The Grapevine

Kate Kemp

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English

Hachette Australia
11 February 2025

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945); Crime & Mystery; Thriller & suspense; Australian Crime Fiction

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'The Grapevine took me hostage . . . Gorgeous writing, complex, nuanced characterisation . . . and the atmospheric setting of Canberra in the summer heat . . . A fascinating, engaging book.' MARIAN KEYES

There are secrets behind every closed door in the Warrah Place neighbourhood, and who killed Antonio Marietti is the biggest one of all . . .

It's the height of summer in Australia, 1979, and on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac in Canberra a housewife is scrubbing the yellow and white chequered tiles of the bathroom floor. But all is not as it seems. For one thing, it's 3 am. 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.

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 . . .

'The Grapevine was a joy to read. Its flowing, witty prose and deft characterisation transported me effortlessly into a small suburban street in 1970s Australia' DIANNE YARWOOD

'I absolutely adored this debut, which instantly creeps up on you. The Grapevine is claustrophobic and sharp' LUCY ROSE

'Superb . . . written with effortless grace, it's a rich tapestry of a book that's psychologically astute. The wit and humour is incisive' CHRIS BRIDGES

'From its shocking opening to its impeccable conclusion, The Grapevine is a cleverly revealing close-up of a claustrophobic community. I loved it' JENNIE GODFREY

'With a youthful (and wilful) detective reminiscent of Tippy Chan from RWR McDonald's The Nancys and the heady nostalgia of Holly Throsby's Clarke, Kemp's debut is an engrossing slice of deceptive life.' Books+Publishing

By: Kate Kemp
Imprint: Hachette Australia
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 233mm, Width: 153mm, Spine: 34mm
Weight: 520g
ISBN: 9780733652622
ISBN 10: 073365262X
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 11 February 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Kate Kemp is 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 is her first novel.