Kate Morton Books Ranked
I’m not sure how I first found Kate Morton, but I know that after reading Distant Hours she immediately became one of my favorite writers. That’s why I knew I had to rank all the Kate Morton books – if only to create a forum to hear other fan’s favorites!
With the exception of one book, all of her stories have been 4 or 5 star reads for me! I’m truly such a fan of the way she weaves the unraveling of family secrets in dual narratives set years apart.
Her gothic stories are full of drama, secrets, and gorgeous historical fiction settings. She paints such a vivid picture of every location that I can imagine myself right into the scene. Read on below to find out about one of my absolute favorite authors!
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The Best Kate Morton Books Ranked
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
#5
The Lake House (Jump to see review)
#4
The Secret Keeper (Jump to see review)
#3
Homecoming (Jump to see review)
#2
The Distant Hours (Jump to see review)
#1
The Forgotten Garden (Jump to see review)
More Kate Morton Books (that didn’t make the top 5)
- The House at Riverton (Jump to see review)
- The Clockmaker’s Daughter (Jump to see review)
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
My Favorite Kate Morton Books with Reviews
#1
Plot
A young girl is abandoned on a ship headed to Australia. When she arrives, the only thing in her possession is a suitcase with some clothes and a book of fairy tales. The dock master and his wife adopt Nell and tell her the story of her arrival in Australia on her 21st birthday. She goes back to England on a quest to find her lost identity.
Unsuccessful, her granddaughter later takes up the search and tries to assemble the pieces of her grandmother’s mystery and unlock the secrets of her past.
Trigger Warnings
Child Death, Infertility
Why Kirsten loves it
I was swept away by this story and found myself dreaming of Cornwall while reading. This gothic fiction is a perfect book for fall.
Find this book in: Kate Morton Books / Cozy Books / Family Saga / Books set in Cornwall / Historical Mystery / British Books
#2
The Distant Hours
Author: The Distant Hours
Year: 2010
Genre: Gothic Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This is a dual timeline gothic novel about Edie Burchhill, a woman who returns to Milderhurst Castle where her mother stayed as a child ward during WWII. She has received a lost letter in the mail and now wants to question the inhabitants of the castle in a quest to discover the mysteries of her mother’s past.
Why Kirsten loves it
I could not put this novel by Kate Morton down – it was filled with Grey Gardens vibes. It was fascinating to see what happened to children in England during the Blitz. This is one of the cozy books you will want to curl up and read without stopping. I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.
Find this book in: Kate Morton Books Ranked / Books About WWII
#3
Homecoming
Author: Kate Morton
Year: 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Like many of Morton’s books, this features a dual timeline narrative about Jess and her ailing grandmother, Nora. As Nora is on her deathbed, Jess is trying to uncover a mystery from her grandmother’s past – one that might involve her Great-Aunt Isabel and the tragic murder-homicide at her family home one evening in 1959. As usual, there is a gothic-style home at the center of the story – though this story features 2 such houses!
Trigger Warnings
Child Death
Why Kirsten loves it
Kate Morton’s newest book marks her triumphant return after 5 years. This story is her first set in her native Australia, but I’m hoping it won’t be her last. I found myself utterly immersed in the world of Halycon, particularly in the older parts of the story as I tried to solve the mystery of what happened to the Turner family all those years ago. I highly recommend the audiobook version of this one, as it’s read by Claire Foy! Her narration brings each of the characters to life.
Find this book in: Kate Morton Books Ranked / Kate Morton Books in Order
#4
The Secret Keeper
Author: Kate Morton
Year: 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This story revolves around a woman trying to uncover why her mother committed a crime almost 50 years prior. Having witnessed her mother, Dorothy, stab a man, Laurel starts to dig around into Dorothy’s past. Told as a dual narrative, the more we learn about Dorothy’s past, the more questions and secrets arise.
Why Kirsten loves it
I adore Kate Morton. She is one of my absolute favorite authors and The Secret Keeper was Morton at her finest. Her books meld historical fiction, with contemporary fiction and romance with mystery.
Find this book in: Kate Morton Books Ranked / Books with Unreliable Narrators
#5
The Lake House
Author: Kate Morton
Year: 2015
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Kate Morton’s sweeping novel is set a bit later than Downton Abbey, but the large home and noble family depicted could easily be the Crawleys. This story takes place in 1933 on the night of a Midsummer Eve party when a child goes missing.
Devastated by the loss, the Edevane family pack up their country estate and never returned. 70 years in the future, a local detective stumbles upon the case and figures out exactly what happened that fateful night.
Why Kirsten loves it
As always, Morton’s descriptions transported me into the story. The Edevanes and their estate come alive in this gripping gothic tale told as only Morton could tell it.
Find this book in: Lake Books / Books Like Downton Abbey / Kate Morton Books Ranked
#6
The House at Riverton
Author: Kate Morton
Year: 2006
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Kate Morton’s first book was also the last of hers that I read. Like most of Morton’s work, this gothic story revolves around the secrets of a large manor house and the family within.
This particular story is told by Grace, the former housemaid at Riverton and the confidant of the Hartford sisters. Now in her 90s, she is finally willing to share the secrets of a deadly party thrown by the family.
Why Kirsten loves it
It’s clear with this debut why Kate Morton would go on to become a best-selling author. She is the master of the gothic mystery.
Find this book in: Books set in the 1920s / Kate Morton Books Ranked
#7
The Clockmaker’s Daughter
Author: Kate Morton
Year: 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Set between 1862 and the present day at Birchwood Manor, Morton is back with an epic gothic story. In the 1862 timeline, an artist colony lives on the manor and during their stay, one woman is killed, one disappears, and an heirloom goes missing.
In the modern day, archivist Elodie Winslow is trying to piece together the contents of a mysterious satchel and figure out why Birchwood Manor is so familiar to her.
Kirsten’s thoughts
This review is painful for me to write. Kate Morton is one of my all-time favorite writers, but I HATED this book. I didn’t even finish it.
The story was too complex – taking place over 3 or maybe 4 different time periods. There were too many characters to keep track of, leading some people in my reading group to keep track by taking notes – no thanks!
I just could not connect with this book. Morton’s writing is still descriptive and strong, but the plot lost me on this one.
Find this book in: Kate Morton Books in Order / Kate Morton Books Ranked
Expert Tip
- When trying to decide your favorite Kate Morton book, don’t just look at her technical writing ability, but think about what each book made you feel.
- This list is entirely subjective, you might have an opinion much different than mine! Let me know what you think of my rankings!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kate Morton?
Kate Morton is a best-selling author from Australia. After studying in London, Kate was a theater actress before she settled down to become a writer. Her debut novel, The House at Riverton, was one of the bestselling debuts ever in Britain. All seven of her published novels have gone on to be New York Times bestsellers.
What is Kate Morton’s New Book?
In April 2023, Kate Morton’s newest book, Homecoming was released. On Christmas Eve in 1959, a horrible murder was discovered. Now 60 years later, Jess, a journalist is home in Sydney and looking for a story. As Jess explores her roots she finds connections between the murdered family and her own.
Related Content
Epilogue
So that is my list of Kate Morton books ranked. Do you agree with my list? What are your favorite Kate Morton books?
Ultimate List of Historical Fiction
Love Historical Fiction? The Ultimate List of Historical Fiction is the perfect list for you. It is carefully divided by time.
I hated the Clockmaker’s Daughter too! It was awful! Even though I had read and loved several of her books previously I’ve never read another one since my bad experience with the Clockmaker in 2018!
Oh man! I’m in the middle of Clockmaker’s Daughter and I can’t put it down! I am LOVING all the different characters and how they fit together. Secret Keeper and Lake House are my 2 favorites, but Clockmaker is going to take the #1 spot for me!
I do wonder if I read it at the wrong time. Sometimes that can really skew my point of view.