Kayte Nunn – författare

A cache of unsent love letters from the 1950s is found in a suitcase on a remote island in this mysterious love story in the tradition of the novels by Kate Morton and Elizabeth Gilbert.1951. Esther Durrant, a young mother, is committed to an isolated mental asylum by her husband. Run by a pioneering psychiatrist, the hospital is at first Esther’s prison but soon surprisingly becomes her refuge. 

2018. Free-spirited marine scientist Rachel Parker embarks on a research posting in the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast. When a violent storm forces her to take shelter on a far-flung island, she discovers a collection of hidden love letters. Captivated by their passion and tenderness, Rachel determines to track down the intended recipient. But she has no idea of the far-reaching consequences her decision will bring.

Meanwhile, in London, Eve is helping her grandmother, a renowned mountaineer, write her memoirs. When she is contacted by Rachel, it sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to reveal secrets kept buried for more than sixty years.

With an arresting dual narrative that immediately captivates the reader, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is an inspirational story of the sacrifices made for love.

Discovery. Desire. Deception. A wondrously imagined tale of two female botanists, separated by more than a century, in a race to discover a life-saving flower, from the author of the bestselling The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant In Victorian England, headstrong adventuress Elizabeth takes up her late father''s quest for a rare, miraculous plant. She faces a perilous sea voyage, unforeseen dangers and treachery that threatens her entire family.In present-day Australia, Anna finds a mysterious metal box containing a sketchbook of dazzling watercolours, a photograph inscribed ''Spring 1886'' and a small bag of seeds. It sets her on a path far from her safe, carefully ordered life, and on a journey that will force her to face her own demons.In this spellbinding botanical odyssey of discovery, desire and deception, Kayte Nunn has so exquisitely researched nineteenth-century Cornwall and Chile you can almost smell the fragrance of the flowers, the touch of the flora on your fingertips . . .''Two incredibly likeable, headstrong heroines . . . watching them flourish is captivating. With these dynamic women at the helm, Kayte weaves a clever tale of plant treachery involving exotic and perilous encounters in Chile, plus lashings of gentle romance. Compelling storytelling'' The Australian Women''s Weekly''The riveting story of two women, divided by a century in time, but united by their quest to discover a rare and dangerous flower said to have the power to heal as well as kill. Fast-moving and full of surprises, The Botanist''s Daughter brings the exotic world of 19th-century Chile thrillingly to life'' KATE FORSYTHPraise for The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant:''If you enjoyed City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert, read Kayte Nunn'' The Washington Post''Nunn''s US debut is an engaging, dual-period narrative tracing Esther''s journey towards healing and wholeness as well as Rachel''s attempts to move beyond her wanderlust and unwillingness to commit to a home, job or relationship. The ending highlights the enduring power of love and forgiveness'' Booklist Magazine''Vivid descriptions highlight intertwining plot lines that seamlessly build to a satisfying climax. For fans of authors such as Lauren Willig and Kate Morton'' Library Journal **Contains BONUS extract from Kayte''s newest spellbinding novel, THE LAST REUNION**

Weaving. Healing. Haunting. The spellbinding story of a mysterious boarding school sheltering a centuries-old secret...Australian history teacher Thea Rust arrives at an exclusive boarding school in the British countryside only to find that she is to look after the first intake of girls in its 150-year history. She is to stay with them in Silk House, a building with a long and troubled past. In the late 1700s, Rowan Caswell leaves her village to work in the home of an English silk merchant. She is thrust into a new and dangerous world where her talent for herbs and healing soon attracts attention. In London, Mary-Louise Stephenson lives amid the clatter of the weaving trade and dreams of becoming a silk designer, a job that is the domain of men. A length of fabric she weaves with a pattern of deadly flowers will have far-reaching consequences for all who dwell in the silk house. Intoxicating, haunting and inspired by the author''s background, THE SILK HOUSE is an exceptional gothic mystery.''The ghostly stories of three women who had all spent time at a mysterious boarding school are beautifully woven together in this spellbinding tale. An exceptional gothic mystery'' Woman''s Day''This spellbinding story intertwines three strong, fearless women in the pursuit of fulfilling their dreams'' Family Circle''The stories of three fascinating women weave seamlessly together in this atmospheric book set against the sumptuous backdrop of the eighteenth-century silk trade... a mystery that is so compelling I found myself racing towards the final pages. Utterly spellbinding'' NATASHA LESTER**Contains BONUS extract from Kayte''s compelling historical mystery, The Only Child**

Friendships will be tested when five women come together at a New Year''s Eve party after decades apart, in this thrilling story based on a brave group of WWII servicewomen, by the bestselling author of The Silk HouseBurma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Oxford, 1976. A woman steals several rare Japanese netsuke from a museum. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, and Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband''s collection of Japanese art, travel to a party deep in the Irish countryside, where secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled.Inspired by the heroic women who served in the ''forgotten war'' in Burma, The Last Reunion is a heartbreaking love story and mystery by the international bestselling author of The Botanist''s Daughter and The Silk House.''This is very good commercial historical fiction, well-crafted and well-informed. It pulls no punches about wartime violence, and Kayte Nunn has some thoughtful points to make about the nature and endurance of women''s friendships'' Sydney Morning Herald''Absolutely magnificent. Includes all of my favourite things: art, female friendship and courageous women discovering their true heart and soul against a backdrop of war'' NATASHA LESTER''Evocative writing from the horrors of war and the deep life scars derived from it, melded with real tenderness, a cleverly worked and beguiling plot and memorable characters, render this book as quite simply, a superlative read - and the twist in the tale, perfect'' Christopher Bantick, Weekly Times''Several things are true about Kayte Nunn''s novels: you will laugh, you will cry, you will learn something, and you''ll be reluctant to leave her characters behind. This is all especially true of The Last Reunion, an uplifting story about the power of love, memory and determination that moves between World War II and the recent past'' SOPHIE GREEN''I couldn''t put it down. Fascinating. I love the empowerment that these ladies gain'' FIONA PALMER

''Exquisitely written, this vivid story may just bewitch you'' Woman''Utterly spellbinding'' Natasha Lester''Exquisitely written, this vivid story may just bewitch you'' Woman''s WeeklyAn enchanting mystery kept hidden for hundreds of years... 1700s Rowan Caswell leaves her village to work at the home of an English silk merchant. Very soon, she finds herself thrust into a dangerous world, where her talent for herbs and healing starts to attract unwanted attention. Mary-Louise Stephenson dreams of becoming a silk designer, a path that has remained largely forbidden to women. A length of fabric she weaves with a pattern of deadly flowers will have shocking consequences for all who dwell at the Silk House. Present Day Thea Rust arrives at an exclusive boarding school in the British countryside to look after the first intake of girls in its history. She is to stay with them in the Silk House, a converted silk factory from the 18th century, where the shadows hide secrets waiting to be discovered...

*THE STUNNING NEW NOVEL FROM INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR KAYTE NUNN!*

''Absolutely magnificent'' NATASHA LESTER

''Hugely engaging'' DAILY MAIL

''A taut, clever whodunit ... Kayte Nunn keeps the stakes high and the characters compelling, making for a fast, fresh, engrossing historical mystery!'' KATE QUINN 1949 It is the coldest winter Orcades Island has ever known, when a pregnant sixteen-year-old arrives at Fairmile, a home for ''fallen women'' run by the Catholic Church. She and her baby will disappear before the snow melts. 2013 Frankie Gray has come to the island for the summer, hoping for one last shot at reconnecting with her teenage daughter, Izzy, before starting a job as a deputy sheriff. They are staying with her mother, Diana, at The Fairmile Inn, soon to be a boutique hotel, but when an elderly nun is found dead in suspicious circumstances, and then a tiny skeleton is discovered in the grounds of the house, Frankie is desperate for answers. At once an evocative, unsettling tale of past misdeeds and a crime thriller that will have you reading with your heart in your mouth, The Only Child is compulsively addictive storytelling from the bestselling author of The Botanist''s Daughter.Readers can''t get enough of The Only Child:''A deeply moving look at a past when women''s reproductive rights were denied . . . a heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful story that resonates in today''s world'' SUSAN WIGGS''Richly drawn characters, masterful storytelling, and a slowly unraveling mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, right up until the satisfying ending'' KAREN McQUESTION

''The whole book is a delight... Perfect reading whilst sipping a g & t in a beautiful garden somewhere in the sun!'' Rosanna LeyA buried secret... Present day: Anna is focused on growing her new gardening business and renovating her late grandmother''s house. But when she discovers a box hidden in a wall cavity, containing water colours of exotic plants, an old diary and a handful of seeds, she finds herself thrust into a centuries-old mystery. One that will send her halfway across the world to Kew Gardens and then onto Cornwall in search of the truth.A lady adventurer...1886: Elizabeth Trebithick is determined to fulfil her father''s dying wish and continue his life''s work as an adventurer and plant-hunter. So when she embarks on a perilous journey to discover a rare and miraculous flower, she will discover that the ultimate betrayal can be found even across the seas...Two women, separated by centuries. Can one mysterious flower bring them together?Readers and authors love The Botanist''s Daughter:''I loved this book and really look forward to reading the next book by Kayte Nunn; perfect for reading in the garden with a glass of something cold.'' Bookliterat''Fast-moving and full of surprises...while delivering a poignant and heart-warming story of romance and new beginnings '' Kate Forsyth''The Botanist''s Daughter is a quick paced but mysterious read, which transports you across time and place and is filled with an abundance of flowers.'' Foreword Books''A sweeping and exotic read. I was completely swept away. Perfect for readers of Kate Morton.'' Lorna Cook''The Botanist''s Daughter is an intriguing story about the strength of women who, for their own reasons, are willing to travel halfway across the world and end up with the same goal. It''s also a family mystery that slowly reveals its secrets, just like a blooming flower.'' The Bookish Gurl 5/5 stars*THE ONLY CHILD, THE NEW UTTERLY COMPELLING AND HEARTBREAKING NOVEL FROM KAYTE NUNN, IS AVAILABLE NOW*

''I loved this exquisitely written novel and drank in every word. The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is a reminder of the redemptive nature of love, and that it can be found in the most unexpected places.'' Fiona Valpy, bestselling author of The Dressmaker''s Gift and The Beekeeper''s PromiseAn abandoned woman...1951. Esther Durrant, a young mother, is committed to an asylum by her husband. Run by a pioneering psychiatrist, the hospital is at first Esther''s prison - but can captivity lead to freedom?A forbidden love...2018. When free-spirited marine scientist Rachel Parker is forced to take shelter on an isolated island off the Cornish Coast during a research posting, she discovers a collection of hidden love letters. Captivated by their passion and tenderness, Rachel is determined to find the intended recipient. A dangerous secret...Meanwhile, in London, Eve is helping her grandmother write her memoirs. When she is contacted by Rachel, it sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to reveal secrets kept buried for more than sixty years. Three women bound together by a heartbreaking secret. A love story that needs to be told.This beautifully haunting and atmospheric novel, will sweep fans of Kate Morton, Elizabeth Gilbert and Emily Gunnis away this summer.''If you enjoyed "City of Girls," by Elizabeth Gilbert, read "The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant," by Kayte Nunn'' Washington PostNetGalley reviewers are falling in love with The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant:''Loved, loved this book. The multi layers wove an intriguing tale, and this was a well researched engaging and heart rending story.''''Beautifully written''''An absorbing tale set mainly in the Channel Islands. I wanted to know what the resolution would be, so stayed up to read to the end!''Praise for Katye Nunn''s The Botanist''s Daughter:''A sweeping and exotic read. I was completely swept away. Perfect for readers of Kate Morton.'' Lorna Cook, bestselling author of ''The Forgotten Village''''The whole book is a delight... Perfect reading whilst sipping a g & t in a beautiful garden somewhere in the sun!'' Rosanna Ley, bestselling author of ''The Lemon Tree Hotel''''I loved this book and really look forward to reading the next book by Kayte Nunn; perfect for reading in the garden with a glass of something cold.'' Bookliterat''Fast-moving and full of surprises...while delivering a poignant and heart-warming story of romance and new beginnings '' Kate Forsyth''The Botanist''s Daughter is a quick paced but mysterious read, which transports you across time and place and is filled with an abundance of flowers.'' Foreword Books''The Botanist''s Daughter is an intriguing story about the strength of women who, for their own reasons, are willing to travel halfway across the world and end up with the same goal. It''s also a family mystery that slowly reveals its secrets, just like a blooming flower.'' The Bookish Gurl 5/5 stars