{"product_id":"the-distant-hours-kate-morton","title":"The Distant Hours – Kate Morton","description":"\u003cp\u003eEdie Burchill and her mother have never been close — but when a long-lost letter arrives with the return address of Milderhurst Castle, Kent, Edie begins to suspect that her mother's emotional distance hides an old secret. During WWII, as a thirteen-year-old evacuee from London, Edie's mother was taken in by the eccentric Blythe sisters at Milderhurst Castle, home of their father Raymond Blythe, author of the beloved children's classic \u003cem\u003eThe True History of the Mud Man\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow, decades later, Edie visits the decaying estate and stumbles into the dark history of the castle and its inhabitants. As she uncovers the truth about that fateful wartime stay, she unravels a story of passion, obsession, betrayal, and the enduring power of family secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraised for its rich, atmospheric setting, intricate multi-generational mystery, and haunting gothic tone. Popular across #GothicTok, historical mystery feeds, and dark academia circles for its crumbling castle aesthetic, WWII secrets, and slow-burn atmospheric storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIdeal for readers of Diane Setterfield's \u003cem\u003eThe Thirteenth Tale\u003c\/em\u003e, Sarah Waters's \u003cem\u003eThe Little Stranger\u003c\/em\u003e, Kate Morton's \u003cem\u003eThe Secret Keeper\u003c\/em\u003e, or Carlos Ruiz Zafón's \u003cem\u003eThe Shadow of the Wind\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA paperback (2010) in Good condition — light shelf\/spine wear, clean interior pages, solid binding.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jhb Preloved Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45397854060659,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/3357\/6307\/files\/rn-image_picker_lib_temp_941de122-05c3-490a-99d3-b975a0ff66f9.jpg?v=1787671583","url":"https:\/\/jhbprelovedbooks.co.za\/products\/the-distant-hours-kate-morton","provider":"Jhb Preloved Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}