Bookworm Review: “The Distant Hours” by Kate Morton

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Washington Square Press
2010

Format: Paperback

First Line: Hush…Can you hear him?

From the back cover: It starts with a letter, lost for half a century and unexpectedly delivered to Edie’s mother on a Sunday afternoon. The letter leads Edie to Milderhurst Castle, where the eccentric Blythe spinsters live and where, she discovers, her mother was billeted during World War II. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives caring for their younger sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiancé jilted her in 1941. 


Inside the decaying castle, Edie searches for her mother’s past but soon learns there are other secrets hidden in its walls. The truth of what happened in “the distant hours” has been waiting a long time for someone to find it. In this enthralling romantic thriller, Morton pays homage to the classics of Gothic fiction, spinning a rich and intricate web of mystery, suspense, and lost love.


My Thoughts: If you love mysteries and castles, you will love this book. Kate Morton is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I love her writing style and the Gothic mysteries she creates. These books have taken me back to my Nancy Drew days. Some mystery novels can be very predictable, but this was the opposite. It surprised me at every turn, and just when I thought I had it figured out, I didn’t. Nothing was ever what it seemed. This made the book very enjoyable.

The characters in this story are very eccentric. Edie was the most normal relatable character. I felt like she was someone I could have been friends with. Her passion is books. That passion mixed with a little family history takes her on a wild journey that leads her to the Blythe sisters. As she uncovers the sisters’ story and her mother’s history, she discovers deeply buried secrets that will shock you. The twins are very interesting. They were truly like two halves of a whole. Although twins, they shared opposite character traits. Juniper was mentally ill and was never given proper treatment because her sisters would not let her leave the castle. They didn’t want her taken away from them. They also suffered the consequences…

The story is captivating from the first page. I couldn’t get enough of the story and couldn’t put the book down. I highly recommend The Distant Hours and give it five stars.

(I purchased this book)

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