{"id":136719,"date":"2025-03-16T05:59:18","date_gmt":"2025-03-16T05:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/entertainment\/books\/the-grapevine-kate-kemp-bookchattercookiebiscuit\/"},"modified":"2025-03-16T05:59:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T05:59:18","slug":"the-grapevine-kate-kemp-bookchattercookiebiscuit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=136719","title":{"rendered":"The Grapevine \u2013 Kate Kemp \u2013 Bookchatter@Cookiebiscuit"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A gripping and atmospheric debut novel about a mysterious murder that exposes the secrets behind closed doors in 1970\u2019s suburban Australia.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the height of summer in Australia, 1979, and on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac a housewife is scrubbing the yellow and white checkered tiles of the bathroom floor. But all is not as it seems.<\/em><\/p>\n

For one thing, it\u2019s 3am. For another, she is trying desperately to remove all traces of blood before they stain. Her husband seems remarkably calm, considering he has just murdered their neighbour.<\/em><\/p>\n

#TheGrapevine\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/strong>\u00a0@kate_kemp\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/em> @Phoenix_Bks<\/a><\/em> @Tr4cyF3nt0n<\/em><\/a>\u00a0#booktwitter <\/em>
Instagram<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0@kate.kemp.writer<\/a><\/em>\u00a0 @phoenix_bks <\/a>@thebookdealer<\/a><\/em>\u00a0#CompulsiveReaders<\/em>\u00a0#bookstagram<\/em>\u00a0#blogtour<\/em><\/p>\n

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As the sun rises on Warrah Place, news of Antonio Marietti\u2019s death spreads like wildfire, gossip is exchanged in whispers and suspicion mounts. Twelve-year-old Tammy launches her own investigation, determined to find out what happened, but she is not the only one whose well-meaning efforts uncover more mysteries than they solve. There are secrets behind every closed door in the neighbourhood \u2013 and the identity of the murderer is only one of them . . .<\/em><\/p>\n

Richly atmospheric and simmering with tension,\u00a0The Grapevine\u00a0is an unforgettable debut novel about secrets, lies and suspicion, and how the ties that bind a community can also threaten to break it.<\/em><\/p>\n

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My Review<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure who I disliked more \u2013 Cecil \u2013 outwardly racist, misogynistic and homophobic. At least I could have a go at him if I wanted to. Or Helen \u2013 involved in the church, hypocritical, always involved with something. I felt for her husband, who we know will eventually snap. Tammy is Helen and Duncan\u2019s twelve-year-old daughter, around whom the story revolves, more so than the murder, which at times is almost incidental.<\/p>\n

This is Australia (and many other so-called civilised countries) at its worst. When the murder takes place, fingers immediately point at the Laus, Hong Kong Chinese with a secret. Or is it Joe and Zlata from Yugoslavia? The victim was Italian \u2013 does that make his family suspicious as well? I was a second generation Eastern European immigrant at my convent school ten years before The Grapevine<\/em>, but while I was considered \u2018other\u2019, maybe a bit exotic (I wish), I never encountered this level of racism. Or if I did I wasn\u2019t aware.<\/p>\n

Tammy, helped by her cross-dressing, eight-year-old neighbour Colin, wants to solve the murder. She would then be a hero, brimming with injustice and self righteousness. But God sees deep down into your real motives according to her mother. Ever since her best friend moved away, she\u2019s being bullied by the new girl, and finding the killer would make her cool and clever again.<\/p>\n

The Grapevine<\/em> is a thriller and a murder mystery, but in reality it\u2019s a social commentary about life in suburbia in 1979 Australia. It took me a while to get my head around the characters \u2013 there are quite a few who live in Warrah Place \u2013 but I got there in the end. Cecil I already alluded to is probably the worst. His wife Maureen is cowed by him. Then Peggy, always with a cigarette in her mouth, is married to Leslie. Duncan and Helen are Tammy\u2019s parents, while Colin is the son of Richard and Naomi. Sheree has three kids by three different dads, but even that isn\u2019t as bad as being foreign or gay. Which brings me on to Ursula and Lydia, who have to live together as \u2018sisters\u2019. Ursula\u2019s niece Debbie lives with them.<\/p>\n

Poor Tammy. No child of her age should be asked to keep secrets. She feels so guilty when she lets something slip, but it\u2019s not right to teach a child to lie. The only thing I didn\u2019t warm to with Tammy is that she steals things to keep as mementos.<\/p>\n

The Grapevine<\/em> is a powerful debut novel that addresses so many issues of the time. I hope we have moved on since then. As well as the racism, misogyny and homophobia, there is also the teenage pregnancy, kids out of wedlock, abortion (briefly), feminism and gender fluidity. It would make a great book club read as there is so much to discuss. I really enjoyed it.<\/p>\n

Many thanks to\u00a0@Tr4cyF3nt0n<\/a>\u00a0for inviting me to be part of\u00a0the #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour<\/p>\n

About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kate Kemp\u00a0is an Australian writer living in the UK. She trained as an occupational therapist and then as a systemic psychotherapist and has worked with families and individuals in mental health services in both Australia and the UK. In 2021, she won the Stylist Prize for Feminist Fiction and the Yeovil Literary Prize. The Grapevine<\/em> is her first novel.<\/p>\n

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