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Blog Tour: The Lake House by Kate Morton: A Book Review

02_The Lake HouseThe Lake House by Kate Morton

Publication Date: October 20, 2015 Atria Books Hardcover & eBook; 512 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

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     From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Secret Keeper and The Distant Hours, an intricately plotted, spellbinding new novel of heart-stopping suspense and uncovered secrets.

     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.


     My Review: In 1933, on the night of a party, the son of the Edevanes disappears to never show up. The family abandons their glistening house and move to London. Seventy years later in 2003, the cold case is again being investigated when a detective, Sadie, while on holiday stumbles upon the abandoned building. She immediately senses that something terrible had happened here and her curiosity leads to the case of the missing boy. She becomes intrigued by the case and embarks upon a quest to discover what happened that night. The case leads to Alice, the missing boy’s sister, who is a successful mystery writer. The two not only become intertwined, but it also opens up secrets of the past that were never meant to be revealed.

     The two women are very interesting heroines. I found them very relatable. I was curious as Sadie was to discover what had happened to the missing boy, and I was invested in her solving the case. Yet, I found her to be an intriguing character. She too has an interesting past that needed to be revealed, and I was interested in peeling back her layers as the novel progresses. I also loved Alice. She was a haunting character with a sad past. While she is a successful mystery novelist, she too has ghosts from her past and secrets that need to be revealed. She too becomes curious about what happened that night and seeks Sadie’s help.

     Overall, this book is about two women trying to come to terms with their past. This novel was very suspenseful that kept me on the edge of my seat reading what happens next. This novel is beautifully written, haunting, and lyrical. The mystery is intricate, well-thought out, and atmospheric. I didn’t want this novel to end so deeply immersed I was in the story. With complex characters and an addictive page-turner The Lake House is a read that will thrill you and seduce you into the story from the very first page. This is not only a must-read, but this is also a novel I will definitely re-read. Kate Morton has become an author that I will read anything she writes. I recommend this to anyone that loves mysteries, historical fiction, and interesting and complex heroines.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR


03_Kate Morton


Kate Morton grew up in the mountains of south-east Queensland and lives now with her husband and young sons in Brisbane. She has degrees in dramatic art and English literature, specializing in nineteenth-century tragedy and contemporary Gothic novels. Kate Morton has sold over 7.5 million copies in 26 languages, across 38 countries. Her novels include The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, and The Secret Keeper. You can find more information about Kate Morton and her books at www.katemorton.com or www.facebook.com/KateMortonAuthor


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