‘The Secret Keeper’ by Kate Morton

Kate Morton has been on my bucket list (and bookshelf) for a very long time and I finally got there. As the title suggests, this is a family saga full of secrets, set in England. There is a shocking and very violent crime at the start of the novel, which sets up the mystery central to the novel’s suspense. Laurel Nicolson, eldest daughter and now an acclaimed actress in London, witnessed something years ago, that has always haunted her. When she returns to her childhood home to take care of her dying mother, she becomes ever more determined to find out what really happened.

In the beginning I was wondering whether this would be formulaic and maybe not worth wading through. Morton’s writing can feel a tad overwritten. However, I persevered, and I’m so glad I did. The story had more twists and turns than I thought it would, and the ending was totally surprising and very clever. It was the kind of revelation that makes you rethink the whole book. For the unhurried reader, this can be a delicious novel to sink into, so it won’t be for everyone, but I really did enjoy it and found it better than expected. It reminded me of those endlessly entertaining Susan Howatch novels I would disappear into for days. Does anyone remember those?