The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Kate Morton's debut novel, The House at Riverton, is a compelling must-read for historical fiction fans. Set in England during the early 20th century, it is the intriguing story of the loves and losses of the entitled Hartford family. Told from the perspective of Grace, who was once a housemaid in the Hartford's Riverton House, the chilling details of the mysteries surrounding the family are slowly revealed. In present day, frail and elderly Grace remembers her time as a young woman at Riverton House in a series of flashbacks. Even after the passing of so many years, there is still a sense of Grace's continuing love for and fierce loyalty to the family as she reminisces about the events that led to the tragic downfall of the Hartfords. In The House at Riverton, as well as in her subsequent novels, The Distant Hours and The Forgotten Garden, Morton's vivid characters, historical details, and suspenseful storytelling transports the reader back to a different time and place.