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Kate Morton

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The Clockmaker's Daughter: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Kate Morton (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.1 14,062 ratings

Goodreads Choice Award nominee

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A rich, spellbinding new novel from the author of The Lake House--the story of a love affair and a mysterious murder that cast their shadows across generations, set in England from the 1860s until the present day.

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

In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. 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 one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist's sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river.

Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?

Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker's Daughter is a story of murder, mystery, and thievery, of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker's daughter.

Print length

492 pages
Language

English
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Publisher

Atria Books
Publication date

October 9, 2018
File size

7593 KB
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Experiencing the world at one remove, through the windows of their phones, making images for later so that they do not need to bother seeing or feeling things now.
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“There are very few certainties in this world, Mr. Gilbert, but I will tell you something I know: the truth depends on who it is that’s telling the story.”
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“Each clock is unique,” he used to tell me. “And just like a person, its face, whether plain or pretty, is but a mask for the intricate mechanism it conceals.”
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From the Publisher


	The House at Riverton	The Forgotten Garden	The Distant Hours	The Secret Keeper	The Lake House	Homecoming

Customer Reviews	8,880	15,356	8,756	23,564	33,071	17,731
Price	$10.69	$8.77	$10.67	$10.99	$10.08	$16.15
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Although Lily Millington, the titular character of this novel, is a smart and compassionate ghost, she's unreliable: Was she the victim or the perpetrator of a murder that happened one night in 1862 at Birchfield Manor? To escape stuffy London for the summer, Lily and her lover, acclaimed artist Edward Radcliffe, and assorted bohemian youth went to Edward's house in the country. Then his proper Victorian fiancée showed up-and someone died. Another guest was Lucy, Edward's beloved little sister, 13 at the time. A conventional murder mystery might have ended there, with readers believing Lily, but tough, sympathetic Lucy must carry on this epic that spans generations, eras, and wars. Her famous brother, Radcliffe, unable to recover from the tragedy, has disappeared. She grows up, eventually inheriting Birchfield, which, she learns, is over 400 years old, and reinvents it as a school for young girls. That's where readers meet Ada, yet another impressive character, whose accidental proximity to a death repeats the pattern. Whodunit fans will gobble up this work, trying to solve the multiple mysteries. This best-selling Australian author's absorbing saga of family, love, and history has much to offer eager readers. VERDICT A must-have for all collections.-Georgia Christgau, Middle College High School, Long Island City, NYα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

“An elaborate tapestry . . . Morton doesn’t disappoint.” (Washington Post)

"Classic English country-house Goth at its finest." (New York Post, Required Reading column)

“The Clockmaker’s Daughter is an ambitious, complex, compelling historical mystery with a fabulous cast of characters. This is Kate Morton at her very best.” (Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author )

"Morton leisurely layers Gothic details with classic romantic suspense, shifting between past and present, spinning involving stories within stories." (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

"...the stories, brilliantly told by Morton, offer musings on art, betrayal, and the ways in which real lives and real places can evolve over time into the stuff of legends" (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"A leisurely and meditative read, with lush settings, meticulous period detail, and slowly unfurling enigmas." (Kirkus Reviews)

"[Morton's] most ambitious work yet...Morton proves once again that history is not a straight line but an intricate, infinite web" (Booklist)

"Morton does again what she’s done so well in international best sellers from The House at Riverton to The Lake House." (Library Journal)

"Like the house itself, the novel contains hidden corners and unexpected twists...Fans of Morton's atmospheric novels will find much to enjoy here." (Shelf Awareness)

About the Author

Kate Morton is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, The Secret Keeper, The Lake House, and The Clockmaker’s Daughter. Her books are published in thirty-eight languages and have been #1 bestsellers worldwide. Born and raised in Australia, she holds degrees in dramatic art and English literature, and now lives with her family in London and Australia. Visit her online at KateMorton.com or on Facebook and Instagram at @KateMortonAuthor.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

We came to Birchwood Manor because Edward said that it was haunted. It wasn’t, not then, but it’s a dull man who lets truth stand in the way of a good story, and Edward was never that. His passion, his blinding faith in whatever he professed, was one of the things I fell in love with. He had the preacher’s zeal, a way of expressing opinions that minted them into gleaming currency. A habit of drawing people to him, of firing in them enthusiasms they hadn’t known were theirs, making all but himself and his convictions fade.

But Edward was no preacher.

I remember him. I remember everything.

--

The glass-roofed studio in his mother’s London garden, the smell of freshly mixed paint, the scratch of bristle on canvas as his gaze swept my skin. My nerves that day were prickles. I was eager to impress, to make him think me something I was not, as his eyes traced my length and Mrs. Mack’s entreaty circled in my head: “Your mother was a proper lady, your people were grand folk, and don’t you go forgetting it. Play your cards right and all our birds might just come home to roost.” And so I sat up straighter on the rosewood chair that first day in the whitewashed room behind the tangle of blushing sweet peas. His littlest sister brought me tea, and cake when I was hungry. His mother, too, came down the narrow path to watch him work. She adored her son. In him she glimpsed the family’s hopes fulfilled. Distinguished member of the Royal Academy, engaged to a lady of some means, father soon to a clutch of brown-eyed heirs.

Not for him the likes of me.

--

His mother blamed herself for what came next, but she’d have more easily halted day from meeting night than keep us apart. He called me his muse, his destiny. He said that he had known at once, when he saw me through the hazy gaslight of the theater foyer on Drury Lane.

I was his muse, his destiny. And he was mine.

It was long ago; it was yesterday.

Oh, I remember love.

--

This corner, halfway up the main flight of stairs, is my favorite.

It is a strange house, built to be purposely confusing. Staircases that turn at unusual angles, all knees and elbows and uneven treads; windows that do not line up no matter how one squints at them; floorboards and wall panels with clever concealments.

In this corner, there’s a warmth, almost unnatural. We all noticed it when first we came, and over the early summer weeks we took our turns in guessing at its cause.

The reason took me some time to discover, but at last I learned the truth. I know this place as I know my own name.

--

It was not the house itself but the light that Edward used to tempt the others. On a clear day, from the attic windows, one can see over the river Thames and all the way to the distant mountains. Ribbons of mauve and green, crags of chalk that stagger towards the clouds, and warm air that lends the whole an iridescence.

This was the proposal that he made: an entire summer month of paint and poetry and picnics, of stories and science and invention. Of light, heaven-sent. Away from London, away from prying eyes. Little wonder that the others accepted with alacrity. Edward could make the very devil pray, if such were his desire.

Only to me did he confess his other reason for coming here. For although the lure of the light was real enough, Edward had a secret.

--

We came on foot from the railway station.

July, and the day was perfect. A breeze picked at my skirt hem. Someone had brought sandwiches and we ate them as we walked. What a sight we must have made—men with loosened neckties, women with their long hair free. Laughter, teasing, sport.

Such a grand beginning! I remember the sound of a stream close by and a wood pigeon calling overhead. A man leading a horse, a wagon with a young boy sitting atop straw bales, the smell of freshcut grass— Oh, how I miss that smell! A clutch of fat country geese regarded us beadily when we reached the river before honking bravelonce we had passed.

All was light, but it did not last for long.

You knew that already, though, for there would be no story to tell if the warmth had lasted. No one is interested in quiet, happy summers that end as they begin. Edward taught me that.

--

The isolation played its part, this house, stranded on the riverbank like a great inland ship. The weather, too; the blazing hot days, one after the other, and then the summer storm that night, which forced us all indoors.

The winds blew and the trees moaned, and thunder rolled down the river to take the house within its clutches; while inside, talk turned to spirits and enchantments. There was a fire, crackling in the grate, and the candle flames quivered, and in the darkness, in that atmosphere of delicious fear and confession, something ill was conjured.

Not a ghost, oh, no, not that—the deed when done was entirely human.

Two unexpected guests.

Two long-kept secrets.

A gunshot in the dark.

--

The light went out and everything was black.

Summer was curdled. The first keen leaves began their fall, turning to rot in the puddles beneath the thinning hedgerows, and Edward, who loved this house, began to stalk its corridors, entrapped.

At last, he could stand it no longer. He packed his things to leave and I could not make him stop.

The others followed, as they always did.

And I? I had no choice; I stayed behind.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07BKRGQTY
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; Reprint edition (October 9, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 9, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 7593 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 492 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #58,788 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #236 in Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction
- #268 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction
- #444 in Historical Literary Fiction

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4.1 14,062 ratings

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Kate Morton

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KATE MORTON is an award-winning, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author. Her novels - The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, The Secret Keeper, The Lake House, The Clockmaker's Daughter and Homecoming - are published in over 45 countries, in 38 languages, and have all been number one bestsellers around the world.

Kate Morton grew up in the mountains of southeast Queensland and now lives with her family in London and Australia. She has degrees in dramatic art and English literature, and harboured dreams of joining the Royal Shakespeare Company until she realised that it was words she loved more than performing. Kate still feels a pang of longing each time she goes to the theatre and the house lights dim.

"I fell deeply in love with books as a child and believe that reading is freedom; that to read is to live a thousand lives in one; that fiction is a magical conversation between two people - you and me - in which our minds meet across time and space. I love books that conjure a world around me, bringing their characters and settings to life, so that the real world disappears and all that matters, from beginning to end, is turning one more page."

www.katemorton.com

www.facebook.com/KateMortonAuthor

https://instagram.com/katemortonauthor

Keep up-to-date on Kate Morton's books and events by joining her mailing list: www.katemorton.com/mailing-list

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One of Kate Morton's best

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2023

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I have read all of Kate Morton's books and I think "The Clock maker's Daughter" may be my favorite. What a fantastic imagination and skill the author has to bring this story to life! The story involves many characters of various and interesting backgrounds and experiences, and the main plot takes place in the mid-1800s. All the characters from then to present day are all connected in some way to that plot (which is, by the way, a fantastic story, full of secrets, tragedy, friendship, love and betrayal)! The author writes in such a way that makes you feel each one's every emotion, making you wish you were there in the story with them! You can't wait to discover their connection and find out what happens to each and every one. There are plenty of surprises in store for the reader, making it impossible to put down! You'll find yourself neglecting your chores just to keep reading! I'm not going to go into detail about the story in this review as I believe that sometimes that ruins it for the reader. Suffice it to say that this book is refreshing in that it is nothing like a lot of the common, tired, and similar story lines in books that seem to be coming out in abundance lately. Get this book! You'll be glad you did!

2 people found this helpful

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LunarEclipse

Lush, intricate and winding... an ambitious novel for Morton

Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2018

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Secrets, ghosts, thieves, lost treasure, hidden hideaways, murder, art. All of this is in The Clockmaker's Daughter along with the recurring themes of belonging, abandonment, loss, and love. There's trademark Morton here, but it's even more ambitious and complex than her previous novels. As always, her language is rich, romantic, lyrical, and haunting. This one has a quieter mystery and slower pace but her intricate plotting is ever present. It is not for the impatient reader. There are at least 5 timelines (including present day, Victorian era, both WWs), over a dozen key characters, and many hanging story lines that take time to piece together. It's like tangled threads (that at first you think are only related because they're all threads, and sitting in the same place), but they eventually unravel and only then do you realize they are all connected (and ahhh, the initial frustration melts away as you satisfyingly unknot it all).
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I enjoyed it, but it is so intricate that it's a bit harder to keep track of and settle into than her others. As I got absorbed in a character the perspective changed so at times it felt like a teaser of character snippets. Yes, the characters are compelling on their own and weave together well but I wanted to spend more time with many of them. This is one to revisit to fully appreciate. Kate Morton fans are likely to enjoy. If you're new to the author, this one's good but her others are, IMO, more immediately engaging and better places to start.
.
Recommend for: Those who prefer unraveling story lines and multiple characters to an easy read. Fans of slow-simmering plots with mystery, historical fiction, and romance. Lovers of lush, lyrical language. Anyone swept away by the idea of a story with a haunted manor at its center that peeks into its inhabitants and visitors over 150 years.
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May not be for you if: You're a reader who hates jumping between characters and time periods. You like to read multiple books at once (there's a bit to keep track of. It's best read in a few sittings or with the help of taking notes). You prefer your stories fast paced and straightforward over atmospheric and winding.

27 people found this helpful

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Nancy K Favata Lambert

The Clockmaker’s Daughter

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024

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Kate Morton, thank you
I enjoyed reading this historicalbook
reading about Birdie, Pale Joe, Lily, Birdie’s dad the clockmaker, Edward, Lucy, Cate, Elodie, Elondi’s dad, Elodie’s Great uncle Tip, Juliet Tip’s mom, Ada, Beatrice, Red, Mrs. Hammett, Leonard, so many more people. Birdie is short for Albertine Bell.

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Ellen Rudd

Boring Becomes Interesting & Ends Badly

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2022

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I am a Kate Morton fan. I found her first novel riveting. And those that followed were good if not as riveting.

This is a mixed bag. It’s actually a good story written badly at the beginning & the very end. But, in between I quite enjoyed it.

I was sorry I purchased it & wished I could get a refund until about 40 pages in. Morton spends too much time up front introducing the different characters & future threads. The first sentence in the book is an effort at gothic mystery that hit me as too contrived. It’s simply a very slow start. There is a chronology at the end of the book. It helps make sense of the switching back & forth in time highlighting the characters Morton needs to tie together before the end of the book. I think it should be at the beginning because it doesn’t give away anything important about the plot & it helps keep straight who shows up when & where.

The entire book is about the life of The Clock Makers Daughter. The opening lines let’s you know she is dead & a spirit. It doesn’t take long to know that the summer of 1862 is the pivotal time in the story. Once Morton gets in to the story, I found it entertaining. I love long stories & this doesn’t disappoint.

All of the mysteries of all of the characters begin to unravel at about 90% completion & I would not put it down until I finished. The end, the last page, was such an enormous disappointment I would have slammed it shut if I’d been holding the book. I thought about slamming down my phone for a split second.

All of the mysteries are cleared up for the reader. The characters left living at the end are not so lucky & I felt anger at the absence of closure for the characters. I suppose we can imagine the rest of the pieces would fall together eventually. It’s Morton’s desire to leave it on the same gothic note on which it began that spoils it for me.

The revelation of what really happened the fateful day in August 1862 was a total surprise & that is the mark of a good story teller. It’s also quite gothic-ally grisly. It had the potential to end so well that the early boredom (& some confusion) could have been forgiven & forgotten. Tying up ends for the reader is not enough. I want closure for the characters. This felt like everyone walked to the ends of the earth & fell off of a cliff.

32 people found this helpful

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jeezlouise

Excellent Book!

Reviewed in Canada on November 21, 2023

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Loved this book. Kate Morton never disappoints!

One person found this helpful

Cherry

Enjoyed every page.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2024

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I read a lot of reviews online before I started this one which might be why it kept slipping down my TBR pile, but then I’m a firm believer that a book finds you when the time is right to read it. I’d say don’t be put off by the reviews that go on about this being confusing or not one of Kate Morton’s best. I loved every page. It’s beautifully constructed. The timelines are in the headings at the start of the chapters. There’s nothing to be confused about. Loved it!

Liliana Tello

Muy confuso y demasiado descriptivo

Reviewed in Mexico on January 11, 2021

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Creo va de una historia a otra. Lentamente, muy descriptiva mente. Algunos capítulos son buenos. Pero otros eternos. No es mi estilo.

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Rene Neleman

Sehr unterhaltsames Buch

Reviewed in Germany on October 20, 2021

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Nachdem ich schon die gedruckte Version gelesen hatte, habe ich mir die Hörbuchversion gekauft und war von dieser genauso begeistert. Gut erzählt, aber man sollte schon mit der britischen Aussprache vertraut sein. Es war wie mit der Druckversion ein Abtauchen in eine andere Zeit und andere Personen, kann ich nur empfehlen.

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Paola B.

Quanto costa amare

Reviewed in Italy on August 17, 2020

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Un romanzo che viaggia nel tempo e descrive sentimenti, emozioni, paesaggi con una precisione infinita

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