This is both interesting and thought provoking. A good mystery read. Unusual plot and strong characterisations.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A stunning debut. I was rooting for Tammy from the very beginning and invested in these people’s lives.

This was engaging and well written and would recommend to others.

I liked the different take on a murder mystery.

Firstly thank you to the publishers & Netgalley for giving me access to this arc.

While the plot was interesting and gave me desperate housewives vibes, sadly it wasn’t for me. There were too many characters (especially when a few were called by different names throughout and I didn’t connect with any of them; they were all slightly annoying) & too much going on, from too many perspectives, which made it very complicated & confusing at the start trying to figure out who everyone was & what’s going on. I also found the timeline quite confusing. The constant flip between past and present added to the confusion and made it harder to read.

Additionally, I’m still a bit confused about the emphasis on the ants. Understandable it started off with Tammy doing an ant experiment but it had nothing to do with the name which describes the plot perfectly and as the story progressed and became more than just Tammy’s perspective, the ant descriptions became a bit redundant and boring. It also felt like it went on for too long and became slow. The ending was given away quite early on too, so the anticipation of finding out what happened disappeared and I found myself just wanting to get to the end.

However, one thing I did like about the storyline was the sense of female friendships and empowerment, the characters (both male and female) standing up themselves & others, bettering themselves and being themselves without judgement.

Overall interesting plot and characters but sadly just wasn’t for me.

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 dead when his dismembered foot is found. The reader knows from the outset that Richard and Naomi, a respected married couple who live on the estate, are involved in his disappearance but not why or how. A lost teenager called Tammy is determined to find out what happened to Antonio and it soon becomes clear that everyone who lives in the estate is keeping secrets. Told from multiple POVs and at different points before and after Antonio’s death, the story slowly builds to its satisfying conclusion whilst also examining themes of immigration, race, religion, feminism and sexuality in 1970’s Australia. The Grapevine is a very accomplished debut from Kate Kemp.

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. In this well to do Australian suburb the neighbours may seem to be a friendly church going group but there a tensions under the surface and many secrets to discover. Through much of the book we see comings and goings from the pov of Tammy who is 12 and an extremely unreliable narrator, through no fault of her own - she’s simply too young to really understand what’s going on.
Kate Kemp cleverly peels back the layers, letting us see bit by bit what is behind each door. She also blind sides the reader, I absolutely thought I knew exactly what was going on till the last few chapters. Completely wrong! Very clever, very well written, highly recommend.

A claustrophobic observation of life in 1970s Australian suburbia, where stories are told from each character's perspective, giving a more honest glimpse into the lives behind closed doors. A great take on the crime novel, where a whole community is at pains to keep other secrets hidden.

Can't really articulate why but I didn't quite connect with this. Cover is beautiful. Writing wonderful. Maybe it's the narrative coming from a 12 year old girl? Maybe it was just a bit too long? I never seem to do well with these claustrophobic saga/drama plots and the slow burn of them. Never quite grip me. I'd recommend it to someone who does though

I am sorry to say this book was not a good read for me. I liked the sound of it, but I didn't really connect with it .Hope other readers enjoy it more.

A great debut,loved the setting of late 70’s Australia and the characters in the neighbourhood we met
Occasionally felt a bit confused as there were many voices to be heard but quickly got back on track
Good twist and overall an enjoyable read

The Grapevine by Kate Kemp
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars
Publication date: 13th March 2025

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

I liked this a lot! The murder mystery is very much second fiddle in this book - even though it's a good mystery; this is all about the cast of characters, their personalities, their strength and faults, and the making-up and breaking-up of relationships. None of them are really nice people (with the exception of Colin, who was an absolute little gem,) but Kate Kemp clearly knows how to write good unlikeable characters, by making them compelling and challenging, rather than whiny and tedious.
I know children's POVs are not everyone’s cup of tea, and Tammy could prove frustrating, but I really appreciated how Kemp involved the reader - we can see how Tammy's youth and innocence leads her to misunderstand and misinterpret the things she sees and hears, but we have maturity and experience on our side - we understand what is really going on, and it's not always pretty.
I definitely had a good time with this book, and I'd love to read more from this author.

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 Canberra, Australia. Tammy, a socially awkward 12 year old, is determined to unravel the mystery of who killed her neighbour Antonio Marietti. Enlisting the help of Colin (my favourite character!) they explore the secrets and happenings of the quiet cul-de-sac. The author perfectly captures the residents, their personalities and habits. Thoroughly enjoyed this well written book and I'm happy to recommend it.

Thanks to the publishers and net galley for an advanced ecopy in exchange for a review. I really loved this book. Set in Australia near Canberra in the midst of a very hot summer, the book in set in the neighbourhood of Warrah Drive and its residents. When a human foot is found and discovered to be one of the people living in the street 12 year old Tammy makes it her mission to find out what’s happened. Under the guise of studying ants she snoops and digs and uncovers many secrets. I loved the relationship between Tammy and her younger neighbour. I also adored her as a character. I loved the plot, the writing style and it being told from a child’s point of view and one of the few books I found very believable to that affect. I will be recommending to others and looking out for more from this author.

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 Tammy, aged 12, watches all her neighbours and wonders what’s going on in the Italian house. Then a severed foot is found. Love the comparisons between ants and humans.

I very much enjoyed this book mainly because of the strong interesting characters who lived in this Australian cul-de-sac in 1979. I almost felt as if I lived there myself. There is a good plot and a murder. A great debut novel with a very apt title. Thank you Netgalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Its 1979 in Australia. Its the height of the summer and hot. However, all is not what it seems in a quiet cul de sac in the suburbs.
People of all nationalities live her and one, an Italian, has just been murdered and his foot found.
Rumours and suspicion start and watching and observing is twelve year old Tammy.
Everyone it seems has secrets and who is the murderer and why is just one !

I chose to read a free eARC of The Grapevine but that has in no way influenced my review.

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 of a thing for Australian fiction), I loved the quiet cul-de-sac setting of the novel and I loved how beautifully the author unravels the plot for her readers. But most of all, I adored the characters. Gosh, the characters in this novel are strong. Occasionally you pick up a book and find yourself completely and utterly immersed in everything about it. This is what happened with me and The Grapevine. I lived every second of this story alongside the characters.

The residents of Warrah Place, Canberra, are shocked to hear that a severed foot has been discovered in the hills overlooking their quiet, suburban cul-de-sac. It feels too close for comfort. Their shock intensifies when it's confirmed the foot belongs to Antonio Marietti, their neighbour from number two. Then the rumours start. Everyone has something to say about the Marietti family. Some of it, not pleasant at all. Twelve-year-old Tammy is determined to find out what has happened to Antonio, who she considered a friend. After all, no one really pays much attention to Tammy, not even her own mother. She'll be able to snoop on her neighbours, eavesdrop on conversations she's not meant to hear, whilst staying under the radar. But Tammy discovers a lot more than she bargained for. Warrah Place is full of devastating secrets that will change - and destroy - lives forever...

Would I recommend this book? Hell yeah! I loved everything about The Grapevine. I know I rattle on about characters a lot here on the blog but, for me, the characters can make or break a novel. Kemp has created a stellar cast. A real cross-section of society with their own views and beliefs. The book opens with Naomi Kreeger on her hands and knees scrubbing the bathroom floor. She's a woman on a mission, obsessed with the task at hand. Ensuring all of the evidence is removed, even if that means throwing out her brand-new towels, bathmat and toilet seat cover. You think you know the direction the story is heading in following this shocking introduction, but you don't. Not really. Everyone in Warrah Place has something to say about Antonio Marietti. They've all had a run in of some sorts with the lad. Yes, this is a murder mystery but it's also so much more than that. The reader really gets to see what makes this small group of people, people who perhaps wouldn't necessarily choose each other, tick. There are secrets and there are lies a plenty. Neighbours who receive smiles and warm greetings to their faces are judged behind closed doors, deemed second-class. And in the middle of it all, you have Tammy trying to make sense of the world around her. She is reluctantly assisted in her endeavours by eight-year-old Colin, son of Naomi and Richard. There is so much to love about this book but the friendship between Tammy and Colin is the icing on this well-written cake. Colin's father is away a lot. Colin's mother is distant, not really present in her son's life. So Colin roams Warrah Place looking for something (anything!) to do. Being passed from one family to the next. First he's an annoyance to much-older Tammy. But it doesn't stay that way for long. Their friendship builds to something special. Colin is a gem of a character. Upon entering Tammy's house, he makes his way to her wardrobe and selects the dress he's going to wear that day. He gets the odd look from the locals, but they tend to shrug off his unique style and let the kids carry on with whatever they're doing -- scientific research into ant colonies, if the adults ask (but really, they're investigating a murder!). It's truly wonderful. Totally captivating, highly immersive and impossible to put down. I loved The Grapevine. It will most definitely feature on my top books of the year list. It could even be my favourite book of the year! From now on everything else I read in 2025 has an awful lot to live up to! Beautifully written with gorgeously rich characterisation, a totally enchanting and engrossing story, with a completely unexpected ending. A superb debut. Count me in for everything else Kate Kemp writes in the future please. Absolutely bloody LOVED IT! Highly, highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Grapevine. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Review will be published on Tuesday 11th March]

Of the books I have from Australian authors, they seem to have a different feel to them, this one is no exception. I mostly read crime set in the UK or US with a few from Europe.

This book is set in a cul-de-sac called Warrah Place, which means there are a limited number of houses, so there are a limited number of characters. The author has created some interesting characters, gradually fleshing them out as the mystery of a murder is revealed. Initially, only a foot is discovered. The investigation is carried out, and it is through the eyes of the residents that the full story is told.

This is an interesting read and it is set in 1979, the disappearance of a young man who made an impact on the cul-de-sac becomes more obvious as the story evolves. Antonio was a charmer, he had a way and confidence about him for one so young. He is caught up in the lives of the other residents but why he was murdered is one thing, who murdered him is something else altogether!

The story is a slower-paced one as the residents gradually put things together, there is a police officer in the story but she is not part of the investigation. The author delves into the lives, thoughts, routines and opinions of her group of residents and what emerges is intriguing and gets more complex as attitudes and personalities differ.

Given the setting is a cul-de-sac and that the houses and residents are aware of habits and routines, it is obvious that everyone has their ideas. I do like the setting and it is something that means getting away with things would be more difficult, but it also leads to the age-old saying "you never know what goes on behind closed doors!"

This is an intriguing story and one that falls into the crime, mystery and fiction genres well. I would be happy to recommend this book.

A real snapshot of life in 1970s Australia. I loved seeing into the different lives of all the neighbours and how they interacted. Each of them felt very real. Really loved this book.

The Grapevine is set in an Australian suburban cul-de-sac in 1979 and follows the neighbours of Warrah Place.

This is a fantastic debut, searing with secrets and mysteries. It was brilliantly plotted and paced, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. The ending kept me guessing. I loved all the characters, each well considered so none seemed 2D at all. Their motivations and psychologies all made sense, and the way the people of Warrah Place interact with each other, the plot threads conspiring, all worked beautifully.

Would wholeheartedly recommend. I'll be buying lots of copies for friends.

The heat of summer always brings an atmospheric slant to things doesn't it. Especially when that has to do with a cul de sac and murder.
Really genius plot. The way we have the amateur and very young Tammy trying to find clues. Often stumbling over things because her young brain isn't "seeing" and through her eyes secrets and happenings of the street are revealed and we get to do our own piecing together. It was a murder mystery in one sense..but also a great slow burn of getting to know this street. Or any street really and what really goes on behind closed doors.
I really like how as the story unfolded so too is how we got to the point of there being a dead neighbour.