A moving and powerful mystery, The Forgotten Garden is the bestselling second novel from author of The House at Riverton, Kate Morton.1913On the eve of the First World War, a little girl is found abandoned after a gruelling ocean voyage from England to Australia. All she can remember of the journey is that a mysterious woman she calls the Authoress had promised to look after her. But the … But the Authoress has vanished without a trace.1975Now an old lady, Nell travels to England to discover the truth about her parentage. Her quest leads her to Cornwall, and to a beautiful estate called Blackhurst Manor, which had been owned by the Mountrachet family. What has prompted Nell’s journey after all these years?2005On Nell’s death, her granddaughter, Cassandra, comes into a surprise inheritance. Cliff Cottage, in the grounds of Blackhurst Manor, is notorious amongst the locals for the secrets it holds – secrets about the doomed Mountrachet family. But it is at Cliff Cottage, abandoned for years, and in its forgotten garden, that Cassandra will uncover the truth about the family and why the young Nell was abandoned all those decades before.
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I thoroughly enjoy every Kate Morton book I read, and this was no exception. Morton has a way of transporting the reader into a different world. Her attention to detail is amazing and yet the reader is never taken out of the story. First rate storytelling!
What can I say about one of my favorite books. This is up there with Pride and Prejudice for me. I love this kind of story that plays out over one hundred years, telling a complete story, not a slice. I personally love familial mysteries and this is the best one I’ve found. Everyone should read this.
Really enjoyed this story – the third of Kate Morton’s books I’ve read. An engrossing historical romp about families and what it means to belong. From 1900 to 2005, I was engrossed in the different settings which felt totally true to life. There was a few moments when I felt the story lost its way slightly, or rushed ahead too quickly, which is why it’s not a 5 star review. But overall I’d highly recommend this book. Perfect for a holiday.
This is one of the best and most well written books I’ve read in a while (and I read quite a bit!). This was definitely a mystery like no other! It was a very relaxed summer read and a page turner for sure!
This book has wonderful characters and takes place over generations. Secrets are uncovered and the story is well crafted. This book made me a fan of Kate Morton.
Yes! Another fab Kate Morton read! This one is my fave. I love the depth of her characters. I feel their emotions and the cruel circumstances fate has dealt them.
A real page turner! Didn’t want it to end!
Another great story by Kate Morton. Such compelling characters and a fascinating dual time line. We never know what people’s lives were like before we meet them. Very enjoyable!
I really enjoyed this book and how it joins the past with the present.
Kate Morton is one of my favorite authors. The way she weaves the past into the present always makes me wish her books would never end.
Very detailed reading which can sometimes confuse the story
I love this book and because of it I have read all of Kate Morton’s books and given Forgotten Garden to several friends. She is a wonderful writer and I am always looking for her next book.
I love Kate Morton’s books and this was enjoyable and what I expect of her writings.
One of Kate Morton’s best.
Everything about this story felt intriguing, fresh and mysterious. As the story unfolds, the twists and turns were wonderfullywroughtt.
This is a beautiful story told from the viewpoints of three different women in different time periods after the death of the main character’s grandmother. There is a melancholy as some of the story unfolds but there’s also healing somehow in having it brought to life — and a beauty as a new life begins to unfold with healing and romance.
This is an entertaining book with the surprises in plot that are typical of Kate Morton.
Her best book!
Well written
I read this book years ago and remember loving it. It is one of Kate Morton ‘s best novels in my opinion.