A Summer Mystery: A Review of Homecoming

Australian author Kate Morton’s latest novel explores a family tragedy, the things we’d do to protect those we love, the lengths we’ll go to to protect the lies and what it means to go home

I’ve been a fan of Australian author Kate Morton’s books since I read The Forgotten Garden. I think The House at Riverton was actually her first novel, but I delved into The Forgotten Garden first and was immediately hooked. Morton’s books bring together a lot of things I love when I’m reading for entertainment: an engaging story, a mystery to unravel, two time periods and narrators that are somehow linked. Her newest novel, Homecoming, checks all those boxes, too.

Homecoming centers on two key characters—Jess, a journalist originally from Australia who is living in London and her grandmother, Nora, who lives in Adelaide Hills, Australia. The book also focuses on two distinct time periods and tragedies: the Turner Family Tragedy in December 1959 and the collapse of Jess’ life and Nora’s death in December 2018. The events are separated by nearly 60 years, but inextricably connected.

Like most of Morton’s books, as the reader, you’re along for the ride with the more modern narrator—in this case, Jess—as she begins a journey of discovery. The novel begins with Jess heading home to Sydney after living abroad in London for years. Her relationship with her boyfriend has fallen apart, her work isn’t going well, and, in the midst of all of that, she receives news that her beloved grandmother, Nora, who raised her, is in the hospital. She books a flight home to Australia because Jess’ mother, Polly, can’t be counted on to be there when you really need her.

Once back in the house where she grew up, Jess discovers a true crime book detailing the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. The mother and three of her children were discovered lying dead by a swimming hole on their property, the site of a Christmas Eve picnic. A baby swing is found in the tree, but the baby is missing. Jess is shocked to realize she’s related to the Turners but has never heard of the tragedy until now. As the rest of the novel unfolds, Jess explores the connection and the tragedy from her point of view, while flashbacks of Nora and the Turner family help to fill in some gaps.

Eventually, Jess recognizes the truth—and its repercussions for her and her mother, with whom she has had a strained relationship. Like all of Morton’s books, Homecoming is atmospheric (you really get a sense for the places she describes), immersive and somewhat exhaustive. Some may term this as “slow-paced,” but Kate, like me, can be a bit long-winded at times. Homecoming clocks in at 544 pages in the hardcover edition, just so you know what you’re getting into.

I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of Homecoming, but as I’ve mentioned, I’m already a Kate Morton fan and know what I’m getting myself into when I start one of her novels. If I had a few critiques of Homecoming, they’d be pretty straightforward:

• Polly, Jess’ mother, is actually pretty important to the plot, but we only get glimpses of her point of view. For most of the novel, her strained relationship with Jess is shown only through Jess’ point of view and explained away as “flighty Polly not showing up in her relationships.”

• While I enjoy the journey of a Morton novel, this one got a bit plodding in points. Morton relies heavily on the true crime book Jess discovers, using the fictitious book’s content to move her own plot along. It can get a bit tedious.

• I wasn’t 100% sure until the end, but I did figure out the plot twist before it was revealed to the main characters—I just couldn’t figure out exactly how it happened.

All in all, if you’re looking for a suspenseful summer read, Homecoming may be the book for you!

The Bookery Rating: 📙📙📙📙

It’s slow-paced, but there are plenty of secrets to uncover along the way!

As an Amazon Associate, The Bookery earns from qualifying purchases.