THE LAKE HOUSE by KATE MORTON

THE LAKE HOUSE

BY KATE MORTON

THE BLURB:-

An abandoned house...

June 1933, and sixteen-year-old Alice Edevane is preparing for her family's Midsummer Eve party at their country home, Loenneth. But by the time midnight strikes and fireworks light up the night skies, the Edevane family will have suffered a loss so great that they leave Loenneth forever.

A missing child...

Seventy years later, after a particularly troubling case, Detective Sadie Sparrow retreats to her beloved grandfather's cottage in Cornwall. Once there, she stumbles upon an abandoned house, and learns the story of a baby boy who disappeared without a trace.

An unsolved mystery...

Meanwhile, in her elegant Hampstead home, the formidable Alice Edevane, now an old lady, leads a life as neatly plotted as the bestselling detective novels she writes. Until a young police detective starts asking questions about her family's past, seeking to resurrect the complex tangle of secrets Alice has spent her life trying to escape...

THE REALITY:-

The last novel I read was set in 1933, included a Midsummer Eve party and a heroine called Alice. This novel was set in 1933, included a Midsummer Eve party and a heroine called Alice. I'm not suggesting plagiarism (both of these novels were published in 2015) but the next book in my reading list also contains a heroine called Alice, although it is set further back in time.

Naughty, naughty me: I couldn't help but think of the Roy 'Chubby' Brown (love him, the fat bastard!) song; 'Alice, Who The Fuck Is Alice?' In the song, the inimitable Mr. Brown sings of living next door to Alice, at which point the chant comes up, “Alice? Who the fuck is Alice?” In Cape Town, many years ago, this song was played at a wedding I was attending. By this time in the evening everyone was well-oiled, and I got myself ready to sing the beautifully crude line. But, South Africans are much more restrained than us and sang, “Door? What's the number on the door?” Hmmm.

I'm sorry, me bad, me bad, me bad! I shouldn't be using profanity in relation to such a lovely book as this one- it defiles it, somehow. This is a true family saga that trips through different times but without confusing or jarring, as different generations of the family get their story told. Also, the key focal point of the story- a beautiful, historical house- is right up my street, what with its lake, boathouse, woods, nooks and crannies and a secret tunnel. By the way, the book references two secret tunnels but then only ever describes one. What's that all about? Don't mention something you're not going to elaborate on in a story, please. Note to self: if I don't go abroad this autumn then I'm definitely visiting Cornwall- it sounds enchanting.

Layer upon layer of writing adds up to a very thorough explanation of a tale that includes very likeable (and dislikeable- hello, Constance!) characters who are so real that you feel you are in the story with them. I've read every one of Kate Morton's tomes (I always love a tome) and found them fantastic and enthralling. Spoiler alert- I kind of guessed that Theo was alive and worked out where he was sent to, but I didn't see the Bertie connection coming. Coincidence is mentioned a lot in this book and is it a coincidence too far? Maybe, but it works, so I'll forgive the author.

I'm glad we got a happy ending and am also overjoyed that Sadie left the police force behind and set up her own private detecting agency. Regimented life is not for everyone and pursuing your gut instincts and 'not following instructions' can also be interpreted as 'using your initiative' and the latter is only to be applauded whilst the former strikes me as too unimaginative and not the best way to go about running a business or a police force. Rules are made to be broken and may the nonconformist always succeed!

Set time aside, on a hot summer's day, to chill out in the shade and read this brilliant novel. This will be another stayer in my collection, but how long for is anybody's guess. I do not have the space to set up a library in my flat and am not a hoarder by nature!