The Lake House

Author: Kate Morton
Genre: Historical Fiction
Type: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Atria Books
First Published: October 20, 2015
First Line: "Cornwall, August 1933 - The rain was heavy now and the hem of her dress was splattered with mud."

Book Description from GoodReads: 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: I have thoroughly enjoyed some of Morton's previous books, namely The Forgotten Garden and The Secret Keeper (which barely nudges out the others as my favourite) and The Lake House is no different.  

Once again, Morton brings her talent for writing wonderfully descriptive settings, unique characters and her signature writing style of incorporating story lines in the past and present as she weaves her plot for her readers.  These flashbacks to 1911, 1914 and the 1930's (as well as a modern story line in 2013) help to give the reader a feel for the characters and keep tensions high.  

The plot itself is intricate without being fussy or confusing.  The multiple twists and turns in the plot will keep readers wanting to verify if their guesses about the Edevane's family secrets are indeed correct.  I will admit that before the first twist I thought I had it all figured out as to what happened to baby Theo only to have Morton pull the proverbial rug out from beneath me, switch tack and have the story go in a different direction.  Well played, Ms Morton.  Well played!

Morton reveals her plot to her reader at her own pace while keeping a very suspenseful edge to her writing.  Sometimes multiple story lines and various points of view will muddle a plot but Morton deftly writes her story and the characters who take up the story's reigns do so with fluidity and keep the tension high.  There were a few twists that I figured out but I got the impression that Morton planned it that way.  And sometimes I'd be adamant that I knew what had happened only to have my confidence waiver as I learned more about what truly occurred.  Everyone likes to figure out some of the twists but Morton keeps the big twists close to her chest and while the ending was a little expected and fairly convenient it was enjoyable nonetheless.

I received this Advanced Reading Copy e-book but I will also be buying a paper copy for my home library.  I'm more than a little excited to meet Kate Morton at the end of November at a book signing with one of my best bookish friends north of Toronto where I will get my copy! Totally book geeking out, y'all! {A big thanks to Margaret at Just One More Chapter for giving me the heads up on this book event!}

As with all of the Kate Morton books that I've read in the past, The Lake House is another great book from an author whom I've come to trust to provide me with a wonderfully absorbing read.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Disclaimer:  My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.