The Lake House

The Lake House
By: Kate Morton
512 Pages

Summary:
Sadie  Sparrow is a talented detective. However, when she makes a costly mistake while solving that puts her entire career in jeopardy. Taking time off to let things cool down lands her smack in the middle of another case. This one a long, unsolved disappearance. A wealthy family, a vast estate. and a toddler who vanishes without a trace all come together as Sadie seeks to put the pieces of the forgotten puzzle into place. But that's not the only mystery that gets solved.

Kate Morton is such a talented storyteller. She weaves intricate plots and fascinating characters together seamlessly. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors- and I've only read 2 of her books, so far! One thing that has been common on both books, is that once I start the first page, I'll be gripped by the story until I finish the very last page. 

As I read The Lake House, I fell did what every reader does: I tried to solve the story. I thought I would guess the ending. Make no mistake! Kate Morton gives you many opportunities to think you have it figured out as the story she tells unfolds. But also know this: every time you think you have it figured out, she throws you a plot twist that changes everything. You may figure out a few things here and there, but, overall, she leaves you guessing along with her characters.

The Lake House centers around two unsolved cases. Sadie's story line involves the disappearance of a mother who left her child. All the evidence points in one direction, but Sadie is unsure that direction is pointing to the answer. A bad judgment call made out of desperation lands her in hot water. She's told to take time off to figure things out. So, she heads to Cornwall to spend time with her beloved Uncle. The last thing she expected to do was stumble upon an empty country estate. ut stumble she does. A peek in the house shows everything left behind. As if the inhabitants just left one day, and never returned. The seed has been planted to delve into the long forgotten- but still unsolved- Edevane disappearance.

In the 1930s, the wealthy Edevane family hosted their annual Midsummer Party. At some time during the festivities, 11 month old Theo is taken. When a search results in no clues, body, or ransom note, the case grows cold. Eventually, the family leaves the house. As Sadie digs into the story, Miss Morton takes you through it all. You meet the family. You learn the secrets. You become the fly on the wall that sees all. 

Once again, Kate Morton has written a spellbinding story, While I wasn't as gripped with this one as i was with The Secret Keeper, I still looked forward to finding out what each page revealed. The book is long, but worth the time spent.