Review: The Only Child

Title: The Only Child

Author: Kayte Nunn

Publisher: 31st August 2022 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 353 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre:  historical fiction, suspense, crime thriller

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A decades-old crime threatens to tear apart three generations of women in this unputdownable mystery that will keep you gripped until its last heart-wrenching page.

Almost every graduating class had a girl who disappeared.

1949 It is the coldest winter Orcades Island has ever known, when a pregnant sixteen-year-old arrives at Fairmile, a home for 'fallen women' run by the Catholic Church. She and her baby will disappear before the snow melts.

2013 Frankie Gray has come to the island for the summer, hoping for one last shot at reconnecting with her teenage daughter, Izzy, before starting a job as a deputy sheriff. They are staying with her mother, Diana, at The Fairmile Inn, soon to be a boutique hotel, but when an elderly nun is found dead in suspicious circumstances, and then a tiny skeleton is discovered in the grounds of the house, Frankie is desperate for answers.

At once an evocative, unsettling tale of past misdeeds and a crime thriller that will have you reading with your heart in your mouth, The Only Child is compulsively addictive storytelling from the international bestselling author of The Silk House.

My Thoughts

With her latest offering, The Only Child, Kayte delivers the perfect dual crime narrative. This style is an evolution from Kayte’s previous books and I enjoyed it. I am a fan of her work and was looking forward to this historical story with the promise of an engaging mystery. 

Kayte writes a tightly suspenseful tale about a crime from the past. Part historical fiction, part crime suspense, part family connections, Kayte gives her readers, at times, a horrific yet hopeful tale. From the shame of a pregnancy out of wedlock in the 1950s, to the current day parallel of single motherhood, all woven together with a mystery from the past that has returned to haunt the people from this small island. 

This book could not be more topical given the current fight for women’s reproductive rights especially in the USA. In her Acknowledgements, Kayte notes the number of adoptions in that country between the years 1945-1973 - 1.5 million. Whilst much has been written from the perspective of the adopted child, Kayte chose to focus on the women who had to heartbreakingly give away their babies. 

The Only Child moves between Frankie’s story in 2013, and the story of Brigid, a pregnant 16-year-old in 1949. It moves along at a solid pace and as connections may become apparent to readers, it is still a compelling journey to the conclusion. An intricate plotted tale that shines a light on how reproductive rights were handled seventy years ago. What a timely tale to remind us of what happens to women when they lose the right to decide what happens to their bodies. 

‘Perspective. That's what had brought Frankie to this place. ‘The island feels tiny. And we're nothing but dots on it. Like sugar sprinkles on a cupcake.' Izzy's voice returned Frankie to the present. 'It's not a bad thing to feel like that,' she replied with a smile. 'Sometimes it helps you work out what's important, and what can be let go of.'

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.

Review: The Last Reunion

Title: The Last Reunion

Author: Kayte Nunn

Publisher: 30th March 2021 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 368 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Five women come together at a New Year's Eve's party after decades apart, in this thrilling story of desire, revenge and courage, based on a brave group of Australian and British WWII servicewomen

Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: five young women in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, navigating treacherous roads and dodging hostile gunfire, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Battles that will haunt the women for the rest of their lives.

Oxford, 1976. At the height of an impossibly hot English summer, a woman slips into a museum and steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.

London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art. Concealing her own motives, Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year's Eve party, deep in the Irish countryside, where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled.

Inspired by the heroic women who served in the 'forgotten war' in Burma, The Last Reunion is a heartbreaking love story and mystery by the international bestselling author of The Botanist's Daughter and The Silk House. It is also a tribute to the enduring power of female friendship.

My Thoughts

All of Kayte's books have been winners for me, so I could not wait to delve into her latest offering. On this occasion, Kayte provides a selection of timelines and themes that she melds beautifully together for an all up fascinating read. Whether it be the mysterious opening with the theft of a rare Japanese artifact, to the jungles of Burma during WWII with the women serving on the frontline, to their reunification fifty years on - this book is loaded with stories of courage and female friendships that are inspiring and make for a most satisfying story. 

‘What about the men? They’ll want their jobs back,’ said Plum. ‘Then what will we do?’ Bea asked. ‘One thing I know for certain,’ said Joy, her mouth firmly set. ‘I’m not going to go back to being a wife.’

I was unaware that women were so close to the frontline in Burma during WWII as they served the fighting forces as best they could. The stories these women would live to tell were truly inspiring.  To go from afternoon tea parties to fearlessly facing the terrifying scenes of frontline fighting is really quite incredible. 

‘... as recently as her mother’s generation, in order to survive the punishing jungles of the East, white women hadn’t been expected to lift a finger, instead they were cosseted by servants who saw to their every need. Now, look at them all.’

The modern day timeline - some fifty years on - see these women meet up again in Ireland and face some underlying issues from the past. This ‘reunion’ will certainly test loyalties that were forged all those many years ago. I also really enjoyed the character of Olivia as a side story - an Aussie trying to live and work in London - her story is more than just a support to Bea.

‘Are you excited about the reunion?’ she asked when they’d settled themselves in the bar, a tumbler of Irish whiskey in front of each of them. ‘I’m not sure excited is exactly the word I’d use ...’

Kayte is a superb writer both in the research she undertakes and the story she then weaves from that, inclusive of characters that you really come to care for. The fact that so much of this story is based on and/or inspired by real life events certainly adds a richness of appreciation to events. This is historical fiction at its best. 

All up this a wonderful read that truly opened my eyes to the role women played in Burma during the war. To daily confront such challenging circumstances, one would need to form  bonds of support to be able to face it day after day. To find love and friendship amongst such danger and death is what makes this story so incredibly moving. 

‘The country had been changed forever; its peaceful people caught in the middle of a war started such a long way from here, in the name of avarice and power. It all seemed so senseless.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Silk House

Title: The Silk House

Author: Kayte Nunn

Publisher: 30th June 2020 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 384 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

Weaving. Healing. Haunting. The spellbinding story of a mysterious boarding school sheltering a centuries-old secret by the bestselling author of THE BOTANIST'S DAUGHTER.

Australian history teacher Thea Rust arrives at an exclusive boarding school in the British countryside only to find that she is to look after the first intake of girls in its 150-year history. She is to stay with them in Silk House, a building with a long and troubled past, where the shadows hide more mysteries than she could ever imagine.

In the late 1700s, Rowan Caswell leaves her village to work in the home of an English silk merchant. She is thrust into a new and dangerous world where her talent for herbs and healing soon attracts attention.

In London, Mary-Louise Stephenson lives amid the clatter of the weaving trade and dreams of becoming a silk designer, a job that is the domain of men. Arriving in the market town of Oxleigh, she brings with her a length of fabric woven with a pattern of deadly plants that will have far-reaching consequences for all who dwell in the silk house.

Intoxicating, haunting and inspired by the author's background, THE SILK HOUSE is the exceptional new gothic mystery by Kayte Nunn.

My Thoughts

‘Now about Silk House: it’s been through more hands and incarnations than almost any other building in the high street, I believe.’

The Silk House is an extremely well written tale. After reading and thoroughly enjoying Kayte’s other two books - The Botanist's Daughter & The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant - I eagerly anticipated her latest offering. Kayte explains that her interest in topics such as medicinal and poisonous plants (especially when paired with suspicions of witchcraft) and  fabric weaving could come together to form a powerful story. She was right. 

The Silk House, being a dual narrative, offers on the one hand a rich gothic tale of the past and on the other, a present day haunting ghost story. If you are a lover of old houses with a dark mysterious past, then this is most certainly the book for you. From the time of its construction and first inhabitants in the 1700s, to the tale of today being a boarding dormitory for young girls, there is much to tell. The two stories work well together and revolve around three young women. 

In the past the main character is Rowan, employed as a maid at Silk House. Her knowledge of herbal tinctures may get her into trouble and accused of witchcraft. There is also  Mary-Louise, a talented artist who applies her creativity to silk design but finds it challenging to be accepted in a male dominated trade. In the present day there is Thea who has come from Australia to take up a position in an exclusive boarding school in the English countryside. Residing in ‘Silk House’ and curious about its history, she begins to research the history of the building after some strange occurrences. 

I particularly appreciated the strong female characters, especially Rowan and enjoyed learning about the silk industry and herbal lore of the time. The house holds a secret and over the years this continues to manifest through unusual events until Thea (present day) feels compelled to resolve this centuries old mystery. 

This was an enjoyable read even though I am not of gothic inclinations. Kayte is a quality writer and I was invested to find out if Mary-Louise could succeed with her ambitions; if Rowan could avoid the title of ‘witch’; and, if Thea could unravel why this house wanted to let go of all its secrets. 

‘Do you think you might perhaps be confusing tradition with history? One can evolve, you know.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Botanist's Daughter

Title:  The Botanist’s Daughter

Author: Kayte Nunn

Publisher: 31st July 2018 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 400 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

In Victorian England, headstrong adventuress Elizabeth takes up her late father's quest for a rare, miraculous plant. She faces a perilous sea voyage, unforeseen dangers and treachery that threatens her entire family.

In present-day Australia, Anna finds a mysterious metal box containing a sketchbook of dazzling watercolours, a photograph inscribed 'Spring 1886' and a small bag of seeds. It sets her on a path far from her safe, carefully ordered life, and on a journey that will force her to face her own demons.

In this spellbinding botanical odyssey of discovery, desire and deception, Kayte Nunn has so exquisitely researched nineteenth-century Cornwall and Chile you can almost smell the fragrance of the flowers, the touch of the flora on your fingertips . . .

My Thoughts

The Botanist’s Daughter is a remarkable read that I thoroughly enjoyed. From beginning to end I was enthralled as this book ticked all the boxes in what I look for in a good, well rounded story. A well documented dual narrative (always tricky to pull off) that was so well executed with past and present stories sublimely linked, you will fall under its spell from the moment the box of treasures is discovered in the opening pages.

“... as Anna looked at it she had a sudden premonition, a feeling of apprehension. Exactly what had she discovered? What changes would this bring to her carefully ordered life?”

Chapters are presented from the alternating POV of our two female leads - two journeys, separated by time but bound together through adventuring into the unknown. They may have been different women from different centuries but both were most certainly on a journey of discovery. Elizabeth would travel from Cornwall, England to Valparaiso, Chile in an attempt to honour her father’s dying wish. Anna would travel from Sydney to Cornwall to find answers to her box of discoveries. Both women and their stories will engage you in their determination to overcome obstacles. The characters and indeed both tales, truly complement each other to provide a captivating tale (or two!) I humorously appreciated the ‘Australianisms’, they brought a smile to my face! With references from the ‘old dunny’ (toilet) to ....

“...skipping ahead of them over the cracks in the pavement, eager for the Redskins and Violet Crumbles that were stacked on the shop’s narrow shelves.”

For Kayte’s Nunn’s first attempt at historical fiction, she has done an amazing job. The secondary characters have depth, the plot never drags, the scenic descriptions - particularly of Chile - are vivid and the way all the puzzle pieces are finally brought together in the end is most satisfying. There is some romance in both timelines, but I appreciate how the author stayed true to the heart of the novel, that being, one of a family mystery.

I have no hesitation in highly recommending The Botanist’s Daughter to lovers of historical fiction, dual narratives and an enticing mystery (this has a real Kate Morton flavour). One would be hard pressed not to pick up this stunning book with a cover which in itself is so very inviting. From the locked box containing a diary detailing a long ago journey, to two strong and compelling females imbued with curiosity and courage to set out on journeys of discovery across the globe must surely intrigue the best of us.

“She was, of course, there to fulfil the promise she had made him, the promise that had kept her from collapsing with uncontrollable grief when he died, and had sustained her throughout the long and terrible voyage.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release