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The House at Riverton

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 34,964 ratings · 4,192 reviews

The House at Riverton is a sweeping debut novel set in England between the wars. It is the story of an aristocratic family, a house, a mysterious death and a vanishing way of life, told by a woman who witnessed it all and kept a secret for a lifetime.

Grace Bradley went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the First World War. For years he

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Hardcover, 473 pages

Published April 22nd 2008 by Atria Books (first published July 1st 2006)

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May 22, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, bookclub-ladies, 2011

I probably would have enjoyed Kate Morton's debut novel The House at Riverton more if I had not already experienced the greater expression of her writing talent in The Forgotten Garden. Riverton shares many of the themes of her later work, but with the narrator at a greater remove from the focus of the story, it tends to make her characterizations a bit flat. The story of the Hartford family, focused on the sisters Hannah and Emmeline is told by Grace, a servant to the family for many years. Her...more

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Jul 19, 2007 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: those who like mysteries and books where family secrets are revealed

The House at Riverton tells the story of a Manor House in Essex during WW1 and the beginning of the 1920s, told from the perspective of a housemaid, now 98 and living in an old people's home in 1999. When she finds out that a film is being made of a tragic event at the house - the suicide of a young poet who fought in the war - she recounts her memories leading up to that night, and the part she played in it.
Of course, the story is not as simple as that, and many secrets have been kept for almos...more

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Dec 18, 2008 JoLee rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008

I wanted to read this book because it looked as if it had a lot of elements I really enjoy: Gothic type mystery, haunted house, family secrets, World War I, the 1920s. The book concerns sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, aristocratic children who grow up over the course of the book. They chafe at the constraints of their class and find themselves floundering in the chaos of the 1920s. The other main character in the book is the narrator Grace, a housemaid at Riverton. She has her own unique c...more

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Dec 15, 2008 Hope rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An enjoyable story and a beautiful historical setting marred by clumsy story telling, overbearing foreshadowing, and an emotional disconnect with characters.

24 likes · like · see review

Nov 11, 2008 Sandie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: historical novels devotees

Shelves: 2008-books, 20th-century-women, historical-fiction

This book is a must read for lovers of historical novels and enthralling, well-written, atmospheric mysteries, The House at Riverton is a literary feast for those who love writers like Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan or Daphne DuMaurier and books reminiscent of The Forsythe Saga, Upstairs,Downstairs and Water for Elephants.

In this page-turner of a novel, beautifully written and evocative of the era in England prior to and after World War 1, the author succeeds in weaving a complex tale of passion,...more

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Mar 16, 2009 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-seller, mystery

I had such high hopes! Our heroine, Grace, now a feisty but failing 98, spent her early life at Riverton House in the service of the Ashbury family...and then spent her adult life trying to forget about them. However, she's contacted by a filmmaker about the mysterious suicide of a World War I poet that occurred at the estate back in 1924. Is the set of the Riverton drawing room accurate? What was it like being a housemaid? Does Grace have any insight into the circumstances of the suicide? Why d...more I had such high hopes! Our heroine, Grace, now a feisty but failing 98, spent her early life at Riverton House in the service of the Ashbury family...and then spent her adult life trying to forget about them. However, she's contacted by a filmmaker about the mysterious suicide of a World War I poet that occurred at the estate back in 1924. Is the set of the Riverton drawing room accurate? What was it like being a housemaid? Does Grace have any insight into the circumstances of the suicide? Why did the two Ashbury sisters never speak to each other again after the suicide? Grace may get sucked into remembering, but not necessarily into telling. For me this is the stuff of dreams...an English country manor, mysterious death, World War I...it should be a slam dunk! Alas, it’s more like a shot that rolls around the rim for a while before someone else taps it in.

Grace’s flashbacks are nicely interwoven with the present, and, as always, descriptions of life in service underscore how different society was a hundred years ago. But while much of the story of Grace’s interaction with the Ashbury family is compelling, it doesn’t always ring true. People just aren’t metaphysically “connected” to each other — and across class barriers! — to the extent Morton imagines them. And some of the minor characters are merely caricatures. Of course the Americans are crass, insensitive, and materialistic — and naturally, that means they must be Tories — because IS there any other type of American?

On the plus side, I liked the way Morton portrays the war’s impact. And, in spite of a few “revelations” that were so obvious I think they were probably intentionally obvious (but if so, why??), the twists at the end of the book really do pack a wallop. What bothered me, however, is the way the two adulterous affairs that caused most of the grief were glossed over, as though being “in love” excuses everything, and it’s just an unfair coincidence that destruction follows in the wake of bad choices. Still, this is only Morton’s first novel, and I liked it enough to be hopeful about her second.
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Dec 25, 2012 Kathryn Class rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4 1/2 stars really. Great story, though there is a gloomy feeling as you read because you know from the beginning that there is a terrible tragedy evolving. The gloom isn't oppressive though. Kate Morton balances the happy and foreboding feelings very well. I like that the ending was not exactly what I thought. I was almost right, but there was a twist that I hadn't considered. I wish the author had added two things to the story at the end, but I can't say what or it will spoil the ending for yo...more

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Oct 10, 2010 Lavinia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, fiction

The best thing about this novel is that it has huge cinematographic potential; it belongs to that wonderful category that includes films like "Howards End", "Maurice", "The Remains of the Day" or "Gosford Park" (shamefully, I haven’t read any of the books).

The writing in itself isn’t spectacular, though the story is good. Nice characters, nice setting, interesting plot. I wish the writer hadn’t told us beforehand what to expect at the end, though given the entire concept of the book (young wom...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Morton’s novels are always fun reads for me and this one didn’t disappoint. With shades of du Maurier’s Rebecca and the BBC’s Downton Abbey, the book was a wonderful mystery.

We meet Grace at the end of her life. She is living out her days at a retirement home when she finds out a movie is being made about a dramatic event that happened in her youth. As a teenager Grace worked as a house maid at a large manor, Riverton, in the English countryside. A young poet committed suicide at the home one n...more Morton’s novels are always fun reads for me and this one didn’t disappoint. With shades of du Maurier’s Rebecca and the BBC’s Downton Abbey, the book was a wonderful mystery.

We meet Grace at the end of her life. She is living out her days at a retirement home when she finds out a movie is being made about a dramatic event that happened in her youth. As a teenager Grace worked as a house maid at a large manor, Riverton, in the English countryside. A young poet committed suicide at the home one night and the mystery surrounding the evening has always left people wanting to know more. Grace decides it might be time to finally reveal the truth of what happened.

Like all of Morton’s novels, this one has themes of mother/daughter relationships, long-kept secrets and the English countryside. Grace’s mother used to work at Riverton and we slowly learn bits of her history as well.

After a few years at Riverton Grace becomes a lady’s maid for the Hartford sisters, Hannah and Emmeline. Their close relationship allows Grace to give us a wide-view of the happenings in the house. As the years pass and relationships become more complicated the story reminds us that one man’s happiness is another man’s prison.

I thought the relationship between Hannah and Emmeline was one of the most fascinating elements of the story. The relationship between sisters is like no other. It tends to be fraught with both love and jealousy, creating a strange and precarious balance. Morton captured this perfectly, allowing us to understand and sympathize with both sisters throughout the novel.

BOTTOM LINE: I really enjoyed it. The Forgotten Garden is my favorite of her’s so far, but I have a theory that your first Morton is always your favorite. This one was the perfect book to give me a Downton Abbey fix until I can watch the third season.

“Reading is one of life’s great pleasures; talking about books keeps their worlds alive for longer.”

“‘No. Not a mystery. Just a nice safe history.’ Ah my darling. But there is no such thing.”

“…for home is a magnet that lures back even its most abstracted children.”

“It is an uncanny feeling, that rare occasion when one catches a glimpse of oneself in repose. An unguarded moment, stripped of artifice, when one forgets to fool even oneself.”(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Sara added it · review of another edition

Update: This book is SLOW in getting to the "secret." Seriously, its the last page you find out all the pieces. I wanted at least one more chapter to review all that had happened and the clues along the way. I found myself flipping back the pages to reread a part just to go through that scene again with the knew knowledge of what had really happened.
I liked this book, and like Downton Abbey and that whole time period, this story is filled with the details of that time period. I loved how the sto...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense, from-the-land-down-under

“I’m not a superstitious person—you know that—but I’ve the oddest sense …” She glanced at Lady Clementine. “You’ll laugh, but I’ve the oddest sense of impending doom.”

“Oh?” It was Lady Clementine’s favorite subject.

A strong 3.5 stars, so I’ll round up. According to the jacket, People called this “[A] stunning debut.” I would probably tone that down just a little to “a very solid debut.” The House at Riverton had plenty of suspense to keep me turning the pages, although the author tipped her han...more “I’m not a superstitious person—you know that—but I’ve the oddest sense …” She glanced at Lady Clementine. “You’ll laugh, but I’ve the oddest sense of impending doom.”

“Oh?” It was Lady Clementine’s favorite subject.

A strong 3.5 stars, so I’ll round up. According to the jacket, People called this “[A] stunning debut.” I would probably tone that down just a little to “a very solid debut.” The House at Riverton had plenty of suspense to keep me turning the pages, although the author tipped her hand on one of the plot twists early on. (Within the first 50 pages, I had a good idea of a major twist that was coming … and sure enough, about 300 pages later, there it was.)

The narrator, Grace—who recounts the story of her years as a maid at Riverton, her devotion to the Hartford sisters, and the tragic suicide of a handsome young poet at a dazzling party at the house one summer night in 1924—is especially vivid. Kate Morton (young as she is) has done a convincing job of telling this story from the perspective of someone who, now in her late 90s and aware that her life is quickly ebbing away, is ready to share the truth about what happened that night. Grace’s thoughts on aging, her frustration at being dependent on others, her moments of confusion, and her feelings about the approach of death all rang true. This is the Grace I fell in love with—not the young, shrinking-violet Grace, but the Grace who has gone on to live a rich, full life after her years in service, to earn a doctorate in archaeology, to raise a daughter on her own.

There are a few missteps along the way, all quite forgivable, I think, for a first novel. The narrative weakens when the story is removed from Riverton to London for several chapters; Riverton itself is such a strong setting, and Morton is at her finest when she writes of the house and the happenings there. Then there’s a chapter or so where Grace tells secondhand several events she wasn’t there for (events in Hannah’s life that Hannah recounted to her). This method fell flat for me; it felt more like a hasty summary or an outline than a fleshed-out narrative at that point. But as the story returns to Riverton and Grace resumes her first-person narrative role, the author hits her stride again.

There were also a handful of puzzling descriptions, such as this bit on the poet, Robbie Hunter: “He was sitting on a stool, cigarette on his lips, smoking lazily. … His collar was loose and so was his hair.” I’m sorry—what? His hair was loose? I couldn’t help but think the poor guy was in need of a good lint roller. And regarding another character: “She withdrew a make-up compact from her bag and flicked it open, arranged her lips so they made a figure eight and stabbed at the corners for lipstick smears.” This sounds like a remarkable feat of facial muscles. I was compelled to repeatedly try to arrange my lips like so, yet never came close. But I’m nitpicking here.

The one real flaw goes back to that major plot twist, which I won’t spoil. When the surprise is finally revealed, the shock of it hits Grace quite forcefully … but then just pages later, somehow it’s almost as if it never happened. That twist is a huge personal revelation for her, yet she seems to hardly even think of it—much less ponder its significant implications for herself—ever again. There’s absolutely no trace of the emotional turmoil that I would expect to follow. Yes, we have come to see how a lady’s maid is completely absorbed in her duty to her mistress. But a servant is only human, too, and a revelation this big would have a profound impact on anyone. We never get a hint of that with Grace, and I feel like we missed out there.

Good book. I will likely read Morton again and may even reread this one someday. (less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Jayne rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, my-bookshelf

I can't help but feel affection mingled with disappointment over this book. I was with it for so long, yet much of the journey was not enjoyable. A very sad and lengthy tale of broken dreams, misplaced loyalty and disappointment. I didn't strongly connect to any of the characters, but felt mild pity and compassion for most of them. Grace, the main character, was like the ghost of the story, appearing only in the present day as a frail and elderly woman, to recount her story. I think the author d...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Bianca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: happy-place-books, my-top-books

This is one of the best written and most compelling books I have ever read - the suspense and the way the story unfolds demonstrates that it is the journey and not the destination that matters.

This story unfolds concurrently in the 1920s and 1999. Grace, in the 20s, is a housemaid and is promoted to a lady's maid. In 1999 she is an old lady living in a nursing home approaching death. The reader knows that Robbie McCourt, a poet, suicides at Riverton, in 1925, and we know that he really didn't su...more

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Dec 08, 2010 Catherine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked the idea of this book but thought it was sloppily thought out and executed. (Stop reading here if you haven't read this book yet as spoilers follow.) I mean, really, Hannah couldn't throw the gun in the lake rather than shooting her lover? Grace couldn't tell Hannah that she didn't know shorthand and got someone else to tell her what the first note said? And why did Hannah think Grace knew shorthand, anyway? She put a lot of work into learning it herself . . . I don't recall her ever tea...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Jenny rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, mysteries

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 02, 2008 Betty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of buried secrets

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, murder-mystery, mystery, novels

This book is a gently-told narrative that brings the reader into the Edwardian period and takes us right through into the 1920s, with all its changes in society and mores. Living through the eyes of Grace, our narrator at the age of 98, the story comes alive. It is 1999 and her memories are awakened by Ursula, whose project is to tell the story of the House at Riverton to be featured in a film, reflecting on the historical significance of the family and household. Grace agrees to be interviewed...more This book is a gently-told narrative that brings the reader into the Edwardian period and takes us right through into the 1920s, with all its changes in society and mores. Living through the eyes of Grace, our narrator at the age of 98, the story comes alive. It is 1999 and her memories are awakened by Ursula, whose project is to tell the story of the House at Riverton to be featured in a film, reflecting on the historical significance of the family and household. Grace agrees to be interviewed about her recollections of life with the prestigious Ashbury family, against the wishes of her caretaker/companion Sylvia.

At the urging of her mother, Grace is hired on as a housemaid in this home to Lords and Ladies prior to WWI. The staff is fairly close-knit and she is treated well. There are three children related to the family visiting when she arrives and she forms a bond of sorts with them, in particular with Hannah, a rather independent young lady.

Grace tells the tale of the many unexpected but ceaseless changes (some very surprising) through her long life through the eyes of remembrance. But there is always a feeling of something not quite right as the story unfolds with an ongoing background of secrets untold and misunderstood. Our storyteller is one of the very few remaining witnesses to this history alive. She tells her story between brief interviews with Ursula, producer of the film, with whom she bonds and whose visits she begins to look forward to as time goes on. Between these interludes her story is told in word pictures of her mind, her memories become alive and she takes us with her. The two daughters of the original family are inextricably entwined with the life of Grace throughout. There is no difficulty in knowing when she is in the present and when she is in the past.

Everything is here, romance, missed opportunities, casualties of war (physically and psychologically) at a time when very little is known to help these victims, old-wealth class, rebellion against the place of women, and more, but there is something more human than we find in the usual Edwardian/Victorian era historical books, and always the hidden secrets are lurking about. It is a well-rounded book and an enjoyable read.(less)

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Nov 03, 2008 Meagan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, gothic-tones, mystery, love-romance, 2008-reads, part-of-a-series

I am loosely giving this book four stars but it is my own fault that I did not enjoy it more. I happened to read the last page-something I generally try to avoid- and it completely mislead me. I kept expecting some dramatic twist to explain how everything wrapped up to be the happily ever after ending I had envisioned due to my fatal reading error. I was left a little dumbstruck when I realized how I had misinterpreted the ending. So note to anyone who reads this: don't read the ending at any po...more

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Feb 06, 2010 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: couldn-t-put-down

Wow, this was such an interesting read...I really fell for the characters, but after the ending is revealed, my feelings changed towards some of them. It is also incredibly sad, and I cried! Definitely something to think about...I think this would be great book club book! I told Joe (my husband) about the story, and we started debating about the main problem in the book! Would like to talk to my friends about this!
It's the story, told in flashbacks, of a woman named Grace, who was a housemaid on...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My great-great-grandmother was 'in service' to my great-great-grandfather's family in Corydon, England in the 1870's. They fell in love and immigrated to the US--his had father disowned him. Reading this gives me a glimpse into what life must have been like for them (although this story takes place between the World Wars.)

I'm really liking this book so far. It is well-written as an elderly lady shares her memories of her service. The flashbacks are very well done. Parts of the story get slow, bu...more

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Apr 02, 2009 Vanessa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wonderful characters, setting, plot, I can't say enough. I was pleased that I was unable to guess the truth behind the secret at the end of the novel. I was surprised at the end which makes a work that much better in my mind. If you enjoyed Water For Elephants or The 13th Tale, you will like this work. A woman, from modern times, is in a nursing home and circumstances require her to remember her early years as a serving girl in a wealthy, British home during the WWI era. The author drifts back a...more

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Nov 23, 2009 Alice rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: likers of historical, romantic fiction

Shelves: historical-fiction

Hmmm... Very readable, moving at times, and full of suspense. However, some slightly irritating traits, ie. 'non-Englishisms'
Kate Morton talks about 'Morning Tea', English people never, ever have this!! It's Afternoon Tea! There are many more inacuracies throughout the book, which are annoying because it does detract from the overall quality of the story.

Also, the 'mystery' behind Grace's father is dazzlingly clear from virtually the first page, and the final conclusion is also predictable if yo...more

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Aug 23, 2008 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted to like this. High drama and love triangles at the country estate of a rich family during the Edwardian era -- all ending in the famous suicide on the family estate of a post-war poet. What could go wrong? Well, as it turns out, it could feel like a cobbled-together collection of Upstairs-Downstairs stereotypes, played-out female character archetypes, and plot twists and sub-plots that, after lots of set-up, amount to very little. Also, the book is told in flashbacks, and there were str...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Becca Hoetger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From beginning to end, this book does not disappoint. It was different from what I thought it was going to be, but it was still incredible! The story is filled with secret after secret, and just when you think you've figured it out... another secret comes out. Filled with intrigue, mystery and love stories, The House at Riverton is a good read that will enthrall and captivate its readers.

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Jun 24, 2011 Michelle added it · review of another edition

Having enjoyed The Forgotten Garden as much as I did, I was eagerly anticipating delving into Kate Morton's detailed image of the English gentry during the turn of the century, otherwise known as The House at Riverton. Unfortunately, the fact that The House at Riverton was her first novel is very apparent in some of the inconsistencies among the characters and general predictability of the overall plot. Still enjoyable, it is just not as strong as her follow-up novels.

The biggest issues with the...more Having enjoyed The Forgotten Garden as much as I did, I was eagerly anticipating delving into Kate Morton's detailed image of the English gentry during the turn of the century, otherwise known as The House at Riverton. Unfortunately, the fact that The House at Riverton was her first novel is very apparent in some of the inconsistencies among the characters and general predictability of the overall plot. Still enjoyable, it is just not as strong as her follow-up novels.

The biggest issues with the novel is with the various characters and their choices. There are several characters which are simply detestable. While one or two are okay, more than five such characters becomes a bit unrealistic. For a novel in which Ms. Morton was trying to capture the feel of the era, having characters that were more cartoonish or caricaturish defeats her purpose. Also, some of the choices made by Grace and Hannah were also, in my opinion, far-fetched. Choosing servitude over marriage, siblings over happiness - these choices lost the element of authenticity that characterizes the majority of the novel.

Also, Ms. Morton falls into the trap of any novel set in the present and uses flashbacks and memories to tell the majority of the story, as the present-day scenes fall flat in comparison to the memories. They are not as vivid and not as interesting, and the reader often feels that these scenes are best skipped because they do little to nothing to further the overarching plot. Many times, old Grace would flip between past and present every other sentence, and for a listener, this rapidity between tenses becomes tedious and very confusing. It is a plot device that is quite popular and effective when done well, but The House at Riverton would have been a better novel had the entire story stayed in the past.

What remains enjoyable is the detail and vividness of the imagery. The clashes between old and new, Victorian versus Edwardian, and pre-war versus post-war are amazingly crisp and clear. Every character, from the humblest to the most ennobled, struggles to make sense of the rapidly changing world, and their confusion is understandable. Ms. Morton portrays the quiet countryside with the same attention to detail as the glittery gaucheness of the Roaring Twenties, making the reader feel that he or she has truly stepped into the past.

Caroline Lee is a delightful narrator; however, throughout the production of this audiobook, she developed a nasty head cold, and her voice definitely suffered as a result. It became rather nasally and weak. While I know she could not help it, I did find the results distracting because it forced me to focus on her voice more than on the overall performance. Granted, it made me chuckle and sympathize with her, but I was still taken out of the story as a result. Thankfully, her cold was the worst part about her narration. She does an excellent job with various English accents and does a passable job tackling the American ones. It is easy to differentiate between characters through her intonation and affected accent, and with a cast of characters that can be overwhelming, this is a great thing.

The House at Riverton is an enjoyable novel even though I did find fault with many individual elements. The story itself is intriguing and does much to countermand the weaker parts of the story. For a debut novel, it is a valiant effort and showcases the potential Ms. Morton has as a writer. Having read one of her subsequent novels prior to this one though, it only highlights the gaps between her first and later novels. Had I read The House at Riverton first, I suspect I would feel differently about it than I do. That being said, I am still anxious to read her latest novel, as I now know just how much Ms. Morton improved in her storytelling.(less)

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Apr 21, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a typical historical fiction book, but it is written from the perspective of an old lady, remembering the past so that gives it a present day twist. It also makes the story and main character much more sentimental than they otherwise would be, which can be a nice way to make the reader care about the history being highlighted.

The writing is very good, but I have to admit that this is probably one of the most boring books I've ever read. I'm not exaggerating when I say that nothing much h...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Mónica Silva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Opinião no blog http://howtoliveathousandlives.blogsp...

Este é um romance fluído e apaixonante, que alterna entre memórias do passado e episódios do presente de uma forma concisa, sem causar confusão. Assim, o leitor vai tendo acesso ao mistério subjacente à narrativa: o que verdadeiramente aconteceu naquela noite de Verão de 1924.

A estória é contada pela perspetiva de Grace, uma antiga criada da casa de Riverton. Esta é uma das melhores personagens do livro, na medida em que assistimos à sua e...more Opinião no blog http://howtoliveathousandlives.blogsp...

Este é um romance fluído e apaixonante, que alterna entre memórias do passado e episódios do presente de uma forma concisa, sem causar confusão. Assim, o leitor vai tendo acesso ao mistério subjacente à narrativa: o que verdadeiramente aconteceu naquela noite de Verão de 1924.

A estória é contada pela perspetiva de Grace, uma antiga criada da casa de Riverton. Esta é uma das melhores personagens do livro, na medida em que assistimos à sua evolução ao longo do tempo, incluindo a sua atitude sonhadora e observadora que potencia a descoberta de muitos dos segredos que envolvem a família Hartford. A sua relação com Hannah Hatford é sublime, evidenciando a importância da amizade verdadeira nas nossas vidas.

Um dos aspetos mais cativantes deste romance é a caracterização da Inglaterra no início do século XX. Kate Morton retrata esta época de uma forma brilhante, incluindo o conflito entre o vitorianismo rígido e tradicional do século anterior e a nova agitação social associada às inovações artísticas, num país destroçado pela 1ª Guerra Mundial. Todos estes acontecimentos históricos afetam a família Hartford, permitindo que o leitor viva este período com grande intensidade. É impossível não ficar encantado com as descrições da vida neste século, quase que nos sentimos parte da narrativa.

Além disso, este livro prima pela aura de mistérios e segredos que rodeia a Casa de Riverton. Todos os momentos ou diálogos nesta narrativa parecem repletos de segundas intenções, de fantasmas do passado que pairam sobre todas as personagens. A narrativa parece constantemente encaminhar-se para uma tragédia que demora a chegar, mas que sabemos que abalará toda esta família. Até que finalmente chegamos àquela noite de Verão de 1924, em que descobrimos a verdade por trás da morte do poeta e as repercussões nas vidas de todas as personagens. Assim se estabelece um desfecho surpreendente e arrebatador, que não deixará ninguém indiferente.

Kate Morton é uma autora que sabe como tocar verdadeiramente nas emoções do leitor. Ao longo deste livro, bebi das suas palavras em longos tragos, sem pressas, com o intuito de saborear todas as intrigas e nuances nos diálogos, todas as pequenas peças do puzzle que se acabam por encaixar perfeitamente. Recomendo a sua leitura sem reservas!(less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Marlena Porter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, historical

I quite liked this book, especially the fact that it was told from the servant's point of view. Maybe it's some residual buried memories of watching "Upstairs Downstairs" with my mom when I was very young, but I've always been fascinated by what goes on in the servants' lives in a well-to-do British household. And the main story setting ~ 1910s to 1920s ~ has always been an interesting time period to me. I look back at reading "The Great Gatsby" in high school with fondness, and this book remind...more

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Mar 14, 2013 John rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a good old fashioned, riveting, rococo mystery set at Riverton House, the crumbling estate of a declining upper class British family. Just before World War I begins, 14 year old Grace Reeves comes to work there as a maid. The naïve Grace is fascinated by the comings and goings of the Ashbury family household, particularly the sisters Hannah and Emmeline and their ambitious brother David. As an invisible member of the staff, Grace inadvertently becomes privy to the truth about the presume...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Caitlin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm currently reading through Morton's four books - so this is the second I've read so far.

This was okay - I liked it, but as I was listening to this in the car, towards the end I found myself shouting "Just get on with it!" when Grace made yet another "I could tell you about the past, but first I have to foreshadow it by some comment about the nature of the past..."

I like the Morton stories - about a grand old house of great atmosphere, young women who keep secrets well into their older years,...more I'm currently reading through Morton's four books - so this is the second I've read so far.

This was okay - I liked it, but as I was listening to this in the car, towards the end I found myself shouting "Just get on with it!" when Grace made yet another "I could tell you about the past, but first I have to foreshadow it by some comment about the nature of the past..."

I like the Morton stories - about a grand old house of great atmosphere, young women who keep secrets well into their older years, and young men who are conveniently fertile and able to die at good times in the plot. (I'm not saying this is a bad thing, mind, I just think the fallibility of memory and the haunting of the present by the past is fun to explore, but perhaps with one or two books, then move on.)

However, sometimes there are just one or two things that grate with me - and it could be the audio book versions - although I think Caroline Lee is amazing, I've since started "The Distant Hours" in hardback form and already finding it very different reading to myself, as I am able to skip quickly over some of the generalised observations about secrets/families/memories/storytelling that reading too much Picoult has made me intolerant towards.

And when these sections seemed to go on and on and on, it really started to mess with the timing of the plot points.

I'm in two minds whether the book should have been told in first person - mainly because there is a small part where it goes out of first person, only to come back again. It really could have worked without it. I also found some of the observations were not really plausible for a maid in the background to see. I know the rich did carry on as though the Help weren't there, but it did stretch the imagination a bit.

There was also the Great Revelation of the Big Secret of Grace's Family (that I kind of guessed much, much earlier on) which could have happened a little later in the plot, and made very little significant impact - in fact, I've wondered if the Great Revelation hadn't happened, if it would have made much difference to the story at all. (Probably not.)

I can see that some readers might not like the characters of Emmeline and Hannah - however, as I've read quite extensively on the Mitford sisters (who Morton used as templates) I kind of expected them to be awful.

I know this sounds harsh - this is from Morton's earlier days as a writer, and as an early book it's quite an achievement - and I really did enjoy the experience, however I do have higher expectations for the next two books.(less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ninety-eight year old Grace Reeves is living in a nursing home in England when she is visited by Ursula, an American filmmaker who is in the midst of making a film about an incident in the 1920s at a country estate in Essex named Riverton. Grace had gone to work at Riverton at the age of 14 and, as a housemaid, she is "invisible in plain sight" to the family, and, therefore, privy to all of their secrets. Ursula wants Grace to provide background information to ensure accuracy about life at River...more

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About Kate Morton

Kate Morton grew up in the mountains of southeast Queensland, Australia. She has degrees in Dramatic Art and English Literature and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Queensland. Kate lives with her husband and two young sons in Brisbane.
Kate Morton's books have been published in 31 countries. The House at Riverton was a Sunday Times #1 bestseller in the UK in 2007 and a New Y...more

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Kate Morton Collection: The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden & The Distant Hours

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“It is a cruel, ironical art, photography. The dragging of captured moments into the future; moments that should have been allowed to be evaporate into the past; should exist only in memories, glimpsed through the fog of events that came after. Photographs force us to see people before their future weighed them down....” — 222 people liked it

“I sound contemptuous, but I am not. I am interested--intrigued even--by the way time erases real lives, leaving only vague imprints. Blood and spirit fade away so that only names and dates remain.” — 34 people liked it

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