<i>The Clockmaker's Daughter</i> is centered as much on place as on characters. A modern-day archivist discovers an unknown photograph and sketchbook tucked away in the archives where she works, and is drawn into discovering the identity of the beautiful woman and the place sketched by an artist many decades before. From there, we learn the history of Birchwood Manor and it's inhabitants - first the group of artists and models in the 1860s, the mysterious presence that lives there still. Through the sections and chapters the house is filled with a girls school, houses a family who fled London during the blitz, has a a connection to the archivist herself, and shields multiple mysterious disapperances of people and jewels, as well as a few deaths. The threads more or less come together, but each era is well crafted and the characters and evnts are beautifully wrought.

Highly recommend for fans of Kate Morton, of dramatic historical fiction with a mystery twist, and authors Beatiz Williams, Kristin Hannah, and Julian Barnes.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Atria Books.

Kate Morton is one of my favorite authors, and when The Clockmaker's Daughter came out this year, I was one of the first to jump on NetGalley to get a copy. I was so excited to be awarded the book and added it to my August reading queue. It made for a good alternate style given I'm also running a children's book readathon this month! Although not my favorite of all her novels, it's an enchanting story and covers a lot of beautiful generations within a couple of families.

What I loved the most about this book was how you never quite knew who was speaking in the beginning of a chapter. It took a few paragraphs or a page or two before it became obvious. Some might be bothered by this approach, but it added to mystery and ambiance for me. The Radcliffe family was quite peculiar, and I wondered whether it would turn out to be accidental death or murder for one or two characters. As the story unfolds and we learned about Elodie in 2017/8 discovering the past, everything comes flooding forward. There are memorable characters in this book and I recommend it for that reason alone. On the flip side, there are over 30 main characters, so it gets a tad difficult to keep focused if you have to put the book down for more than a day at a time. Don't read it with anything else like I did.

Morton is the queen of lyrical words and astounding settings. The plot is strong, and the twist at the end is great. Along the path, it's much lighter tho... less about the mystery and more about hearing what happened to people over a century. I found myself eager for more action than present in the book. But it still captured my heart and attention. A solid 4 stars.

Elodie Winslow, an archivist in London in 2017, discovered a long lost satchel that contained drawings from the 1860s by a little known artist, Edward Radcliffe. When she started to investigate why Radcliff’s work was in the satchel of aristocratic social reformer, she was led to Birchwood Manor, a country home in Oxfordshire that Edward Radcliffe purchased in the 1860s. The home was now a museum but had many uses after Edward abandoned it in 1862.
The story goes back and forth from the 1850s to the end of the 19th century to WW II to the 1990s to 2017. Birchwood Manor is the location of most of the action in the story. The narration is shared by various characters throughout the story. The clockmaker’s daughter, Birdie Bell, who disappeared along with a priceless piece of heirloom jewelry after Edward’s fiancé was shot, is a central character and her presence continues through the 150 years of the tale.
I enjoyed the story as it flowed seamlessly back and forth through the 160 year span. One criticism was that I found the names of two characters,, Lily and Lucy, confusing.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.

Kate Morton does it again!!!!!! Gah!!!! I love her writing! I loved how all the plots ended up together at the end. I loved the characters, even if it was super confusing at the beginning. I loved the setting, it felt as if I could go somewhere and see this house. I want to see the paintings she describes in this book. A great read!! If you haven’t read a Kate Morton, I’d recommend this one, I feel it’s one of her strongest novels.

I usually shy away from books about ghosts, especially one that begins in the voice of the ghost. That being said, having read other books by this author, I persevered, and I’m really glad I did. It takes a talented writer to write in a number of different voices, and then to span over 150 years, but the author is able to pull it off, and she does it beautifully. There are so many elements to this story that I wondered at times why a particular story was included, but she pulls all the elements together, and not just at the end, but throughout. The feeling, or mood, changed, depending on the voice and the time period,so I had a good feel for what was going on at the time the Speaker was talking about. I was sure I knew the Who, and possibly the why, so I was quite surprised to find I was totally wrong, another good thing. Nothing worse than getting halfway through a book, knowing ‘who dun it’ and having to read the rest to find out I’m right. Each story within the story held my interest and had a purpose, although it wasn’t always revealed until much later why that particular vignette was included. Didn’t want to put it down, but then I did want to, just to think about what I’d just read and how it was all going to fit. I didn’t race to the end, but savored it and really didnt want to finish it. Wanted to stay in Great Britain for a while longer. But I also wanted to know what the secret was. Great book and great writer. I highly recommend it.

Fascinating historical fiction mystery! Following the mystery of who was the muse of Edward Ratcliffe and what does the house mean in Elodie’s family story? Stories are woven together to trace the history of an old house and the painter Edward Ratcliffe, and tied to the present storyline of Elodie’s mother’s death. At times it was challenging to follow the multiple storylines which didn’t always have dates labeled on them. I think a date would help follow the multiple narratives.

Kate Morton has such a beautiful way with words. They sing on paper, creating a historical tale that weaves between the past and present. However, that said, the innumerable characters and frequent time switches interfered with my complete enjoyment of the novel. In the Victorian setting, an accomplished artist resides in an old manor in the woods. This scenery is contrasted with the present day when a young archivist happens upon an old well preserved satchel with a photograph of a young woman. Why does this seem so familiar to her? How are all the different characters connected? The answer is truly the mystery and magic of Kate Morton.

I usually love Kate Morton’s books, but this one I abandoned. I found the story hard to follow. I was disappointed. I got lost in which time frame each chapter was pursuing. I read half the book when I felt as if I wasn’t enjoying the book as I should.

I know Kate Morton likes to go in and out of the past to the present. I found this one a bit too confusing that I wasn’t fully invested in the characters. I may pick it up again, but when it takes me this long to try to read a book and I’m not running to read what’s next... I have to move on.

Brilliant! I absolutely love every book Kate Morton has written. Can't wait to see what she has in store next.

This book felt slighter than Morton's previous novels but I'm still feeling haunted by it. I love books about bohemian Victorian artists and idyllic English summer days and this novel had that in spades! Filled with evocative, descriptions and strong voices, I was drawn into the book from the first page. Slowly, slowly (you must be patient!) the threads of the multi-narrators are pulled together and the mysteries of the story are revealed. One of the main themes of the book is this idea that a place can call you to it and leave it's imprint on you as surely as if it was a living, breathing being. I realized that this is a theme in every Morton novel. Every book has a house, a home that pulls characters to it and leaves an indelible hold on them that they can never shake. It's memories, it's mysteries stay with the characters and the readers. Like a dream, the clouds part and I can recall the settings of her novels whether it be a cottage in Cornwall or as in this one, a hidden, country manor in the Cotswolds. It is a special writer that can transport a reader so thoroughly back in time. My one complaint is that I wish the present day story was stronger. In her other books, those stories always provide a solid touch stone to guide the reader through the story but this one left me wanting more. Even so, the ending is sure to haunt me for a very long time. I don't want to say anymore, in case I spoil anything. Really, this book should be revealed slowly like a present.

I have read all the books written by this best-selling Australian writer and she has yet to disappoint me. Once again, she has created a story full of historical tidbits, gothic ghosts, and page-turning mystery. The nexus of this story is a house, Birchwood Manor, built on the bend of the river, protected by a Fairie Queen and an ancient promise. Through this house marches a plethora of complex characters: the Magenta brotherhood, fans of the Romantic Age, lovers of beautiful women, painting, and intrigue; Elodie, the daughter of a famous cellist, an archivist due to marry soon but who is pulled into the mystery surrounding the manor; James, a detective looking for a diamond, with heartbreak in his past; Leonard, a former WWI soldier suffering from PTSD, whose research adds to the mystery surrounding a murder; Lucy, the young girl who defies convention and is obsessed with the science of the world; Tip, a young boy whose family escapes the London Blitz; and most important, Birdie, the clockmaker's daughter whose life and stories binds them all together. Be forewarned: this author always writes very long books, but they are un-put-downable.

I was so excited to receive this book because Kate Morton is one of my favorite authors. I love all of her novels and this one doesn't disappoint.

The Clockmaker's Daughter is a beautifully written historical mystery. The main character of the book is Birchwood Manor which has cast a spell on the many characters in this book. Morton does a wonderful job of interweaving them all together.

The book is magical! I hated it to end. The novel is fabulous! I definitely recommend it. A must read! The only problem is that I will have to wait some time for the next Kate Morton novel!

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this haunting, beautiful novel in return for an honest review.

link to go live later in September

It took me a month to read this book. July 17th I was enthralled with the amazing lyrical first sentences and I was so excited to begin another adventure from Kate Morton's mind! The writing style is definitely something to be envious of, but this actual story was so long and slow going that I was so relieved when I was done with it. I definitely could have lived without this cobweb of forgettable characters and not to mention the fact that the house was a character, too...



In a nutshell as I understood it is that a few artists meet at the spooky house and something crazy happens and the artist's lives are never the same and now the current generation tries to unravel what happened. Schoolgirls, siblings, parents, and lovers lives all intermingle into this story of a house and a rare blue stone.


My status updates on Goodreads while reading this reminded my of how I kept falling asleep while reading it. I think if the main character Elodie was an actual main character instead of disappearing from the plot for chapters on end it may have helped with the transitional periods but I don't know. Somehow it was all supposed to come together but it never did for me and it seemed that the author was so tired of the story that she finally just ended it, the end. Definitely a novel you're going to really get, or really hate.



I adored The Lake House and The Forgotten Garden, so all hope is not lost as I still have some others from Morton's backlist to read.

If you look up book hangover in the dictionary, it should say The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. This book was so very beautifully written. It spans from the 1800's until 2017. The Birchwood Manor is the thread that ties all the characters and all the years together. This book has it all love, loss, murder, and mystery. The characters are amazing and I enjoyed all the characters and their stories. The descriptions of Birchwood Manor and the grounds were so descriptive I felt like I was there. It was a beautifully written book and I would recommend it highly. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books. All opinions are my own.

My real name, no one remembers.
The truth about that summer, no one else knows.


The summer of 1862, Edward Radcliffe convinces a rather bohemian group of artists to spend a month at the secluded Birchwood Manor. Supposedly they will be spending the time focusing on just their art. Being inspired, finding their muse.

But things don't go well and by the end there is nothing but murder, theft, and ruined lives.

Fast forward to 150 years later and young Elodie Winslow, an archivist in London finds an old leather satchel containing a picture of a woman and a sketch of a house on the river. 

It feels familiar to her but she isn't sure why. So we follow the story. Many characters and many voices but Birdie's voice carried me through this mystery. Those first two sentences hooked me and I had to find out why she couldn't leave the house. 

There is something so fluid and easy about Morton's writing. The way her words evoke such feeling and emotion. This is the third book I've read of hers and for me her style is a perfect fit for me.

I hope you enjoy it as well.
Netgalley/October 09, 2018 by Atria Books

Clockmaker’s Daughter

My thanks to #NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Kate Morton never disappoints. The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a multi-layered tale with characters that span 150 years. This hauntingly (literally!) beautiful love story centers around the clockmaker’s daughter, a beautiful house on the bank of the Thames, and a necklace. There are several plot twists and turns that took me, a long-time Morton fan, by surprise. Highly recommended for the Morton fan and newbie alike.

Elodie is an archivist who embarks on a quest to find the provenance of some historical artifacts that have crossed her desk. Birchwood Manor is a strange house with a storied history. There are also lots of pieces that help to create the whole story: a satchel, a clock, a jetty, a boat, photos, paintings, a necklace and more. It is a grand treasure hunt of a novel. Oh and there might be a spirit present—Do you believe in ghosts?
~>~>~>~>~>~>
If you are planning to read this book you should plan to settle in for a long, well-paced read. I got a little confused until I figured out the frame for this story. Then all the pieces started to build the total picture. It did help me to take some notes so I could remember which characters lived in each time period.

I usually love Kate Morton books. This one fell a little short for me. Possibly because it alternated between time periods in larger chunks rather than in shorter ones. I really can't quite put a finger on it.
Overall, the book was well written, as always, and came to a satisfying conclusion.
Quite honestly, I preferred the more current time period than the past.
I did appreciate the opportunity to have an advance copy of The Clockmaker's Daughter and look forward to more Kate Morton titles in the future.

I've waited a while before giving my review in the hopes that I would change my mind about how I feel about The Clockmaker's Daughter. Honestly, I have loved all of Kate Morton's books. The atmosphere and characters immediately draw me in to the story. When I read The Forgotten Garden, I couldn't put it down. I've read all of her books except for The Lake House...somehow I missed that one.

So, I say all that to say that if The Clockmaker's Daughter is the first Kate Morton book you read, don't let it deter you from reading her other books. I "liked" The Clockmaker's Daughter, but it just didn't feel as if I were reading a Kate Morton book. I think it had so many characters that I couldn't get attached to any of them. I wanted to, and I tried to! It just didn't happen. If there had been fewer storylines to follow, I think I really could have loved this book. There are pieces of the plot that I would love to just toss aside and add more character development to the characters at Birchwood Manor.

If you haven't read Kate Morton's books, don't start with this one. I just think you'll be disappointed.

Kate Morton does it again! Yet another novel that combines the perfect measurements of mystery, love, tension, and ultimately, loss...all intertwined beautifully and keeping the reader guessing until the very end. Spanning 150 years and going back and forth over generations, The Clockmaker's Daughter slowly reveals the truth about one summer in 1862 that no one will ever know...except the clockmaker's daughter.