Tea Cooper: The Naturalist's Daughter

By Kelly Bridgewater

Two fearless women—living a century apart—find themselves entangled in the mystery surrounding the biggest scientific controversy of the nineteenth century: the classification of the platypus.

1808 Agnes Banks, NSW

Rose Winton wants nothing more than to work with her father, eminent naturalist Charles Winton, on his groundbreaking study of the platypus. Not only does she love him with all her heart but the discoveries they have made could turn the scientific world on its head. When Charles is unable to make the long sea journey to present his findings to the prestigious Royal Society in England, Rose must venture forth in his stead. What she discovers will forever alter the course of scientific history.

1908 Sydney, NSW

Tamsin Alleyn has been given a mission: travel to the Hunter Valley and retrieve an old sketchbook of debatable value, gifted to the Public Library by a recluse. But when she gets there, she finds there is more to the book than meets the eye, and more than one interested party. Shaw Everdene, a young antiquarian bookseller and lawyer, seems to have his own agenda when it comes to the book. Determined to uncover the book's true origin, Tamsin agrees to join forces with him.

The deeper they delve, the more intricate the mystery of the book's authorship becomes. As the lives of two women a century apart converge, discoveries emerge from the past with far-reaching consequences in this riveting tale of courage and discovery.

  

My Thoughts:

If readers are not familiar with Tea Cooper, I believe it is time to start reading her novels. She writes Australian fiction that brings the world of Australia and science together. I have adored Elizabeth Camden who brings American history to life. Cooper does the same thing with science discoveries in Australia. I am not a fan of science. It was the class that I hated in school. I enjoyed the Math part of Chemistry but that was all. However, with The Naturalist’s Daughter, Cooper uses two different time periods, both in the past, 1808 and 1908, to show the importance of family and the discovery of platypus. I loved how Cooper kept piling on the mystery. Every time I think the 1908 heroine may be closer to solving the mystery, Cooper throws in a different twist that makes me want to keep reading. The amount of historical research involved is mind-blowing. To make the observations realistic, Cooper had to have spent tons of time diving into the world of what makes a platypus. From its skeleton, to its breeding process, and the venom they have to defend themselves. The characters are three-dimensional and lifelike. I enjoyed this story and hope Harper Muse keeps publishing her backstories so readers can read them. Highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of The Naturalist’s Daughter  by Tea Cooper  from Harper Muse Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars

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