The Lake House (Kate Morton, A&U)

Kate Morton’s fifth novel transports the reader back and forth between 1930s Cornwall and London in 2003. This epic tale opens with the disappearance of a child on the eve of a grand Midsummer party at the Edevane family’s country house, Loeanneth. Here we meet Alice Edevane—a feisty, talented, 16-year-old budding crime novelist. We jump forward in time and encounter Detective Constable Sadie Sparrow, who is on enforced leave after working on a high-profile missing person case. Sadie happens upon—and is bewitched by—the long-abandoned Loeanneth. Sensing that terrible things once happened here, she is compelled to investigate. This is a masterfully plotted novel with intertwining mysteries, lost letters and unravelling secrets. It’s about missing children, absent parents, and strong, yet vulnerable women. It’s also about the magic of storytelling, the irrevocable impact of war and the determination to ‘set things right’. More than one character will learn that secrets can’t be kept forever and that the past has a way of catching up with you, no matter how hard you try to escape. This is perfect for Kate Morton fans and lovers of historical fiction and mysteries.

Paula Grunseit is a freelance journalist, editor and reviewer

Category: Reviews