polly, her mother had relocated to Queensland so the relationship between Jess and her mother had been strained for many years. When Jess discovered that there was a mystery about events that had occurred at a large house owned by Nora's brother in the Adelaide Hills in 1959 she decides to find out the true story as she suspects that this may be the cause of strained relationships in the family.

 Homecoming by Kate Morton is set in Tambilla in the Adelaide Hills in December 1959 and in London and Sydney in December 2018. Much of the plot is also revealed via a book written about the tragic events that occurred on Christmas Eve at Halcyon, Tambilla. Pages torn from a diary and a letter help Jess to unravel what happened at that time. Gradually Jess and Polly learn the true family story.  

This is not a book to read in a hurry but one to read when there is time to spend becoming immersed in the journey leading to Jess's gradual understanding of the truth about her family. 

This book was one of three books selected as a possible title for the Monash Alumni Book Club in October-November 2024.

The Secret Keeper

When sixteen year old Laurel Nicolson witnesses a horrific event in 1961 she tries to put it to the back of her mind. However in 2011 when the family is gathering to celebrate her mother's 90th (and probably last) birthday Laurel decides it is time to discover the truth about her mother's story. 

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton gradually reveals the story through accounts of events occuring in different time frames, particularly the late 1930s and the Second World War and 2011 when Laurel  attempts to discover the facts of the family history. Laurel's bother, Gerry, assists her in this quest. 

Three people, Dorothy, Vivien and Jimmy met in London during the Blitz and it is learning of their stories that allows Laurel to understand the past leading to the event witnessed by Laurel and her young brother. This is a story of love, friendship, deception and misunderstanding. It also depicts how events from the past can still impact on the future.

The Clockmaker's Daughter

The house, Birchwood Manor, near the banks of the River Thames is the setting for this novel by Kate Morton. The story is interwoven between several time periods - primarily 1862, 1899, 1940, 2017 and is told by different narrators over time. However the constant throughout all the interlocking stories is Birdie, the clockmaker's daughter.

Elodie, an archivist, discovers a satchel that belonged to an artist, Edward Radcliffe. The satchel contains an artist's sketchbook and a sepia photograph of a young lady dressed in Victorian style clothing. Elodie knows immediately that these items are something special and her investigations eventually lead her to Birchwood Manor, where Edward Radcliffe and his friends lived 150 years earlier. During her research she learns information about her family story as well as gaining a better understanding of herself and what she wants from life.

Mystery is attached to Birchwood Manor with many of the characters feeling a connection to the house even though they may not have previously been there. A murder, a missing woman and a lost heirloom adds to the house's mystique. Usually associated with art, the house was also a school for young ladies for a short time and later a museum. There is a presence in the house which is felt by some inhabitants, especially those who may be lonely.

This is a book designed for a leisurely read. Trying to read it too quickly could definitely result in confusion when trying to follow the links between the interconnecting stories over many generations. By the end of the 582 pages all is revealed. There has been an extremely long waiting list at the local library for this book so I purchased my own copy. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel by Kate Morton and will add her name to my list of authors whose books I must read.