Homecoming

Another one I could not put down and devoured in one sitting. I absolutely recommend this book. Be ready for an afternoon or evening of completely neglecting any chores as this one will have you hooked within the first chapter. Lengthy but brilliant!

Thank you Bolinda Audio and Netgalley for this Audio. I can not say it was short but it seemed shorter then it really was. Really an epic long story with a book inside. I was lucky to receive the audio. I just listen and listen for few days and I remembered my visit to Australia. So nice written and so tragic story. About family and secrets. It all starts and end there.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I got the audio version (thanks to Netgalley) with the narration by the sublime Claire Foy. It was an excellent reading.

The story itself begins in quite a simple way. A tragedy has occurred - the deaths of a mother (Isabel Turner) and three of her children with the fourth (the baby) missing, presumed snatched by dingoes. We are then transported forward to meet Jess, a journalist, who is told that her beloved grandmother, Nora, is in hospital having fallen in her home.

The relationships are reasonably convoluted - Nora is Jess's grandmother (but has looked after Jess as a child), Jess's mother is Polly and Nora's sister is the dead woman, Isabel. The women most certainly take centre stage in this book.

There are, however several secrets to uncover and Jess is determined to find out why her grandmother has fallen from the attic steps, what happened to her great aunt Isabel, the children and the missing baby all whilst trying to keep a safe distance from her estranged mother Polly.

I tried second, third and fourth guessing the puzzle but kept getting it wrong. It took me until almost the end of the book to work out what had happened but this book will certainly keep you guessing.

It's well written with a great plot, some interesting characters and Claire Foy's narration is perfect - juxtaposing Australian, English and the occasional American accent seamlessly.

I'm delighted to have been able to listen to this and can only thank Netgalley and Bolinda for the ARC. Excellent. Highly recommended.

A historical fiction mystery book based in Australia with a story weaving across 3 generations in different timelines.
My usual reads in this genre are based in Europe, however, the plot setup of this book was a welcome change. The book gets into the detail of the lives of each character at length (which is majorly the reason for its extensive 560 pages). Initially, the book confuses you a bit with a lot of information on different characters, but once their interrelated stories are discovered, the mystery is elucidated.

It was emotional to see each generation carrying their own baggage and how the experiences of one person overshadowed the lives of those around them. The strong buildup of all the 3 main characters from their own angle made it difficult for me to choose sides with anyone of them. But it was astonishing to see how each parent-child dynamic may not be the same. I would have been an absolute fan if it was a little less long, but apart from that, every nook and cranny was beautifully delivered.

Genre: #historicalfiction #mystery
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @bolindaaudio @harpercollins and @katemortonauthor for the great ARC copy, enjoyed it!


#Homecoming #NetGalley

A wonderfully detailed novel. Claire Foy was a faultless narrator who gave depth and warmth as she read the story beautifully. It was such a sad tale and yet made for such an interesting escape. I really enjoyed the audio book and would like to thank the Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a really well written story.

I have listened to Kate Morton books before and have enjoyed them so I was looking forward to this one. It's a story spread over 60 years and tells the story of a family tragedy and how this affects the lives of the survivors, mainly Nora and her descendants. I have to say I was not a fan of Nora and couldn't get why no one seemed to realise how controlling she was. I did like Jess and Polly and felt sorry for the latter with her missed opportunities due to Nora.

I liked hearing about Australia and how different it is from the UK, the descriptions of the location were evocative and I want to visit some day.

I guessed one of the plot twists very early on but not the others and although it was a long book it was entertaining and held my attention.

Claire Foy was an excellent choice of narrator, she did not feel the need to try to use strong accents to make each character sound very different but managed to make it clear who was speaking in her reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bolindaaudio for the advance copy..