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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Vivid descriptions of South Australia landscapes with a cast of well developed characters. Murder mystery, multigenerational saga, motherhood, identity and the power of narrative are central elements. Like all Kate Morton books, plot twists on plot twists. I thought I had it figured out and yet found myself gasping at the end with the last reveal. An enjoyable story.
mysterious
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Miscarriage, Abandonment
4.5 stars
Kate Morton is back on her game with this new release, Homecoming. After a less than stellar showing for me from [b:The Clockmaker's Daughter|38530939|The Clockmaker's Daughter|Kate Morton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1526476937l/38530939._SY75_.jpg|59382555], Morton has returned to form and crafted a wonderfully layered story that is brimming with life in the characters she's molded.
In Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve of 1959, a horrific discovery is made by a local delivery man beside a creek on the grounds of a grand and enigmatic mansion. The following police investigation turns the small town of Tambilla upside down and uncovers one of the most perplexing and shocking murder cases in the history of South Australia. Fast forward to the present day 2018, Jess is a journalist struggling to make ends meet after being laid off from her full-time job in London. A call from Sydney summons her back home where her grandmother, Nora, who raised her, has been rushed to the hospital. Jess finds Nora in a frail and confused state, and she discovers a true crime book in Nora's bedroom, which uncovers a shocking connection between her family and the once-infamous Turner Family Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959. With a cold case to solve, Jess is determined to uncover the truth.
The more typical setup for a Morton novel — a slow-but-steady start that introduces the complex web of people, the dual timelines established, and the mystery that will guide the present day character through the discovery of the truth hidden in the past. Once again, and delightfully, Morton brings to life not one, but two, houses as though they are characters on their own — Halcyon and Darling House.
Morton's ability to establish such solid and multi-dimensional characters is never more true than with Homecoming. From the main women — again exploring the complex relationships between three generations — in 2018, to the mystery and the families in the small town of Tambilla in 1959, every individual is sure, set, and knowable. The unfolding of the mystery is never the true focus for Morton, and here again she sets the stage for a mystery purely there to drive forward her two colliding timelines, set on the course of what feels like inevitability.
The trio of women starts off with a level of complexity tied directly to the scandal that happened decades before. Nora, sister-in-law and aunt to the murder victims from 1959, mother to Polly, and grandmother to Jess, acts as a stable figure in the novel, despite the fact that you know almost nothing from her present day form. What I loved about Nora's development over the course of the novel is the through line you can find that Morton has laid down and that doubles as a tripwire. Nora is in so many ways, an atypical representation of a grandmother and de facto family matriarch. I'm still pondering her hidden complexities days later.
The method by which it appears the victims were murdered in 1959 is determined to have been an ingested poison — but it's a poison that is unknown to tests at the time. As Jess works to uncover the truths from the past and unwittingly some in the present, it's clear that Morton has pushed this deadly weapon of sorts into the theme of the book. The poisonous secrets and stories that are hushed or dealt by families can do the work as good as any deadly chemical.
Something interesting for me with this one is that the present day character felt a little closer to the reader. There was a delicacy and sensitivity I felt from both Jess and Polly that it reminded me of the other Morton novels that have stuck with me so long.
Another angle Morton used in Homecoming is the book-within-a-book device. Skeptical though I was at first, I found this to be an effective way to bring out another tangled perspective from the book's author, another viewpoint at what truth actually means, and a narrowed lens for Jess to discover a family story previously unknown to her.
Homecoming was a careful unfolding of truths and a wonderful assortment of characters. I'm so glad to feel like I have Morton back.
Kate Morton is back on her game with this new release, Homecoming. After a less than stellar showing for me from [b:The Clockmaker's Daughter|38530939|The Clockmaker's Daughter|Kate Morton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1526476937l/38530939._SY75_.jpg|59382555], Morton has returned to form and crafted a wonderfully layered story that is brimming with life in the characters she's molded.
In Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve of 1959, a horrific discovery is made by a local delivery man beside a creek on the grounds of a grand and enigmatic mansion. The following police investigation turns the small town of Tambilla upside down and uncovers one of the most perplexing and shocking murder cases in the history of South Australia. Fast forward to the present day 2018, Jess is a journalist struggling to make ends meet after being laid off from her full-time job in London. A call from Sydney summons her back home where her grandmother, Nora, who raised her, has been rushed to the hospital. Jess finds Nora in a frail and confused state, and she discovers a true crime book in Nora's bedroom, which uncovers a shocking connection between her family and the once-infamous Turner Family Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959. With a cold case to solve, Jess is determined to uncover the truth.
The more typical setup for a Morton novel — a slow-but-steady start that introduces the complex web of people, the dual timelines established, and the mystery that will guide the present day character through the discovery of the truth hidden in the past. Once again, and delightfully, Morton brings to life not one, but two, houses as though they are characters on their own — Halcyon and Darling House.
Morton's ability to establish such solid and multi-dimensional characters is never more true than with Homecoming. From the main women — again exploring the complex relationships between three generations — in 2018, to the mystery and the families in the small town of Tambilla in 1959, every individual is sure, set, and knowable. The unfolding of the mystery is never the true focus for Morton, and here again she sets the stage for a mystery purely there to drive forward her two colliding timelines, set on the course of what feels like inevitability.
The trio of women starts off with a level of complexity tied directly to the scandal that happened decades before. Nora, sister-in-law and aunt to the murder victims from 1959, mother to Polly, and grandmother to Jess, acts as a stable figure in the novel, despite the fact that you know almost nothing from her present day form. What I loved about Nora's development over the course of the novel is the through line you can find that Morton has laid down and that doubles as a tripwire. Nora is in so many ways, an atypical representation of a grandmother and de facto family matriarch. I'm still pondering her hidden complexities days later.
The method by which it appears the victims were murdered in 1959 is determined to have been an ingested poison — but it's a poison that is unknown to tests at the time. As Jess works to uncover the truths from the past and unwittingly some in the present, it's clear that Morton has pushed this deadly weapon of sorts into the theme of the book. The poisonous secrets and stories that are hushed or dealt by families can do the work as good as any deadly chemical.
Something interesting for me with this one is that the present day character felt a little closer to the reader. There was a delicacy and sensitivity I felt from both Jess and Polly that it reminded me of the other Morton novels that have stuck with me so long.
Another angle Morton used in Homecoming is the book-within-a-book device. Skeptical though I was at first, I found this to be an effective way to bring out another tangled perspective from the book's author, another viewpoint at what truth actually means, and a narrowed lens for Jess to discover a family story previously unknown to her.
Homecoming was a careful unfolding of truths and a wonderful assortment of characters. I'm so glad to feel like I have Morton back.
There’s something of the déja vu about a day that starts with a picnic in the scorching heat of the Australian bush and ends in a chilling discovery. Kate Morton’s “The Homecoming” begins with a suggestion of “Picnic at Hanging Rock” but that’s where the similarity ends.
Christmas Eve 1959 in the Adelaide Hills, a family picnic by a waterhole turns to tragedy. A gruesome discovery is made that will become another of South Australia’s notorious unsolved murder cases. A young mother and her three children are dead and a baby is missing.
December 2018 in London, Jess, a journalist, is at a crossroads. She’s lost her job, broken up with her partner and over-extended herself financially. When she receives news that her beloved grandmother is gravely ill in hospital, she immediately returns to Australia.
What links these two scenarios and eventually provides the answer to the unsolved case is a web of intrigue, deception and closely guarded secrets involving three generations of the Turner family.
With her characteristic panache, Morton presents us with a Pandora’s box of multi-layered, interlinked histories of complexly motivated individuals. For Jess, who sets out to unscramble the mysteries, she discovers that even her own identity is based on a deception.
In “Homecoming” Morton intertwines her favourite themes of houses with long memories, fragmented families, the emotional cost of motherhood and the secret agonies of childhood. Played out against the backdrop of Australia, the ancient continent where harshness and danger co-exist with spectacular beauty, the story is masterfully told.
It's not however without its faults, one being that Morton weaves such an elaborate tapestry that as the narrative nears the end, the final pulling together of loose threads is discernibly laborious. Morton, I think, could have dispensed with one or more subplots without detracting from the overall impact. And while her scene-setting is for the most part vivid and atmospheric, there’s a lot of repetition (albeit unavoidable in such a long book). “Silver trunked gums”, for example, crop up with extravagant regularity.
Nevertheless, there’s much to admire in this hefty book. Morton’s powerful story-telling and fluid prose ensure this novel will attract the wide acclaim of her previous ones.
Review published in April edition of Good Reading Magazine
Christmas Eve 1959 in the Adelaide Hills, a family picnic by a waterhole turns to tragedy. A gruesome discovery is made that will become another of South Australia’s notorious unsolved murder cases. A young mother and her three children are dead and a baby is missing.
December 2018 in London, Jess, a journalist, is at a crossroads. She’s lost her job, broken up with her partner and over-extended herself financially. When she receives news that her beloved grandmother is gravely ill in hospital, she immediately returns to Australia.
What links these two scenarios and eventually provides the answer to the unsolved case is a web of intrigue, deception and closely guarded secrets involving three generations of the Turner family.
With her characteristic panache, Morton presents us with a Pandora’s box of multi-layered, interlinked histories of complexly motivated individuals. For Jess, who sets out to unscramble the mysteries, she discovers that even her own identity is based on a deception.
In “Homecoming” Morton intertwines her favourite themes of houses with long memories, fragmented families, the emotional cost of motherhood and the secret agonies of childhood. Played out against the backdrop of Australia, the ancient continent where harshness and danger co-exist with spectacular beauty, the story is masterfully told.
It's not however without its faults, one being that Morton weaves such an elaborate tapestry that as the narrative nears the end, the final pulling together of loose threads is discernibly laborious. Morton, I think, could have dispensed with one or more subplots without detracting from the overall impact. And while her scene-setting is for the most part vivid and atmospheric, there’s a lot of repetition (albeit unavoidable in such a long book). “Silver trunked gums”, for example, crop up with extravagant regularity.
Nevertheless, there’s much to admire in this hefty book. Morton’s powerful story-telling and fluid prose ensure this novel will attract the wide acclaim of her previous ones.
Review published in April edition of Good Reading Magazine
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
teeny tiny bit predictable but still very satisfying! i’ve been getting tired of the split timeline books recently but the way this is told is really good, and the way the different stories are told is so engaging. they stand alone as fully formed and fleshed out stories and timelines and they way they are tied together just enhances them and adds so much. the characters r super slay and i enjoyed the book very much!!!
Love Kate Morton and her time jumping mysteries. This one fell a bit short for me, but I still enjoyed the story. The setting is perfect.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Good story but it dragged. Found myself skimming lengthy repetitive sections to get to the end.