The Distant Hours

I discovered Kate Morton a year or so ago and eagerly await each new book that she writes. The Distant Hours did not disappoint.

The book begins in 1992 when a letter written 51 years ago is received by main character Edie Burchill's mother, Meredith. As a child, Meredith was evacuated from London during the war and stayed with a family in Kent. The family of three sisters and their father, lived in a castle in the countryside.

The story moves back and forth between the 1990s and the late 1930s/early 1940s. We learn of the complicated relationship between sisters Percy, Saffy and Juniper and their father Raymond Blythe, a world famous children's book author.

Lush descriptions, rich characters and twists and turns make this a must read book. There were several times that I thought I had it all figured out, only to find that Ms. Morton had a much more satisfying conclusion than anything I had come up with myself.

Highly recommended.

Jody