Homecoming by Kate Morton review: Worth the slow start
Not all thrillers immediately get into the story. Homecoming by Kate Morton is a little slow to start but more than worth it for the twists during it.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Not all books will get straight into the story. While they are into the story, they offer some small details that are going to be important for later on. Homecoming by Kate Morton is one of those books.
There were times at the beginning that I struggled to keep reading. Once I got through the first section, I was able to delve deeper into the mystery and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. If you’re looking for a quick thriller, this isn’t going to be for you. If you want a book that pulls you into its world, even without being a fantastical one, this is the book for you this year.
What is Homecoming by Kate Morton about?
The novel begins in 1959. It’s Christmas Eve in Adelaide Hills, Australia. It’s a scorching hot day, and everyone is getting ready for the celebrations. They’re all stopped in their tracks when there’s a murder that rocks the whole town.
The book then picks up in 2019. Jess is a journalist who needs to find her story. She is struggling to make ends meet after being laid off from her London job. That’s when she gets a phone call from her grandmother Nora, who is more like a mother to her. Nora has suffered a fall, and Jess needs to move back to Sydney to look out for her.
This leads to Jess finding the story she didn’t think she would. Jess learns that her grandmother took a fall on the steps to the attic, the one place in the house Jess was never allowed to go to. Well, Jess now decides to head up there, and it turns out that family tragedy in Adelaide Hills in 1959 is somehow connected to her family.
Homecoming review: Why it’s worth a read
This is a story that takes some time to get into. We get to see parts of the story from 1959. There’s a chance to get to know the victim and then those connected to the victim. This is the slow part, as there are bits of information shared that don’t seem all that relevant at first. You’ll want to slow your pace when reading to take it all in.
Things pick up when it comes to Jess. This is where you’ll really get stuck in, and you may find yourself going back to earlier parts to get into the story better and figure out which small details were more important than you originally thought. That was what I loved so much about the book.
This isn’t for the lighter readers out there. This is for those who like long and detailed books.
Something that I love is the ability to bring the late 1950s and early 1960s to life through the writing. Especially that time period in Australia. So much of period fiction is focused on British and U.S. locations, so I love learned about the life of the past in other parts of the world. I felt like I was pulled back into A Place to Call Home.
Stars: 4.5 out of 5.
Homecoming by Kate Morton is now available to buy on Amazon. Get it with free shipping with Amazon Prime.