Kate Kemp’s debut novel, The Grapevine, offers a compelling glimpse into suburban life in 1979 Australia, weaving a tale of murder, secrets, and community dynamics. Set in the sweltering heat of a Canberra cul-de-sac, the story begins with a grisly murder of a neighbour and unfolds through a number of perspectives. Our main narrator is twelve-year-old Tammy, who embarks on her own investigation, uncovering more than she anticipates.

Kemp excels in creating a vivid sense of place, immersing readers in the atmosphere of the era with authentic 70s Australian slang and detailed settings. The character-driven narrative delves into themes of prejudice, secrecy, and the complexities of human relationships, particularly among the women of Warrah Place. Tammy’s perspective adds a unique layer, offering both innocence and insight as she navigates the adult world of gossip and hidden truths.

However, the novel’s pacing can be uneven, with some sections feeling slower as the intricate web of character backstories is unraveled. It was also slow to come together, and while the loose ends were tied up as neatly as possible, it may turn away readers who prefer a more evenly paced read.

Additionally, the broad range of themes explored - from racism and misogyny to homophobia and family dynamics - while enriching, may overwhelm some readers seeking a more focused narrative from start to finish.

Despite these minor drawbacks, The Grapevine stands out as a richly observed and engaging debut. Kemp’s sharp social commentary and evocative storytelling make it a noteworthy addition to contemporary fiction. For readers who appreciate character-driven mysteries set against a richly detailed backdrop, this novel is a rewarding read.

Very atmospheric and the descriptions really took you there so obviously well written however I struggled to get into it.

The Grapevine starts with an interesting concept, and there’s definitely potential in the story’s focus on secrets, small-town dynamics, and the complexity of relationships. Kate Kemp’s writing style is clear and easy to read, and there are moments where the book captures a real sense of place and character.

However, the execution didn’t quite land for me. The pacing felt uneven, and I found it hard to stay invested in the characters or their motivations. While the book touches on some intriguing themes, it often felt like it was skimming the surface rather than diving deeper.

Overall, this was a decent read with some strong elements, but it didn’t quite grab me.

It’s 1979 and the residents of Warrah Place have many secrets. When a foot turns up unexpectedly a young Tammy decides to investigate the case but in doing so she unknowingly starts to unravel more than she bargained for. After Tammy is finished with her investigation will her neighbours find a way to forgive her.

I found this book very slow to come together, it was very different to anything else I have read, it reminded me of a weeks worth of Home and Away or Neighbours so very soap drama like.
I enjoyed the read but found it a little too slow.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a soap drama style book.

Thank you to NetGalley for offering this
ARC in exchange for my personal thoughts.

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. Set in Australia in 1979 many of these characters are living very different lives behind their closed doors and many of their opinions and behaviours would not be accepted in today’s society. This book has often been likened to A List of Suspicious Things and I can see the similarities- if you liked that book you will love this. The story is toldthrough the eyes of Tammy who at 12 years old finds herself to be an outsider with many of her contemporaries and who decides that in order to belong she must find the murderer. A story of betrayal which deals with difficult topics such as misogyny, xenophobia ,homophobia and also coercive control . I held my breath as the secrets were uncovered and the neighbours discovered the true story of what happened. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

A hot summer in the Canberra suburbs. A missing man and a neighbourhood full of secrets and lies.

Tammy is a young girl, yet to find her place in the world. When neighbour Antonio goes missing and human remains are found dumped, she makes it her mission to covertly investigate and solve the crime. But Tammy uncovers more secrets than she could ever have imagined. Affairs, forbidden relationships and surprising friendships form that will shape her future.

Skilfully crafted, this is a slow burner of a book that mirrors the languid heat of that hot summer. The adage that you never know what goes on behind closed doors, is never more appropriate than in The Grapevine. Intrigue a-plenty makes this a compelling read and it is an intimate portrayal of human relationships with all the complexity we bring to the world.

I very much enjoyed this.
It reminded me in some ways of Only Goats and Sheep - except, this is Australia and we already know the answers, or do we...
It's a clever little book, but more than that, a well written debut - I think it will be interesting to see what comes next, because this is a gem.
Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read in advance - unfortunately, my TBR got in the way, so... better late than never!

The Grapevine is not the usual crime whodunnit as we are told in the prologue who kills the victim and how. This is a story about the secrets and lies of a street in suburban Australia in the late 1970s which gave me serious Ramsay Street vibes. I enjoy coming of age stories and The Grapevine centres around year old Tammy’s determination to uncover the truth as she launches her own investigation. Subsequently much of this is told from Tammy’s POV but I felt perhaps too much information was fed through Tammy and the story would have benefited from switching POVs allowing us to see behind closed doors as the other neighbours meltdown in the heat of the Australian summer and under Tammy’s investigation. This was a simmering pot of tension that never quite made it to the boil for me but was an enjoyable read. If you like a whydunnit rather than a whodunnit and enjoy teenage narrators than this is a solid 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Great book. Love the mix of characters and how their interactions are portrayed

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 to stick with it. There are also a lot of characters to try and remember. It was interesting and refreshing to see the murder of a local resident through the eyes of a child rather than an adult. Good read

It is hard to believe that this book, set in Australia, is a debut novel as it is so well-researched and expertly written. The author, a psychologist by training, takes us to a suburban Canberra street in the late 1970s during a heatwave. With the mysterious message ‘Antonio Marietti from the Italian House is dead’, still ringing in their ears, readers next encounter 12 year-old Tammy, an only child, who relieves her boredom not by engaging in the gossip that is openly exchanged in the backyards or by roaming the streets with other youngsters, but by following the tiniest residents of the backyard ants on their travails. Bit by bit, filtered through Tammy’s experiences, the narratorial radius opens up to show other residents of the neighbourhood – the Hong Konger Lau family, for example, the presumed World War II survivors Joe and Zlata, and the two co-habitating female residents Lydia and Ursula, each of whom encounters their own dose of neighbourhood prejudice and gossip of things allegedly ‘heard on the grapevine’. The whole ensemble forms a collage that is, in fact, a study of social mores in a time and place gone by – all in all, a fascinating read. I wish to thank NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC that I was gifted to allow me to read this unusual debut novel and to produce this book review. Thank you!

Set in an Australian neighbourhood with mainly relatable characters.. It was confusing for a time following all characters and remembering who they all were.

The book took me a time to get into its rhythm . It was very slow in places but picked up towards the end. Of the story. Interesting to be from a child’s perspective which is always good.

A brilliant debut, this is a clever suburban drama, the oppressive Australian heat adding to the atmosphere with one hell of a twist.
Not everybody has good neighbours.

A thoroughly gripping read set in an oppressive setting and full of surprises.
I became totally immersed in the slightly claustrophobic Australian cul de sac where the neighbours are seemingly decent folk going about their lives. When the son of an Italian family is murdered, however, it brings out the worst in them, including racism, homophobia, snobbery and conceit.
The characters are realistic and relatable – we all know all these people: the misfits, narcissists, downtrodden and victims.
Author Kate Kemp brilliantly creates a stifling atmosphere of relentless heat, dangerous gossip and unfounded suspicion as she portrays the everyday lives of this community. She also cleverly plots this story so that it’s not a typical murder mystery. We’re given clues as to the murderer right from the start. Or are we?
Recommended.

Set in the sweltering Australian summer of 1979, The Grapevine is a character-driven debut that blends suburban secrets with the tension of a murder investigation—told in part through the sharp, sometimes misplaced observations of a 12-year-old girl.

When a severed foot is found near Warrah Place, the quiet cul-de-sac is thrown into chaos. The victim, Antonio Marietti, was a familiar - if mysterious - presence in the neighbourhood. Instead of a fast-paced whodunnit, Kemp takes a slower, more intricate path: focusing on the gossip, politics, and tangled relationships within this tight-knit street.

The real standout is Tammy, the young narrator who takes it upon herself to solve the murder, accompanied (reluctantly) by 8-year-old Colin. Their perspective adds humour and poignancy, especially as Tammy interprets adult behaviour in ways both innocent and strangely insightful. The neighbourhood becomes a microcosm for broader issues - racism, misogyny, homophobia - all simmering just beneath the surface of ‘ordinary’ suburban life.

This isn’t a thriller in the traditional sense; it's more about mood, character, and the unravelling of community veneers. At times the cast felt a bit sprawling, and I occasionally lost track of who was connected to whom. The pace dips in the middle, but it picked up for me again in the final third. There’s a twist toward the end that was surprisingly well played, and I appreciated that not everything was neatly tied up.

I’d recommend this for readers who enjoy novels like A Crooked Tree or The Trouble with Goats and Sheep - thoughtful, slow-burn explorations of ordinary lives disrupted by something extraordinary.

This was a great crime novel. At the start the reader is introduced to the murderer and who they murdered, it's the why we are left to figure out. The story's setting a cup-de-sac and timing hot summer provide the backdrop for an engrossing read. The tension and sense of claustraphobia grows as the characters, inhabitants of the road are introduced, Uusing a dual timeline before and after the murder provides a firm footing for the action.

One of the narrators is a twelve year old, Tammy. She is lonely and struggling to fit in, She wants to solve the murder and find out what happended to her friend. Her atempts at deduction are often misplaced, as she uncovers clues but not really what they mean. She reluctantly forms a friendship with Colin a neigbor. His family are at the centre of the murder. Their relationship is poignant. As the story progresses we learn more about the residents, their characters and backstories, some more palatable than others.

Women's stories become a powerful focus throughout this story, their sense of place and identity amid paternalism, misogeny, recism and homophobia.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend to those who enjoy tense drama with many strong women.

Thank you, Netgalley, the publisher and author, for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Grapevine, a multicultural locked room whodunnit in 1979 Australia, gave me everything I could possibly want in a novel. Neighbour Antonio has been murdered, one might assume, when his foot turns up, sending the community of Warrah Place into a tailspin. Speculation runs rampant as the residents look to one another wondering what happens behind fences and closed doors. None more curious and nosey than 12-year-old Tammy who begins her own murder investigation, in parallel with her ant observations, whilst being saddled with unwanted sidekick, Colin.

This book has something for everyone in the wide array of intriguing characters and the various issues they each deal with. Dynamic duo Tammy and Colin provide a good dose of humour as they try to make sense of the adult interactions they observe. New relationships are forged in this strange time as confidences are shared and secrets are hidden with greater vigour or unveiled and explained in time. The scope of characters tripped me up, initially, as there are quite a few and keeping them straight, along with their partners or husbands, felt daunting at times. I loved it, though. It was fresh, of the 70s from drinks to tv and wholly Aussie. I felt transported in earnest to this time and place. The people, even those sweetly odd, became dear to me. Lots of great lessons and snippets of wisdom gleaned among the pages of this novel. Touching, warm, painful, honest The Grapevine should be enjoyed by all this summer.

I was expecting this to be a thriller, but it was far from that and I found it lacking,
It was too slow, and I found it was a struggle to get through and I just wasn’t hooked.
I know it was written through the eyes of 12 year old but sadly it was not for me.

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 a while to get through, I just wasn’t hooked.

That being said the way it’s written through the eyes of 12 year old Tammy is a great idea! It gave a different angle than other books I’ve read previously.

Its very rare I fail to finish a book, but I'm afraid I gave up with this one after reading a reasonable amount. The premise is that there has been a murder as the foot of a young man has been discovered; we see the events through the eyes of young Tammy, a neighbour, who is fairly self-absorbed and a budding kleptomaniac. Unfortunately I found the book incredibly dull. The action bounces before and after the murder, neighbours are introduced to the story but as there is no description or depth of character, I had trouble working out who was whom. And honestly, I lost the will to care.

No doubt the murder will be resolved, but I'm afraid I shall remain in ignorance of the outcome.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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 the secrets of a small community in the midst of a hot, oppressive summer. We see an attempt to uncover what’s happening through the often misguided detective skills of 12 year old Tammy and her 8 year old friend Colin. Both feel like misfits, who have their own family burdens.
Within the community there is racism, misogyny and homophobia, but there’s also some neighbourly behaviour and friendship where you least expect it. It’s not really a murder mystery as such, as we have some idea what’s happened from the start, but there are still surprises and twists in a plot which travels back and forwards around the time of the murder.
A really well written novel, I’ll definitely look out for more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.