Summer 1924: On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long-consigned to the back of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten but Grace never could...This recording is unabridged. Typically abridged audiobooks are not more than 60 per cent of the author's work and as low as 30 per cent with characters and plotlines removed.
The House at Riverton: A Novel
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Amazon Best of the Month, April 2008: In her cinematic debut novel, Kate Morton immerses readers in the dramas of the Ashbury family at their crumbling English country estate in the years surrounding World War I, an age when Edwardian civility, shaken by war, unravels into the Roaring Twenties. Grace came to serve in the house as a girl. She left as a young woman, after the presumed suicide of a famous young poet at the property's lake. Though she has dutifully kept the family's secrets for decades, memories flood back in the twilight of her life when a young filmmaker comes calling with questions about how the poet really died--and why the Ashbury sisters never again spoke to each other afterward. With beautifully crafted prose, Morton methodically reveals how passion and fate transpired that night at the lake, with truly shocking results. Her final revelation at the story's close packs a satisfyi! ng (and not overly sentimental) emotional punch. --Mari Malcolm
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. This debut page-turner from Australian Morton recounts the crumbling of a prominent British family as seen through the eyes of one of its servants. At 14, Grace Reeves leaves home to work for her mother's former employers at Riverton House. She is the same age as Hannah, the headstrong middle child who visits her uncle, Lord Ashbury, at Riverton House with her siblings Emmeline and David. Fascinated, Grace observes their comings and goings and, as an invisible maid, is privy to the secrets she will spend a lifetime pretending to forget. But when a filmmaker working on a movie about the family contacts a 98-year-old Grace to fact-check particulars, the memories come swirling back. The plot largely revolves around sisters Hannah and Emmeline, who were present when a family friend, the young poet R.S. Hunter, allegedly committed suicide at Riverton. Grace hints throughout the narrative that no one knows the real story, and as she chronicles Hannah's schemes to have her own life and the curdling of younger Emmeline's jealousy, the truth about the poet's death is revealed. Morton triumphs with a riveting plot, a touching but tense love story and a haunting ending. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By So Many Books, So Little Time
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased this book as it was recommended to me by Amazon, due to the fact I had purchased, "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. I would say it was a wonderful recommendation! I was hooked immediately. Although I am not a huge fan of story lines that switch back and forth between the present and the past, Kate Morton did a really great job of doing this and I found I didn't mind it at all. The story flowed well. I enjoyed this book so much, I am planning on buying the next book Kate Morton has recently released...I just have to wait until the price goes down a bit!
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By Kona
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
In 1914, when she was 14, Grace came to Riverton Manor as a housemaid. There she met the Master's grandchildren, David, Hannah, and Emmeline, whose lives would forever be linked with her own. Now at the age of 98, Grace looks back at those early years of duty and service, selflessness and silence, and narrates her story while there is still time.
To give away more of the plot would be to rob other readers of the sublime delight I found in reading this book. It is told through the eyes of an old lady who has known great sorrow and some joys. She paints a vivid picture of life among the idle country rich before and after the first War, how carefree children became conflicted adults, and how passion erupted in gunfire amid the fireworks of a grand summer party.
The author has written such a wonderful story and I loved being a part of it. I sobbed through the last chapters knowing the story had to end, knowing what that end would be. I could identify with young Grace as she stoically tended to her spoiled mistress and felt I was holding old Grace's hand as she lay in her bed at the nursing home. This book MUST be made into a movie - it is powerful, dramatic, and heartbreaking, equal parts of mystery, romance, and history - the best book I've read in years.
To give away more of the plot would be to rob other readers of the sublime delight I found in reading this book. It is told through the eyes of an old lady who has known great sorrow and some joys. She paints a vivid picture of life among the idle country rich before and after the first War, how carefree children became conflicted adults, and how passion erupted in gunfire amid the fireworks of a grand summer party.
The author has written such a wonderful story and I loved being a part of it. I sobbed through the last chapters knowing the story had to end, knowing what that end would be. I could identify with young Grace as she stoically tended to her spoiled mistress and felt I was holding old Grace's hand as she lay in her bed at the nursing home. This book MUST be made into a movie - it is powerful, dramatic, and heartbreaking, equal parts of mystery, romance, and history - the best book I've read in years.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By KK
Format:Paperback
I signed this book out of the library after reading, and thoroughly enjoying, the forgotten Garden. This book far surpassed my expectations and I loved it even more than the forgotten Garden (which has been passed around my family now and is a favourite for everyone). The character development was very well done and almost right to the end I did not suspect what the end would be.
Unlike the other reviewer I enjoyed the time shifting as it really helped to develop the main character in a way that wouldn't have happened otherwise. The decisions she made in the 'past' would not have made sense to me if it did not go along with her current narration.
I highly recommend this book.
Unlike the other reviewer I enjoyed the time shifting as it really helped to develop the main character in a way that wouldn't have happened otherwise. The decisions she made in the 'past' would not have made sense to me if it did not go along with her current narration.
I highly recommend this book.
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4.1 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Kate Morton -again
Kate Morton knows how to marry suspense with a period piece. It's really hard to put down and had me guessing till the end.
Published 21 days ago by Ellen Walsh
5.0 out of 5 stars
summary
I loved the writing of Kate Morton. She is such a great story teller..After you read one of her books you will want to read the others...
Published 4 months ago by SHIRLEY MACDONALD
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wife Likes It!!!
The House at Riverton was for my wife who enjoys all of Kate Morton books she has collected all of her books..
Published 5 months ago by William L. Mallory
4.0 out of 5 stars
Atmospheric Period Piece Full of Secrets
Kate Morton weaves an atmospheric WW1 tale of the secrets of a former housemaid and the secrets of those who employed her, and the price paid for keeping those secrets. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Icewineanne
3.0 out of 5 stars
The House at Riverton
Amazon Verified Purchase
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After reading "The Forgotten Garden" by the same author, I remained disappointed by this novel. Read more
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After reading "The Forgotten Garden" by the same author, I remained disappointed by this novel. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Giusy Oddo
5.0 out of 5 stars
House at Riverton by Kate Morton
This is Ms. Morton's second book I read and even though it took me a long time to get "hooked" by it, as I did in Forgotten Garden, by the end I was truly hooked on her... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Linda MacNutt
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great story, but not as good as The Forgotten Garden
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was not quite as enthralling as The Forgotten Garden, but it was still a page-turner and Kate Morton did a great job of developing her... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Margaret Marie
3.0 out of 5 stars
not bad
Not a bad summer read. Read The Forgotten Garden first, which I rather enjoyed. So I purchased The House at Riverton. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Busygirl
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well crafted suspense
Kate Morton did her research before writing this book, and it shows. She succinctly portrays aristocratic English life during WWI and the twenties. Read more
Published 21 months ago by S Svendsen
4.0 out of 5 stars
the House at Riverton
I loved this book, although it took a while to get "into" it. I was actually reading this book during a lengthy road trip/vacation. Read more
Published on April 17 2011 by Gerrie
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