FEBRUARY 2020 KATE MORTON

THE SHIFTING FOG (2006)

PAT C:

Pat described this as an easy read and enjoyable. It passed the time pleasantly and made you think there was always a big secret to come out at the end.

WENDY:

The story revolves around an aristocratic family in decline. There are two subplots – the life and loves of the two daughters and the making of a film about the family. It is narrated by the ex-nanny and is told from her perspective.

It’s a real upstairs downstairs, rich and poor story.

Wendy thought it was cluttered and clunky and could have been better edited. The details of minor aspects went on and on.

CHARIS:

She found she was getting bored by the end of it. She couldn’t wait for Grace, the maid, to tell her main thread of the story.

Charis thought her writing style was quite readable.

THE LAKE HOUSE (2015)

VAL:

Val does not normally read family sagas. This one is set in two periods, an early family tragedy, and seventy years later, a detective begins to investigate again.

Val thought it became very obvious at times. She read quite a lot of the book, but didn’t finish it.

CLAURENE:

Also read some of this book, agreed with Val’s comments.

DIANN:

This is a 595paged story about the the House and its occupants and certain events that changed lives. She enjoyed it and would read more of Kate Morton’s books.

CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER

JUDY A:

Judy thought the book was too long, too many characters and details. She was itching to get to the end.

DIANE:

Diane also didn’t finish the book. It was too verbose and not enough action.

SHEILA:

Once she began the book, it soon caught her interest and she liked the book.

She enjoyed the presence of the ghost and described it as a gentle book.

Again, it covers two periods of time and two sets of people.

The book is set in England and she thought her descriptions of the countryside were brilliant.

JUDY De L:

Judy also loved it although she very soon figured out the story.

JULIA:

Julia normally doesn’t like stories with a time slip concept. But once she got used to it, she found this a great story. There was murder, theft, love and loss, all the things she likes in a story.

The writing was so descriptive; it was easy to picture the old Manor House. She really enjoyed it.

ED:

Ed had previously read the book. Didn’t mind reading it again although she thought it was a bit long winded.

LESLEY:

Set in beautiful English countryside, a large rambling house is the centre of the story. There are many story lines within the book and all linked to the house.

Lesley thought it was a rather long story, it didn’t grab her attention, however the idea of the house also being, and having character was clever.

THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN

PAT B:

Pat’s thoughts on the book were that it was too wordy and so predictable. It rather annoyed her.

JO:

For Jo, it was too wordy and too big. But once she had got into the story, she couldn’t put it down. The story is set over three different periods, in two different countries.

JOAN:

The story begins in London in 1913. A woman and a 4-year-old girl board a boat for Australia. Just after this, the woman is called away momentarily, but doesn’t return. The ship sails with the little girl alone.

Joan did enjoy it, although at times it became a bit tedious. But she kept reading.

She thought that author had a very successful formula, and she was happy to have read it.

TAM:

Tam also loved it, and didn’t find it tedious.

She thought the mystery was very good, cleverly done and gradually revealed.

CONNIE:

Connie thought it was too long and the changing times annoyed her. It was too wordy. She couldn’t be bothered reading so many pages to push the story along. She enjoyed the story but it didn’t happen quickly enough.

THE DISTANT HOURS

KRIS:

Three eccentric sisters live in Milderhurst Castle with little contact with the outside world. During the war they billeted a young girl from London. Many years later, and now an adult, she receives a long lost letter from the youngest sister. Her daughter goes to the castle to find out more about her mother’s time there, and many more secrets and tragedies are gradually uncovered.

Kris thought it was a really nice read, and very suitable for long, hot summer days.

JUDY J:

Judy thought that the book was packed full of unnecessary detail and description. On and on it goes, page after page of no dialogue, no action and no furthering of the plot.

The characters are very well written, the atmosphere is intense but the plot is so slow and rambling, it became a chore to keep going.

PRUE:

Prue thought she was a very good writer. She described the book as being closely written, needing to read every word. She also thought it too long with too little story.

But she enjoyed it more when she read it in larger chunks.

THIRD THURSDAY BOOK CLUB in MARCH ~ Australian Indigenous Authors