Homecoming: A Novel

Homecoming is a beautifully written book by Kate Morton that spans several decades. The book starts with readers being introduced to Jess, a professional journalist living in London. When Jess finds out the grandmother who raised her, Nora is in the hospital, she hops on the next plane to Sydney, Australia. As Nora lies in her hospital bed, she mutters phrases to Jess that Jess must piece together. These pieces of information end up being a huge family secret.

Morton does a wonderful job of describing generations of several families and their involvement with one another. When Nora’s sister-in-law Isabel Turner and Isabel’s children are found dead after a family picnic, there is speculation as to whether it is a murder-suicide or a homicide. The reader will find him or herself trying to figure out the mystery of the deaths as there are so many characters close to the Turner family and so many small details.

Although this book is quite long, readers will fall in love with the beauty of Darling House and the exquisite setting of Adelaide Hills in the 1950s and present-day.