I am never disappointed with a Kate Morton book! They are always such epic tales where you really get into the characters. This new story by her is no exception. Set in Australia and following two timelines, it tells the story of the Turner family and the residents of Tambilla. Sumptuous sounding houses, wonderful villagers who all look out for one another and a fantastic landscape. However, not everything in the amazing gardens is rosy.... Dark secrets gradually come to light as Nora's granddaughter, Jess, tries to piece together an unsolved family mystery from almost 60 years ago.

I really enjoyed this book, where my only criticism would be that, as it is so long and there are a lot of characters, I would have liked a bit of a summary, a recap so to speak of all that had occurred towards the end of the story. Not a straight list, but a way for Jess to recall all that she had discovered if you like. However, that is my personal opinion and others may have a better recollection that me! This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book though.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

Homecoming is a tale set in a country house in Tambilla, south Australia where the scene of an awful tragedy occurred. The characters' secrets from 1959 and 2018 are unlocked and interwoven leading the reader to a satisfying conclusion as to what occurred on a disastrous Christmas Eve. Gripping, commanding and, at times sad, but extremely rewarding. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Pan Macmillan, Mantle via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

This book is beautiful. Beautifully written, well developed characters that I both loved and loathed a little at times. The book kept me in a constant state of suspense wanting to find out the truth. I also felt like I was stood in Jess’s shoes with the desperate need to find out more.
The description of the scenery in Australia is just magical and breathtaking and it has given me a huge desire to visit Australia.
All in all this was an amazing read.

Another glorious book by Kate Morton. I have loved all her previous books and this one was just as wonderful. She really knows how to create a wide, sweeping historical novel, full of intrigue, wonderful characters and a fabulous sense of place. With some long books I can't keep track of all the characters and/or the plot, or end up losing interest, but this never happens with a Kate Morton book! I loved the whole story and didn't guess "whodunnit" at all. Highly recommended to all historical fiction / historical mystery fans.

I don't know how Kate Morton does it, but she's weaved her writing magic yet again in this wonderful story that had me totally absorbed from beginning to end! And even though it's a beast of a book - 560 pages - the time just flies by when you're reading and I never wanted it to end!

Set in Australia, this story spans a dual timeline - 1959 and 2018 - and covers more family drama and secrets that are shocking and tragic, and lead to revelations that unsettle those involved who were kept in the dark.

In 2018 we follow Jess, who has moved to London from Australia, and is loving life until she's rocked by a call from back in Oz where her grandmother, Nora, has fallen and she needs to go home to help take care of her. Nora has always been there for her, since her mother left her, so she shares a special bond with her. While Nora is in hospital, Jess discovers papers that lead her on a trail to the past that Nora had kept hidden...

And in 1959 we see the story of Nora and her family play out for us, that leads to the shocking stories that affected a whole town. These events also led to a book being written about the family so we also get extracts from that and the way the stories all blend in is just magnificent! You become so totally involved in the revelations and how that impacts the different generations alongside exploring the complex relationships between families.

I just adored this story It was beautifully written, the characters were all so detailed and you felt like you really knew them!! Definitely going to be on my favourite books of 2023!!

I absolutely love Kate Morton books and was delighted to get an early copy of her newest book Homecoming . As expected, I was not disappointed and simply could not put the book down once I started! Another triumph from Morton and eagerly look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

You will need peace and time to get fully immersed in this family and their story. Told in dual timelines of 2018 and 1959 with the story being told backwards. A tragedy that remained unsolved comes to the forefront when Jessica's grandmother suffers a fall. Expertly told by Kate M in a compelling read, touching on loneliness, loss and secrets.

Not read this author before but found this book really good. I liked the descriptive writing and linking the past misdemeanours. Great characters, a real page turner.

This multi-layered and well plotted family saga runs along a dual timeline beginning in Australia in 1959 when a local man makes the grim discovery of a tragic event.
The narrative then moves to 2018 when Jess, a London journalist, returns home to Australia as her grandmother has fallen ill.
Then follows an intriguing mystery as Jess gradually discovers family secrets, lies and deceit.
This is a complex tale, bit of a slow burner, however the twists, turns and surprises certainly keep you engaged in the narrative.
The characters are well fleshed out and authentic and the Australian settings are beautifully described.
I enjoyed this book which will definitely appeal to fans of Kate Morton and hopefully new readers as well.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Amazingly this is the first Kate Morton novel I have read and I'll definitely be exploring her back catalogue now.
Homecoming moves back and forth between Adelaide Hills in the 1950s and 2018 when London based Jess returns home to Sydney and her beloved grandmother. Jess discovers a link between her family and the unsolved crime in 1959.
Homecoming has a slow paced start but I was soon completely caught up in the author's beautiful prose, it's so rich in detail and atmospheric that I felt transported to Australia of present day and the 1950s. I absolutely adore sprawling family dramas with a crime element and so this novel was a perfect read for me. Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

“A thousand childhood hours spent lying in her grandmother’s garden in Sydney, book in hand, had come back in an instant, … Time had dissolved; the novelty of being in England, of finding that the names and places she’d come across in novels were real,”

My thanks to Pan Macmillan Mantle for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Homecoming’ by Kate Morton.

Over the years I have read a number of Kate Morton’s novels and found them all excellent reads. She writes with a great attention to period detail and place, including buildings, gardens, and landscapes.

‘Homecoming’ is set in Australia where in the
Adelaide Hills in 1959 a delivery man makes a terrible discovery in the grounds of a grand and mysterious mansion. It results in a police investigation and the inhabitants of the small town of Tambilla find themselves at the centre of one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia.

In 2018 Jess has been living in London for almost twenty years and working as a journalist, though recently has been laid off. She receives a phone call summoning her back to Sydney as Nora, her beloved grandmother who raised her when her mother couldn’t, has suffered a fall and been rushed to hospital.

While staying at Nora’s house, Jess discovers a true crime book about the Turner Family Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959. As she reads she discovers a shocking connection between her own family and this infamous unsolved crime. Her journalistic instincts are awakened and she decides that a cold case might prove the best distraction she can find.

The narrative moves between Jess’ present and the past and also includes excerpts from ‘As If They Were Asleep’, the bestselling 1960 true crime book written by an American journalist. Still, the late author’s niece points out that he had considered the book a ‘nonfiction novel’, in the spirit of Truman Capote as he utilised the tools of fiction to bring his readers closer to his subject. So Jess has to sift through the material to establish truth from his creative license.

It’s easy to see why ‘Homecoming’ became an instant bestseller. It’s a big book in both its length and themes. Morton explores the bonds of family and motherhood and that powerful sense of home. It also has its heart a genuinely intriguing mystery. Morton expertly reveals the many secrets held by her characters utilising elegant prose. Throughout the novel Morton evokes the landscape of South Australia.

In addition, a number of characters, including Jess, love reading and a number of authors and the places they write about are mentioned as part of the narrative. It illustrates the theme of the importance of place in both fiction and nonfiction.

Overall, I found ‘Homecoming’ a highly engaging novel and another clear success for Kate Morton.

Highly recommended.

This is the first book Ive read by Kate Morton. It was beautifully written. A few twists I guessed and a couple I didn't. Was totally engrossed the whole way through

What a book! A mystery told between different timelines and from the perspectives of different characters. It’s emotional, it’s funny, it’s sad, it’s got it all.

There’s also a ‘book within a book’, which tells the story of the deaths of the Turner family bit by bit, giving you just enough to guess further details about the mystery.

The author casts such a vivid picture of literally everything in this book. It’s one of those reads where you can truly picture the setting, in grey and rainy London, to picturesque Sydney, and the little town of Tambilla. The characters are so detailed, even the side-characters make you feel some kind of way about them!

I have to confess I didn’t realise how long this book was when I started (and was wondering why my Kindle read speed had me at 9 hours to finish it!) but I promise it’s worth it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The start of this book was so long and so slow, I have to be honest and say that I have up!
I am going to put this on the list of books to read when I have lots of time and no distractions!

I'm always excited to read a Kate Morton book as I know it'll be a great story. This book was filled with mini stories and sub-plots. Would definitely recommend. The downside is having to wait so long for the next one.

A well orchestrated story of a family torn apart in difficult circumstances . Set in southern Australia where Jess goes to visit her beloved grandmother who is in hospital after a fall. All , it turns out is not what it seems and there are secrets abounding that Grandmother Nora has kept to herself. Why had she gone on the perilous journey to the attic?

I finished Homecoming about 10 days ago and I still don't know what to say. Kate once again penned the most beautiful story. From the very beginning, I was completely invested in Jess' story and that of the Turner Family.

I loved the intrigue behind the tragedy and the way Jess used her journalistic instincts to dig deeper into the past. I tried making my own guesses as to what may have happened that fateful Christmas Eve, but I was not prepared for the true ending. Long after I closed the book, the Turner's and Jess stayed with me.

Beyond the Turner Family Tragedy lay the root of the story - finding home and where one truly belongs. For all of us, home can have very different meanings.

Homecoming by Kate Morton

Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek in the grounds of a grand and mysterious mansion, a local delivery man makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation begins and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia. Sixty years later, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. She receives a call from Australia and she must return to take care of her elderly grandmother. She discovers a book beneath her grandmother's pillow and begins an investigation of her own.

I usually love Kate Mortons books and while I enjoyed the first and last sections of 'Homecoming', I found it just that bit too long. I didn't love the book within a book trope either.

I did enjoy the mystery of the cold case and the relationships that were explored were very well written.

Thanks to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the chance to read an advanced copy.

'Homecoming' is out now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Set mostly in Australia. It flips between the late 50s and present day. She captured my memories of Oz.

Some have same it was slow paced. I agree but I enjoyed the pace.

Thanks to Netgallery for the ARC

I was super excited to receive a review e-book of the new Kate Morton book from NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
Having adored Kate’s other books I couldn’t wait to dive into this one after such a long time. And gosh, I wasn’t disappointed! From the very beginning I found myself absolutely compelled to keep picking up the book. Kate reels you in from the very beginning with such powerful intrigue and mystery. This one had me reading late into the night as I simply couldn’t put it down.
A dual timeline follows the tragic events of Christmas Eve 1959 when a local man in a close knit town makes the most awful discovery possible, a murder case that will confound everyone, and then December 2018 when Jess has to suddenly return home to Australia from london when her grandmother is admitted to hospital. So begins a journey that will see Jess unravel the secrets of her family. It is an epic story, taking in several generations of not only Jess’s family but those of the small town who lived through the tragedy of 1959. The descriptions are simply beautiful and the settings truly come to life in front of you. I really liked the characterisation and the way you felt as if you were growing to know them too. A lot of this was achieved through the use of a book that had been written about the events of 1959 which retold the story. There are lots of twists and turns, and whilst I guessed part of the mystery about halfway through, I certainly didn’t see the ending coming!
Fans of Kate Morton will not be disappointed and I hope this inspires a new generation of readers too.