Book picks similar to
Mary Anning's Treasures (Puffin Books) by Helen Bush


fiction
middle-grade
westholme
acquired-pre-goodreads

The Wretched Needle Worker


Iris Cole - 2021
    Her father was a monster.How could Vera have been so blind to what was right before her eyes?After the death of her kind and loving Papa, Vera’s home is claimed by ne’er do well Uncle Merritt, who drives the household with cruelty and deprivation. Working for her keep, the once privileged Vera is driven to skin and bone and dreads the harsh beatings that Merritt regularly delivers.Ralph, Papa’s loyal and brave stableboy, cannot bear to see Vera shrinking daily under the hand of Merritt. In an attempt protect her, he challenges Merritt and now, tossed to streets, must survive however he can.With the loss of Ralph, Vera’s soul aches, made worse as she watches her father’s elderly servants treated with cruel indignity. In a desperate bid to protect them from Uncle Merritt, his rage is fuelled, and Vera is delivered an ultimatum, causing her to flee from her home. With nowhere to go, Vera too, finds herself on the streets.As starvation threatens, it is only Ralph and her new friend, Maggie, that keep her alive. But when Maggie unexpectedly reveals the truth about Vera's Papa, Vera is plunged to new despair. Will the truth destroy her? Can she keep secrets for the rest of her life? Will she ever be able to make things right? And will she agree to Ralphs’s plan, even though it means she may lose him forever?For fans of Dilly Court and Historical Romance

Loving & Losing


Marion Reynolds - 2020
    But this is 1930s Ireland where they must fight against repressive laws and social attitudes.Harry has married his childhood sweetheart but finds his wife’s life and his marriage jeopardised by the strict laws of Church and State.As he struggles to become a writer, Joseph rejects the love of the girl next door. He goes to fight in the Spanish Civil War where he finds a different kind of love.Kathleen, an actress, has romantic ideas about going to Hollywood but a love affair threatens to ruin her life and shatter the happiness of her family.Mary becomes a teacher and forms some strong emotional bonds, but gossip and injustice may rob her of everything she holds dear.Can they overcome prejudice or must they bow to convention?

Goliath: A Thriller


Oceanview Publishing - 2016
    On this maiden voyage, Captain Borodin is at the helm. He is the only one aboard aware of the mission.Soon an engineer discovers a defect—seemingly minor, but one with disastrous potential. Despite his attempts to correct the problem, a fire erupts, contained at first, then rapidly spreads out of control, consuming the behemoth ship.A Mayday call alerts Sonny Wade some two hundred miles from the burning ship. This could be the lifeline that Sonny and his rag-tag crew need to save their failing salvage business. But Dan Sharp, Sonny’s nemesis and former employer—the owner of the largest salvage business in northern Alaska—also hears the call. A brutal race is on to claim the burning ship before it sinks or runs aground, contaminating the entire north Pacific Rim—and not only with oil.

The Durham Trilogy


Janet MacLeod Trotter - 2013
    Stirring, passionate and uplifting.The Hungry Hills: The Great War is over but life in Whitton Grange mining village is hard and dangerous. Louie Kirkup fears becoming a spinster drudge until she sets eyes on 'Red' Sam Ritson: hard, muscled and a natural leader. But the General Strike looms and Louie fears for the fate of her village and unborn child, as the strain takes its tragic toll.The Darkening Skies: When pretty Sara Pallister's father dies she is taken in by a bullying uncle in Whitton Grange pit-town. Here she is irresistibly drawn to motorbike-riding Joe Dimarco, wild son of the extrovert Italians who run the ice-cream parlour. But as war comes and hostility to the Italians erupts into violence, Sara and Jo's passionate love seems doomed.Never Stand Alone: An emotionally charged family drama set against the momentous backdrop of the 1984 Miners' Strike that divided a nation. Rebellious Carol defies her family to marry miner Mick Todd, but the strike brings tragedy, shocking secrets and tests their love to the limits.

Cantina Valley (Ben Adler Mystery #1)


Trevor Scott - 2016
    When Portland lawyer, Maggi McGuffin, suddenly shows up at Ben’s off-the-grid hobby farm, he is skeptical of her intentions. But she agrees to get the IRS and EPA off his back for a little investigative work. In the Air Force, Ben worked as a special agent with the Office of Special Investigations, their version of the FBI and CIA. He spent years interrogating terrorists and debriefing airmen. Strange things are happening in normally sedate Cantina Valley. In his quest for answers, Ben must sift through a cast of quirky characters and unknown entities with hidden agendas. Does his investigation have anything to do with a recent murder? Ben must unravel a case as complex as a fine Oregon pinot noir to discover the truth.

The Christmas Gift (Return To Wyoming Book 1)


Vivian Sinclair - 2017
    His ranch is his life and the approaching Christmas doesn’t mean much to him. He’s not exactly a Grinch, but who has time for decorating and celebrating when there is work to be done? Discovering a young woman lost on the country road that leads to his ranch, he has to take her home as a blizzard is coming. Violet Kendall was looking for the sister she has never known she had, and her tiny car was ill equipped to face a real Wyoming snowstorm. Is Connor going to appreciate the real Christmas gift he got this year? And are the secrets Violet is hiding going to place in danger these people that she has come to love? Will the stern Wyoming rancher and the delicate girl from Atlanta find a way to happiness in this season when miracles are possible?

It’s Pamela Rigby Actually


C.J. Morrow - 2020
    

Besieged (The First Crusade Book 2)


Richard Foreman - 2020
    But they may have found one in the shape of the Holy Lance.Bohemond of Taranto realises that the pilgrims must fight or die.But to fight they must know their enemy. Bohemond instructs Edward Kemp, an English knight, to gather intelligence on Kerbogha and the Muslim army. But in attempting to save the crusaders, Edward may damn himself.Triumph and tragedy await on the plains of Antioch, where the course of the crusade - and history - will be altered forever.Recommended for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Ben Kane & Conn Iggulden.Richard Foreman's new bestselling series on the First Crusade provides an entertaining insight into history - and the significant players in the armed pilgrimage, including Bohemond of Taranto and Bishop Adhemar of Le Puy. Foreman shines a light on the epochal moment, with humour and humanity, which still shapes the story of Europe and the Middle East today.

Retribution


James Barrington - 2016
    But this is no ordinary assassination. Who is the third killer? Why was there no threat warning? And why did the killers kidnap one of the bodyguards, a former SAS soldier? Paul Richter is sent on the case. Before long he is in a deadly game of cat and mouse, wounded and chased through the English countryside. Richter will have to rely on all his combat skills and luck to avoid retribution…A standalone novella in the Paul Richter series, Retribution shows James Barrington at his best: fast, action-packed and giving absolutely no quarter. Watch out for more Agent Paul Richter thrillers 1. Manhunt2. Overkill3. Pandemic4. Foxbat5. Timebomb6. PaybackComing in 2017: the next full length Paul Richter thriller.

The P**e in the Jam Tart


K.L. Smith - 2017
    Trying her hardest to ignore her husband’s affair with his secretary, and doing her best to do her son’s homework to the best of her (and Google’s) ability, combined with a job she hates and a deep routed fear that she may be a racist and just not know it, her life is a trial to navigate - particularly when her head is buried permanently in the sand to avoid having to confront anything. One morning during breakfast, Claire’s head comes hurtling out of the sand at warp speed after – what she refers to as ‘the jam tart incident’. It is the straw that broke the camel’s back. After the first outburst of her life, gone is the mild-mannered lady who would turn the other cheek and pretend everything was fine, and in her place, is a grumpy middle-aged woman -clad in Shaun-the-sheep slippers - unable to control her temper. A down to earth comedy - poking fun at our politically correct times, religion and our love of stereotypes. Possibly a book to avoid if you are of a religious disposition.

Storm Warrior Vol 21: The Ponderosa


W.L. Cox - 2015
    He decides to clean up old business and stops at the restaurant known as, The Ponderosa, to see if his talk with the owner has had any effect on its service. Charles leaves the restaurant in anger and is determined to bring his problem to an end.Charles and the family travel to Denver and Charles encounters problems. Charles sets about solving the issues with his construction crews.Charles is recruited by Hunt to help remove bandits that took over his ranch and ordered his tenants to leave at gunpoint.Horse owners seeking breeding privileges from his prize stallion begin to irritate Charles when they show up with their attorneys and demand that he sign irrational contracts. Charles starts to question if he should continue offering stud services after ordering several horse breeders to leave and never return.George decides to stay in Denver to get the food store running. Charles needs to find a dependable man to travel with him and is shocked by an offer from an old friend.Charles is forced to go to Baltimore to resolve an issue with a rich and powerful man that is determined to put an end to the railroad construction.While traveling to a construction site to address an issue, the train is attacked by bandits, and they plan to steal Charles’s horse, Wind Fire. Charles becomes angered. Being attacked on the ocean only six weeks ago was bad enough. But to be robbed, and possibly shot while riding a train on American soil by a gang of thieves was more than he could handle. He refuses to submit to the thieves and explodes in anger. A shootout with armed bandits follows and ends with a dramatic scene when his gun is out of bullets.

The Widow Makers:Strife


Jean Mead - 2012
    The eldest Standish boy, Tommy, was something of a changeling: he desired a different life and ruthlessly went in pursuit of his dream of the grandeur and riches of the landowners' class.His ambitions realised, Tommy, is intent on higher profits even though it risks the lives of the quarrymen. Joe, his father, fights for a union to secure fairer conditions for the men. The quarrymen are close to becoming victims as the war between father and son escalates.

Black Diamond


Havana Adams - 2014
    The PRETTY one. And the OTHER one… Abandoned at birth, identical twin baby girls lie side by side in an orphanage cot. Until the arrival of Hollywood film star Scarlet Wilde, desperate to adopt a baby. Chubby beautiful Lola is the chosen one. Sickly, weak Grace is left all alone One pastor’s daughter Rescued from the orphanage by a violent pastor, the sense of abandonment haunts Grace still. She knows there’s not one person in the world she can ever rely on. One Hollywood wild-child From her tangled and publically played out love life, to her first arrest, Lola Wilde has lived in the spotlight as long as she can remember. And the paparazzi know, and care, more about her than her washed-up starlet of a mother… Two strangers, both unwanted and unloved. Two worlds is about to collide. Two sisters about to discover dark secrets and unlock their destiny

The Jack Landers Western Mystery Series


G. Wayne Tillman - 2020
    The thirty-five-year-old lawman has several gunfights under his belt and the scars to show for it. He has dealt with tough cases and tougher crooks with no problems. When multiple murders occur, he finds himself heading a serial sex murderer task force that is statewide. Jack is divided between enforcing the law and vengeance, and things spin beyond his control—almost. Jack has to decide between right and wrong in order to determine what to do about it…

Champion of Rome: A Tale of the Ancient Republic


Ken Farmer - 2018
    A young Patrician, having fled from the wrath of a king, returns to find his city in the turmoil of war and now ruled with a regime of some strangeness.