The Forgotten Garden

By: Kate Morton

Narrated by: Anna Skellern

A lost child: On the eve of the first world war, a little girl is found abandoned on a ship to Australia. A mysterious woman called the Authoress had promised to look after her – but the Authoress has disappeared without a trace.

A terrible secret: On the night of her 21st birthday, Nell O'Connor learns a secret that will change her life forever. Decades later, she embarks upon a search for the truth that leads her to the windswept Cornish coast and the strange and beautiful Blackhurst Manor, once owned by the aristocratic Mountrachet family.

A mysterious inheritance: On Nell's death, her granddaughter, Cassandra, comes into an unexpected inheritance. Cliff Cottage and its forgotten garden are notorious among the Cornish locals for the secrets they hold – secrets about the doomed Mountrachet family and their ward Eliza Makepeace, a writer of dark Victorian fairytales. It is here that Cassandra will finally uncover the truth about the family and solve the century-old mystery of a little girl lost.

2009, Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA), Winner

2009, Indie Next Pick, Winner

©2008 Kate Morton (P)2023 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

‘[A] dark, suspenseful feast for history-lovers.' (Sunday Telegraph)

'The Forgotten Garden simmers with secrets and strangeness.' (Good Housekeeping)

‘A compelling, richly layered mystery.' (Australian Women’s Weekly)

Great story

I love the way Kate Morton tells her stories. It keeps me interested and is anything but predictable.

Amazing!

3 stories coming together to bring an incredible emotional experience! Can’t wait to read more by this author

The time travel was fun

Enjoyed the tying together of three eras. Kind of lost a few threads at end

Story of loss and found

The story grabs you at the beginning and guides you along through time to intertwine lives and fate. Wonderfully written and beautifully read. A must read

Enthralling!

Just as many turns as the maze in the story! The unraveling of the family mysteries happens at a steady pace. Never a dull moment. Thrilling and heartbreaking all at once. Highly recommend!