The House at Riverton
by Kate Morton
"Grace Bradley went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the First World War. For years her life was inextricably tied up with the Hartford family, most particularly the two daughters, Hannah and Emmeline." "In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline and only they - and Grace - know the truth." "In 1999, when Grace is ninety-eight years old and living out her last days in a nursing home, she is visited by a young director who is making a film about the events of that summer. She takes Grace back to Riverton House and reawakens her memories. Told in flashback, this is the story of Grace's youth during the last days of Edwardian aristocratic privilege shattered by war, of the vibrant twenties and the changes she witnessed as an entire way of life vanished forever." The novel is full of secrets - some revealed, others hidden forever, reminiscent of the romantic suspense of Daphne du Maurier. It is also a meditation on memory, the devastation of war and a window into a fascinating time in history.My Review;
LOVED it! Great romance, great historical romance, I love stories that take place in sprawling old English country homes, they are as much a character of the story as any of the men or women in the book. This book had such wonderful characters, an excellent mystery and I loved reading the differences in how things that took place at Riverton were seen from various points of view the wealthy family members as well as the servants that work tirelessly behind the scenes. I also enjoyed how the story moved smoothly between the past and present. Kate Morton is a great new author for me and I am sure she is going to be a favorite!
