Tea Cooper always presents outstanding Australian historical fiction and her latest, The Golden Thread, is no exception. I have enjoyed all of Tea’s previous works as they have proven to be consistently engaging and masterfully crafted tales of mystery and intrigue.

The Golden Thread once again entertains readers with strong female leads. I just adored Nell and how she works together with her granddaughter to unfold the mystery. There is a golden yellow dress, created in the mid-eighteenth century in London (now abandoned in an attic) that is the inspiration for this story. Tea is so clever at taking a piece of history and forming a fictional tale around it. So be sure to read her notes at the end of the book in which she tells the story of the ‘golden’ dress, explaining not only its history but also the provenance regarding pieces from history that feature in this book.

This is a clever story that will have you working to organise all the plot puzzle pieces that have been masterfully crafted by Tea. I was captivated by not only the determination of the two women, but also a strong cast of secondary characters. Congratulations Tea on once again producing a masterfully crafted tale of mystery and intrigue that will see the reader journeying side by side with Nell and Connie as they both respectively work to uncover the truth.



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Tea Cooper storytells with a strong interest in Australian history (the Historical Note at the end of the book is always fascinating and enlightening), strong female lead characters ahead of their time and with a strong mystery element. She not only teaches you and transports you to the past but keeps you guessing! She seems to be inspired by the tiniest thing - in this case a dress.
"The Golden Thread" centres around Maitland and the old Government House in Parramatta, Sydney around 1889 but a prologue set in 1846 provides a tantalising clue of the mystery alluded too in the title.
The title refers to a yellow silk dress, which ties the earlier life of a grandmother to her granddaughter Connie....golden threads with pockets of treasure. 
Finding her grandmother Nell missing one morning, is not only a shock but the start of a mysterious and often dangerous journey of discovery to a guest house in Sydney, where a colourful mix of guests expand our character cast and add to the drama in a twisting turning web of events.
I find it interesting that in most of Tea's books, there is an element of learning the secrets of a generation or two earlier. Exciting events that you never imagine of a grandmother when you only know her of an older, more sedate age.  Nell is now relying on her past secret to settle her present day troubles.
Blackmail in this time was unusual for a female to deal with alone, and it is exciting to see the character Taylar pushing the boundaries of women's careers, dress and freedom to help Nell.
While the mystery is complex, I am sorry to say I wasn't as fully invested as I have been in other books by Tea. But keenly look forward to another. Thanks to Harlequin, Tea Cooper and NetGalley for my copy.

Connie Montague is a young woman in the late 1880's in regional NSW. She discovers one morning that her grandmother Nell is missing and sets off determined to find her. Connie's travels find her arriving at a guest house in Parramatta, being a former Government House, the house is a living museum and the guests are an eclectic mix of individuals.
Once again the author has done a great job of combining historical fact with an intriguing plot that involves racehorses and fixing bets. Connie and Nell are both strong female characters, although I did at times find Nell to be quite close minded, but I guess it is a story from the 1880's so it is not out of line with the times.
Not only does Connie find Nell, but she discovers a side to her grandmother that she never knew existed.
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

EXCERPT: 'Is there nothing you can think of that might have caused Mrs Montague to leave Maitland unexpectedly?'
Connie shook her head.
Mrs Mumford gave a long, slow sigh. 'I'm not one to stick my nose into other people's business but perhaps you should know Mrs Montague was in service, in Sydney many years ago. I always believed it was the reason she was so supportive of our efforts to find employment for the girls from the school. It's not something she likes to talk about, although I have no idea why she should be ashamed. She worked as a lady's maid at Government House. But it was over forty years ago, before she married. I can't imagine . . .'
Connie couldn't sit still a moment longer. She jumped to her feet and started pacing the floor. 'Is there someone in Sydney she might have wanted to visit?'
'The only name I remember her mentioning is a Mrs Alexander; I believe she was the housekeeper at Government House, when your grandmother was dismissed.'
'Dismissed? Whatever for?'

ABOUT 'THE GOLDEN THREAD': Maitland, 1889

When eighteen-year-old Constance Montague wakes one Wednesday she expects the day to unfold like any other. Breakfast with her grandmother Nell and her mother Faith, a meeting in Maitland with the ladies of the Benevolent Society, perhaps a gentle stroll along the banks of the Hunter River. But this Wednesday is different. Nell has vanished.

Concerned, Connie determines to track Nell down and follows a lead to Old Government House in Parramatta, now a boarding house. There, to her astonishment she finds her grandmother holding court.

When Nell introduces her (under a false name!) to a varied cast of colourful guests, including a frail but observant old lady, a travelling salesman, a bearded lothario, a clever articled clerk, a lively seamstress and an enigmatic housekeeper who is connected with Nell's past, Connie begins to realise that her grandmother is not who she seems. Nell is looking for something and following a thread stitched long ago, a thread that leads from some missing gold, to a golden dress and the attic of Government House and as the story unravels so do the secrets of the past, secrets that surface into the present to threaten not just Nell, but Connie too.

MY THOUGHTS: Tea Cooper skillfully weaves actual historical events and facts into her narrative to produce a tale rich in family secrets, hidden gold, theft, blackmail and horse-race fixing. I have read several of this author's previous books and The Golden Thread is undoubtedly my favorite to date.

Tea Cooper has produced some strong female characters - Connie, Nell and Taylor being the most notable, and it is these women who drive the novel forward. They are no fainting violets and make a formidable team.

I loved the close relationship between Connie and her grandmother Nell. Connie's mother, Faith, is a very different character to the other women in the family, but also has an inner strength that I couldn't help but admire at times.

There is a golden yellow dress, created in the mid-eighteenth century in Spitalfields, London, now abandoned in an attic, that is pivotal to this story.

If you are reading this novel - and if you are a lover of historical fiction, I sincerely recommend you do - don't forget to read the author's historical notes at the end of the book in which Tea Cooper tells the true story of the featured dress and explains just how she came to write this novel. She also explains the provenance of the other bits and pieces of history that snuck into this story.

The Golden Thread is a page-turner. Tea Cooper's writing is elegant and confident, the mystery absorbing and intriguing. This was an absolute delight to read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheGoldenThread #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Tea Cooper writes Australian contemporary and historical fiction. In a past life she was a teacher, a journalist and a farmer. These days she haunts museums and indulges her passion for storytelling.

DISCLSOURE: Thank you to Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA, via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Golden Thread by Tea Cooper for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The Golden Thread by Tea Cooper was published October 30, 2024.

A historical fiction set mostly in 1889 with flashbacks to 1846.
Connie Montague lives in Maitland in the Hunter Valley of NSW with her grandmother and mother. When Connie discovers her grandmother Nell is missing, Connie sets out to find her.

Following a series of clues, she ends up at a guest house in Parramatta, where she discovers her grandmother Nell has secrets, and she needs to find an old trunk in the attic of the guest house.

There are other people in the guest house that also have secrets.

Lots of action. A quick easy read about families, horse racing and blackmail.

I loved the interactions between Connie and the guests at the guest house in Parramatta and how she tries to help her grandmother.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for a chance to read this E-Book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

MS Cooper has never disappointed me and this one is another brilliant story from a master story teller, set around Maitland and Parramatta in 1889 we meet Nell Montague her granddaughter Connie and a cast of awesome characters that make this story unputdownable come along for a thrilling story filled with skullduggery, mystery and yes danger.

When Connie wakes up on a Wednesday morning and finds that her grandmother has gone and not home for their usual family breakfast with her mother Faith and then there to attend a meeting to be held that day Connie is very worried and when a walk doesn’t locate Nell, Connie is determined to track Nell down and finds herself on the train to Sydney going over the new Hawkesbury River bridge.

Connie with the help from a friend of Nell’s in Maitland and with directions given to her from journalist Bob Ballantyne, who she met on the train finds herself at the new Government House is Sydney asking after a Mrs. Alexander she is told that she is at the old Government House in Parramatta another train trip and Connie locates Nell and when she introduces Connie as her companion and not her granddaughter Connie is convinced that there is something going on and she knows she must get to the truth, who is her grandmother? Connie is soon very good friends with a couple of the residents Taylor and Maisie and also Miss Pettigrew, she is steering clear of the male residents.

Connie is soon learning small tidbits at a time about Nell’s past life and when there are small curios going missing and Nell is being blamed by the housekeeper Mrs. Alexander and there seems to have been a break-in at the guest house things heat up and danger is afoot but it also seems that Nell has found what she is looking for and the faster they get what Nell came for and get back to Maitland and sort out what started this trip the better but will there be more danger back at home, will they get the answers Nell is looking for?

This is such a brilliant story with awesome characters I loved Nell, Connie and Taylor and Maisie and of course Miss Pettigrew who might be hard of hearing but her eyesight is perfect. I do highly recommend this one, truly it is a must read for any lover of historical fiction the setting, the characters and the mystery are the best.

My thanks to HQ Fiction and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

It was 1889 in Maitland, New South Wales, when eighteen year old Constance Montague woke to find her grandmother, Nell, missing. After searching all the places she knew to look, and the police showed no interest, Connie discovered Nell had been seen at the railway station. It was then Connie decided to head to Sydney by train, over the new Hawkesbury Bridge, which had been opened the day before. She first headed to Government House, and was told Old Government House in Parramatta was now a boarding house - she might find her grandmother there.

Nell was stunned to see Connie at the door, and quickly introduced her as her companion - which bemused Connie immensely. There was mystery afoot, and Connie was determined to learn what Nell held secret. It stretched back to the long ago past and a yellow, silk dress - Connie immediately knew there was much to learn about her grandmother that hadn't been told. As Connie befriended a couple of the younger ladies, and a lovely, feisty older woman; steered clear of the older gents; and kept a wary eye on the housekeeper, she knew her life had changed...

The Golden Thread is another spectacular historical novel, set in Australia, by Aussie author Tea Cooper and I loved it! I've loved everything I've read by this author, and this one is up there with her best. With well-written and likeable characters - in particular, Connie & Nell; Taylor & Maisie; Miss Pettigrew & Jonas - plus well painted word pictures of an area I know well (though not from back in the 1800s!) I devoured The Golden Thread and recommend it highly to anyone who loves an historical novel.

With thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Enterprises AU for my digital ARC to read and review.

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Harlequin Australia, and author Tea Cooper, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for October 30, 2024.

Keeping secrets and saving a family legacy.

Tea Cooper. One of my all-time favourite authors to read and a juggernaut in the Australian historical fiction genre. Cooper's ability to weave a compelling fictional narrative around highly interesting, yet somewhat obscure aspects of Australian historical events is outstanding. In The Golden Thread, Ms Cooper has again skilfully united both accurate historical facts with a fictional story element; which, when combined come together to form the basis of truth for this stunning story.

The story itself spans almost 50 years, with the prologue set in 1846, then, forty-three years later, when the main story thread is played out.

Maitland 1889 Eighteen-year-old Miss Constance (Connie) Montague lives with her mother and grandmother. The Montague family home, originally built by Connie’s grandfather, is nestled near the banks of the Hunter River in country Maitland. Connie has led a routine, and somewhat sheltered/privileged existence up to this point; having been brought up by her grandmother, Eleanor (Nell). Her father, Fred Montague died in a tragic accident a long time ago and her mother, Faith, seems more interested in her social activities at the racetrack, and has showed little to no interest in Connie’s upbringing.

Breakfast at the Montagues was usually a family affair, but on this particular morning, the eldest Montague, Nell, was no-where to be found. Connie, thinking it odd that her grandmother would miss breakfast went to search her room, only to discover that she was no-where to be found. Even more concerning was the fact that none of the staff knew where she was either. It seemed her grandmother had just vanished without telling a soul. Worried for her grandmother’s safety and, more than a little curious as to why she would leave the house without telling her where she was going, Connie heads into the main part of town to see if she can find her missing grandmother. Her search ended with the local stationmaster, who informed Connie that the elder Mrs Montague had boarded the train headed for Sydney which had left early that morning.

Following a lead, Connie heads to Old Government House in Parramatta, where she discovers that Old Government House is now used as a boarding house and, to her astonishment, Connie finds her grandmother holding court with the other residents. But as Connie quickly learns, finding her grandmother is only the tip of the ice-berg. Nell has been keeping well-guarded secrets; secrets about her past, her family’s legacy and shockingly, the circumstances surrounding the death of her father, Fred. Not to mention: blackmail, hidden gold, horse racing and race fixing, AND…the most beautiful English yellow silk damask dress.

If you think it sounds like I’m fangirling a little bit, well, you’d be right. If you haven’t read any of Tea Cooper’s novels, you are missing out. The writing is rich in detail and descriptions are beautifully rendered and visually appealing. The storyline has been thoroughly researched and is well structured with captivating fleshed out characters that you will quickly fall in love with.

Also by Tea Cooper:
The Naturalist's Daughter
The Fossil Hunter
The Butterfly Collector
The Woman in the Green Dress

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Harlequin Australia for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is one twisty intriguing historical mystery by Tea Cooper set in the 1890s! I enjoyed the drama, the variety of characters (both good and bad) and the extended suspense. There are lots of surprises and complicated threads to the story. One message that surfaces is the cost of keeping secrets. Nell’s worries heighten as she tries to amend a predicament left behind from her son’s legacy.

The novel opens with an enticing prologue set in 1846. It is an atmospheric night full of mystery, haunting shadows and moonlight glimmering across Sydney Harbour. The activities of the day— the colony’s politics of Government House— are on pause. Armed with a leather pouch of gold, a candlestick, silver needle and silk embroidery thread, a woman creeps into ‘the cloying darkness of the eaves above the servants’ quarters, the air heavy with the heat of the day and the scent of forgotten memories.’ This is one seriously powerful image to open the novel with and it snatched my breath and attention from the start. It continues on a delightful journey to the past with historical figures of significance such as William Bligh. Inside a chest, are a ‘treasure trove of forgotten clothes each with their own story, their own memories, silken whispers of the past…’ Pure poetic beauty. Here we get the first glimpse of the yellow silk dress… and we soon learn of its purpose and connection to lost gold. This intro is beautifully written and sets us up for the big mystery to follow.

Forty-three years later, we are in Maitland, Hunter Valley, NSW introduced to Connie, a likeable young woman who longs for some unique adventures. We see the sharp contrast in Faith her mother, a less than endearing woman whose life revolves around horses and the racetrack. Faith’s lack of interest in her daughter’s life is one of many things that keeps us feeling negative toward this woman. And as the plot unfurls, we learn even more about her.

But Connie gets her adventure—just not the one she might expect. Although she plans an ordinary day for herself, it turns out quite different. Soon she discovers that her grandmother Nell is missing and Connie is determined to find her. So she begins her own journey that takes her into a world she definitely knew nothing about. The rest of what follows is both exciting and alarming for danger, mystery and treachery are lurking around the corners. We are plunged into Nell’s past of well-guarded secrets. But time does not stand still. Lives and plots are exposed after many unsettling events.

Ms Cooper’s descriptions are always beautifully rendered and it is easy to get a sense of where you are in both location and history. Her research skills are exceptional and her ability to weave history through fiction is well demonstrated in The Golden Thread. I always learn something new when reading her stories—particularly about Australia’s past. I am not a native to this country so reading Australian novels gives me a chance to learn about various events and people through memorable imaginative fiction like The Golden Thread.

This story covers family relationships, women’s roles of the time and moral dilemmas. The characters face a number of challenges including blackmail, a missing grandmother, hidden gold, theft, a potential ghost or prowler at the Old Government House. If that is not enough to keep you transfixed, there is the practice of horse race fixing: an activity that has provided a scandal or two over the centuries. In The Scarlet Thread, the ‘Sport of Kings’ contains this illegal activity. A jockey is influenced and the phenomenon of switching horses occurs. Who knows about this and what is the motive behind it? We soon learn but there are some surprises!

I definitely recommend The Scarlet Thread and yes, there is a stunning dress in this story as noted in my comments of the prologue. But that is only one piece of this complex puzzle. You will have to read it to uncover the mystery! When all the threads of the story are woven together, and all characters and the parts they have played are realised, there’s a real sigh of relief when the truth is made known. There are some great lessons learned and the ending is perfect. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Thanks to HQ Fiction and Netgalley for a review copy.

‘Some would think her foolish, but her word was her bond …’

A prologue set in Sydney, New South Wales, in October 1846 provides a tantalising clue for a mystery which opens in Maitland in 1889.
Eighteen-year-old Constance (Connie) Montague lives with her mother Faith and grandmother Nell in a home at Horseshoe Bend, Maitland. Connie’s life is largely governed by set routine, so when her grandmother Nell disappears on the first of May 1889, Connie is worried. Faith, focussed on her horse-racing interests, is less concerned. Once Connie exhausts places in Maitland where her grandmother might be, she investigates further. Connie travels to Sydney, and then follows a lead to Old Government House in Parramatta. Old Government House is now a boarding house and Nell is in residence. But when Nell introduces Connie to the other guests, and the housekeeper, she introduces her as a companion, not as her granddaughter. Finding out why is part of the mystery.

Gradually Connie realises that her grandmother has secrets. Nell is desperately seeking something, and her search involves the attic of Old Government House, and a beautiful silk dress which is stored there. There is danger as well as several secrets to be uncovered, some of which threaten both Nell and Connie.

Ms Cooper has woven an engrossing mystery story around some historical facts (explained in her Historical Note).

I enjoy Ms Cooper’s fiction, and this novel is no exception. The nineteenth century setting is well described, with an interesting cast of characters
and issues.

If you enjoy historical fiction with an element of mystery set in colonial New South Wales, I can recommend this novel.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Constance Montague wakes up on Wednesday 1st of May 1889, in her grandmother Nell’s house in Maitland, New South Wales and she has no idea it’s not going to be a typical day. When her punctual grandmother Nell doesn’t appear for breakfast, after a few hours Connie discovers no one has seen her and she’s vanished from her Horseshoe Bend home.

A concerned Connie does her own detective work and questions Nell's staff and acquaintances of her movements and she discovers she might have travelled to Sydney. Connie wonders why her grandmother would sneak out early in the morning, not tell a soul and it makes no sense?

Connie uncovers her grandmother has been keeping secrets about her past and Connie’s father, if found out the families reputation will be in tatters and Connie’s future and she has to help her gran find what she's looking for and without being discovered and it won’t be easy in a busy boarding house and run by Mrs. Alexander.

I received a copy of The Golden Thread from Harlequin Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Once again Tea Cooper uses real historical facts and has skilfully incorporated them in her narrative to weave a fascinating Australian based mystery full of twists and turns and many I didn’t see coming.

Ms. Cooper’s books always bring to my attention little known objects and places that were important in Australia decades ago and in this case the English yellow silk damask dress, and the Old Government House building in Parramatta. The story-line is well written and structured to keep the reader’s attention, with an emphasis on long kept secrets and family ties, schemes and lost gold, a possible thief and prowler, race fixing and blackmail.

Bound together like the golden and silken threads of the antique gown, Nell and Connie’s lives are interlaced in a complicated and complex tale that will captivate you from start to finish. I highly recommend The Golden Thread and Ms. Cooper’s previous book The Talented Mrs Greenway and both are must reads.

“I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin Australia and Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”

This is another beautifully woven tale by Tea Cooper; one that masterfully blends history, mystery, and love together, set against a backdrop of Maitland's early racing industry, along with race fixing and blackmail.

One of the other striking elements is the symbolism of the yellow dress, a beacon of resilience and hope that literally threads through the narrative for which secrets of a former life are strongly guarded by Nell, a formidable woman who strives to uphold the family name but through dealings of her deceased son's partnership looks to unravel all her efforts.

The way Cooper ties this dress to pivotal moments in the story adds an extra layer of depth and meaning. This is a novel that not only entertains but also educates, offering a window into a fascinating aspect of Australian history that many may not be familiar with. Cooper has a unique talent for bringing history to life, and The Golden Thread is a glowing testament to her storytelling prowess. I loved this book and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a beautifully written, engaging, and thought-provoking read.