The Lake House: A Novel

4.5 starsNot to be confused with the movie of the same name starring Sandra Bullock, The Lake House by Kate Morton is part historical fiction, part contemporary fiction, part family saga, part romance, and part mystery. In other words, this book has it all! It took me a bit longer than usual to get into the story which moves back and forth between two time periods, the 1930s and 2003 with glances back into the earlier 1900s, and introduces a host of characters the reader must "meet" and "get to know," but once I knew who was who and when, I was drawn into the characters and the story, and as I read the last words, I can honestly say that I enjoyed l this book tremendously. The mysteries (that's right, there's not just one, but two parallel mysteries to be solved), the characters, the storylines - all of it kept me guessing as to what was happening right up until the very end when everything came together in the most wonderful, albeit somewhat bittersweet, manner. At 512 pages, the Lake House was not a quick read, but it was most assuredly a worthwhile read.

After reading a few Kate Morton novels last year, I found myself enamored with her storytelling and character creation abilities. I added all of her books to my TBR and included The Lake House on my monthly Book Bucket List on my blog, where followers vote to select one read per month for me -- this won as my June novel and I finished it over 6 days last week. With a new puppy in the house, reading and book reviewing time is not as easy as usual but I'm determined to meet my June TBR goals. While I absolutely adored this book, there were a few times I felt disconnected and disappointed, or that the coincidences were a little too much, but not for too long or in any way to truly bother me.The story focuses on several characters in England mostly during the 1910s to the 1930s, and then current time which is set in the 2000s. In the 1920s, the Edevane family is recuperating from World War 1 where while no one died, the savagery of war has had its toll on relationships. Alice is the focus, the middle sister who never quite fit in the family and became a mystery writer. When her younger brother disappears, and her two other sisters begin to act oddly, something seems off. Throw in a battleaxe for a grandmother, a fun but peculiar uncle-type, and some very attentive or non-attentive nannies, there's got to be something bad that happened to the little boy... but was he kidnapped, killed, or is someone making things up about his childhood? When Alice's book covers some of those true-life situations, people wonder what happened years ago... in modern times, Sadie has been put on leave after she made a mistake during an investigation, so the cop visits her grandfather and gets caught up in the old Edevane case while taking some rest. This is a story about missing children, lost children, and kidnapped children... there are a few cases going on, but they are not connected in any way other than as situations to help readers reflect on the character's emotions and lives.What I love about Morton's writing is the imagery and depth you see, hear, and experience. Everything feels like it's unfolding right before your eyes on a stage. Among the always present gardens, large estates, dysfunctional families, and interconnected historic and modern times, you're carried away into a dreamlike state where you can happily immerse yourself in beauty and lyrical action. Morton also excels at weaving together multiple stories that have both small and large connections you begin to assemble along the path. At times, it's a bit too connected or coincidental, but truthfully, isn't that part of why we read books? We want to experience something new and different, a shock or a twist... if it was all simple and straightforward, there wouldn't be a lot of drama to dig into. So while it can be a bit overdone or over-the-top (even in my own writing, I would agree it happens), it also is what truly makes the book spectacular in other ways. It's a story with a start and a finish, so it's going to have very specific reasons for things happening. In this one, it all felt natural as it could have happened just pushed together too closely in a few occasions.I also struggled a bit in the early pages as there were a few too many characters to keep track of, and with so many women across 4 generations, it was often a confusing in the beginning of a chapter to know which one we were talking about. It was done purposefully to add intrigue and suspense, which I understand, but sometimes it was a little too much. Other than those concerns, I was very happy with the story. It isn't my favorite Morton, but I find myself still thinking about it days later... Morton captures the young heroine trying to solve the past like no other author I know. She can also brilliantly build the amazing balance in an octogenarian who is torn, but also a bit of a curmudgeon about the past. You feel the indeterminable strength in the woman who can't let go but is desperate for a closure that seems destined to cause more pain.I am thrilled with this book, especially with the last 25% and how it all came together. Stunning poetry at times. I can't wait to read her latest book, The Clockmaker's Daughter, which I just got approved for on NetGalley.

This is the third book of Kate's I've read and have loved them all. I just bought a fourth book of hers and plan to read any book she writes. They are so enjoyable.But they won't appeal to everyone. Why? They are long. They are involved. Mysteries that drag on until the end. They are very descriptive. They have several people involved. They run multiple time lines. And some may find some UK terminology confusing.But I've found them to be wonderful escapes that I can jump back into as I have time. The writing is very good. The characters stay with me long after the books are finished. Some mysteries she solves as the story moves along, but so far she's always hit me out of left field with a closing solution that I didn't see coming. Then she wraps things up in a very satisfying way. I close each book thinking...WOW!(And you'll want to be careful reading some of the more negative reviews, since some people don't know how to review a book without a spoiler alert warning.)

This book had so many twists and turns and i could not put it down! Kate Morgans characters were well planned . Could see a movie of this one

livre reçu conforme à la description qui en était faite par le vendeur et reçu à la date indiquée.

Kate Morton is an Australian novelist who wrote the the late house,which is one of best gothic and mystery story. In this story,mr Anthony and mr's edevane has three girls namely Deborah, Anthony and clementine and one baby boy Theo,who is eleven months old kidnapped due to their midnight's eves party without any trace behind in 1933. Due to plenty of police investigation this case remained unsolved.in 2003 a new criminology namely Sadie sparrow arrive who studied this case deeply to solve two mysteries that where that children is and why all the family members left their luxurious home forever.........

What did happen to baby Theo ?This is the story about a family who lived at Loeanneth, once years ago, a beautiful home tucked away in the woods, owned by the family Edevane. Years have gone by, two of the three sister's are still living, where secrets they carry - but are they all true ?When DC Sadie Sparrow is put on suspended leave from a case she'd been working on, she goes to her grandfather who lives in Cornwall to be away from her troubles. While taking her grandfather's dogs for a run, Sadie follows them into the woods. It's here she finds Loeanneth old home. After hearing about the mysterious loss of baby Theo, Sadie becomes drawn into finding out a seventy year old mystery. The story goes back and forth, telling of the years gone by, and the time up todate. It's Alice the youngest sister that finally gives in to help Sadie, to find out the truth about what happened to Theo.Also Sadie's case at the police force comes to an end.Both case's will make Sadie realise, every secret can come out in the end - you only have to keep at it, and she did.This is the second brilliant book by Kate Morton I've read. The Secret Keeper, was the first.Her description is magical reading, with a storyline of brilliance, from, love, family, mystery, and secrets. With an emotional ending to, The Lake House.A highly recommend read.

このミス大賞の上位にランクインされていたので興味を持ち、手に取ってみた。ペーパーバックだが分厚くずっしりと重く、開くとどのページも文字がぎっしり。これは手古摺りそう、とちょっぴり不安も過ったが（笑）結果、大変中身のある、読み応えたっぷりの良書（私にとっての）だった。主な舞台がEnglandのCornwallということだったので、事前に少しこの地の動画を見たりして、本書に描かれている情景に思いを馳せるのも中々楽しかった。初めのうちはイギリスの上流階級のお嬢さんのハーレクイン・ロマンスならぬハーレクイン・ミステリーのようなテイスト？かと思えば昔読んだ様々な童話や小説のエッセンスが隠し味に仕込まれているかのごとき懐かしい印象を持ったりと、手探りの面白さもあった。構成で言うと、ざっくり二つの時代の様々な登場人物の視点で出来事が描かれていくのだが、同じ場面が違う人間の目から描写されて初めて真実である全体像が見えてくる、という読者をあっと言わせる仕掛けが巧い。人は同じものを見ていても同じように見えている訳ではない、思い込みや先入観、主観等が事実を歪めてしまうことも少なくないという、考えてみれば当たり前だが普段あまり意識しない盲点を突いていて唸らされた。またいよいよ重大な情報が明らかにされると読者が固唾を飲んだところで章が変わって全く別のシーンが長々と挟まれたりと、焦らし方がまことに秀逸で散々イライラさせられた。ページを捲る手が震えるほどだった（笑）またミステリーとしては尚更これなしでは成立しない、人間の持つ業や煩悩、表裏の愛と憎しみ、深層心理にまで切り込んだ細やかな描写も不足なく、感じ入るところがあった。ところで結末は物語の後半に入ったあたりで予測できてしまったのだが、これはまさかと思うほど都合が良すぎる（笑）ところながら、一番の悲劇が刻々と現実味を帯びつつある中一転、というのがなければ途轍もなく後味が悪かったと思う。よかった、と素直に快哉を叫ぼう。