The lake house A novel

Best-selling novelist Morton (Homecoming) offers an intriguing mystery involving multiple timelines, conventional tropes, and fascinating characters. Alternating between 1911, 1933, and 2003, the tale centers on one evening in 1933 when the beloved young son of a wealthy Cornwall family vanishes during a midsummer party at their mansion, Loeanneth. The family never recovers from the devastation wrought by this event. In 2003, police officer Sadie Sparrow visits her grandfather in Cornwall while on a month's forced leave. Sadie quickly becomes intrigued by the now-ruined mansion and the cold case that all the townspeople still remember. She eventually finds Alice Edevane, one of the missing boy's older sisters, and with the help of others, they attempt to solve the mystery. Originally produced in 2015, this title has been rerecorded, featuring narrator Daisy Head. Unfortunately, listeners will likely notice Head's significant intakes of breath as she begins her sentences. Though one could become accustomed to this pattern, it initially presents a substantial distraction. Additionally, Head's similar-sounding character voices occasionally make it difficult to discern which person is speaking. VERDICT Morton's considerable popularity makes this a recommended purchase, although audiences may want to stick with the print version instead.--B. Allison Gray