Synopsis
'I absolutely couldn't stop reading . . . It took me hostage'
Marian Keyes
'Lively, original . . . packed with tension'
Janice Hallett
'A revealing close-up of a claustrophobic community. I loved it'
Jennie Godfrey
'Deeply impressive . . . The final twist is devastating'
The Times
Australia, 1979.
It's the height of summer and on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac a housewife is scrubbing the yellow and white chequered tiles of her bathroom floor. But all is not as it seems. For one thing, it's 3 a.m. For another, she is trying desperately to remove all traces of blood before they stain. Her husband seems remarkably calm, considering their neighbour has just been murdered.As the sun rises on Warrah Place, news of Antonio Marietti's 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 - and the identity of the murderer is only one of them . . .
Richly atmospheric and simmering with tension, The Grapevine is an acutely observed debut novel about prejudice and suspicion, the hidden lives of women, and how the ties that bind a community can also threaten to break it.
What readers are saying aboutThe Grapevine:
'A brilliant debut novel' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A gripping suburban drama steeped in mystery and neighbourhood intrigue' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A compelling blend of psychological suspense and domestic drama' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'An absolutely brilliant read which I couldn't consume quick enough. And that plot twist at the end!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Kept me up all night' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher information
- Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
- ISBN: 9781399618977
- Number of pages: 432
- Dimensions: 236 x 162 x 38 mm
- Weight: 640g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Five stars!
Set in the sweltering Australian summer of 1979, The Grapevine by Kate Kemp is a gripping suburban drama steeped in mystery and neighbourhood intrigue. The... READ MORE
Fabulously fun Aussie 1970s whodunnit
The Grapevine, a multicultural locked room whodunnit in 1979 Australia, gave me everything I could possibly want in a novel. Neighbour Antonio has been mur... READ MORE
Excellent debut set in a small community in Canberra
This was quite a long book, and fairly slow paced, but don’t let that put you off as it’s a really good story set in a small cul-de-sac, Warrah Place, Canb... READ MORE
The Grapevine
Another book I enjoyed from Netgalley. This is set in Australia with a murder in the neighbourhood right at the beginning of the story. Tammy is getting... READ MORE
A good read
A murder whodunnit set in the stifling heat and social setting of the late seventies in Canberra. The whodunnit part it revealed on the first page so it is... READ MORE
Great debut novel
I found this book to be a bit of a slow starter at first but I soon settled in for the neighbourhood drama with a murder as it's background. The murder alm... READ MORE
Atmospheric and evocative
The Grapevine starts with a murder being covered up and we soon find out who has been murdered. So what else do we need to know? Quite a bit as it happens.... READ MORE
Suburban drama and murder
Australia, 1979. The residents of Warrah Place are rocked by the news of Antonio Marietti’s death. It spreads like wildfire, the gossip between neighbours ... READ MORE
Excellent debut novel
I really enjoyed this debut novel. Set in Australia in 1979 in a small close where there has been a murder of an Italian immigrant, this book uncovers all ... READ MORE
Thoroughly enjoyed
I really enjoyed this story. There were lots of characters but I was able to keep track of who was who easily, and I especially loved the young girl’s poin... READ MORE
Atmospheric and engrossing
I really enjoyed this book. It’s 1979 and Tammy is 12 years old - it’s the summer before she begins high school and she’s trying to fill in time. When a lo... READ MORE
Intense
This is a difficult book to categorise. Part crime thriller but really, more observational comment on society and that’s the element I particularly enjoye... READ MORE
I enjoyed every single page. Kate is genius!
I bought this book purely because of the cover, and I couldn’t be more grateful that I did. *Grapevine* is a murder mystery, but it’s so much more than tha... READ MORE
Great debut novel
This is a great book told from the eyes of 12-year-old Tammy. A Rather bored and inquisitive young lady!! There are lots of twists and turns and suspicions... READ MORE
A page turner and blockbuster for 2025
Simply astounded that this is a debut novel. An absolutely brilliant read which I couldn't consume quick enough. And that plot twist at the end. Tell me I... READ MORE
Murder in suburbia
“The Grapevine” is set in a suburban part of Canberra, Australia in 1979. The street that the book is set on seems like any normal street with normal famil... READ MORE
An Australian mystery
There’s a great cast of characters in this murder mystery set in Australia. You really get a feel for the town and the people living there. Journal writer ... READ MORE
A unique read
The Grapevine transports us back to 1979, and we find ourselves in a small residential area in Australia... and reveals a tragic disappearance in a close k... READ MORE
A very atmospheric, claustrophobic mystery
The Grapevine is an atmospheric, claustrophobic mystery set in an Australia cul-de-sac. An Italian 20 year old called Antonio has gone missing and presumed... READ MORE
Great debut novel
This is a great book told from the eyes of 12-year-old Tammy. A Rather bored and inquisitive young lady!! There are lots of twists and turns and suspicions... READ MORE
A tense tale of secrets within a community
This starts off with a mystery and will keep you reading till you remember that you don’t want the book to finish! I loved this book and have bought a cop... READ MORE
Amazing, can't believe this is a first novel
Amazing, can't believe this is a first novel.
Canberra 1970s group of neighbours have a love/hate relationship with one another.
First up are Richard, a ... READ MORE
Superb!
A very enjoyable read!
In 1970s Australia, in a quiet suburban area, the news spreads like wildfire when one resident is found dead. Obviously someone k... READ MORE
A wonderful read
The Grapevine broke my heart and fixed it over and over again. It’s about so much more than murder and secrets (as fab as they are!) It’s about regret, lon... READ MORE
A page turner and blockbuster for 2025
Simply astounded that this is a debut novel. An absolutely brilliant read which I couldn't consume quick enough. And that plot twist at the end. Tell me I... READ MORE
intriguing premise
I was looking forward to reading this book as the premise sounded intriguing and I enjoy reading books set in different countries to mine. The story being ... READ MORE
Good read
Set in an Australian cul-de-sac in 1979, the story skips from before the day one of the residents went missing to after. Tammy has just left primary school... READ MORE
A good enough read but might be better on TV.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
There is a large cast of characters here, it can be hard to remember just who is... READ MORE
The Grapevine by Kate Kemp
The Grapevine is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite book of the year so far. I bloody loved it! I loved the Aussie-ness of it (yes, I do have a bit... READ MORE
Where did Antonio go?
Really enjoyed reading this story. It felt so Australian, put it this way, imagine a murder on a "neighbours" set...
The story seems to be set on a cul de... READ MORE
Suburban drama
1979, the heat of an Australian summer is bearing down on the residents of Warrah Place, Canberra.
In the early hours Naomi is cleaning the bathroom flo... READ MORE
Neighbours and secrets
The plot has a feel of a 1970’s soap-opera. Mostly viewed from the point of view of the 12 year old main protagonist this has a childlike feel. It’s not r... READ MORE
Enjoyable mystery.
Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for an arc of Kate Kemp's debut novel 'The Grapevine'. It's set in 1979, in Warrah Place, in a suburb of ... READ MORE
Not for me
I have really struggled to get through this book. I understand that it is focusing on careful observation of people behaviour but i have found each chapter... READ MORE
Slow burn
Based on the description of this book I was expecting a thriller but unfortunately it lacked that bite for me… it was a little bit of a slow burn & took me... READ MORE
Impressive debut novel
Brilliant debut novel which is well written and meticulously researched. It's a slow read though (at least I found that to be the case) so you really have ... READ MORE
What really goes on behind closed doors?
The neighbours of Warrah Place all have secrets and when one of their number is murdered their suspicions and prejudice of each other become very apparent.... READ MORE
Add to your TBR
This is such a fantastic debut, I was instantly gripped, the characters were so interesting, especially the ants, I dont think I have ever paid so much att... READ MORE