Homecoming
-
-
4.3 • 484 Ratings
-
-
- $14.99
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
The highly anticipated new novel from the worldwide bestselling author of The Clockmaker's Daughter, a spellbinding story that begins with a shocking crime, the effects of which echo across continents and generations.
Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959:
At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek in the grounds of a grand country house, a local man makes a terrible discovery. Police are called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most baffling murder investigations in the history of South Australia.
Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for nearly two decades, she now finds herself unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. A phone call summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother, Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and is seriously ill in hospital.
At Nora's house, Jess discovers a true-crime book chronicling a long-buried police case: the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. It is only when Jess skims through its pages that she finds a shocking connection between her own family and this notorious event - a murder mystery that has never been satisfactorily resolved.
An epic story that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love, how we protect the lies we tell, and what it means to come home. Above all, it is an intricate and spellbinding novel from one of the finest writers working today.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Bestselling author Kate Morton delivers a deeply moving tale of secrets and longing in her seventh novel, Homecoming. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Morton and her family retreated from London to the Adelaide Hills and it was there that the first ideas for Homecoming emerged. The story follows Jess, a London-based freelance writer, as she unravels a mysterious saga that took place in the Adelaide Hills in 1959. In Jess, Morton has created a captivating protagonist, whose contagious curiosity about the world and deep love for literature makes her a relatable figure for anyone who loves to read. Written in an atmospheric and evocative style, Morton expertly weaves together Jess’ life in 2018 and the narrative of 1959 with depth and nuance. With each alternating chapter, the mystery and intrigue build, and the plot twists and revelations keep coming. Homecoming is hard to put down.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Morton (The Clockmaker's Daughter) delivers an eerie epic involving a wealthy family's mysterious deaths in Adelaide Hills, South Australia. It's Christmas Eve 1959, and patriarch Thomas Turner is abroad on business, leaving behind his wife, Isabel, and their four children. One day, neighbor Percy Summers happens upon the family while riding his horse. At first, it appears they're resting on blankets after a swim, but upon closer inspection, he realizes they're dead and that baby Thea is missing from her basket. A painstaking investigation begins, and Percy is grilled by a detective who was brought in from out of town. Morton then cuts to 2018 as journalist Jess Turner leaves her London home to travel back to Adelaide after her grandmother, Nora, injures herself in a bad fall. At Nora's house, she finds an old book about the unresolved Turner deaths, which Jess never knew about, and discovers the family's connection to her own. Jess's gripping inquiry into what happened brings up staggering revelations. Along the way, there are beautiful descriptions of the region's landscape and canny insights into the neighborhood's tight-knit community. This is Morton's best yet.
Customer Reviews
Good read
Many twists and turns. Enjoyable read
Homecoming - an excellent read.
My first Kate Morton read and I have rated it 5 stars.
Lengthy, complex characters crossing 2 timelines and a book with in a book. Just fine by me.
The start for me was slow. I did leave the book and then returned to it soon after in the right frame of mind for a lengthy read. Putting it down when reminded of the life’s responsibilities such as setting the table , eating , sleeping etc.
Settings in the Adelaide Hills , briefly in London and Vaucluse in Sydney these 3 locations created a melting pot of family intrigue. There is an American journalist come author that flies into the plot. Just another nugget in this book of gold.
Many pages of black and white words will create images of the above locations and the complexity of the matriarchal influences.
If Anton Chekhov was the author who introduced us to characters having their public life, their private life as well as their secret life well in this book Kate Morton put theory to practice.
Keep a chart of your characters and don’t skim the pages. There is also the book inside the book to keep your interest if a character gets tedious. Mind you for me the character did not get tedious.
I keep away from giving any of the story away in my review. There are enough reviews and promotion summaries providing a synopsis.
My recommendation , read it in book form not digital, keep your note pad next you sit back and enjoy the book.
Cheers
Phil Parker
Far too long-winded
This is my first Kate Morton read - yes, I’m late to the party. I had high expectations but sadly I was disappointed. This book was far too long-winded and I only stayed around because I was determined to see it through. I wouldn’t recommend Homecoming. I’m hoping this is a one-off with Kate Morton’s writing style. It could have been a great read but….nope.