Kate Morton

"My books are about secrets and the way they haunt their keepers; time and its passage; the interweaving of the present and the past; the knots and tangles of family; history, mystery and memory."

Kate Morton is the award-winning, worldwide bestselling author of The Shifting Fog (published internationally as The House at Riverton), The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, The Secret Keeper, The Lake House, and The Clockmaker's Daughter.

She is known in particular for her historical fiction, and she is also a writer we are proud to claim as one of our own as an Australian author. Kate’s books are published in 38 languages across 45 territories and have been #1 bestsellers worldwide.

Meet Kate Morton

Kate Morton was born in the Riverland in South Australia, and her family moved around a lot before eventually settling on Tamborine Mountain. She had an idyllic childhood there, playing with her two sisters and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Even though Kate initially enrolled in law at university, she soon made the switch to the arts. She earned a Licentiate in Speech and Drama from London’s Trinity College, and started acting in community theatre productions. Eventually, she also earned both Honours and Masters degrees in English Literature.

In her own words, she “started writing because I wanted to recapture the joy of reading as a child. As soon as I learned that the black marks on white pages were doorways, and that it was within my power to go through them (and beyond the back of the wardrobe), I was hooked.""

Kate is known for her work in historical fiction, and some of that arguably stems from her mother’s job as an antique dealer. Kate admits that it instilled a “fascination with objects from the past” in her, and introduced her to many second hand shops where she often found pre-loved books for her collections.

Today, Kate lives in London with her husband and three sons. She loves reading to her kids and their classmates, and sharing the love of stories with the next generation.

What genre does Kate Morton write in?

Kate Morton is best known for historical fiction that blends family drama with mystery and elements of literary fiction.

What themes recur across her novels?

Common themes include secrets and how they haunt their keepers, the passage of time, the interweaving of past and present, family relationships, history, mystery, and memory.

Which of her books are most notable or popular?

Notable titles include The Shifting Fog (published internationally as The House at Riverton), The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, The Secret Keeper, The Lake House, and The Clockmaker's Daughter.

Do Kate Morton's books need to be read in a particular order or are they part of a series?

Her novels are largely standalone stories with interconnected themes rather than a continuous series, so you can read them in any order. If you are new to her work, widely recommended entry points are The Forgotten Garden or The House at Riverton.

Has Kate Morton received awards or international recognition?

Yes. She is described as an award-winning, worldwide bestselling author; her books have been published in many languages and territories and have reached number one bestseller status internationally.