Family secrets are kept well-hidden until a modern day detective uncovers clues to solve a 70 year-old mystery of a little boy’s disappearance. Alice Edevane is an introspective, long-time crime writer who crafts perfect stories for her readers. However, Alice cannot reveal the secrets she’s kept surrounding the disappearance of her youngest brother Theo at a Midsummer’s Eve party at the Loeanneth Estate in 1933. Sadie Sparrow is a Detective Constable with London’s Metropolitan Police who is embroiled in a scandal after leaking information to the press about the Met’s mishandling of a missing person’s case. Sadie is spending an enforced break with her Grandfather in Cornwall, England when she runs onto Loeanneth’s overgrown grounds. After learning of Theo’s without-a-trace disappearance, Sadie is swept up in trying to find out where the toddler went and why this house was left abandoned in the woods.
Morton’s genre-defying mystery and sweeping historical fiction packs family secrets and intrigue into a novel full of surprises. The novel is atmospheric and engaging. The Lake House is an all-consuming, well-constructed mystery full of Morton's signature twists. Moving between time periods adds depth and drama to the plot and characters. Be prepared for a slow build towards a page-turning conclusion.