Member Reviews

A romance and a mystery set in the early 1900s it was an absolute delight to listen to. Kate Morton never disappoints and the narrator made all the characters sparkle into life. A true joy and one I would definitely recommend.

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Kate Morton has a talent for period and character detail. I read this book some years ago when it was first published and remember being totally immersed in a different time and place. It’s a long languorous story, very much character driven, with a mystery at the heart of the tale.

I’m delighted to say that re is the book in audio format has proved equally rewarding. Emilia Fix has just the right voice for the narration; perfect choice. I enjoyed the author’s introduction which gave fascinating insight into how she’s driven to write and the source of some of her inspiration and thought processes.

As for the story, it’s timeless. It’s so well written, the reader or listener is taken immediately into a different world. Don’t expect loads of action; this is very much a saga in which there’s a mystery and Grace, the 98 year old narrator, has vivid recall and a brilliantly crafted story to tell. I’ve enjoyed this just as much the second time round and highly recommend it as a novel if substance.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

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Kate Morton can do no wrong! She's one of my favourite authors and I was keen read/listen to this prior to Homecoming.
Many thanks to @netgalley and publisher for the ALC

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I really enjoy books by Kate Morton and so was keen to listen to this one especially when I saw that there was a new narrator, Emilia Fox was the perfect choice for this book.

As it turns out this is an anniversary edition first released a decade ago but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

It tells the story of the Hartford Sisters, mainly from the view of Grace who worked for them as a maid and then ladies maid. For the parts where she wasn't present this was explained by her having been told what had happened. It was set during the 1st World War and the years immediately afterwards, as well as late in the latter years of Grace's life.

A film is being made about the sisters and a tragic event that no one knows the details of, no one it turns out except Grace. She decides to dictate the story to her grandson, whom she is closer to than her daughter.

It was a very enjoyable story but I would have liked to know more about Grace's life after the dramatic story rather than the bare bones we are given. I have questions that the book didn't explain. How did she meet her husband, how did she embark on her new career, did she ever learn shorthand to name a few. Also why did she not say anything when she found the secret about her mother?

Thank you to Netgalley and Bolinda for the audio version of this book.

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I loved this! I was completely lost in another world, a time before. Now I must confess if someone had handed me this and told me I’d love it I’d have laughed. It is so very much not my genre. But I adored it.

It’s quite a lengthy read. We meet 99 year old Grace, in a care home, and on her death bed in a way, yet 2 things keep her going, the first is waiting for her much loved grandson to return, the other is a letter from Ursula, Ursula is making a movie about the suicide of a young poet at Riverton, where Grace was in service from the age of 14. As Grace relives and recounts details of the time, long held secrets come spilling out.

I could’ve carried on reading about Riverton, the families, the glamour of high society, and of course the lives of those downstairs for weeks. Brilliant.

The writing is perfect and Emilia Fox narrates it so beautifully. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda audio U.K. for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

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I absolutely loved this book. I enjoyed going back in time as Grace remembered her time in service. It was everything I hoped for, moving, tender, and an incredible journey throughout the decades. From her early life to her golden years. I'm just kicking myself for waiting so long before reading this.

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This book has been on my radar a while, and I finally got to it.
I have to be honest, it was long, at times I felt I'd been listening for hours and hadn't really moved forward much.
The dual timeline worked well, and having Grace look back on her life was a good way yo frame the story.
I felt some genuine warmth for the staff of the household at times.
I think for me, I liked the historical fiction side far more than any possible mystery/scandal.

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First of all this audiobook is part of a new re- release of audiobooks with exciting celebrity narrators - The House of Riverton being narrated by Emilia Fox.
The story is set in WW1 during the 1920’s and is set in a Manor House and involves all the people who live within it. The main narration is told through the eyes of a housemaid who is now 98 and who is residing in a home and who recounts all her memories of life at Riverton and working for the Hartford family and the events that led up to a young poet committing suicide. I found the audiobook engaging and interesting as we flicked back through time and the housemaids secrets, as she unveils the mysteries and affairs that happened at Riverton. A great historical piece of fiction so beautifully narrated by Emilia Fox which I thoroughly enjoyed as I am already a fan of Kate Morton’s books. Thank you to Bolinda Audio and to Netgalley for my gifted copy.

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The House at Riverton by Kate Morton is told through the eyes of Grace, a housemaid for an aristocratic family in the 1920s. Grace, now 98, revisits the ghosts of her time in service, finally revealing the secret of the fateful evening in 1924 that destroyed Riverton and the family for good. This book is decadent and cozy, despite being a heartrending story. I enjoyed the narration and would love a BBC mini series of Riverton!

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This is such a beautiful book. I read it when if first came out and instantly fell in love with the book and I have been a huge fan of Kate Morton ever since.
Listening to this book being read to me was just devine.
I found myself going to bed really early so I could snuggle up in bed, under my duver and lay there in the dark being read too!
I loved the book already but it generally warmed my soul listening to someone else read it to me.
I can not recommend this book, in any format that you like and I also highly recommend the author as well.
All her books are beautifuly written and are all 'must read' books.

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This author is amazing and this story was exceptional. Set as the war-shattered Edwardian summer surrenders to the decadent 20s, The House at Riverton is a thrilling mystery and a compelling love story. This is an amazing audio book, just buy it, and sit back and enjoy the ride. A massive five shiny stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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