Sunday, January 16, 2011

The House at Riverton


I finished this book and said, "Wow." Then I put the book down. Then I picked up and reread the last couple pages and again said, "Wow."

The House at Riverton is the story of Grace, once a maid at Riverton, now an old woman, remembering her life at the manor. She tells her story, but she also tells the story of the Hartford sisters, the young women of the house, and what happened the night a poet committed suicide at a party.

I've mentioned before how I like historical fiction mysteries that bounce back and forth between the present and the past. This book had that structure and it was written by Kate Morton, whose The Forgotten Garden I really enjoyed. The past was the more important part of the book, but the story set in the present also offered some interest.

Obviously you can tell I enjoyed The House at Riverton. There was so much to like: the setting of Edwardian and post WWI England, the old woman telling her life story, the mystery of the poet's death. It's a gothic book along the lines of Rebecca or The Thirteenth Tale.

4 comments:

  1. That sounds really good. I'll have to add it to my TBR pile.

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  2. I loved this one too! I have The Forgotten Garden but haven't gotten around to it yet--though not because I'm not excited about it! AND did you know that Morton came out with a third book in November? The Distant Hours (um, if I remember right).

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  3. I really enjoyed this book as well. I still haven't read The Forgotten Garden. It's been on my shelf for almost a year!

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  4. Just added this to my TBR on GR! I love the sound of it!

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