Why did it take me so long to get around to reading this one? What a wonderful story. I've read from Kate Morton before, so I know she writes beautiful (but not heavy) prose, and her story telling is solid, but this is the first of hers that truly resonated with me. This one has a depth that I wasn't expecting, and I connected to it so much more than I expected to. Pick up any Kate Morton title and you're all but guaranteed a good time. She doesn't let you down. But this one is (for me at least) her best. If you've not picked up her work before then start here. Don't even read the blurb, just dive in, you're in for a treat.

A great audiobook, narrated well by someone I enjoy on the TV anyway, and I definitely believe that as good as the author’s writing may be, a lot rests on the narrator for an audiobook. I was really happy with this one. Kate Morton writes an intriguing novel, the description was enough to transport me to Riverton. Great! Thanks NetGalley.

3⭐
Genre ~ historical fiction
Setting ~ England
Publication date ~ April 22, 2008
Page Count ~ 609 (titled, not numbered chapters)
Audio length ~ 20 hours 47 minutes
Narrator ~ Emilia Fox
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ debut, 4 parts, dual timeline ~ 1924 & 1999, death, secrets, infidelity

Grace was a housemaid, along with her mother, when she was 14 at the Riverton House. Now in 1999 she tells the story in flashbacks of what really happened the night Robbie died.

There is quite a sloooooow build up to get to the meat of the story, but I must say I was taken by surprise surrounding Robbie's death, so woo hoo for that. I, also, liked the gothic vibe.

Historical fiction is not my jam, but I do enjoy it once in a while. I have liked other books by this author, but this is not a favorite. It was just so long and I don't think I would have finished it if I read it. I was able to listen at 3x easily and the narrator did an exceptional job.

This is not my usual type of book but I loved it. Look forward to more by this author. A brilliant debut! Would highly recommend.

A beautiful story of tragedy and love. Set in the Edwardian era the story follows a rich family set at their county estate during the First World War. Although in places abit slow the story was beautifully told.

I last read the House at Riverton shortly after it was first published in paperback. It was my first introduction to Kate Morton, and has led me to reading and enjoying all of her later books. I have been meaning to re-read it for several years. When NetGalley offered me the chance to listen to an audiobook I jumped at the chance. Loved the book just as much as I did the first time. Particularly liked being immersed in the world of the early 19th century - great level of detail. I also liked the author's introduction to the audiobook, which told us something about her writing of the book. Still a 5* for me

I’ve been a fan of Kate’s books for years, and love her beautiful writing, and was so excited to read The House at Riverton. I listened to the audiobook and was transported to England.

The storytelling was wonderful, and highly recommend this one as an audiobook too.

*many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted audiobook

Involving story set mainly in ESSEX

This novel was first published in 2007 and when it became available on audiobook, beautifully narrated by Emilia Fox, I decided I was up for long listen - just shy of a 20 hour commitment. And what a treat this novel is.

It charts the changes within the Hartford family from WW1 into the roaring 20s. Much of the story is told in real time but also in flashbacks from 1999, where lady's maid Grace, now in a nursing home, reflects on the trajectory of family life back then. She is motivated to think about events that happened at the house at Riverton (set in fictional Saffron Green) because a film is being made, focussing on the family dynamics, and specifically a death that occurred in 1924 at a glittering summer party.

The story charts the relationship between two sisters, Emmeline and Hannah as they graduate into adulthood. Hannah, the older, marries into the Luxton family, Americans who saw the demise of her own father's car manufacturing business. It felt more like a marriage of convenience for her, a way of extricating herself from the suffocating environment, traditions and expectations of the grand old house. Emmeline was left behind and chose a very different path for herself.

The dual timeline narrative is so well managed and flows between the two periods as languidly as the long summer days at Riverton. The time and place both rise from the pages, with wonderfully depicted characters that thread their way through the pages. The storyline is charged with mystery and suspense that gradually unfurls, sucking the reader into a bygone era.

Her new novel Homecoming has just been published, set in the Adelaide Hills and I am very much looking forward to engaging with new characters in a new setting.

I was gifted this audiobook from NetGalley and publishers for an honest review- this is my honest review:
This book is an epic historical tale of love, loss, friendship and some dark times. The writer uses beautiful, detailed language to bring this tale to life. The narrator is so easy to listen to, she has the perfect voice for this story. I really enjoyed the mystery and intrigue - affairs of the heart, hidden worlds and new experiences frowned upon during this era.
A lovely escape from this modern world.

EXCERPT: Last November I had a nightmare.

It was 1924 and I was at Riverton again. All the doors hung wide open, silk billowing in the summer breeze. An orchestra perched high on the hill beneath the ancient maple, violins lilting lazily in the warmth. The air rang with pealing laughter and crystal, and the sky was the kind of blue we'd all thought the war had destroyed forever. One of the footman, smart in black and white, poured champagne into the top of a tower of glass flutes and everyone clapped, delighting in the splendid wastage.
I saw myself, the way one does in dreams, moving amongst the guests. Moving slowly, much more slowly than one can in life, the others a blur of satin and sequins.
I was looking for someone.

ABOUT 'THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON': Summer 1924: on the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again.

Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time house-maid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten but Grace never could.

MY THOUGHTS: I love Kate Morton's atmospheric writing.

The House at Riverton was originally published as The Shifting Fog, the title taken from that of a poem by Robbie Hunter, the poet who commits suicide in this story. Or, does he?

Grace is a fascinating character. She has never known her father, only her mother who brought her up to enter service at Riverton.

Told over two timelines, the years of the first world war and after, and the current time. Grace's life is nearing its end, but when she is approached to offer her opinion on the sets for the period drama being made culminating in Robbie's death, she agrees. The film script, although being far from accurate stirs up memories of what actually happened.

Grace's story, along with those of sisters Hannah and Emmeline, indeed the fortunes of the whole Hartford family, is told in flashbacks, letters, and tapes Grace is recording for grandson Marcus.

This is the second time I have read this book, first as The Shifting Fog, and now as the audiobook The House at Riverton superbly narrated by Emilia Fox, and I have to say that I enjoyed my second read even more than the first.

Definitely recommended.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#TheHouseatRiverton #NetGalley.

I: @katemortonauthor @bolindaaudio

T: #KateMortonAuthor @Bolindaaudio

#australianauthor #contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #familysaga #friendship #historicalfiction #mystery #romance

THE AUTHOR: Kate Morton was born in South Australia, grew up in the mountains of south-east Queensland, and now lives with her family in London and Australia. She has degrees in dramatic art and English literature, and harboured dreams of joining the Royal Shakespeare Company until she realised that it was words she loved more than performing. Kate still feels a pang of longing each time she goes to the theatre and the house lights dim.

"I fell deeply in love with books as a child and believe that reading is freedom; that to read is to live a thousand lives in one; that fiction is a magical conversation between two people - you and me - in which our minds meet across time and space. I love books that conjure a world around me, bringing their characters and settings to life, so that the real world disappears and all that matters, from beginning to end, is turning one more page."

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bolinda Audio via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of The House at Riverton, written by Kate Morton and narrated by Emilia Fox, via Netgalley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

In this beautiful tragedy, Kate Morton creates characters that are so real, so well described, that it would be difficult not to have an empathetic response to them. Grace is a wonderfully endearing character and I appreciated being able to see virtually her whole long life through a series of flashbacks and flashforwards. These created a sense of mystery throughout the novel and there were some really lovely twists that turned some of my assumptions on their head. I was so pleased that many of the characters were given the endings that I wanted them to have but there were also plenty of mis-directions along the way.

This novel is perfect for those who like their historical fiction with a touch of romance. It's an upstairs-downstairs story that looks at many aspects of life in the 1920s, shifting its focus from those fully able to embrace the roaring 20s to those who waited upon them. Perfect for fans of Daphne du Maurier or Downton Abbey.

I've read several of Kate Morton's historical fictions and was excited to listen to this newly-released audiobook. The author's debut novel, 'The House at Riverton' was published in 2006 and this new audiobook is part of a brand new re-release with exciting celebrity narrators. Emilia Fox's reading of the novel is a masterclass in great storytelling. She embodies the characters and brings to life their personalities and sensitivities. All in all, this was a wonderful listen!

I enjoyed this as a physical book the first time around, I was excited to receive an audiobook version of this. the narrator was the wonderful Emilia Fox who really brings the story alive. The story was just as engaging as i remember it and if anything I enjoyed it more so this time around. i'd definitely reccomend this to anyone with an interest in mystery novels.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton Narrated by Emilia Fox was just WoW......and so beautifully narrated by Emilia I just loved it from start to finish. Kate is a brilliant story teller and every book I have read by her have been magical this book was no different. I loved it especially as I found it a great holiday read.

I highly recommend all Kate Morton's book. They are always written beautifully and from her heart.

An enjoyable read, though was quite a long one! I liked the dual timeline and I especially liked the main character. The narration was good, though it isn’t a new recording as, half way through, it said to continue with disc two, so it was obviously recorded for CD and hasn’t been edited. I do think this is a book, for me, that should’ve been read rather than listened to. There are quite a few characters and a lot going on that I feel I would’ve retained and appreciated more had I read the book. That said, the narrator read well and I enjoyed listening - it’s just personal preference for this particular book.

I have wanted to delve into Kate Morton’s books for a good long while and this audiobook version read by Emilia Fox was just glorious, the device of having the recollections of Grace put on tape was genius, Secrets and lies abound and are revealed with varying degrees of fallout above and below stairs and in present and past times.. I believe the book captured the time really well, where class difference began to slowly fade at the edges as everyone suffered equally in wartime. A great introduction..

Emilia Fox inevitably does middle and upper class accents very well, but I was incredibly impressed with her regional accents. She read the book with enthusiasm and captured the feel of a fairly dark subject matter well. I would definitely listen to more books read by her.

Although published over 15 years ago, The House at Riverton has been relaunched on audiobook with the incredible Emilia Fox narrating. She has such an exquisite voice, making this a superb listen. The story pre-dates TV shows like Downton Abbey, but is an absolute must-read for fans of that pre World War one big House era. The point of view is from memory of 98 year old Grace, a former child maid from Riverton House and her recount of the family that resided there and all the social gatherings and events upstairs, and downstairs in the maid quarters. Now approaching the end of her life, Grace needs to revisit her time at the house and reveal some shocking details, as well as keeping some things close to her heart. This is a slow, but beautiful read, fully immersed in the details of a world that has now faded. The story is made even better through the choice of Fox as the narrator. Simply superb audiobook. #bolindaaudio #thehouseatriverton #katemorton #netgalley

I read this book a long time ago so the opportunity to listen to it read by Emilia Fox was so great. I really enjoyed the historical context intertwined with the modern day. I know this was Kate Morton’s debut novel and I did love The Forgotten Garden which I think may have made this one slightly disappointing. I felt the ending needed more, I felt that all the secrets needed a bigger reveal. However despite all that it was a fantastic story that really described life for both rich and poor in the run up to the first world war and beyond.

Does exactly as it says on the tin so no surprises. The double time line definitely was the ploy that kept me listening because the story was long and very detailed so light relief came in the move across the time zone. It’s fitting that the wartime big house story was rambling and slow because that’s just how it would have been then. No social media or instant updated. However just a bit too plodding in parts for me despite a wonderful narrator.

3.5 STARS

This is a new recording of a book published in 2007 (so a few years before Downton Abbey took the world by storm). The narrator is the sublime Emelia Fox, who could read me washing machine instructions and it would sound good.

The story is familiar because what can you really say about life in a big house at the start of the 20th century that hasn't already been said. It's well written but if you've watched Downton then the secrets and intrigue won't be new. On the other hand if you loved Downton then you will love this.

A good sign was that I grumbled at the characters at times and it does make you think about the atrocities that occur during any war.

The narration is beautiful though. Emelia Fox never overdoes anything. She modulates her voice perfectly for each character. I was never lost on who was speaking and she gave each one a definite personality.

So the conclusion is I loved the recording and the story was fine. I ostensibly requested this title from Netgalley because of the narrator so its a win/win.

A glorious story set across two timelines. So rich and evocative I felt as if I was there! Highly recommended.