I truly love to read. I’m a regular at our local library and so grateful for the incredibly efficient share-a-book lending system between nearby libraries. It lets me request books to my heart’s content—dangerous, but wonderful.
I also keep a very unorganized list of books I want to read. If I see a recommendation online or hear about a book that sounds interesting, I usually just screenshot the cover and hope I remember why I saved it later. Not exactly a system… but it works.
Many years ago, when my now 15-year-old daughter was still a tiny little thing, I read my very first Kate Morton novel: The House at Riverton (thanks for lending it to me, Mom). From the very beginning, I was hooked. Kate Morton has a beautiful way of weaving present-day storylines with haunting, emotionally rich stories from the past—and this book does it brilliantly.
I remember reading it one summer night with the windows open, the breeze blowing in, and the house quiet. I was getting close to a particularly intense part of the story when I suddenly heard my little girl laughing. I checked her video monitor and saw her happily running circles in her crib, laughing to herself. It sounds silly now, but in that moment—deep into this eerie, atmospheric novel—I was completely spooked. I remember thinking, what (or who) does she see that’s making her laugh like that?
It didn’t help that my husband was out late at a fishing tournament that night. Between the quiet house, the creepy timing, and the haunting story unfolding in my hands, I was officially rattled.
Recently, I decided to re-read The House at Riverton, and I loved it just as much—if not more—than I did the first time. I’ve read many other Kate Morton books since, and they’ve all been wonderful, but there is something especially close to my heart about this one. Maybe it’s the memories tied to it, or maybe it’s just that good.
Either way, this might be the only book I’ve ever gone back to more than once… and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I read it again in another 15 years.
Highly recommend.
