I was expecting this to be a thriller, but it was far from that and I found it lacking,
It was too slow, and I found it was a struggle to get through and I just wasn’t hooked.
I know it was written through the eyes of 12 year old but sadly it was not for me.

Based on the description of this book I was expecting a thriller but unfortunately it lacked that bite for me… it was a little bit of a slow burn & took me a while to get through, I just wasn’t hooked.

That being said the way it’s written through the eyes of 12 year old Tammy is a great idea! It gave a different angle than other books I’ve read previously.

Its very rare I fail to finish a book, but I'm afraid I gave up with this one after reading a reasonable amount. The premise is that there has been a murder as the foot of a young man has been discovered; we see the events through the eyes of young Tammy, a neighbour, who is fairly self-absorbed and a budding kleptomaniac. Unfortunately I found the book incredibly dull. The action bounces before and after the murder, neighbours are introduced to the story but as there is no description or depth of character, I had trouble working out who was whom. And honestly, I lost the will to care.

No doubt the murder will be resolved, but I'm afraid I shall remain in ignorance of the outcome.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this debut novel. Set in Australia in 1979 in a small close where there has been a murder of an Italian immigrant, this book uncovers all the secrets of a small community in the midst of a hot, oppressive summer. We see an attempt to uncover what’s happening through the often misguided detective skills of 12 year old Tammy and her 8 year old friend Colin. Both feel like misfits, who have their own family burdens.
Within the community there is racism, misogyny and homophobia, but there’s also some neighbourly behaviour and friendship where you least expect it. It’s not really a murder mystery as such, as we have some idea what’s happened from the start, but there are still surprises and twists in a plot which travels back and forwards around the time of the murder.
A really well written novel, I’ll definitely look out for more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A brilliant view into the lives of a close knit community. A great story line and wonderful cast of characters. Recommended.

This is an intriguing debut from Kate Kemp, set in 1979 Australia and capturing it’s time and place immediately. We’re in Warrah Place which houses a mix of neighbours from differing places and financial backgrounds. A foot is found at the edge of the mountains that are the backdrop to this community, It’s distinguishing mark being a tattoo, it doesn’t take residents long to identify it belongs to Antonio a young man who lives in the big house at the end of the close with his Italian family. Is this the remains of an animal attack or has the foot been severed with an implement? The local police determine it to be murder. The author takes us back to the weeks before the incident, through different eyes, to narrow down the relationships in this close knit group. Who knew Antonio and how did he fit into this neighbourhood.

The author has captured beautifully that sense of a relatively new country, where neighbours have come from different backgrounds to make a better life in Australia. Some consider themselves Aussies and probably are descendants of the original white settlers, who seem to think they’re superior to those with an aboriginal background. The Laus are from Hong Kong and are treated with suspicion, as are Antonio’s family who come from Italy. Neighbours mention that they fly back to Italy so often, spending money that could be spent on the upkeep of their house. Racism is alive and well in Warrah, but they weren’t above hiring Antonio as a gardener or handy man for their own properties. The husbands and fathers work long hours leaving their wives and daughters to deal with him, quiet and reserved as he is. There are those he’s closer too than we might have expected leaving one woman grieving but trying to hide it. Homophobia is also an issue with one household having to pretend to be housemates rather than a couple. Anything different, that might make someone stand out, is kept under wraps here. The women help each other out, with children particularly. I loved Colin, a boy who is simply desperate to dress up in teenager Tammy’s dresses. It’s something that would never be allowed in his own home, I loved how the author showed the terrible discovery of Antonio’s foot tearing some families apart but forming unlikely relationships elsewhere, with people they might not have expected to find common ground with. As more of Antonio’s body is found, the more talking there is and tension really starts to build.
I’m a little torn with this book, because parts are brilliant and have so much promise but I did start to wander a bit in the middle section. It felt a bit like there were too many viewpoints and jumps in time that I couldn’t keep up with. I have set it aside but hope to return to it with less time pressures. I have no doubt that given time the book really pays off.

What a great debut! Touches on some difficult subjects but without dragging on. Found it an interesting read and loved the child’s perspective.
Would recommend!

I loved this and was completely surprised it was a debut!
I really got into it straight away and didn't want to stop reading.
I love the picture the author painted of 1979 Australia, and all the secrets to go with it.
Definitely one to look out for.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really well paced story. I really liked following a mystery through the perspective of a child. I thought the author did a great job at demonstrating how kids can interpret something completely different from the truth.

I thought the ending was brilliant and really well played out. Would definitely recommend!

I started this book again after struggling to get into the first few pages. I am so pleased I did. It's a great debut novel, with complex characters., a central crime of the murder of a handsome young Italian man, tittle-tattle, illicit love, adolescent angst and mystery. The novel really captured the feeling of suburban Australia in the late 1970s, with racism, sexism and bigotry rife. There were also lots of funny moments.
The author did a great job in immersing the reader in this quiet cul-de-sac in the hottest of summers, with viewpoints swapping, but consistently so per chapter, which gave a real, layered feel to the characters, setting and scenario.
At one point about mid-way through, I got a bit confused as to who was who, which is always the danger with an ensemble cast, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of this novel.
It was clever, twisting and layered and I really like the ant analogies,
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this novel.

3.5 stars
Now in my 50’s I went to Australia around 1979 with my parents to visit relatives. The description of the heat, the sexism and racism undercurrent and the women characters in this book really stood out for me and I thought the writing was incredibly powerful.

I was totally caught up in the story for the first third of the book but then the pace seemed to slow and I found I wasn’t as desperate to continue reading it as I first had. I found the periphery characters confusing and the main adult male characters lacked depth.

After the phenomenal opening, I had such high hopes and to me the ending felt a little flat. I didn’t feel all my questions were answered which is perhaps what the author wanted but I just found frustrating.

I do love an Australian crime novel and I will definitely look out for this author’s next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an eARC of this book.

I was drawn to The Grapevine by the synopsis, advance reviews and the wonderful cover.
It’s set in late 1970s Australia in the Canberra suburb of Warrah Place and focuses on the aftermath of a murder and the investigation by 12 year old Tammy. I absolutely loved this novel, the character of Tammi is beautifully drawn as is the suburb and the relationships between neighbours. Kate Kemp really conjures up the claustrophobic atmosphere of a 70s suburb, both reflecting the heat and the tense relationships. Women’s place in society is accurately reflected and this makes an often uncomfortable read.
A beautifully written novel, perfect if you’re a fan of Joanna Cannon or Jennie Godfrey.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC,

1979, the heat of an Australian summer is bearing down on the residents of Warrah Place, Canberra.

In the early hours Naomi is cleaning the bathroom floor, her husband Richard watches.

Wow, what an opening and it only got better. Kemp literally lifted the roof off the houses in Warrah Place revealing its occupants and their myriad of secrets.

Much centered around 12 year old Tammy, looking for a summer project, the discovered severed foot of presumed dead Italian resident, Antonio exactly what she needed.

Kemp made her our eyes and ears, 8year old Colin the son of Naomi and Richard her sometime unwilling sidekick. I loved his quiet acceptance of his lot, his penchant for dressing in Tammy’s dresses, never caring what others thought.

They loitered unseen, watching the residents, the Lau’s from Hong Kong, Peggy and her raucous bird, Cecil with his racist, sexist opinions, his long suffering wife, Maureen, Ursula and Lydia, a couple living in fear of discovery, their niece Debbie, escaping a torrid affair. Then there were her own parents, Helen and Duncan, Helen all religious, praying for a baby that never came, Duncan happy and jolly, happy to just be.

This eclectic mix of characters were Kemps triumph as the murder investigation unearthed their affairs, abuse, prejudice’s and jealousy’s. She also gave us tenderness, and poignancy as friendships formed, and people confronted grief and loss, and a young Tammy dealt with her own loneliness and began the process of growing up.

As the heat intensified so did the accusations and confrontations, the perpetrator outed, and Warrah Place and its residents changed forever.

And then, the most glorious twist, surprise that I did not see, Kemp played an absolute blinder, and such a fitting ending to a fantastic novel.

Any TV production companies need to snap up the rights NOW.

Kate Kemp has written an absolutely fantastic debut and created a very believable community in 'The Grapevine', conjuring up a 1970s suburban Canberra neighbourhood, jam packed with the sights, sounds and tastes of the 1970s as well as a strong dose of political clashes, religion, immigration and LGBT themes.
The 9 or so houses on Warrah Drive seem to be fairly typical and close-knit (as long as you're not one of the 'incomers' to the country), nipping in and out of each others' houses and sometimes each others' beds. Children flit from house to house without their parents always knowing; there's a glorious sense of freedom and adventure in the air.
All of this comes to a head when a severed foot is found; it belongs to Antonio, a young Italian man in Warrah Drive who has turned a lot of heads since he's arrived in the area. No-one knows what might have happened to the poor man or who is responsible. The community is rocked, with suspicions being whispered over fences - and more publicly, fingers are pointed at other immigrant families
12 year old Tammy decides to investigate; she's a loner and thinks that it might make her more popular with the cool girls. Tammy is at the awkward age between primary school and adolescence; she doesn't fit in with the younger kids but isn't entirely sure what the older kids are talking about either. She reluctantly teams up with Colin, an 8 year old who appears to be spending the summer in her house. The two of them lurk in corners and underneath open windows, keen to hear anything that might tell them more about what happened to Antonio. They hear a lot more besides, with secrets and intrigue being spilled everywhere they look.

I loved the story-telling and narrative style. The characters were brilliantly drawn and realistic and I would like to hear more about some of the more secondary characters' back stories - there's a lot more to uncover yet. I hope that we hear more from Kate Kemp very soon.

The Grapevine is the debut novel from Kate Kemp and was published on March 13. This is an original take on a whodunnit, with the events bring told from the perspective of twelve year old Tammy. Tammy takes things very literally, and likes order so when nineteen year old Antonio is murdered she decides to find out who killed him using the same skills she puts into her scientific observations on ants. As she lurks in the shadows of Warrah Place, watching her neighbours she finds that many of her neighbours have secrets, and are not who they seem to be.

I loved Tammy as a character and I think many will identify with her on many levels. She is becoming a teenager, feels awkward and has no friends her own age. Her social skills are limited, especially as she takes everything at face value, not understanding the nuances of society and other people her own age. She is incredibly observant, noticing small details that others miss and often flies under the radar so she can hide and uses this to help with her detective skills. In Tammy’s chapters there are so many one liners and witty moments especially from her naivety, literal thinking and observations of her neighbours.

Kate Kemp’s characters are brilliantly drawn and nuanced; she really gets how neighbours put on a falseness to each other and only speak how they really feel behind closed doors. There is certainly those who are prejudiced about race, gender and sex, seeing themselves as better than those around them. One of the characters I was drawn to was Guangyu Lau, living with her husband, mother in law and teenage daughter Jennifer. For all she lives with family she feels very alone and misunderstood. I thought her burgeoning friendship with Ursula heartwarming, both flourished in this friendship, able to talk and laugh. There are many other colourful characters inclulding Debbie who is fighting for feminism whilst living with her aunt and Colin, who becomes Tammy’s side kick.

This is not your usual crime novel, yes there is the murder of a nineteen year old young man, but the police investigation is not at the heart of this book. I found it refreshing to see the crime from the view of a twelve year old, who takes things as she sees them, fact and fiction, black and white. From the first chapter we are privy, as the reader, to who killed Antonio but not to why, although you can hazard a guess. But what made this such an engaging read was the secrets of the residents of Warrah Place, seeing what really happened behind closed doors; I felt like that nosey neighbour who hides behind the curtains to spy on her neighbours.

The Grapevine is an impressive debut from Kate Kemp. The nuanced characters, the whitty observations and one liners that lighten the mood and the perfect plotting made this such an addictive read. I loved everything about this book, and the themes of friendship, family and acceptance gave it a warmth to offset the horrible murder. I hope Kate Kemp is going to release another book as I will definitely be buying it.

I found this book to be a bit of a slow starter at first but I soon settled in for the neighbourhood drama with a murder as it's
background. The murder almost became incidental as we got to know the neighbours, their characters, idiosynchrasies, relationships and mostly their secrets. They are a really diverse group of people and all intersting in their own rights. The resolution of the murder was a shocking surprise but I'll miss these neighbours as they made their mark on me. A fantastic debut novel.

Australia, 1979. The residents of Warrah Place are rocked by the news of Antonio Marietti’s death. It spreads like wildfire, the gossip between neighbours on this quiet cul-de-sac fanning the flames of rumour and suspicion. While the adults whisper accusations, twelve-year-old Tammy decides to launch her own investigation but is unprepared for what she discovers…

A community full of secrets, lies and prejudices, a captivating murder mystery, and an explosive finale, Kate Kemp’s debut has all of this and so much more. Wonderfully written, acutely observed and deeply human, I loved this fantastic debut. There’s a strong sense of community from the start, but it is soon evident that not everyone is who they seem on this claustrophobic cul-de-sac and secrets, lies and prejudices lurk in the homes on Warrah Place. There is a huge cast of characters which did make it hard for me to get into the story at first. But I found that once I had a chunk of time to really immerse myself in the story I was in its thrall. Part psychological suspense, part domestic fiction, the tension sizzled like the summer sun that was beating down, keeping me guessing right up until that devastating final twist.

But what really had me hooked was the relationships between the neighbours. Richly drawn, authentic and relatable, they leaped from the pages and pulled me into their world, slowly unveiling the secrets they were trying to hide. I loved delving into their lives and discovering what they were hiding while trying to guess what happened to Antonio the night he was murdered. Much of the story is narrated by Tammy, a precocious, quirky and curious twelve-year-old who is emotionally neglected by her mother. Tammy decides to solve the crime, and it was fun to see the story through her naive eyes. The adults are flawed and preoccupied, allowing Tammy to overhear much of her investigation as they forgot she was listening. There are some very unlikeable characters on Warrah Place, but there were also some strong female characters that I loved reading.

Atmospheric, revealing, and utterly compelling, The Grapevine is a delicious slice of suburban drama not to be missed.

This debut novel by Australian writer Kate Kemp had all the elements I love in a book - a fantastic murder mystery story, a diverse cast of characters, a gutsy young protagonist and her sidekick and a suburban 1970s setting, with great writing that brought the story to life on the page. It would make an excellent mini series.

Tammy is a 12 year old girl living in your typical suburban street in Canberra, Australia in 1979. The book opens with two of her neighbours, Richard and his wife Naomi, washing away the remnants of a crime scene. Someone has been murdered, but who and why?

In a story that gradually unfolds as we get to know all of the neighbours on Warrah Place, Kate Kemp weaves social commentary - immigration, race, class, gay rights, coercive control, infertility, growing up - beautifully and subtly into a story that will have you turning pages until the very end. It's not one that is super pacey, but there is intrigue, brilliant character work and stylish writing in abundance.

Kate Kemp won the Stylist Prize for Feminist Fiction and there was a 7 way auction for this, her debut novel. It's not hard to see why. If you like Una Mannion's A Crooked Tree, or Catherine Chidgey's brilliant novels, I think you'll enjoy this one. 4/5 stars

The Grapevine was published on Thursday this week by Orion Publishing. Many thanks to the publisher for the arc via @netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.

I really struggled with this book and DNF. There were too many characters and I found I didn't care about any of them.

3.5 stars. This is a story about an oppressive summer in a small community when one terrible situation tears open the respectable façade of the a small neighbourhood. I guess being set in the 70's makes it historical fiction (and makes me feel old!) and it is very accurate in the depictions of that period - the clothes, the attitudes, the societal norms...I enjoyed those aspects a lot.

I also enjoyed the female characters and their relationships with each other. There were many different types and it felt good to see women being drawn in lots of guises rather than the usual tropes. On a wider note though, I didn't really connect with the group of characters as a whole. I can't put my finger on why but I felt removed from them and what they were going through/causing.

The murder mystery part of this was a fun read, done very well.