Review: The Lake House by Kate Morton

Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive, innocent, and precociously talented sixteen-year-old who loves to write stories. But the mysteries she pens are no match for the one her family is about to endure…

One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest child, eleven-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. What follows is a tragedy that tears the family apart in ways they never imagined.

Decades later, Alice is living in London, having enjoyed a long successful career as an author. Theo’s case has never been solved, though Alice still harbors a suspicion as to the culprit. Miles away, Sadie Sparrow, a young detective in the London police force, is staying at her grandfather’s house in Cornwall. While out walking one day, she stumbles upon the old estate—now crumbling and covered with vines, clearly abandoned long ago. Her curiosity is sparked, setting off a series of events that will bring her and Alice together and reveal shocking truths about a past long gone...yet more present than ever.

A lush, atmospheric tale of intertwined destinies, this latest novel from a masterful storyteller is an enthralling, thoroughly satisfying read.

Hardcover, 595 pages

Expected publication: October 20th 2015 by Atria Books

 

Terri's Thoughts

First I want to say a huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.  It was an extreme pleasure to be one of the early readers of this story. 

Second, this book was just released this week and I suggest everyone go out and get a copy.

Third, it is no secret that this is my favorite genre of book.  It is also no secret that Kate Morton is my favorite author in this genre.  After reading all of her previous work to say I was anxious for this one would be an understatement.  We had to wait a while for it since her last story.

I am not going to waste a lot of time going over plot details because I feel even with the best of intentions to avoid giving something away, it can still happen.  Fans of Kate Morton are going to be pleased with this story.  It stays true to her regular style of mixing multiple generations over a great period of time and weaving a complex story by spinning it back and forth in time through various points of view.  This is what I fell in love with her style and she delivers solidly again. The way I went through emotions ranging from happiness to utter devastation was exactly what I was looking for.  I won't even talk about how the story sticks with you long after it is done.

For those who have not yet discovered the work of Kate Morton and enjoy a good historical fiction novel, I say pick this story up!  And when you are done, go back and read her other stories.  They are all fantastic.

In this day and age when a lot of reading is done digitally, my bookshelf has actually shrunk and I save it for truly treasured books.  I can say that I have a copy of every single one of Morton's works and I will be going out to buy a copy of this one as well.

One of my favorite stories of the year.

 

 

About the Author

 

KATE MORTON grew up in the mountains of south-east Queensland and lives now with her husband and three young sons in Brisbane. She has degrees in dramatic art and English literature, specialising in nineteenth-century tragedy and contemporary gothic novels. Kate harboured dreams of joining the Royal Shakespeare Company until she became sidetracked writing novels, and still feels a pang of longing each time she goes to the theatre and the house lights dim.

Kate used to hide to read when she was small, and still believes that reading should be so pleasurable it feels almost illicit. Her favourite novels are the sort that you can disappear inside, and the thing she most likes hearing from readers is that they stayed up far too late turning pages.

Kate Morton has sold over 10 million copies in 26 languages, across 38 countries. The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours and The Secret Keeper have all been number one bestsellers around the world, and Kate's fifth novel, The Lake House, will be published in October 2015.

Website
Instagram
Facebook