The Cartographer's Secret takes you on a physical and emotional journey into the unknown. Vividly written, the characters come to life as the secrets of the past reveal themselves. I appreciated how Cooper wound the past up into the present leaving us to wonder if history would again repeat itself.

I always love learning about little known history and this novel did not disappoint. Centering on events surrounding the disappearance of German explorer, Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt, this novel takes readers on an imagined journey of a family closely linked with his explorations in Australia and subsequent vanishing.

Ms. Cooper did an excellent job in fleshing out her characters and really allows readers to become immersed in their plight. I appreciated the background into Leichhardt's story, as I had never heard of his exploration, and know very little Australian history. I especially welcomed the nod to the many female cartographers of the time, who were often overlooked because credit for their work was given to their husbands.

All in all, this was an engaging work of historical fiction. The mystery was entertaining and the setting was exquisitely rendered.

Many thanks to TLC Book Tours for inviting me on this book tour and to Harper Muse Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC through Netgalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I selected this book from Netgalley because it gave me Miss Fisher's Murder Mystery vibes. It's set in Australia, it revolves around a missing girl and clues hidden on a hand drawn map.

1880 - Evie is upset when her father leaves their ranch to travel to Sidney to see her sister Miriam married. When her father tasks her with arranging his notes of famed explorer Leichhardt, and drawing a map of the area, Evie is happy to oblige. Determined to demonstrate her skill to her father, Evie searches for clues to solve the mystery of the missing explorer.

1911 - Letitia is the daughter of Miriam, and the niece of Evie. Raised a socialite in Sidney, but wondering on the meaning of life after the death of her beloved brother, Letitia agrees to leave Sidney and travel to visit her great aunt at the family ranch.

There Letitia finds herself immersed in the mystery of the long lost map and the secrets of her aunt Evie. Letitia also finds that she feels most like herself on this land of her forefathers, in the shadow of yellow rock.

I found the beginning a bit challenging. I suppose it's because the first half of the book is told in alternating timelines; switching between Evie (1880) and Letitia (1911) every chapter. It made the story feel choppy. But the second half is told by Letitia - and short bits by her companions - and the story become easier to follow.

The story was enticing. I enjoyed reading stories set in the different time periods in Australia. Tea Cooper is an excellent author, and I would enjoy reading other books by her.

Fans of Kate Morton will enjoy this split time novel by Tea Cooper. Ms. Cooper skillfully parcels out the clues from the earlier story surrounding the disappearance of Evie Ludgrove. As Lettie Rawlings travels to an old family estate, grieving the death of her brother, she seeks to unearth answers for the tragedy that had divided the family for 30 years.
I found myself lost within the pages of this riveting family mystery. My favorite type of story is one that involves old family secrets that have the power to haunt future generations. I absolutely loved the fact that Ms. Cooper used an old map as the focus point to tell the secrets of the past. Highly recommend for fans of historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

It’s not very often that I read Australian hisfic (truthfully, it’s my third), so this was a bit of delight for me. The Cartographer’s Secret is told from dual timeline thirty years apart. Not only is this an exploration of the Australian land, but also an exploration of two equally strong-willed and independent women, both trying to uncover a mystery.

1911- Letitia just recently lost her brother and is off on a solo trip in a Ford Model T to tell her great-aunt of the tragic news. While there she not only finds that her great-aunt is a fiercely independent woman as well, but hears of a 30-year-old family mystery – an aunt who went out to find the mysterious disappearance of an explorer and then mysteriously goes missing herself.
1880- Evie has followed in her father’s footsteps and has become obsessed with the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Australian explorer, Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt. In her father’s absence, she learns there’s a reward offered for proof of the explorer’s demise, and Letitia sets out to prove if her theory is correct.

A great piece of work, with one generation figuring out the secrets and mysteries of another.

Despite it centering on the disappearance of a young woman, this is a very sweet story. Initially, it switches between two timelines, telling the related stories of Evie Ludgrove in the 1880s and her niece, Lettie in 1911. I thought some of the Evie story a tad tedious, and was glad when Lettie’s tale became primary. It was interesting to read historical fiction from Australia and I liked the strong female protagonists, Evie, Lettie, and, especially Oliva, Evie’s aunt. The author’s descriptions of time and place were evocative; I could almost feel the warm, humid weather and smell many of the scents described. Throw in some family intrigue and this was an enjoyable read.

I loved the dual timelines of this story and I thought both were well done. I was probably more drawn into the latter storyline, but I enjoyed both. The characters were well developed and likable and the storyline made sense for those characters.

I especially enjoyed all the visual details of the scenery as I've never been to Australia and I loved all the animals that are native to that area. I learned so much about both.

Overall, this was a well done book that I enjoyed reading very much.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review!

The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper was outstanding! I loved reading about Evie's journey. The history tied in with the beautiful fiction Cooper weaved together had me hanging on! I love a dual timeline and this was done so well with strong female characters!

The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper is unique in several ways:

- set in Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
- dual timelines in 1880 and 1911
- features three generations of strong women from one family
- plot includes historical figure Ludwig Leichhardt, a German explorer and naturalist
- just the third title to be published by Harper Muse

It took me a bit to settle into my first Tea Cooper novel, but once I locked into the setting and family tree, I was transported to 19th century Australia. The plot includes family secrets, clues found on maps, and men riding horses - what's not to love?

I appreciated the three primary characters - Olivia, her niece Evie, and her great-niece Lettie, especially I'm since an aunt to nine with no sons or daughters. Learning Australian history through Lettie's attempts to solve Evie's mysterious disappearance was so interesting. And even though I'm a cat person, I enjoyed Oxley, the 'insightful' and adventurous dog.

Thank you to Harper Muse and Net Galley for the review copy. I hope to soon take another "trip" to Australia in the pages of Tea Cooper's previous books.

To many people around the world, including me, Australia is an exotic land of fascinating history and a cheeky attitude, always surprising in one way or another. I’ve learned quite a bit about this unique country from previous Tea Cooper books and that continued with The Cartographer’s Secret. Ms. Cooper could and does make a dry account of the land down under turn into a captivating tale.

This story is essentially a family saga taking place in two time periods, 1880 and 1911, and involves two mysteries, Evie’s search for a missing explorer, leading to her own disappearance, and her niece Letitia’s subsequent determination to find out what happened. Evie’s father had had almost an obsession with the explorer and she had a love of maps so she thought her mapping talents and her father’s research could point the way to learning Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt’s fate. Instead, Evie became a mystery herself but Letitia unearths secrets and learns a lot about herself along the way.

Historical mysteries are a breed unto themselves, so to speak, and this one has a basis in fact, always an intriguing element. Here we also have a little romance, a lot of adventure, and a look at two women who were ahead of their times. Ms. Cooper’s in-depth research is very evident and, once again, she has captured my imagination.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, November 2021.

In this time slip novel from Tea Cooper, Lettie travels to visit her Great-Aunt Olivia after her brother, and heir to Olivia's home, is killed in a boating accident. This trip leads Lettie to discover an entire slew of secrets that her mother has been keeping from her. The beginning of this story was difficult for me. I could not connect with the characters and felt something was missing. About halfway through I felt the storyline really picked up. There was more action and more romance, and I was able to get into it more. So, if you're patient, I'd give this one a try. Also something to note, there are a few scattered curses throughtout the story. Mostly of the word hell.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Tea Cooper is a masterful writer, and The Cartographer's Secret once again proves it. This story draws you in and will not release you until the very end. Ms. Cooper once again presents a mystery taking place across two story arcs that are generations apart. In The Cartographer's Secret, we have two heroines, Evie and Letitia, who lived thirty years apart, and an aunt / great-aunt, Olivia, who binds their stories together. All three are independent, strong-headed and insistent on achieving their goals. And the male characters in The Cartographer's Secret are strong and independent, and supporting.

As a reader, you first fall in love with Evie, the artist and cartographer (map drawer), who becomes consumed helping her father solve a great mystery, one she ultimately solves, only to go missing herself, and becomes the secret that her niece, Letitia, known as Lettie, then is determined to solve thirty years later.

The interplay between the three main female characters is full of intrigue and suspense as it is played out between an early 1880s and 1910s story arcs. The backstory is intricately woven into the current timeline, providing hints as to what happened without giving away the story until the very end.

Besides being a great story, well told with likable characters - characters you want to cheer for - there are two things about this book that really made it a pleasure to read: (1) the use of early new technologies (at the time), such as a motor car, of which there were only 400 in Australia at the time, and (2) animals as supporting characters. Both make the story vivid.

I could not help but compare the benefits of the motor car's speed and ability for travel versus riding a horse, and the challenges of fixing and running an automobile when in regional areas. It was both a boon and the potential for problems. Fortunately, Lettie knew her way around operating and fixing the motor!

The supporting roles played by horses, dogs and birds throughout also grabbed my attention. I am not sure I have ever read a book where I was as intrigued by the animals as characters as I was reading The Cartographer's Secret.

The dogs in the story across both story arcs were named Oxley. And Oxley knew his people! He could immediately help identify who to trust, who was loyal, and who was not. The dogs were always at Evie or Lettie's side and played a role in uncovering clues.

The horses played major roles progressing the story, and I remember each of their names and the key parts they played (but will leave that to you to find out reading the book!). Elsey, Raven and Rogue all had important roles as did Denman's horses pulling the crashed motor car out of the creek. The drovers and their horses also played a part throughout the story as stock continued to flow through the main setting of Yellow Rock, as well as breeding horses for the Army. I really felt a connection to the animals in The Cartographer's Secret as much as I did the people!

Did Lettie find out what happened to Evie in the end? Did Olivia find peace, and Lettie, love? You can find out while enjoying a pleasurable romp through Tea Cooper's The Cartographer's Secret. This book was difficult to put down.

Family secrets amidst the Australian landscape

Once more a richly interwoven story that spreads across the Australian landscape of the lushly appointed Hunter Valley region.
Two women become immersed in their individual trajectories as family secrets are uncovered, and a deep historical mystery is given prominence—the disappearance of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt of the face of the continent. One of the greatest puzzles of Australian European history.
Spanning the years of 1880, the story centres around Evie Maynard and her mapping skills and is picked up in 1911 with Letitia Rawlings. Lettie’s family has been estranged from Great-Aunt Olivia Maynard. The whys are unknown. A family tragedy leaves the Maynards, particularly Lettie reeling. She volunteers to inform their great aunt of events. Anything to get away. The devastated Lettie travels to her great aunt’s home at Wollombi. It’s here the family mystery deepens. It’s here her Aunt Evie is revealed. As secrets unravel we’re treated to classic Tea Cooper—fascinating story telling and superb prose. Cooper’s writing compels—I can smell the bush, I hear “ cry of the koels, the squawk of the black cockatoos as they fought over the nuts high in the casuarina tree.” I’m swept back on Country, and in Time. A willing captive.
Enthralling!

A Harper Muse ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

The Cartographer's Secret is a piece of clean, historical fiction, set in 1880 and 1911 Australia. In the latter setting, Letitia Rawlings learns of her aunt's disappearance thirty years prior. She sets about solving what we could call today a cold case. In doing so she discovers many things that she never knew about her family, as well as things about herself.

Tea Cooper has written over a dozen books, but she is a new-to-me author. I really enjoyed the original plot of The Cartographer's Secret and the diversity of characters in this story. I will definitely be looking for more of Ms Cooper's books. I highly recommend this book, and am grateful to have received a complementary copy from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The story opens in Sydney Australia with Miriam ordering her daughter Lettie to visit her great aunt Olivia to discuss the land inheritance her dead brother would have received from Great aunt. The year is 1911.
We switch back to1880 in Australia and the story of Evie her sister Miriam and Aunt Olivia.
Evie’s father is obsessed with a missing a missing map maker called Leichardt and to please her father she also becomes involved in creating her own map based on her father’s research. It soon becomes an obsession with Evie too. She decides to go out exploring herself with only drover Bailey for company.
When Lettie arrives in 1911 she looks very like Evie who disappeared aged 18 which is a shock to great aunt Olivia and Lettie also falls under the spell of New South Wales and the story of Evie. With drover Nathanial by her side she eventually solves the mystery of Evie and also Bailey and this is an amazing read. The landscape is wonderfully described and true live characters are meshed in with the fictional Maynard and Ludgrove families.
It should make us want to find out more about the early life of Australia as a developing nation. This is one of the most gripping and beautifully stories that I have read recently. I hurried through it to find out the answers but then had to read it again to revel in the scenery and the individual characters lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muze for the ARC! What an amazing story! A perfect blend of historical fiction and mystery! Enjoyed Evie's and Letitia's story and the mystery that surrounds Evie's disappearance..

This is a good read with just enough fact to make it a great story. Good romance and a look at Australia that folks don’t often get.

The dual time story of Evie Lundgrove (1880) and Letitia Rawlings (1911) was interesting and well written. As each story unfolded I learned more about how the two stories seamlessly intertwined. With mysterious disappearances, age-old family secrets, tragedies, and misunderstandings, this book was a page turner. Vivid descriptive scenes of the Australia landscape and ranch life as well as trying to unravel the mystery made me feel as if I were truly a part of the story.

Letitia was an adventurous, determined young lady who is intrigued in finding out what happened to her Aunt Evie. Did she die? Did she have a seizure and couldn’t remember how to get home? Was she ashamed and wouldn’t come home? Evie’s disappearance and subsequent answers to her whereabouts is the key to bringing restoration and healing to Lettie’s family.

The mix of historical facts of explorers and cartographers with the fictional story of what could have happened kept me engaged throughout. I also liked the fact that Lettie wasn’t going to be bullied into returning to Sydney. If you enjoy historical fiction with a bit of romance, you will enjoy the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

*Note- some mild language

This is a great read! It started out kind of slow but then it picked up and keep me glued to the pages. It's a beautifully written story. I loved it and highly recommend it to all fans of historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy from Harper Muse via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

With the author living in Australia you get a true authenticity to her stories as opposed to others who write about an area they have researched but have never stepped foot in.
The descriptions and setting of the story were well received, I truly feel as though I have visited this majestic area through this book.
The dual time line has us spending time in The Hunter Valley, 1880 with Evie Ludgrove and thirty years later when Letitia Rawlings arrives at the family estate in her Ford Model T to inform her great-aunt Olivia of a loss in their family.
We find out Evie, who grew up seeing her father's obsession with Australian explorer Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt had set out thirty years ago to prove how Leichhardt met his end and in doing so would claim a substantial reward.
Evie is an excellent artist and charts everything in her maps. She is determined to prove her theory correct and will take her father's papers with her as well.
This book is completely spellbinding as I could not stop reading it.
I had to see if Letitia who finds a beautifully illustrated map would have any luck with this family's unsolved mystery of thirty years. The closer you get to the truth the more dangerous it may become and not all is as it seems.
I absolutely could not put this spellbinding book down!

Pub Date 16 Nov 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.