One of my favourite authors, really enjoyed this book. Easy to follow yet still captivating. A little predictable in terms of the modern day story but loved the setting and flashbacks.

THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER by Kate Morton is a story of love, romance, murder and mystery spanning one-hundred and fifty years, numerous timelines, several generations and various perspectives all connected to Birchwood Manor on the Upper Thames.

One-hundred and fifty years earlier artist and painter Edward Radcliffe fell in love with his muse, a woman everyone came to know as Lily Millington, a woman who wasn’t whom she purported to be. The purchase of a country estate known as Birchwood Manor would bring together Edward and his fellow artists –the Magenta Brotherhood- wherein their lives where about to change forever. A murder, the presumed departure and guilt of Lily Millington, and the disappearance of the Radcliffe Blue Diamond would kick-off a century and a half of rumors, innuendo, heartbreak and loss that followed one family from 1862 to 2017.

In 2017, Archivist Elodie Winslow went in search of her past, a past mired in secrets and death, but a past that Elodie was desperate to discover. With only a damaged photo, an old leather satchel, and stories of a time long ago, Elodie heads to Birchwood Manor to unearth the true about her mother’s life but Elodie isn’t the only one in search of the past as Birchwood Manor’s secrets are about to be exposed.

THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER is a slow building story line that follows several paths, and numerous timelines; of one family’s history of secrets and lies; and the spirit who is witness to everything and all. THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER is a story of ghosts, fairies and queens; of betrayal, loss, heartbreak and love as one family meanders a path between the present and the past.

Kate Morton weaves an intricate and detailed story that at times is difficult to navigate as the perspectives and timelines invariably overlap between the present and several pasts. An intriguing story, THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER is a beautiful tale that will captivate and entertain; challenge and inflame.

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4.5 stars! Evocatively atmospheric. Exquisitely detailed. Brilliantly narrated.

Let me start by stating, I love Kate Morton! She is one of my most favourite authors! I have read and loved all of her books. This one, although not the full 5 stars I was hoping for, does not disappoint. I devoured this lengthy novel in days, putting aside all other reading to truly focus on her luscious and delectable writing. This novel stole time away from things I should have been doing, while at the same time I was trying to truly savour every single word of Kate Morton’s brilliance.

This is a multigeneration saga that expands well over 100 years involving love, loss, mystery, murder, art and many hidden secrets. Each timeline adds a deeper layer to this intricately woven and highly detailed story. There are multiple characters and a most memorable and divine English countryside setting that had me swooning. Birchwood Manor, the main setting throughout this novel, is a character of its own and I fell in love with this old mansion that held many secrets.

I was engrossed within this mysterious tale from start to finish. There were a few times, I had to stop and reread sections, as I found myself slightly confused within a few timelines and characters, however, my attention didn’t waiver. It was a fully satisfying and memorable read that I would highly recommend.

This was a Traveling Sister read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Kate Morton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Clockmaker’s Daughter is AVAILABLE NOW!

I normally love Kate Morton but I found this book dragged on a bit too much for my liking, I think it could have been a more condensed story with less detail and fewer characters. I found it really hard to keep track of everyone and their backstory and the way it transitioned between was not smooth to me. I know there is a good story in there, but the style and way it was told just wasn't for me.

Captivating, mysterious and spellbinding!

KATE MORTON once again put me under her spell with her fabulous new novel THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER. The setting was just as bewitching as the storytelling! I absolutely loved the fantastical elements of this story, learning all the secrets hidden in Birchwood Manor and the character connections to the ghostly presence of Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter which was so pivotal to the story for me. I love me a good ghost story!

THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER by KATE MORTON is an engrossing, wonderful, and breathtaking read here that offers many and such distinctive storylines that I found rather alluring and definitely appealed to me as a reader. I was immediately drawn into this gothic story and it fully captivated my thoughts while I was reading this book.

KATE MORTON skillfully delivers an absolutely beautiful, richly detailed, complex and atmospheric read here that vastly intertwines different time periods and multiple characters together into one astounding and powerful story.

Even though I had to closely pay attention to all the characters and how they were connected to the story and Birchwood Manor it did not take away how entertaining and enjoyable this story was for me. It was great storytelling and the whole story felt like I was doing just that reading a story! I have been craving for a story just like this one and it definitely delivered!

Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Eye-catching, stunning, pleasing, and grabbed my attention! That cover alone made me want to read this book and savour every word. A fitting representation to storyline and love how it played into the story so meaningfully.
Title: Intriguing, pivotal, suspenseful, simple but yet an extremely fitting representation to storyline. Even though The Clockmaker’s Daughter wasn’t necessarily a brilliant title, the ties that bind her to the story definitely was.
Writing/Prose: Lyrical, insightful, engaging, beautiful, and detailed. Morton’s writing style is beautifully detailed and poetic but it definitely required my full attention though. I forgot how beautifully descriptive Morton writes! Once I was able to fully immerse myself in this tale though (which didn’t take very long) and had the feel with how it was written it was much easier for me to read.
Plot: Suspenseful, mysterious, alluring, engrossing, steady-paced, held my attention fully and extremely entertaining. A little bit of patience goes a long way when reading this book!
Ending: Bittersweet, satisfying, and ended with a bit of mystery. Although I found it to be extremely fitting.
Overall: An irresistible, relaxing, delightful, suspenseful, and fabulous read! An epic historical tale that was a little challenging to read at times but oh so worth it! Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Kate Morton for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review!

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for this edition of The Clockmaker’s Daughter!

This book took me a while to read but I am so happy that I pushed through and finished it. It beautifully written, atmospheric and I am looking forward to reading more of Morton’s books.

There were distinct voices for different characters and I also liked how the chapters were titled differently for them! Morton weaves many story lines and timelines together in this novel and for most of the book I was left wondering how they were connected. I would be getting attached to a character and then the point of view would change to a brand new character. This did leave me wanting more character development and time with some characters. There were also lots of descriptions for things that I felt weren’t really moving the plot or characters forward. To be honest I did skim through some descriptions ( I have a 6 month old and my reading time is limited). I kept thinking this or that could have been edited but as I finished the book I saw how each point of view came together and really appreciated how intricate the web of the story was.

This book did not grab my attention at first but the more I read the more it drew me in and I’m so happy I continued with it. 4 / 5 stars from me!

Kate Morton's latest novel is an epic read that spans multiple generations from the 1800's to present day. The plot jumps back and forth over time and uses multiple perspectives to tell the sad and tragic tale of the clockmaker's daughter.

The reader is transported to Birchwood Manor during several different eras using rich description and an inviting narrative style. The 400 year old house plays a pivotal role in linking everything together. The many characters are brought to life so that we know each one intimately. There are multi layers in this story with a number of intergenerational connections between characters. One needs to keep on top of the numerous characters and subplots or risk confusion.

The tone of the book reminded me of classic renaissance meets contemporary romance. There is also a paranormal aspect to the story that I think worked well and added a timeless feel to the overall plot.

True to Morton's writing style, this is a long read that goes into descriptive depth that for some readers, may detract from the plot development. There were instances in which a healthy dose of editing could have been used. However, it is a beautiful and moving story with some surprising twists that will keep fans of Morton engaged until the very end.

A gracious thank you to Simon & Schuster and Kate Morton for a reader's copy of this book.

I very rarely read reviews before starting a new book, there is just too much of a chance for spoilers. That being said, it wasn't hard to hear comments (via social media) about The Clockmaker's Daughter, how it was garnering mixed reviews made me rather curious and a little nervous to begin reading.

There are multiple pov's here as The Clockmaker's Daughter travels across time to reveal what happened back in 1862 at Birchwood Manor. You could almost say the Manor was one of the characters playing a pivotal part through the years. There is a lot of years between 1862 and the present day, also many characters to remember. That I think is a Morton trademark because she can do it smoothly in a mesmerizing way. Her stories are multilayered and in this instance, it was the Manor revealing its history over the years. The added unknown voice was interesting, spicing things up a little.

While this isn't one of my favorite Kate Morton books (that belongs to The Secret Keeper and The Forgotten Garden) I still enjoyed the ride.

I was ecstatic when I learned that I could read an ARC of this. I love this author. I do wonder if my expectations were a bit high because I didn’t love this book. I enjoyed it but it didn’t capture me like her older books did.
This story has multiple points of view and for the longest time I thought the ghost was a house. I guess in some ways she is. I found the change of point of view confusing at times and I don’t remember that from her other works.
Leonard’s story was long and boring. 80% of it could have been cut and not damaged the story. In fact a lot could have been edited out, the story dragged in many places.
Although this took me longer to be enthralled than her previous writings, I did get ensnared in this story and wanted to find out what happened; to see the mystery solved.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book hovers between present day London and 19th Century England. The past and present are drawn together with the presence of the title character—the Clockmaker’s Daughter.
The present day story involves Elodie, an archivist for the estate of James Stratton. She is the daughter of a world famous cellist who died when Elodie was a child. For Elodie’s father, though Lauren Adler remains the centre of his life, even in death.
Elodie is in the midst of marriage preparations but seems to draw as much life from the past as she does from the present.
As Elodie is cataloging items from the estate, she comes across a satchel that contains a photograph of a young woman and a sketchbook. In the sketchbook is a drawing of a house Elodie feels immediate connection with. It strikes her as being an illustration of a story handed down by her mother and great uncle—a very unique house that sets Elodie on a journey of discovery.
This house is a place of mystery where the Clockmaker’s Daughter comes in. As a child, this nameless girl comes to live with some shady characters—The Captain, Mrs. Mack and Mrs. Mack’s son Martin—along with a pool of children that are trained in the fine art of deception and robbery. This girl is more elegant than the other children and eventually is given a different job, to swindle richer clients. In doing this, she takes the name Lily, a friend who was killed when they were both children. As Lily, she comes to know Edward Radcliffe, a London artist and becomes his model and muse. One summer, Edward invites all his friends and fellow artists to the house he has purchased and over that summer, a mystery entails that will take more than a century to unravel…
The story unfolds in two parts—the past and the present—joined with the ongoing presence of ‘Lily’. It is well written and involves twists and turns, romance and intrigue, murder and robbery but above all, sharp story telling.
People value shiny stones and lucky charms, but they forget that the most powerful talismans of all are the stories that we tell to ourselves and to others.
This is a well told story full of interesting characters. A very good read.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton is possibly my favourite book that I have read this year... yes I read the entire book in less than 24 hours because I could not bear to put it down. It is a bit like a Russian Matroyshka doll with stories within stories. At the heart of the story is the clockmakers’s daughter Birdie Bell, the mystery surrounding her disappearance weaves its way through the interlocking stories over the course of 150 years. All the good stuff is here ... passion, loss, love in its many varied forms, mystery, murder, a missing jewel, art, beauty and evil. I highly recommend this book. Publishing Date October 9, 2018 #theclockmakersdaughter #NetGalley

Kate Morton is an author whose books I will always automatically read. Her writing is magical, her descriptions capable of completely transporting you to another time in place. Her books evoke intense emotions and let you truly feel what the characters are going through. This book was no disappointment. The various points of view kept the story fresh and the mystery intense. The jumps in time weren't confusing and she kept me guessing the entire time about what would happen and what happened in the past. She is a masterful storyteller with a vivid imagination and I will continue to read any book she writes.

I hate saying this, because I LOVE Kate Morton. She is one of my favourite authors. I haven’t read a book from her that I didn’t love. Until now.

The Clockmaker's Daughter is different from her previous novels, in that there are a ton of mini-plots running throughout. I could not get into the story. There were too many characters, in too many different eras, and we jump between them without notice (for the most part). One moment I was in 2018, then I was in 1862, then the 1920’s... then I was in 1940. Then the late 1800’s.
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The time hopping through so many different characters made it impossible for me to really get invested in the story. The last 100 pages tied everything together, and were the most enjoyable of the book, but it wasn’t enough to make the previous 300+ pages worth it.
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I was so sad closing this book, because I knew I had to review it. I’m honest to a fault, and while the writing was beautiful, as-per-usual, the plot and characters were too scattered for me to enjoy the book as a whole.

It begins in England mid 1800's and switches back and fore to present day. Birdie, the clockmakers daughter looses her mother and her father decides to travel to America to make more money. He leaves Birdie behind. She is groomed by her caregiver to pickpocket on the streets of London.
Edward Radcliffe, a young artist decided to invite a number of fellow artist friends to Birchwood Manor, an isolated manor near a bend in the Thames. He also invited some models, one of which he discovered quite unexpectedly, Birdie! Edward anticipates a month of artistic exploration and delight. Instead Edward Radcliffe life is devastated, there is a lady missing, one death and a very precious stone missing.
150 years later Elodie finds a sachel with a picture of a young couple sitting on a bench and a journal in which there is a story which reminds her of a tale her mother always told her as a child. She is determined to discover more.
Kate Morton has an extraordinary ability to developer characters, which you will also discover in this book. read with care, it is sometimes hard to keep them all in sequence., but wonderful to devour! Excellent read I would give it 4.1/2 stars.

When I seen Kate Morton's new book on offer through NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read an early copy.

I must say while the premise of the book is quite intriguing I didn't feel she pulled it off like some of her other books. There were many things about this book that I absolutely loved. The overall story line, the twist when it is finally revealed, some of the characters were so real and just jumped off the pages but sadly there were things that I just couldn't get past. This book is extremely long because there are so many views from the never ending character list. I understand the reason was to show connections and how it shapes lives and futures but this was complete overkill. I actually couldn't become fully immersed in it because I kept losing track of who the characters were and what their story line revealed. Also, I expected there to be much more about the connection of Elodie and Birdie but I found it was very scant on that side of it.

Now in true Morton fashion this book is very detailed and the imagery is very vivid and makes you see in your mind exactly what she is writing about but sadly that wasn't enough to take this to a five star read. Honestly if this had been some unknown author I may not have finished it.

**Received ARC through NetGalley for an honest review**

(Will be published on my blog on October 8, 2018):

I’m a Kate Morton fan. I’ve enjoyed every book of hers I’ve read, so when I learned that she had a new book coming out this fall, I knew I had to read it. I was so excited to receive an e-ARC from the publisher!

This book was just what I expected from Kate Morton. It was a mystery spanning generations, full of love and heartbreak. It took a while for me to see how the pieces would all fit together, but they did eventually. I like that this book got where it was going but didn’t rush. I also really liked the narrator and learning her story – but I don’t want to say more and risk spoiling anything!

It you’re a Kate Morton fan like I am, you’ve got to read The Clockmaker’s Daughter. And if you like sprawling multi-generation historical fiction mysteries, you should check this out too! Recommended!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Kate Morton used to be one of my all-time favourite authors. During the time I was reading her first three books, I was not to be disturbed. I was enchanted and pulled into her skilled way of storytelling. Sadly, with her fourth book, <i>The Secret Keeper</i>, I began to notice a change in her writing style. This continued with <i>The Lake House</i> and now with her most recent publication <i>The Clockmaker’s Daughter</i>. I missed her old way of telling a rich story and thought I would give this one a try, hoping she had been able recapture the magic of her earlier works. Alas, I was wrong.
I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Truth be told, I couldn’t stand the protagonist for the simple reason that she felt unrealistic. A 30-year-old woman keeps blushing when she thinks of her fiancé. Sure, maybe that was more the case in the 1850’s, but this character belonged to the modern world portion of the story, as in 2017, according to the chapter titles. I can understand that the author tried to create a woman that is supposed to be meek, timid and even unsure of herself, but in her attempt she produced a character that could have been in her late teens. Furthermore, the character of a young girl was inconsistent in her maturity level. The rest of the characters felt just outside the reader’s grasp and made it impossible to establish any sort of connection that could justify the commitment of reading an almost 500-page book about them.
A plot, or overall story arc, or the thing that hooks the reader to continue the story was kind of there, but really felt far fetched and I kept wondering when the actual, true point of the story would begin.
The writing, as I mentioned above, has changed quite a bit from the author’s first three novels and had me wonder as to the reason for such a change. In this story we have a narrator that painstakingly takes the reader through almost every minute detail of the protagonist’s day, creates a story in which it appears the street names the protagonist crosses and historical facts listed without much passion for the craft have greater importance than the love and dedication the author used to put into her stories. Instead, we find a type of arrogance within the pages that makes the reader wonder where the passion for writing has gone.
Overall, looking at this story I have to make the decision to part ways with this author’s new publications. Eventually I may return to her older works, but the direction she is taking her stories and her current writing style aren’t my cup of tea. I will fondly remember reading her first three books and I should not spoil these memories by holding on to something that isn’t there anymore. With a heavy heart I will have to give this one a pass.

As a person who doesn't read a lot of historical fiction, I seem to have read a few this year. I think what they have in common is a mystery element, and this one was certainly mysterious. I loved all of the layers in this story and how all the characters, past and present were trying to connect somehow to reveal their secrets. I don't want to say anything else about the story because the synopsis says all you need to know, for now.

Even though I was lucky enough to have gotten an eARC of this book from NetGalley, I just couldn't believe it to have won a paperback ARC from Simon & Schuster Canada so I could read it before it comes out. I had been anticipating this book as soon as I saw the storyline a while back. I just loved the synopsis of this story. So much mystery to keep you guessing until the very end.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion and review.

I have been a fan of Kate Morton's books since I first read and fell in love with The House at Riverton, which will always be my favourite of her books for the simple fact that it was the first one that I had read, I requested this book the minute I saw it, I don't even know if I read the blurb, I was not disappointed, this book was wonderful. The author's writing style has the ability to transport you to these houses that she writes of; I at once felt like I was walking along the river, through the copse and over the field full of fragrant wildflowers towards Birchwood Manor as the sun was starting to set and as the "sky lost its yellow" as a light in the attic window was beaconing me forward, bringing me home. I long for a house such as Ms Morton writes about, there is no doubt that these homes hold the events that take place within them, the love, the longing, the fear, the mystery, and the secrets hidden within their walls.

This wonderous tale takes place over a few different time periods and are told by different characters, that although sometimes confusing as to whom was narrating, they eventually tie themselves all together and leave you breathless. In the present day, Elodie Winslow, and archivist finds a box that was overlooked at her workplace and in it, she finds, a leather satchel with the initials EJR and an old photograph that she is immediately drawn to, but when she opens the satchel, whom she later discovers belongs to artist Edward Radcliffe, she finds a sketch if a house that she at once recognizes, although she has never set eyes upon it. she is determined that it is the house in the story that her mother, famed celloist, Lauren Winslow, had told her as a child, but her mother, deceased for twenty five years is not alive to ask, she cannot get these items out of her head and as she ends up pursuing the house in this drawing, she finds herself on a journey that she may always have been fated to make.

Something happened that summer in 1862, the summer that Edward Radcliffe and the other members of the Magenta Brotherhood, went to Edward’s newly acquired property, Birchwood Manor, a house he had to own, he was as drawn to it as it was to him. the events of that day have set so many things in motion and I enjoyed discovering how story unfolded. It was a wonderful tale. I loved the ending, it will stay with me.

Ever since reading “The Forgotten Garden“, I have been a huge fan of Kate Morton’s novels. Since they have been published in 34 languages and have been international bestsellers, it would seem I am not alone.

“The Clockmaker’s Daughter” has several different protagonists as the narrative is set over a vast span of years, from 1862 – 2017. The story jumps back and forth between these different protagonists, yet the reader is constantly aware that they all are in some way linked. The primary linking factor has to be the Berkshire manor house, Birchwood Manor. Situated near the bank of the River Thames, and built very close to one of Britain’s mystical ley lines, the isolated house was described so atmospherically that the author has made the house itself the main character. “It is a strange house, built to be purposely confusing. Staircases that turn at unusual angles, all knees and elbows and uneven treads; floorboards and wall panels with clever concealments.”

“Birchwood Manor was one of those places in which the threads of time slackened and came unstrung.”

In 1862, a wealthy, talented, and charismatic young artist named Edward Radcliffe bought the house. He was drawn to the way the house made him feel. It was a place of refuge, contentment, security and belonging. Although Edward, in his early twenties, was engaged to marry, he immediately fell in love with a girl he met whilst at the theater. He was taken by her beauty and her obvious intelligence. He asked her to be his model – his muse. He took her, along with his sisters and a group of artist friends, the group called the ‘Magenta Brotherhood’, to Birchwood Manor to spend the summer there. Though the summer began in an idyllic way, there would be no happy ending for Edward, or for his muse, Lily Millington aka Birdie Bell. Edward’s fiancée was shot dead – and the Radcliffe family heirloom, the Radcliffe Blue pendant vanished.

“There is a wound that never heals in the heart of an abandoned child.”

Birdie Bell was told her father had traveled to America to find work. She was taken in at the age of seven, and groomed to be a pickpocket and a thief under the name Lily Millington. This was not her true nature though… she was the clockmaker’s daughter and retained memories of a time when she lived with her father. Her mother died with she was very young, so she and her father became very close.

Lucy Radcliffe had run a girl’s boarding school at Birchwood Manor. The school closed in 1901 after one of the students drowned in the nearby river.

In the early 1940s we meet Juliet Wright. Struggling in London during the war, she is a journalist and the mother to three children. When Juliet learns of the death of her husband, AND, that her house has been razed to the ground in the Blitz, she packs up her three children and travels to Berkshire where she rents Birchwood Manor.

In 1980 the Manor was opened to the public.

In 2017, we meet Elodie Winslow who works in London as an archivist. She is engaged to be married, yet the reader senses that her fiancé is NOT the love of her life. One day at work, Elodie discovers an old box containing a fine, bespoke leather satchel, a photograph of a beautiful woman, and an artist’s sketchbook. Within the sketchbook’s pages is a rendering of a house. Elodie immediately feels a strong sense of déjà vu. The house reminds her of a house from a story she heard often as a child…

Also in the present day we come to know a woman who resides in the house. She remembers everything. She “stands outside time“.

“I miss touch. I miss being touched.” “I miss having a face. And a voice. A real voice that everyone can hear. It can be lonely in the liminal space.”

MY THOUGHTS

Kate Morton certainly knows how to weave a story. This time, she had her work cut out for her as there were so many threads that had to come together to make the whole. The very many characters and time periods was a bit overwhelming at times, but at the end of the day, “The Clockmaker’s Daughter” was a very satisfying read.

More than just your usual historical fiction, it was a study of aging, regret, of loss, of great love, of parents and children, and of the different incarnations of one old house over many years. A great read for a stormy winter’s day.