The Cartographer's Secret
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- Create Date：2021-12-06 11:20:59
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Tea Cooper
- ISBN：1713637502
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Summary
A gripping historical mystery for fans of Kate Morton and Natasha Lester's The Paris Seamstress， The Cartographer's Secret follows a young woman's quest to heal a family rift as she becomes entangled in one of Australia's greatest historical puzzles。
The Hunter Valley， 1880
Evie Ludgrove loves to map the landscape around her home—hardly surprising since she grew up in the shadow of her father's obsession with the great Australian explorer Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt。 So when an advertisement appears in The Bulletin magazine offering a thousand-pound reward for proof of where Leichhardt met his fate， Evie is determined to figure it out—after all， there are clues in her father's papers and in the archives of The Royal Geographical Society。 But when Evie sets out to prove her theory， she vanishes without a trace， leaving behind a mystery that haunts everyone's lives for 30 years。
1911
When Letitia Rawlings arrives at the family estate in her Model T Ford， her purpose is to inform her great aunt Olivia of another loss in their family。 But Letitia is also escaping her own problems—her brother's sudden death， her mother's scheming， and her own dissatisfaction with the life planned out for her。 So when Letitia discovers a beautifully illustrated map that might hold a clue to the fate of her missing aunt， Evie Ludgrove， her curiosity is piqued and she sets out to discover the truth of Evie's disappearance。 But all is not as it seems at Yellow Rock estate， and as events unfold， Letitia begins to realize that solving the mystery of her family's past could offer as much peril as redemption。
USA TODAY bestselling author
Stand-alone novel with rich historical details
Also by this author:The Woman in the Green Dress and The Girl in the Painting
The Hunter Valley， 1880
Evie Ludgrove loves to map the landscape around her home—hardly surprising since she grew up in the shadow of her father's obsession with the great Australian explorer Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt。 So when an advertisement appears in The Bulletin magazine offering a thousand-pound reward for proof of where Leichhardt met his fate， Evie is determined to figure it out—after all， there are clues in her father's papers and in the archives of The Royal Geographical Society。 But when Evie sets out to prove her theory， she vanishes without a trace， leaving behind a mystery that haunts everyone's lives for 30 years。
1911
When Letitia Rawlings arrives at the family estate in her Model T Ford， her purpose is to inform her great aunt Olivia of another loss in their family。 But Letitia is also escaping her own problems—her brother's sudden death， her mother's scheming， and her own dissatisfaction with the life planned out for her。 So when Letitia discovers a beautifully illustrated map that might hold a clue to the fate of her missing aunt， Evie Ludgrove， her curiosity is piqued and she sets out to discover the truth of Evie's disappearance。 But all is not as it seems at Yellow Rock estate， and as events unfold， Letitia begins to realize that solving the mystery of her family's past could offer as much peril as redemption。
USA TODAY bestselling author
Stand-alone novel with rich historical details
Also by this author:The Woman in the Green Dress and The Girl in the Painting
Reviews
Vickie
，
Despite it centering on the disappearance of a young woman， this is a very sweet story。 Initially， it switches between two timelines， telling the related stories of Evie Ludgrove in the 1880s and her niece， Lettie in 1911。 I thought some of the Evie story a tad tedious， and was glad when Lettie’s tale became primary。 It was interesting to read historical fiction from Australia and I liked the strong female protagonists， Evie， Lettie， and， especially Oliva， Evie’s aunt。 The author’s descriptions Despite it centering on the disappearance of a young woman， this is a very sweet story。 Initially， it switches between two timelines， telling the related stories of Evie Ludgrove in the 1880s and her niece， Lettie in 1911。 I thought some of the Evie story a tad tedious， and was glad when Lettie’s tale became primary。 It was interesting to read historical fiction from Australia and I liked the strong female protagonists， Evie， Lettie， and， especially Oliva， Evie’s aunt。 The author’s descriptions of time and place were evocative; I could almost feel the warm， humid weather and smell many of the scents described。 Throw in some family intrigue and this was an enjoyable read。 。。。more
Laura
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What is your favorite historical mystery novel？Clear off your calendar as once you pick up The Cartographer’s Secret， you won’t want to put it down。 This duel narrative novel is set in Australia。 On a ranch in the Hunter Valley in 1880， Evie Ludgrove is going through a lot of changes at home with her mother’s death and her sister’s marriage。 She shares her father’s obsession with discovering the fate of the famed Australian explorer， Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt。 She leaves one day to research a clue a What is your favorite historical mystery novel？Clear off your calendar as once you pick up The Cartographer’s Secret， you won’t want to put it down。 This duel narrative novel is set in Australia。 On a ranch in the Hunter Valley in 1880， Evie Ludgrove is going through a lot of changes at home with her mother’s death and her sister’s marriage。 She shares her father’s obsession with discovering the fate of the famed Australian explorer， Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt。 She leaves one day to research a clue and is never seen again。 What happened to Evie？In 1911， Letitia Rawlings feels confined by the life that her mom wants for her in Sydney。 After her brother’s tragic death， she takes his specially outfitted Model T Ford on an adventure to Yellow Rock in the Hunter’s Valley to let her great aunt Olivia to know of his passing。 Once there， Letitia discovers family secrets and feels herself pulled into the mystery of Evie。 Will she discover what happened to Evie and will she determine how to move forward in life herself？I couldn’t put this book down。 I loved the mystery of Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt。 I had had never heard of this particular piece of Australian history and was intrigued to learn in the author’s note at the end that it was a true story！ I was equally if not more intrigued by the disappearance of Evie。 What happened to her when she left for a seemingly short trip to investigate some clues？ I couldn’t stop reading as I really wanted to know！ The story had a riveting plot。The book also had great characters。 In particular， I loved the characters of Lettie and Great-Aunt Olivia。 They were both head strong women who made their own way in a man’s world。 I in particular loved Lettie driving her Model T around and impressing everyone as she repaired it herself。 I was also fascinated by Evie’s beautiful map that she made herself。 After a summer internship of surveying back in the day， I was intrigued by the brief talks about surveying and mapmaking。 While the map is not in the book， the afterword has a link for a place to look at maps that inspired the author。Overall， The Cartographer’s Secret is a riveting historical mystery novel that you won’t be able to put down！！Book Source: Review copy from Harper Muse as part of the TLC Book Tour。 Thank-you！ I received a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold。blogspot。com/2021。。。 。。。more
Claudia
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I really should have liked this audiobook， but I did not。 While parts of it captured my attention， I quickly lost interest again。 I listened to the audio version of this book and maybe the story works better as an actual text read。 The subject matter was intriguing and the setting interesting。 I liked the first hour of the story but admit that I listened to most of it twice。 After that， I couldn't get into the story or care about the characters or their tales of woe。 The whole thing came togethe I really should have liked this audiobook， but I did not。 While parts of it captured my attention， I quickly lost interest again。 I listened to the audio version of this book and maybe the story works better as an actual text read。 The subject matter was intriguing and the setting interesting。 I liked the first hour of the story but admit that I listened to most of it twice。 After that， I couldn't get into the story or care about the characters or their tales of woe。 The whole thing came together in the end in soap opera fashion with people fighting over a will。 Just when I though it was over， the narrator said "Epilogue"。 So I listened to it。 Nothing surprising， but the epilogue provided the happy ending most readers probably wanted。I don't think this was badly written， it just did not appeal to me。 That is probably a matter of my personal preference than the fault of the author。 I am giving it 3 stars out of guilt。 It seems most people loved this book。 I really don't know why。 。。。more
Becky
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The Cartographer's Secret is an engaging historical novel about two women - Letitia Rawlings and her aunt， Evie Ludgrove。 In 1911， following the death of her beloved brother， Lettie travels from Sydney to her family's estate at Yellow Rock to inform her great-aunt Olivia of his death。 While there， she gets swept into a mystery， the disappearance of her mother's sister Evie thirty years prior。 When she vanished， Evie had been researching the fate of a famous explorer， and she left behind notes an The Cartographer's Secret is an engaging historical novel about two women - Letitia Rawlings and her aunt， Evie Ludgrove。 In 1911， following the death of her beloved brother， Lettie travels from Sydney to her family's estate at Yellow Rock to inform her great-aunt Olivia of his death。 While there， she gets swept into a mystery， the disappearance of her mother's sister Evie thirty years prior。 When she vanished， Evie had been researching the fate of a famous explorer， and she left behind notes and clues that Lettie uses in her search for the truth of what happened to Evie。The story is told from both Evie's and Lettie's perspectives， and it's truly fascinating to watch it unfold。 While this is a split-time novel， the vast majority of the novel is set with Lettie in 1911。 While looking for clues about Evie， Lettie finds family， belonging， and love， and she finally discovers what she truly wants out of life。 This novel is just what I've come to expect from Tea Cooper - fascinating historical details （rooted at least partially in real events）， an enticing mystery， and strong women who are easy to root for。 Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher。 I was not required to write a positive review， and the opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Alexandra Metcalf
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I liked the story a lot！ I really appreciate the love story that was hamfisted in with lettie and Nathaniel。 It seemed really unnecessary。 Lettie was strong and independent and she really didn't need a man。 Also， aunt Olivia also got a love interest and that didn't make sense either。 I liked the story a lot！ I really appreciate the love story that was hamfisted in with lettie and Nathaniel。 It seemed really unnecessary。 Lettie was strong and independent and she really didn't need a man。 Also， aunt Olivia also got a love interest and that didn't make sense either。 。。。more
Carole Handel
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A family mystery An great story blending real historical characters with fiction set in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales， Australia。 Weaving passion， family disputes， a blossoming love and a mystery all together。 I felt like I was living at Yellow Rock along with the characters。 A real page turner。
Marcia
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This was a disappointing book。 I found it very wishy-washy。 The characters for me were unrealistic， especially the Women。 The story was watery。 It was more about the family coming to terms with the disappearance of Evie。 It dragged a bit as well。It was the type of book for me that I had to find out what happened in the end but the way there was disappointing and predictable。 This book for me had now highs or lows or was mostly the same pace。 Boring。
Sharon
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A bit of mystery， a bit of old Aunt and other wonderful charaters， a whole lot of Australian landscape and a smidgen of love， this was a delight to read。
Lelia Taylor
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To many people around the world， including me， Australia is an exotic land of fascinating history and a cheeky attitude， always surprising in one way or another。 I’ve learned quite a bit about this unique country from previous Tea Cooper books and that continued with The Cartographer’s Secret。 Ms。 Cooper could and does make a dry account of the land down under turn into a captivating tale。This story is essentially a family saga taking place in two time periods， 1880 and 1911， and involves two my To many people around the world， including me， Australia is an exotic land of fascinating history and a cheeky attitude， always surprising in one way or another。 I’ve learned quite a bit about this unique country from previous Tea Cooper books and that continued with The Cartographer’s Secret。 Ms。 Cooper could and does make a dry account of the land down under turn into a captivating tale。This story is essentially a family saga taking place in two time periods， 1880 and 1911， and involves two mysteries， Evie’s search for a missing explorer， leading to her own disappearance， and her niece Letitia’s subsequent determination to find out what happened。 Evie’s father had had almost an obsession with the explorer and she had a love of maps so she thought her mapping talents and her father’s research could point the way to learning Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt’s fate。 Instead， Evie became a mystery herself but Letitia unearths secrets and learns a lot about herself along the way。Historical mysteries are a breed unto themselves， so to speak， and this one has a basis in fact， always an intriguing element。 Here we also have a little romance， a lot of adventure， and a look at two women who were ahead of their times。 Ms。 Cooper’s in-depth research is very evident and， once again， she has captured my imagination。 。。。more
Valerie in Nebraska
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The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper is unique in several ways:- set in Hunter Valley， New South Wales， Australia- dual timelines in 1880 and 1911- features three generations of strong women from one family- plot includes historical figure Ludwig Leichhardt， a German explorer and naturalist- just the third title to be published by Harper MuseIt took me a bit to settle into my first Tea Cooper novel， but once I locked into the setting and family tree， I was transported to 19th century Australi The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper is unique in several ways:- set in Hunter Valley， New South Wales， Australia- dual timelines in 1880 and 1911- features three generations of strong women from one family- plot includes historical figure Ludwig Leichhardt， a German explorer and naturalist- just the third title to be published by Harper MuseIt took me a bit to settle into my first Tea Cooper novel， but once I locked into the setting and family tree， I was transported to 19th century Australia。 The plot includes family secrets， clues found on maps， and men riding horses - what's not to love？I appreciated the three primary characters - Olivia， her niece Evie， and her great-niece Lettie， especially I'm since an aunt to nine with no sons or daughters。 Learning Australian history through Lettie's attempts to solve Evie's mysterious disappearance was so interesting。 And even though I'm a cat person， I enjoyed Oxley， the 'insightful' and adventurous dog。Thank you to Harper Muse and Net Galley for the review copy。 I hope to soon take another "trip" to Australia in the pages of Tea Cooper's previous books。 。。。more
WeLoveBigBooksAndWeCannotLie
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So The Cartographer’s Secret was such a perfect book for me！ It started out with a map – yay！And then turned into a wonderful mystery！ In 1880 Evie Ludgrove sets out to solve a mystery that has plagued her father for years！ Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt is an explorer who disappeared along with his team and was never found， Evie’s father became quite obsessed with figuring out what happened to Dr。 Leichhardt。 But then SHE goes missing！30 years later Lettie Rawlings， Evie’s niece becomes determined to he So The Cartographer’s Secret was such a perfect book for me！ It started out with a map – yay！And then turned into a wonderful mystery！ In 1880 Evie Ludgrove sets out to solve a mystery that has plagued her father for years！ Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt is an explorer who disappeared along with his team and was never found， Evie’s father became quite obsessed with figuring out what happened to Dr。 Leichhardt。 But then SHE goes missing！30 years later Lettie Rawlings， Evie’s niece becomes determined to help solve this mystery without possibly disappearing too！ I binged the second half of this book！ I absolutely love this writing style， this is my second book by @tea_cooper and I can’t wait to read more！Thank you so so much @harpermuse and @tlcbooktours for this gifted Advance Reader Copy！The Cartographer’s Secret published on 11/16/21 and is available to purchase on our Amazon Storefront！🧜🏼♀️🌺 。。。more
Ricki Treleaven
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I was so happy when TLC Book Tours invited me to be a part of this tour because I enjoy reading Tea Cooper's books， and The Cartographer's Secret is a historical with both mystery and romance。 Plus it's set in Australia， which makes it unique。Cooper is dedicated to researching her books， and the information about Australian explorer Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt who disappeared without a trace on an expedition from Eastern Australia to Western Australia intrigued me。 The story involves an Australian fam I was so happy when TLC Book Tours invited me to be a part of this tour because I enjoy reading Tea Cooper's books， and The Cartographer's Secret is a historical with both mystery and romance。 Plus it's set in Australia， which makes it unique。Cooper is dedicated to researching her books， and the information about Australian explorer Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt who disappeared without a trace on an expedition from Eastern Australia to Western Australia intrigued me。 The story involves an Australian family of landowners/horse breeders living in the Hunter River Valley。 Evie， a talented artist and cartographer， is determined to solve the mystery of Leichhardt's disappearance for her father （who is also obsessed）， fame， and a monetary reward。 In early 1881 when Evie is just on the cusp of solving the mystery， she disappears。 In 1911， Evie's niece Lettie travels to Yellow Rock to discuss her brother Thorne's tragic death with her great aunt and family matriarch。 She has been sent by her mother Miriam to secure both Ludgrove and Maynard family properties as her inheritance because Lettie is Thorne's heir。 Lettie gets distracted from her original mission because she becomes obsessed with Evie's disappearance， and is encouraged by her Great Aunt Olivia to solve the mystery of what happened to Evie and write her story。 The more Lettie remains at the family home Yellow Rock the more she realizes that there is no life for her left in Sydney。 Her mother is not happy when she realizes that Lettie hasn't secured her inheritance， and angrily demands she return to Sydney。 In the interim， Lettie has adventures finding clues about Evie and she becomes smitten with a drover named Nathaniel。 So。。。。what's not to like？ Family mysteries， family conflicts， romance， adventure， strong female characters， and a beautiful Australian setting: this novel has so much to love。 Plus Tea Cooper's research and detailed， intricate plot is a pleasure to read。 She reminds me a little of Diana Gabaldon: her historical details and descriptive prose is lovely。 However， it is not a quick read， Lovelies， so give yourself extra time when reading it。 There are several characters， dual plots for the first half of the book， and historical details about one of Australia's most interesting unsolved mysteries。 At 400 pages long， the ending is well worth the length and very satisfying。 。。。more
mary
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really interesting as I have no understanding of Australia'a past but it was confusing for awhile until I figured out who was who。The end to me seemed be very fast when we got there since there was so much exposition really interesting as I have no understanding of Australia'a past but it was confusing for awhile until I figured out who was who。The end to me seemed be very fast when we got there since there was so much exposition 。。。more
Marlene
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Originally published at Reading RealityI picked this up because I loved not one but two of the author’s previous books， The Woman in the Green Dress and The Girl in the Painting。 At the time I finished The Girl in the Painting， The Cartographer’s Secret had already been published in the author’s native Australia， so the reviews were already out。 Once I read them I couldn’t wait for this book to appear， as we seem to get her books a year later。The Cartographer’s Secret was most definitely worth t Originally published at Reading RealityI picked this up because I loved not one but two of the author’s previous books， The Woman in the Green Dress and The Girl in the Painting。 At the time I finished The Girl in the Painting， The Cartographer’s Secret had already been published in the author’s native Australia， so the reviews were already out。 Once I read them I couldn’t wait for this book to appear， as we seem to get her books a year later。The Cartographer’s Secret was most definitely worth the wait！This is kind of a “lost and found” story， slipped in time between 1880 and 1911， set in Australia’s Hunter Valley。 But it really starts earlier， in 1848。 That’s really， really starts， with the very real disappearance of the German explorer and naturalist， Ludwig Leichhardt。 Leichhardt disappeared in 1848 while exploring the Swan River。 Or at least while intending to explore the Swan River。 He disappeared somewhere along the way， and was never seen again – or at least not that anyone was able to verify， in spite of an awful lot of people spending an awful lot of time AND money looking very， very hard。The search for Leichhardt is the real historical hook that kicks off this story。 Where the fiction comes in is in the involvement of William Ludgrove， a fictional explorer who ran across Leichhardt on one of his much earlier explorations of the Hunter Valley – and helped the explorer safely reach his destination – at least that time。Ludgrove， severely injured in a later expedition， maintained his fascination with his old colleague long after the man he referred to as the “Prince of Explorers” disappeared without a trace。 Ludgrove’s obsession over the fate of the explorer was such that he invested entirely too much of his own capital in funding later searches。 It’s an obsession he also passed on to his younger daughter Evie， much to his family’s despair。Evie herself disappeared at the age of 18， and the devastation wrought by this second disappearance sent Ludgrove into a tailspin from which he never recovered。 It also left the family broken in two， with his sister Olivia barely hanging on to the family horse stud in the Hunter Valley while his remaining daughter was living the high life in Sydney。When tragedy strikes again in 1911， William’s granddaughter Lettie runs away from home。 To home。 Her brother has just been killed in a tragic accident， Lettie can no longer cope with her socially ambitious steamroller of a mother。 So she flees。 To the Hunter Valley， to her Great-Aunt Olivia and the land that her family once called home。 And all the secrets that land and its surroundings conceal。At Olivia’s behest， Lettie takes up the search for the lost and the missing by following the trail of the missing Evie as she followed the trail of documentation for the lost Leichhardt。 Lettie has no idea just how much her Great-Aunt has put her own life on hold out of grief and guilt， all she knows is that the search gives her purpose and the lands at Yellow Rock have given her a place where she can belong。If only she can manage to stand up to her mother。Escape Rating A-: This is a “truth sets people free” story， even if the original mystery never does get solved – and hasn’t yet。 Maybe someday。 It only took five centuries to find the remains of Richard III， so there’s still PLENTY of time。But this story really isn’t about Leichhardt’s disappearance。 It’s about the shared family obsession over Leichhardt’s disappearance and the tragic consequences for that family。 Not that everything that happened to the Ludgrove/Maynard family is directly related to William’s unwillingness to just “let it go”。 By the time Lettie comes to Yellow Rock， a good bit of what’s still wrong is wrapped around Olivia’s inability to let go of William’s – and Evie’s – inability to let go。 It’s a vicious cycle that just keeps on turning。What I loved about this story was Lettie’s journey of discovery and exploration。 I always like a well done research story， and this definitely was that， even if it wasn’t research in a traditional way。 Lettie has a riddle to solve。 Actually she has many riddles to solve， including some that she’s not aware of or not willing to admit need solving。She thinks she’s sorting through her grandfather’s papers to find out what Evie was working on when she disappeared。 She’s trying to follow Evie’s trail in the hopes of either finding evidence of Leichhardt’s long-ago journey or more possibly， finding evidence of Evie’s slightly less long-ago journey。。What she’s unconsciously looking for is closure， even if she doesn’t know just how many losses her great-aunt needs closure for。 It may be about Evie but it isn’t all about Evie。One of the recurring threads of this story is the way that so many people protect themselves or believe they are protecting someone else by concealing truths that should be revealed。 So many of the reasons for Olivia’s losses in particular are wrapped in the secrets she hid from others – particularly Evie – because she didn’t want to deal with them herself。In sorting through her family’s past， Lettie is also forced to face the truths that she’s been hiding from herself about who she is， who she wants to be， and how much she needs to find her own path。 Lettie is afraid that if she lets herself know her own truths， she’ll lose even more of her family。 So she’s been hiding from herself。 Following Evie’s journey lets her finally be who she is meant to be instead of who and what her mother has tried to force her to be。For this reader， it was the journey that I loved。 The destination was cathartic， but what kept me glued to this book was the way that Lettie kept searching – even when the discoveries were painful。And speaking of painful， the author’s next book， The Fossil Hunter， also set in the Hunter Valley， is wrapped around an Australian nurse in the aftermath of World War I who goes searching for a surcease of pain from her wartime experiences and losses and discovers a link to the past that she never expected。 And I can’t wait to see what she finds。 。。。more
Melissa
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In this time slip novel from Tea Cooper， Lettie travels to visit her Great-Aunt Olivia after her brother， and heir to Olivia's home， is killed in a boating accident。 This trip leads Lettie to discover an entire slew of secrets that her mother has been keeping from her。 The beginning of this story was difficult for me。 I could not connect with the characters and felt something was missing。 About halfway through I felt the storyline really picked up。 There was more action and more romance， and I w In this time slip novel from Tea Cooper， Lettie travels to visit her Great-Aunt Olivia after her brother， and heir to Olivia's home， is killed in a boating accident。 This trip leads Lettie to discover an entire slew of secrets that her mother has been keeping from her。 The beginning of this story was difficult for me。 I could not connect with the characters and felt something was missing。 About halfway through I felt the storyline really picked up。 There was more action and more romance， and I was able to get into it more。 So， if you're patient， I'd give this one a try。 Also something to note， there are a few scattered curses throughtout the story。 Mostly of the word hell。I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley。 All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Claudia
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The Cartographer's Secret is a piece of clean， historical fiction， set in 1880 and 1911 Australia。 In the latter setting， Letitia Rawlings learns of her aunt's disappearance thirty years prior。 She sets about solving what we could call today a cold case。 In doing so she discovers many things that she never knew about her family， as well as things about herself。 Tea Cooper has written over a dozen books， but she is a new-to-me author。 I really enjoyed the original plot of The Cartographer's Secre The Cartographer's Secret is a piece of clean， historical fiction， set in 1880 and 1911 Australia。 In the latter setting， Letitia Rawlings learns of her aunt's disappearance thirty years prior。 She sets about solving what we could call today a cold case。 In doing so she discovers many things that she never knew about her family， as well as things about herself。 Tea Cooper has written over a dozen books， but she is a new-to-me author。 I really enjoyed the original plot of The Cartographer's Secret and the diversity of characters in this story。 I will definitely be looking for more of Ms Cooper's books。 I highly recommend this book， and am grateful to have received a complementary copy from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation。 All opinions expressed here are my own。 。。。more
Kathy
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4。5 stars。The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper is an engrossing， multi-layered historical novel which takes place in Australia。In 1880， Evie Ludgrove is a gifted artist who prefers spending time with her father and exploring the surrounding area。 Her older sister Miriam yearns for city life and she is soon off to Sydney to marry。 Evie and her Aunt Olivia stay at home and Olivia runs the family business。 Meanwhile， Evie is attempting to solve a mystery that has long been unanswered。 German exp 4。5 stars。The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper is an engrossing， multi-layered historical novel which takes place in Australia。In 1880， Evie Ludgrove is a gifted artist who prefers spending time with her father and exploring the surrounding area。 Her older sister Miriam yearns for city life and she is soon off to Sydney to marry。 Evie and her Aunt Olivia stay at home and Olivia runs the family business。 Meanwhile， Evie is attempting to solve a mystery that has long been unanswered。 German explorer Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt’s mysterious disappearance has remained unsolved for decades。 Believing the clues to his fate might be in her father’s diary， Evie formulates a secret plan she hopes will finally explain what happened to Leichhardt on his last expedition。 Evie believes she knows where she might find the evidence she needs and she sets out on a journey from which she never returns。In 1911， twenty-five-year-old Letitia “Lettie” Rawlings is mourning the death of beloved brother Thorne。 She is an independent woman who envisions a different future for herself than her mother， Miriam。 She is shocked when her mother decides to confront her estranged aunt， Olivia， over a family inheritance。 Needing distance from her grief， Lettie convinces her mother to allow her to go instead。 She is a little leery of the reception awaiting her yet she eagerly sets on her trip in Thorne’s Model T。After an awkward first meeting， Olivia soon warms up to Lettie and she reveals intriguing information about their family。 Lettie is still uncertain of the details she has learned but she agrees to Olivia’s request that she try to find out what happened to Evie who has now been missing for thirty years。 A lot has changed over the intervening years， but Lettie is soon immersed in the same papers that her aunt was looking over before her disappearance。 Is it possible Lettie can unravel the mystery of what happened to Evie after all these years？ And will she find out what happened to Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt ill-fated expedition？The Cartographer’s Secret is a captivating historical novel that seamlessly weaves fact and fiction into an interesting family drama。 The characters are richly developed with all too human foibles。 The storyline is fascinating and the setting springs vibrantly to life。 The mystery surrounding Evie’s disappearance is compelling and Tea Cooper brings this fast-placed novel to a gratifying conclusion。 。。。more
Carolyn Huckfield
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The story opens in Sydney Australia with Miriam ordering her daughter Lettie to visit her great aunt Olivia to discuss the land inheritance her dead brother would have received from Great aunt。 The year is 1911。We switch back to1880 in Australia and the story of Evie her sister Miriam and Aunt Olivia。Evie’s father is obsessed with a missing a missing map maker called Leichardt and to please her father she also becomes involved in creating her own map based on her father’s research。 It soon becom The story opens in Sydney Australia with Miriam ordering her daughter Lettie to visit her great aunt Olivia to discuss the land inheritance her dead brother would have received from Great aunt。 The year is 1911。We switch back to1880 in Australia and the story of Evie her sister Miriam and Aunt Olivia。Evie’s father is obsessed with a missing a missing map maker called Leichardt and to please her father she also becomes involved in creating her own map based on her father’s research。 It soon becomes an obsession with Evie too。 She decides to go out exploring herself with only drover Bailey for company。When Lettie arrives in 1911 she looks very like Evie who disappeared aged 18 which is a shock to great aunt Olivia and Lettie also falls under the spell of New South Wales and the story of Evie。 With drover Nathanial by her side she eventually solves the mystery of Evie and also Bailey and this is an amazing read。 The landscape is wonderfully described and true live characters are meshed in with the fictional Maynard and Ludgrove families。It should make us want to find out more about the early life of Australia as a developing nation。 This is one of the most gripping and beautifully stories that I have read recently。 I hurried through it to find out the answers but then had to read it again to revel in the scenery and the individual characters lives。 。。。more
Bookoholiccafe
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The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper is a well-written and gripping historical fiction。The story starts in The Hunter Valley， Australia in 1880， where Evie Ludgrove enjoys sketching and mapping her home’s landscape， and moves on to 1911 when Leticia learns a lot about her family while visiting her aunt Olivia。 She is curious and eager to find the truth and soon finds out that it is not an easy job。This was a wonderful journey into time and with a slight touch of mystery。 The mystery is surrou The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper is a well-written and gripping historical fiction。The story starts in The Hunter Valley， Australia in 1880， where Evie Ludgrove enjoys sketching and mapping her home’s landscape， and moves on to 1911 when Leticia learns a lot about her family while visiting her aunt Olivia。 She is curious and eager to find the truth and soon finds out that it is not an easy job。This was a wonderful journey into time and with a slight touch of mystery。 The mystery is surrounding Evie who went missing and Leticia who is eager to find out what happened。 I liked the premise of this story。The author did a great job describing the landscapes。 Both timelines focus on Evie and Leticia our leading female characters。 。。。more
Cindy
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Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muze for the ARC！ What an amazing story！ A perfect blend of historical fiction and mystery！ Enjoyed Evie's and Letitia's story and the mystery that surrounds Evie's disappearance。。 Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muze for the ARC！ What an amazing story！ A perfect blend of historical fiction and mystery！ Enjoyed Evie's and Letitia's story and the mystery that surrounds Evie's disappearance。。 。。。more
Lisa
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The dual time story of Evie Lundgrove （1880） and Letitia Rawlings （1911） was interesting and well written。 As each story unfolded I learned more about how the two stories seamlessly intertwined。 With mysterious disappearances， age-old family secrets， tragedies， and misunderstandings， this book was a page turner。 Vivid descriptive scenes of the Australia landscape and ranch life as well as trying to unravel the mystery made me feel as if I were truly a part of the story。 Letitia was an adventurou The dual time story of Evie Lundgrove （1880） and Letitia Rawlings （1911） was interesting and well written。 As each story unfolded I learned more about how the two stories seamlessly intertwined。 With mysterious disappearances， age-old family secrets， tragedies， and misunderstandings， this book was a page turner。 Vivid descriptive scenes of the Australia landscape and ranch life as well as trying to unravel the mystery made me feel as if I were truly a part of the story。 Letitia was an adventurous， determined young lady who is intrigued in finding out what happened to her Aunt Evie。 Did she die？ Did she have a seizure and couldn’t remember how to get home？ Was she ashamed and wouldn’t come home？ Evie’s disappearance and subsequent answers to her whereabouts is the key to bringing restoration and healing to Lettie’s family。 The mix of historical facts of explorers and cartographers with the fictional story of what could have happened kept me engaged throughout。 I also liked the fact that Lettie wasn’t going to be bullied into returning to Sydney。 If you enjoy historical fiction with a bit of romance， you will enjoy the book。 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are my own。*Note- some mild language 。。。more
Deanne Patterson
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With the author living in Australia you get a true authenticity to her stories as opposed to others who write about an area they have researched but have never stepped foot in。The descriptions and setting of the story were well received， I truly feel as though I have visited this majestic area through this book。The dual time line has us spending time in The Hunter Valley， 1880 with Evie Ludgrove and thirty years later when Letitia Rawlings arrives at the family estate in her Ford Model T to info With the author living in Australia you get a true authenticity to her stories as opposed to others who write about an area they have researched but have never stepped foot in。The descriptions and setting of the story were well received， I truly feel as though I have visited this majestic area through this book。The dual time line has us spending time in The Hunter Valley， 1880 with Evie Ludgrove and thirty years later when Letitia Rawlings arrives at the family estate in her Ford Model T to inform her great-aunt Olivia of a loss in their family。 We find out Evie， who grew up seeing her father's obsession with Australian explorer Dr。 Ludwig Leichhardt had set out thirty years ago to prove how Leichhardt met his end and in doing so would claim a substantial reward。 Evie is an excellent artist and charts everything in her maps。 She is determined to prove her theory correct and will take her father's papers with her as well。This book is completely spellbinding as I could not stop reading it。I had to see if Letitia who finds a beautifully illustrated map would have any luck with this family's unsolved mystery of thirty years。 The closer you get to the truth the more dangerous it may become and not all is as it seems。I absolutely could not put this spellbinding book down！Pub Date 16 Nov 2021 I was given a complimentary copy of this book。 Thank you。All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
eyes。2c
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Family secrets amidst the Australian landscapeOnce more a richly interwoven story that spreads across the Australian landscape of the lushly appointed Hunter Valley region。Two women become immersed in their individual trajectories as family secrets are uncovered， and a deep historical mystery is given prominence—the disappearance of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt of the face of the continent。 One of the greatest puzzles of Australian European history。Spanning the years of 1880， the story centres aro Family secrets amidst the Australian landscapeOnce more a richly interwoven story that spreads across the Australian landscape of the lushly appointed Hunter Valley region。Two women become immersed in their individual trajectories as family secrets are uncovered， and a deep historical mystery is given prominence—the disappearance of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt of the face of the continent。 One of the greatest puzzles of Australian European history。Spanning the years of 1880， the story centres around Evie Maynard and her mapping skills and is picked up in 1911 with Letitia Rawlings。 Lettie’s family has been estranged from Great-Aunt Olivia Maynard。 The whys are unknown。 A family tragedy leaves the Maynards， particularly Lettie reeling。 She volunteers to inform their great aunt of events。 Anything to get away。 The devastated Lettie travels to her great aunt’s home at Wollombi。 It’s here the family mystery deepens。 It’s here her Aunt Evie is revealed。 As secrets unravel we’re treated to classic Tea Cooper—fascinating story telling and superb prose。 Cooper’s writing compels—I can smell the bush， I hear “ cry of the koels， the squawk of the black cockatoos as they fought over the nuts high in the casuarina tree。” I’m swept back on Country， and in Time。 A willing captive。Enthralling！A Harper Muse ARC via NetGalley Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change（Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。） 。。。more
Sue
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Tea Cooper takes her readers back to Australia in this well written historical fiction book。 I have read many of her earlier books and she always describes Australia so beautifully that it makes you want to plan a trip there。This book takes place in two time periods - 1880 and 1911 and is about the same family at these two times。1880 - Evie loves to make maps of the areas around her home。 When an Australian paper offers a thousand-pound reward for proof of where a famous Australian explorer disa Tea Cooper takes her readers back to Australia in this well written historical fiction book。 I have read many of her earlier books and she always describes Australia so beautifully that it makes you want to plan a trip there。This book takes place in two time periods - 1880 and 1911 and is about the same family at these two times。1880 - Evie loves to make maps of the areas around her home。 When an Australian paper offers a thousand-pound reward for proof of where a famous Australian explorer disappeared， Evie decides that with the help of her father's research papers， she can discover what happened to him。 While on her quest， Evie disappears and this mystery continues to puzzle her family for years。1911 - Letitia goes to see her great aunt to tell him about the loss of her brother。 The family land has all been left to her brother at the death of the great aunt。 Letitia finds a beautiful map in the home that may give a clue to the disappearance of her Aunt Evie。 As she sets out to find the truth， she realizes that there are secrets in the past that maybe should be left secret。This is a book with strong female characters who are stronger than most women in their time periods。 Be sure to read the author's Historical Notes at the end of the book to see which characters were based on real people。Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Kathleen Gray
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An unusual dual time line historical novel in that it's set in 1880 and 1911- only 30 years- and in Hunter Valley in the Australian bush。 Lettie's brother， the heir to the family estate， has just been killed and so she heads out to inform her aunt Olivia。 While there， she discovers papers and maps and all sorts of things related to Evie， who disappeared without a trace in 1880 when she was hunting for the missing explorer Ludwig Leichardt。 What happened to Evie？ This spools out slowly （a bit too An unusual dual time line historical novel in that it's set in 1880 and 1911- only 30 years- and in Hunter Valley in the Australian bush。 Lettie's brother， the heir to the family estate， has just been killed and so she heads out to inform her aunt Olivia。 While there， she discovers papers and maps and all sorts of things related to Evie， who disappeared without a trace in 1880 when she was hunting for the missing explorer Ludwig Leichardt。 What happened to Evie？ This spools out slowly （a bit too slowly in spots） as Lettie starts her own search for Evie。 It blends fact and fiction， although I was unfamiliar with most of the facts and thus greatly appreciated the afterword。 The characters are good， the setting atmospheric， and no spoilers from me as to what happens。 Thanks to netgalley for the ARC。 A good read。 。。。more
Kristin （Always With a Book）
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Thank you HarperMuseBooks / TLC Book Tours for the gifted copy。This is the first book I’ve read by Tea Cooper but it certainly will not be the last。 I love finding new authors， especially when they have a backlist that I can then add to my ever-growing tbr！I have not read too many books set in Australia， so as soon as I heard about this one， I knew I had to read it。 I love reading stories that are inspired by real events， especially ones that I don’t know anything about。 The author does such a g Thank you HarperMuseBooks / TLC Book Tours for the gifted copy。This is the first book I’ve read by Tea Cooper but it certainly will not be the last。 I love finding new authors， especially when they have a backlist that I can then add to my ever-growing tbr！I have not read too many books set in Australia， so as soon as I heard about this one， I knew I had to read it。 I love reading stories that are inspired by real events， especially ones that I don’t know anything about。 The author does such a great job blending fact and fiction and I found myself completely engaged in this story the entire time。 The use of the dual time drew me in and I was equally drawn to both timelines。I loved that not only do the maps drive this story， but that a map is included in the front of the book。 This was much needed and something that I frequently referred to as I was reading。 I also loved the two main female characters from each of the two timelines – Evie and Letitia。 Both were so strong and determined in their own way。I also loved the mystery that Letitia finds herself involved in， trying to find out what happened to Evie all those years ago。 As she delves into this， family secrets are revealed and she finds out more about herself in the process。I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to pick up another of Tea Cooper’s books。 The question is， which one do I read next？You can see all my reviews at: https://www。alwayswithabook。com/ 。。。more
Patty
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As with her other novels The Cartographer’s Secret takes place in Australia。 I must admit my knowledge of Australian history is not extensive but that did not stop me from enjoying this novel。 Evie is a young woman who worships her father and joins him in his fascination with a missing explorer。 Her sister Miriam is a more traditional girl and when her father leaves their country home to head to Sidney with Miriam in tow to arrange her marriage Evie is left with his direction to sort his papers。 As with her other novels The Cartographer’s Secret takes place in Australia。 I must admit my knowledge of Australian history is not extensive but that did not stop me from enjoying this novel。 Evie is a young woman who worships her father and joins him in his fascination with a missing explorer。 Her sister Miriam is a more traditional girl and when her father leaves their country home to head to Sidney with Miriam in tow to arrange her marriage Evie is left with his direction to sort his papers。 She couldn’t be more thrilled。But like the explorer they both studied， Evie too goes missing。 The family is never quite the same after this。 The book takes place in two time periods – the book’s present and the period in which Evie goes missing。 The moving back and forth is not confusing and happens only as it needs to so that the story can meet its ending。As with any tale of this kind there are romances and secrets and a bad guy or two along the way。 The clash of time periods is also interesting as there is a motor car versus horse theme within the story。 All in all a delightful book that I actually read in a day。 I was reluctant to put it down to cook dinner but cats and the husband do need to be fed now and then。4。5 。。。more
Lauren
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I was so excited at the opportunity to read this historical fiction set in Australia。 The book incorporates dual timelines from 1880 and 1911， and there are journal entries from the 1840's。 Together， the stories tell a multi-generational tale of a family torn apart by a mystery。In 1880， Evie is left behind with her aunt Olivia when her sister goes to Sydney to be married。 An amateur cartographer， she goes missing。 In 1911， her niece Lettie tries to piece together why her family is estranged by g I was so excited at the opportunity to read this historical fiction set in Australia。 The book incorporates dual timelines from 1880 and 1911， and there are journal entries from the 1840's。 Together， the stories tell a multi-generational tale of a family torn apart by a mystery。In 1880， Evie is left behind with her aunt Olivia when her sister goes to Sydney to be married。 An amateur cartographer， she goes missing。 In 1911， her niece Lettie tries to piece together why her family is estranged by going to visit her great aunt Olivia。 And she comes across Evie's map。I loved seeing the map at the beginning of the book and being able to go back and look at it。 My favorite part says "Here there be whales。" Like me， Evie was fascinated by old maps that highlighted where dragons were， but she wanted her own map to be accurate。The story was beautifully told and brought together adventure， intrigue， and romance。 I was unsurprised to learn The Cartographer's Secret is a Daphne du Maurier award winner。Thank you to Harper Muse and TLC Book Tours for this book。 These opinions are my own。TW: miscarriage， death of a loved one 。。。more
ABCme
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Very slow but beautifully written。 Family history set in stunning surroundings。 Unfortunately the story didn't grab me and I gave up halfway。 Very slow but beautifully written。 Family history set in stunning surroundings。 Unfortunately the story didn't grab me and I gave up halfway。 。。。more
Nora St Laurent
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