Edie Burchill and her mother have never been close, but when a long lost letter arrives one Sunday afternoon with the return address of Millderhurst Castle, Kent, printed on its envelope, Edie begins to suspect that her mother's emotional distance masks an old secret.

Evacuated from London as a thirteen year old girl, Edie's mother is chosen by the mysterious Juniper Blythe, and taken to live at Millderhurst Castle with the Blythe family: Juniper, her twin sisters and their father, Raymond. In the grand and glorious Millderhurst Castle, a new world opens up for Edie's mother. She discovers the joys of books and fantasy and writing, but also, ultimately, the dangers.

Fifty years later, as Edie chases the answers to her mother's riddle, she, too, is drawn to Millderhurst Castle and the eccentric Sisters Blythe. Old ladies now, the three still live together, the twins nursing Juniper, whose abandonment by her fiance in 1941 plunged her into madness. Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother's past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Millderhurst Castle, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected.

The truth of what happened in the distant hours has been waiting a long time for someone to find it...

Ordered from Betterworldbooks for the Supernatural Sweepstakes winner
Happy reading ;)

Kiitos LadyIndigo! It seems I'm the happy decoy for Supernatural Sweepstake. I really appreciate receiving a wishlist book of mine. A book from Australian author which I hope I'm able to read quite soonish.

I finished the book already, I was so curious to find out about Kate Morton, the Australian author I have heard so much good about. I loved it! I’m sucker for gothic tales, poison ivy, twins, family secrets, castles, crazy relatives and especially all these packed in one book. I feel my expectations were granted.

The story started well, Edie in the (almost) present time, I learned quickly that the tale is told from different point of views, I liked the back and forth timeline and plot told from different characters. In the middle I felt the story slowed down a bit or maybe it was me who eagerly wanted something to happen or reveal and quickly please. The ending was quite what I grew expecting, it seemed I was able to guess where the author is leading the plot. All in all very compelling read and I’m very much looking forward to read more of her work. It seems and I’m eager to find out is The House at Riverton even better than this was.

Thanks heaps for this book, LadyIndigo. I try to grant someone’s wish with this one.

The book starts its travels today from our monthly meet up in Helsinki. Flower78 will be the kind courier to take this to Tampere and to Bookgeo. The Distant Hours is on her wish list. Enjoy!

Oh wow, thanks so much, Niksu! I love Kate Morton so I was thrilled to receive this book from Flower78 tonight. Great to see that this book has started its journey from Australia!