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The Forgotten Garden
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 20 hrs and 39 mins
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The Forgotten Garden
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The Distant Hours
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Louise Brealey
- Length: 21 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
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Story4 out of 5 stars 2
As a 13-year-old World War Two evacuee, Edie’s mother was chosen by the mysterious Juniper Blythe and taken to live at Milderhurst Castle with the Blythe family. In the grand and glorious Milderhurst Castle, a new world opened up for Edie’s mother. She discovered the joys of books and fantasy and writing, but also, ultimately, their dangers. Fifty years later, as Edie chases the answers to her mother’s riddle, she too is drawn to Milderhurst Castle and the eccentric Blythe sisters. Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Poor narration
- By Anonymous User on 26-09-2023
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The Secret Keeper
- A Novel
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 19 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 400
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 358
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 360
England, 1959. Laurel Nicolson is 16 years old, dreaming alone in her childhood tree house during a family celebration at their home, Green Acres Farm. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and then observes her mother, Dorothy, speaking to him. And then she witnesses a crime. Fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress, living in London. She returns to Green Acres for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday and finds herself overwhelmed by memories and questions she has not thought about for decades.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent - Ripping Yarn ..
- By Brian on 06-05-2014
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The Shifting Fog
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Emilia Fox
- Length: 20 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
Summer 1924. On the eve of a glittering society party by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses are sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, and they will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999. Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet’s suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace’s mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks.
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The Lake House
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Daisy Head
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive and precociously talented 16-year-old who loves to write stories. One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest child, 11-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. He is never found, and the family is torn apart and the house abandoned.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A sophisticated and beautifully written tale
- By Susan on 08-11-2023
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The Clockmaker's Daughter
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 856
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 773
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 771
In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor in rural Oxfordshire. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins. Over 150 years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Almost perfect
- By Mike on 07-03-2019
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Homecoming
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Claire Foy
- Length: 17 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 356
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 333
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 334
Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, a local deliveryman makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia. Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for nearly two decades, she now finds herself laid off from her full-time job and struggling to make ends meet. Until a phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Claire Foy Can’t Do Accents
- By Prufrock on 05-05-2023
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The Distant Hours
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Louise Brealey
- Length: 21 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 2
As a 13-year-old World War Two evacuee, Edie’s mother was chosen by the mysterious Juniper Blythe and taken to live at Milderhurst Castle with the Blythe family. In the grand and glorious Milderhurst Castle, a new world opened up for Edie’s mother. She discovered the joys of books and fantasy and writing, but also, ultimately, their dangers. Fifty years later, as Edie chases the answers to her mother’s riddle, she too is drawn to Milderhurst Castle and the eccentric Blythe sisters. Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Poor narration
- By Anonymous User on 26-09-2023
-
The Secret Keeper
- A Novel
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 19 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 400
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 358
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 360
England, 1959. Laurel Nicolson is 16 years old, dreaming alone in her childhood tree house during a family celebration at their home, Green Acres Farm. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and then observes her mother, Dorothy, speaking to him. And then she witnesses a crime. Fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress, living in London. She returns to Green Acres for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday and finds herself overwhelmed by memories and questions she has not thought about for decades.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent - Ripping Yarn ..
- By Brian on 06-05-2014
-
The Shifting Fog
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Emilia Fox
- Length: 20 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
Summer 1924. On the eve of a glittering society party by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses are sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, and they will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999. Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet’s suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace’s mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks.
-
The Lake House
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Daisy Head
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive and precociously talented 16-year-old who loves to write stories. One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest child, 11-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. He is never found, and the family is torn apart and the house abandoned.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A sophisticated and beautifully written tale
- By Susan on 08-11-2023
-
The Clockmaker's Daughter
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 856
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 773
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 771
In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor in rural Oxfordshire. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins. Over 150 years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Almost perfect
- By Mike on 07-03-2019
-
Homecoming
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Claire Foy
- Length: 17 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 356
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 333
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 334
Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, a local deliveryman makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia. Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for nearly two decades, she now finds herself laid off from her full-time job and struggling to make ends meet. Until a phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Claire Foy Can’t Do Accents
- By Prufrock on 05-05-2023
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Black Rabbit Hall
- By: Eve Chase
- Narrated by: Antonia Beamish
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 36
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
At Black Rabbit Hall, nothing much ever happens - time seems to move slower at this idyllic holiday home in Cornwall. Until the worst thing happens, and for the Alton children time feels like it's stopped altogether. In the present day, Lorna Smith is searching for her perfect wedding venue and is inexplicably drawn to the now crumbling Black Rabbit Hall, unaware that her own history is locked up in those derelict walls....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful
- By Dee L on 06-02-2023
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None of This Is True
- By: Lisa Jewell
- Narrated by: Nicola Walker, Louise Brealey
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 871
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 845
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Story5 out of 5 stars 844
Celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her 45th birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix's children's school. Josie has been listening to Alix's podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Next Level Production
- By lisa on 02-08-2023
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The Bookbinder of Jericho
- By: Pip Williams
- Narrated by: Annabelle Tudor
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 229
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 204
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 204
In 1914, when the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, it is the women who must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who work in the bindery at Oxford University Press in Jericho. Peggy is intelligent, ambitious and dreams of going to Oxford University, but for most of her life she has been told her job is to bind the books, not read them. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has. She is extraordinary but vulnerable. Peggy needs to watch over her.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Powerful, perspective driven story
- By Jennifer on 06-04-2023
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The Fireground
- An Audible Original
- By: Dervla McTiernan
- Narrated by: Ben Chapple, Harriet Gordon-Anderson
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 98
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 97
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Story4 out of 5 stars 97
Flynn was only a teenager when her parents were killed in a terrible accident. Too young to lose her parents, too young to take on responsibility for her younger sister Kaiya, too young to protect Kaiya from the harshness of their new lives in the following years. Desperate to help her sister, Flynn reaches out to Willa Tomlinson, a grief counsellor renowned for helping her patients cope with profound loss. Under Willa’s influence and care, Kaiya finally seems to turn a corner, joining the climate action collective that Willa leads.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Dervla’s best book to date
- By C Dubs on 10-09-2023
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The Seven
- By: Chris Hammer
- Narrated by: Dorje Swallow
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 118
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 113
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 113
Yuwonderie's seven founding families have lorded it over their district for a century, growing ever more rich and powerful. But now—in startling circumstances—one of their own is found dead in a ditch and homicide detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan are sent to investigate. Could the murder be connected to the execution of the victim's friend thirty years ago—another member of The Seven—or even to the long-forgotten story of a servant girl on the brink of the Great War?
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3 out of 5 stars
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Slow, plodding story
- By CB on 14-10-2023
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Lola in the Mirror
- By: Trent Dalton
- Narrated by: Victoria Graves
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 284
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 279
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 277
A girl and her mother have been on the run for sixteen years, from police and the monster they left in their kitchen with a knife in his throat. They've found themselves a home inside a van with four flat tyres parked in a scrapyard by the edge of the Brisbane River.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Chapters out of order
- By Natalie Stirling on 12-10-2023
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The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde
- By: Eve Chase
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 21
When four sisters arrive at Applecote Manor to spend the summer, all is clearly not well. They find their aunt and uncle still reeling from the disappearance of their only daughter, five years before. No one seems any closer to finding out the truth. Why did Audrey vanish? Who is keeping her fate secret? As the sisters are lured into the mystery of their missing cousin, the stifling summer takes a shocking, deadly turn. One which will leave blood on their hands, and put another girl in danger decades later.
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The Seven Sisters
- The Seven Sisters, Book 1
- By: Lucinda Riley
- Narrated by: Tuppence Middleton
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- Unabridged
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 558
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 553
Maia D’Aplièse and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home–a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva–having been told that their beloved adoptive father, the elusive billionaire they call Pa Salt, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalising clue to their true heritage–a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil . . .
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great story!
- By rejnh on 25-10-2021
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Tom Lake
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Meryl Streep
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 235
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 224
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 224
In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A sublime performance by the remarkable Streep. I was desperate for this never to finish. Please share another on Audible soon.
- By Christine Rowlands on 16-08-2023
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The Cuckoo's Calling
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,126
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,941
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,936
When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case.Strike is a war veteran - wounded both physically and psychologically - and his life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model's complex world, the darker things get - and the closer he gets to terrible danger...
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1 out of 5 stars
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Spoiled by bad language
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Hothouse Flower
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Georgian mansion Wharton Park was a place of childhood solace for Julia Forrester, spending summers in the Norfolk countryside with her beloved grandfather. So after tragedy strikes, she finds herself seeking comfort at Wharton and the allure of its hothouse, once home to exotic flowers from all corners of the globe but now lying abandoned. There she meets the new owner, the charming and magnetic Kit Crawford, whose own past is shrouded in sadness and mystery.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A good read
- By Amazon Customer on 04-12-2023
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The Lady of the Loch
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- Length: 13 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
When the castle she works in is sacked by the army of Prince Edward of England, kitchen maid Agnes Fitzgerald manages to escape north of Inverness to throw herself at the mercy of the Lord and Lady at Ravenscraig Castle. Although safe for now, the people of Scotland are fighting hard for their independence, and the threat of the English hangs heavy over the land. But when Agnes spies Cam Buchanan swimming in the loch, her mind turns away from war and towards love. Agnes even dares to dream of a happy future, until she learns that Cam must go and fight alongside Robert de Brus.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful Scottish Historical Fiction
- By Rosemarie De Bruin on 09-06-2023
Publisher's Summary
Thirty-eight year old Cassandra is lost, alone, and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident 10 years ago, feels like she has lost everything known and dear to her.
But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra's life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family. Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace Rutherford - the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early 20th century - as well as a cliff-top cottage on the other side of the world, Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell, on a quest to find out the truth about their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself.
Critic Reviews
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Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 19-09-2018
Poor narration
I wish the narrator would just read the book and not add phoney accents, I think most accents sounded Irish certainly not Yorkshire or Cornish.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 17-11-2022
Annoying
Why was there music every chapter? This was annoying, disruptive and unnecessary.
The first half of the book was painfully slow, and no garden until well after chapter 25- considering that this book was recommended on several lists of books containing beautiful natural imagery and gardens, this book was extremely disappointing in that respect.
The best character had the worst life, and barely anything was resolved in a satisfying way. The reader understands everything but no resolution for multiple characters- just endless sadness and frustration.
I hated most of the characters.
Beautiful narrator.
Based off this, I won't bother reading any more Morton.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 26-09-2023
Appalling, strangulated accents
Enjoyable story, but Caroline Lee’s ‘accents’ were dreadful. Totally distracting , like fingernails on a chalkboard. A shame because Lee is good at the ‘narration’ parts with appropriate expression etc, Boy does she need a dialect coach.
And she’s not the only one .. during this Audible binge of Kate Morton’s books, the narrators have let Morton down every time. I was relieved to escape Caroline Lee with Lucy Brearely, but she was flat & inexpressive … I longed for Lee … and when I saw ‘big budget’ Claire Foy, hoped for the best but her & Australian accents (and it was set in Australia) were excruciating.
I do wonder what the performers brief is and why more research isn’t undertaken on their capabilities …if you want accents, get people who can do them (many can!).
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 26-09-2023
Brilliant!!
Absolutely loved it. One of Kate Morton’s best stories. It had me hooked until the very end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Deena Liston
- 21-09-2023
Loved this
Just when I thought I knew where the story was going it changed. Right until the end. This book grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Beautifully narrated by Caroline Lee as well.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 18-08-2023
Captivating story
This is my first Kate Morton book. The narration was excellent. It was a captivating story where I found I re- listened chapters to make sure I didn’t miss any important details from each time period. Looking forward to listening more of this author’s stories
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 03-07-2023
Lovely book
Beautifully read
Wonderful characters
Absorbing story
Kate Morton never fails to produce a great story!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 13-06-2023
Cleverly interwoven & complex page tuner
Powerful & absolutely compelling. Tragic but ultimately satisfying ending.
Characters are superb -a good balance of characters to love and despise.
Keeps you guessing and even though you predict some major outcomes -it’s how they transpire that are full of surprises.
Loved it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 09-05-2023
Riveting
What a wonderful fantastic journey this beautifully crafted book took me on.
Kate is such an excellent
I loved the rollicking ride this book took me on.
Thank you Kate.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Booklover11064
- 01-04-2023
Another excellent Kate Morton Book!
Loved this second book by Kate Morton - beautifully crafted and executed, she weaves past and present so well. Will definitely read more of her books!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Joseph
- 10-12-2008
Enchanting, intriguing, mysterious, and beautiful
Honestly, I bought this by accident, adding it to my cart when I tried to click on the title, then checking out without noticing it. Best literary mistake I've ever made.
This is an enchanting story that takes place over three, even four, eras. At first it seems a little distracting, as each time you get drawn in to one story you shift to another, but soon you are caught in all three tales, for different reasons, and can't wait to get back to each to find a conclusion.
The tales themselves intertwine to tell one story, one novel, each being intriguing in their own right. With elements of historical, mystery, romance, generational, and personal journey genres, this story is as complex as it is developed. Each scene is well crafted, and the entire novel flows into one whole, rather than seeming episodic, as these types sometimes do.
The good characters are charming, the bad characters disturbingly villainous, each story is intriguing, the settings and historical research creep up on you to create a setting you feel a part of. You'll find yourself looking beyond the boundaries of the story, even, feeling you can see the world beyond what the author created. By the end, the story manages to be emotionally fulfilling while longingly agonizing.
And the narrator is exceptional, as well. Nice accents, accurate individual voices for each character, and a skilled narrative tone throughout. Definitely adds to the experience.
This is one of my favorites, even if I bought it by accident.
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392 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- avid reader
- 30-04-2010
Hours of enjoyable, fun listening
I am the kind of person who likes to read literary, "paper" books (classics, Russian lit, lit criticism) and listen to more popular, "fun" audiobooks (mysteries, historical fiction). I love to listen to a long audiobook (Wilkie Collins, Ken Follet) while driving or cleaning. One of my favorite audiobooks is "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield, and "The Forgotten Garden" is almost as good. I agree with other reviewers that it's a bit predictable, but even so, it's a sweeping, engrossing, and fun book to listen to. If you loved "The Thirteenth Tale," you will probably love "The Forgotten Garden," and so for that reason, I give it 5 stars.
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268 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jacob
- 23-02-2010
Crockpot Mystery--Not For Microwave Readers
My first attempt at listening to this book failed because I was wanting a quick-paced, twist and turn "microwaved" mystery. It is not for those wanting instant gratification. If that is you, I would suggest not buying the book. However, on my second attempt, the book became just want I wanted. It is a slow, layered mystery that takes time to simmer and cook. I liked the different points of view and time periods because it added depth of understanding. I couldn't stop listening because I wanted to know the "why" as much as the characters themselves. It is a "darker" narrative, so if you want sunshine and roses, this book is not for you. If you are patient and willing to wait for characters to develop and grow and a mystery to be unraveled, then you should enjoy this book. I really found it refreshing and engaging. The narrator is top-notch as well.
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263 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Robert
- 26-07-2010
Six stars if I could
I rate a book probably more for how it is written than for any of its other facets. I enjoy an interesting plot. I hope for well-developed characters and surprise endings. This book has it all and much, much more. On the surface, these are three stories beautifully woven into one. But there is much more. It is a story about the writing of a book of faerie tales that is a faerie tale itself. It is challenging to critique this book without giving away too much. I will just leave it to the lucky readers to discover the many wonderful aspects of this book for themselves. In short, of the last fifty books or so that I have read this year, this is one of the two very best hands down.
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216 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Donna K. Ford
- 17-08-2008
Another Winner from Kate Morton
If you have not read The Shifting Fog (The House at
Riverton) or this new one then you have two TREATS
in store. Kate Morton is a story teller extraordinaire and Caroline Lee adds the magic with
her superb narration. Dark family secrets,evil behavior,enthralling characters some of whom are damaged beyond repair are all uncovered as Nell struggles to find who she really is. If you like
storytelling as it used to be this one is for you!
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115 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Susan
- 16-01-2010
Comfort food for my ears
This book is like a bowl of wonderful homemade vegetable soup on a cold winter day. A little predictable but warms you from head to toe!
The narration was excellent and easy on the ears. I enjoyed the musical notes between chapters.
The shift between periods and locations was handled nicely. There is enough subtle orientation so that you easily remember what was happening when you were last in this time and place.
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98 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- liveon2legs
- 09-06-2009
A pleasant suprise
I purchased this because it was on sale for $4 and had good reviews, I am glad I happened across it. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. The story was a pleasure to listen to. I don't always go for mystery novels, but this one had me guessing from the beginning.
The best part of the story for me was the framing of original fairy tales through out the novel. They were all a pleasure to read and added just enough fantasy into the mix.
If you are on the fence about this one, it is well worth your credit.
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71 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Jennifer
- 27-08-2010
Whew!
I feel like I just ran a marathon. I'm sort of on the fence about this one, or maybe I'm just on the fence about Morton's writing in general. These are very long, extremely detailed, thick and meaty labrynthian stories entangled within themselves. The writing is excellent-a feast of words to be enjoyed, and the stories themselves are interesting and deliciously enriched with the minutiae of life throughout the ages, and the narration is superb, but at the end of the day I'm a little surprised to discover that the basic gyst of the story was immersed in all that. I put this down halfway through with no intention of ever going back. Fortunately I did pick it back up and was happy to discover that I had finally hit the downward slope where mysteries were being solved and I had the desire to find everything out. But getting to that halfway point is seriously daunting, especially since I only recently finished another of Morton's works. It's good, but its an estrogen-fest, and I only recommend this to some serious devotees who dont mind a long book that doesnt necessarily hold your attention at all times. Oh, and the piano pieces seemed to come at the end of every paragraph! They were so bad I came to truly welcome the magical fairy tune that appeared in the latter half. And yes, there are fairy tales scattered throughout the story. Proceed at your own risk.
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65 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jeffrey
- 28-02-2009
Thoroughly engaging tale
It was hard to stop listening to this engaging tale of five generations of the Montrachet family, who have been separated by jealousy and anger. Told by beautiful Eliza, Nell and her grandaughter Cassandra, it's the unveiling of the mystery of how four year old Nell ends up alone on a ship from England to Australia, there to be brought up by strangers. Nell begins a new life in Australia but leaves her grandaughter, Cassandra, to piece back together the fascinating story of Nell's childhood and where they came from. An enchanting story well told.
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60 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AudioAddict
- 26-03-2013
Beautifully Performed Masterpiece!
I was skeptcial when I purchased this book. It's a classic, which is definitely not my favorite genre, and it's also very long. My fears ended with the first scene as I was transported to another time and place, when the story immediately grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. I became so wrapped up in the characters and mysteries that I didn't want to stop listening. The truth which is revealed at the end is very emotional -- shocking, gut-wrenching, sad, heartwarming and beautiful.
I cannot say enough about the narrator, Carolyn Lee. Her voices and accents were perfect for the story, and her performace was emotional and flawless. I cannot say enough about The Forgotten Garden. It's wonderful.
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55 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Penny
- 06-08-2008
Worth a Listen
Although this was an odd book, I enjoyed listening to it. Padded out somewhat, with a slow and sometimes ponderous delivery, the main drawback was the reader's inability to 'do' a Cornish accent, substituting instead something akin to an Irish one - and the 'Dick Van Dyke' style of cockney accent was laughable!
In recounting this unlikely, but intriguing, tale the author spans three time periods without difficulty and the tale hangs together well. If the author intended a cliff-hanger, I doubt she has achieved it, as it was easy to guess the plot from the outset.
Overall though, a good 'read'.
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40 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Mirium
- 02-08-2009
Great story marred by sloppy editing
This had all the ingredients for the sort of story I really enjoy: a creepy old house in Cornwall; an abducted child; a secret garden; a century-old mystery.....yes, it was a great plot, with lots of twists and turns (and contrary to some reviewers, I didn't guess the ending near the beginning!). However, it was v-e-r-y- l-o-n-g w-i-n-d-e-d and could have done with some serious editing. There was far too much inconsequential dialogue that didn't move the story on at all, and rather too many descriptions of people making and drinking cups of tea. Dramatic incidents, such as the accident that befell Sammy, were flagged up at least five minutes in advance, so when whatever it was actually happened, I felt a sense of anticlimax.
I lost count of the number of times characters inhaled, exhaled, and pressed their lips together. This sort of lazy repetition really annoys me. Could Kate Morton not be bothered to think up other ways to let characters express emotions? What are editors for? Did they not notice?
The other thing that really got on my nerves was the reader's appalling attempts at a Cornish accent - as another reviewer has commented, it sounded more like Oirish. If only the producer had had the courage to say: 'look, love, your English regional accents are rubbish - just read it straight, OK?' - it would have been so much better.
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24 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- lynn
- 14-08-2008
Escapism
I loved this book. Although I agree with previous reviewer re-accents (diabolical cornish accent), and it became quite obvious early on how events would probably turn out.That said however, the author draws you in slowly but surely and suddenly 2 hrs have passed by! All in all a really enjoyable way to escape for a while.
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17 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Susanna
- 03-01-2011
Lovely listen
I have enjoyed greatly listening to this book. It is an intriguing plot(not at all boring)and very moving at the same time. The characters are very well developed. The book was very clearly read, in an engaging style (despite other comments I have read regarding the different accents of the narrator) and easy to understand. I would strongly recommended to anyone. I will miss it now that I have finished...
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14 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Lorna
- 08-09-2008
Lorna
Fantastic - was lost for hours listening to this. Loved the twisting and turning in different directions with delightful discriptions and stories.
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13 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Iris
- 09-12-2008
The Forgotten Garden
I loved this book this made the washing up a pleasure I really felt asif i was listening to friends ,please,if you are looking for a good book listen to this one you will be entertained for hours and will feel sorry when it is finished.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carol
- 17-02-2014
Great story beautifully told
Where does The Forgotten Garden rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This would rate as one of the best audiobooks I have listened to so far. It's the longest but totally engrossing.
What did you like best about this story?
I love the way Kate Moreton writes. She delivers the story in delicate little bits so that you can't tear yourself away. Her characters are rich and her descriptions vivid.
What about Caroline Lee’s performance did you like?
I've listened to other books read by Caroline Lee that were quite a different style. Caroline adapts so well to the mood of the book and does a brilliant job capturing the characters' personality in their voices.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- S. O'NEILL
- 12-10-2009
A good tale
I enjoyed listening to this story. The clever way the plot revolves around three stories keeps you wanting to listen, especially when you get left with a cliffhanger and then move backward or forward in time. The only downside was the accents - the English ones rather moved back and forth across the country and got a bit Irish at times - but the story was enough to compensate
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah
- 12-03-2011
Kept coming back for more!
Really loved this book - admittedly it took a while to get into, as the beginning seemed to labour for a while, but it was certainly worth sticking with. It does take a little concentration, as the drama leaps from the early 1900s to the 1970s and the present day and back and forth repeatedly, but it's something that is surprisingly easy to get used to.
Once I had got into the story and as the threads of the three main characters started to knit together, I was absolutely gripped. I found myself taking my iPod everywhere with me, in the car...while doing housework...to bed, just to find out the next instalment.
Kate Morton is a skillfull storyteller who weaves a complicated, but logical story together accross the centuries. Would certainly recommend this title and will be trying a few more of the author's works now.
The Aussie narrator took a little getting used to and as others have mentioned her rather Dick Van Dyke English accents were very grating, but don't let that put you off. The story is well worth it.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- sandy
- 23-12-2014
couldn't stop listening
I tried to read a story by this author a while ago on a recommendation from a friend. I struggled with the dramatic descriptions of everything and gave up after only a few pages. The genre is my thing 'though' so I thought to give her another go. This time the descriptions came to life and I could imagine the places in the story. couldn't stop listening! Only irritant was a sloooooow Cornish accents. made those characters seem a daft when they obviously weren't.
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5 people found this helpful
