The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton and @AtriaBooks #historicalmystery #Netgalley #bookrevi
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  • N. N. Light
    • Oct 18, 2018
    • 3 min read

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton and @AtriaBooks #historicalmystery #Netgalley #bookrevi


Title: The Clockmaker's Daughter

Author: Kate Morton

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery

Book Blurb:

A rich, spellbinding new novel from the author of The Lake House--the story of a love affair and a mysterious murder that cast their shadows across generations, set in England from the 1860s until the present day.

My real name, no one remembers.

The truth about that summer, no one else knows.

In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe's life is in ruins.

Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist's sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river.

Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?

Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker's Daughter is a story of murder, mystery, and thievery, of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker's daughter.

My Review:

In the year 1862, a group of artists gather at Birchwood Manor at the request of Edward Radcliffe one summer to create beautiful works of art without the prying eyes of London. By the end of the summer, there’s a murder, missing artwork, theft and a disappearance.

Archivist Elodie discovers historical artefacts in modern London. The more she stares at the aged photograph, the curiouser she becomes. Who is this woman and why does she feel such a connection to Birchwood Manor? She’s determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, even if it means uncovering hidden secrets within her own family.

The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a historical mystery teeming with captivating characters, intricate twists and turns not to mention a group of artists escaping to an oasis in the country. While I enjoyed the multiple POVs, I found the transitions too quick and choppy. The mystery, however, kept me invested until the very end.

If you’re a fan of Kate Morton and/or historical mystery, you’ve got to read this book!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster Canada/Atria Books via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.

Favorite Character/Quote: This was the proposal that he made: an entire summer month of paint and poetry and picnics, of stories and science and invention. Of light, heaven-sent. Away from London, away from prying eyes. Little wonder that the others accepted with alacrity. Edward could make the very devil pray, if such were his desire.

My Rating: 4 stars

Buy it now:

Author Biography:

KATE MORTON was born in South Australia, grew up in the mountains of south-east Queensland and now lives with her family in London and Australia. She has degrees in dramatic art and English literature, and harboured dreams of joining the Royal Shakespeare Company until she realised that it was words she loved more than performing. Kate still feels a pang of longing each time she goes to the theatre and the house lights dim.

"I fell deeply in love with books as a child and believe that reading is freedom; that to read is to live a thousand lives in one; that fiction is a magical conversation between two people - you and me - in which our minds meet across time and space. I love books that conjure a world around me, bringing their characters and settings to life, so that the real world disappears and all that matters, from beginning to end, is turning one more page."

Kate Morton's five novels - The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, The Secret Keeper and The Lake House - have all been New York Times bestsellers, Sunday Times bestsellers and international number 1 bestsellers; they are published in 34 languages, across 42 countries.

Kate's sixth novel, The Clockmaker's Daughter, will be published in September/October 2018.

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Reviewed by: Mrs. N

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