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.

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 lone foot is found nearby and traced back to a resident of the cul de sac she lives on, Tammy decides to try and solve the murder by snooping on her neighbours. In many ways she’s an absolute horror and there were times she infuriated me, but her actions all seem to fit her slightly odd character and I especially liked the way she misses background clues by being too young to really see what’s going on around her.

The murderer is fairly clear from early on and it’s less about who done it than why and how. This is very much a book about people and the lives and secrets of the others on the street are revealed over the course of the story, each with a compelling story of their own. I found it completely engrossing and loved the slow reveal of everything that brought events to this point, all set in the stifling atmosphere of extreme summer heat and the society of 1970s suburban Australia.

A really strong debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Fantastic debut....I thought it was a murder mystery however its really a story about a close knit community and their individual reactions to a neighbour's murder. Some great characterisations, especially Tammy, wannabe detective and main focus for the narration throughout. Even a twist included.....5 Stars 🌟 Many thanks to author, Publisher, and NetGalley.co.uk for the opportunity to read this tome.

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 observed by a 12 year old girl also added to my interest.
However, I did find the number of characters introduced at the beginning and the changes in POV and timelines quite confusing and eventually a bit annoying.
Thank you to netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of this book.

2.5 rounded up to 3

It is s a captivating novel set in residential cul-de-sac in Canberra, Australia in the late 70’s. At the start, a young Italian man is missing presumed dead, his severed foot discovered by one of the residents. What follows is a story about human relationships, secrets, and the way different people attempt to co-exist with their neighbours and the tangled relationships they have.

Main protagonist Tammy is fun, if not a little annoying. She’s waiting to start high school in the midst of a long, hot summer and decides to start investigating the murder. We meet a mixture of ok residents and some downright awful ones (Cecil, I am coming for you!) all with their own two cents about what might have happened.

Kemp’s writing is both engaging and poignant, with a mix of suspense and genuinely lovely moments. Colin deserves his novel, that kid is the best!
An absolutely stunning read from start to finish.

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 really a thriller but it is a good exploration of the tensions between neighbours and the secrets they all keep.
It did feel there was a checklist of the different nationalities, sexual orientations and ageist behaviours that were all worked through as inhabitants of the street.

I really loved reading The Grapevine by Kate Kemp. It was a very atmospheric and claustrophobic read centring on a suburban cul-de-sac in Canberra in 1979.

One of the residents, Antonio Amaretti, a young handsome Italian man is murdered. The police are investigating but there are no leads. Everyone on the cul-de-sac is at first shocked and then start suspecting one another. It’s 1979 and anyone ‘different’ becomes the prime suspect. Tammy is twelve years old and had a crush on Antonio and takes it upon herself solve his murder because the police aren’t up to it and enlists the help of her friend Colin to help.

The story is pacy and moves along in two timelines, with events leading up to the Antonio’s murder and after the murder itself. The events of the night are slowly revealed.

This reminded me a fair bit a of The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey. Both set in the 1970s. Both protagonists set out to solve crimes, but as they are children they don’t fully understand the impact their actions will have on those around them.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Orion Publishing Group, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. I look forward to reading other books by Kate Kemp in the future.

“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 families going about their normal lives. But one day, the young man in an Italian family, who recently moved to the street, is murdered and this blows open underlying tensions. As the killer is hunted (by the neighbours as well as by the police!), secrets are discovered and life will never be the same again.

There are some great characters in this book and I really enjoyed reading about their back stories and how each individual’s secrets are important to them or are a key part of the murder story (or both!). And the story doesn’t end where you think it will either which I thought was great.

That said, I found it difficult, particularly at the beginning, to keep a track of the different characters and who got on with who and who didn’t. This didn’t make a huge difference to my understanding of the main parts of the plot but I would certainly recommend to others that you don’t leave it too long between each time you pick up the book and definitely pay attention at the beginning.

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

The Grapevine by Kate Kemp has a very interesting premise. While it centres around a crime – the murder of Antonio Marietti – (not a spoiler, it’s literally in the prologue) this isn’t actually the heart of the novel, as the killer isn’t the mystery, but it is the trigger for everything else. For the secrets and lies of a small neighbourhood that come pouring out.

Set during an oppressively hot summer in Australia in 1979, The Grapevine holds a magnifying glass up to a middle class road – Warrah Place – in an Australian suburb. Yes, I was picturing Ramsey Street while reading.

We’re introduced to the blend of different characters that make up the six-ish houses on the road. These include couples Naomi and Richard, Lydia and Ursula and Peggy and Leslie and characters like Guangyu and Tammy that live with their families.

12-year-old Tammy is a key narrator in The Grapevine. It’s her childlike interpretation of the situation and her keenness to help find out what really happened that drive the story and pull the threads together. As tensions rise and everyone starts to suspects everyone else of the murder, the back stories of the characters are soon revealed, making this a riveting read.

Shifts in the story had a unique break point – there was a splicing of sections taken from Tammy’s summer report on her science experiments with ants, providing a light-hearted metaphor for the brewing situation on Warrah Place.

The Grapevine is a coming of age story for Tammy – on the cusp of high-school, she learns a lot from what happens. As a lot of the story is narrated by Tammy and while that gave a unique spin – the child-like view on the situation – I would have liked to hear more form the other character’s POV, especially given the unexpected twist at the end.

I really like the tone of The Grapevine, Kate Kemp has a way of capturing the detail of each character’s secrets so it never feels like too much information through the story, there’s just enough so you get a sense of everyone and what’s making their world crumble behind closed doors. The Grapevine was a simmering pot of a read, highly enjoyable.

This murder mystery is set in 1970’s Australia in a quiet neighbourhood. I loved that most of the story was told from the viewpoint of 12 year old Tammy, getting the story via pieces of gossip she overheard etc was so different to other books and I really enjoyed it.