Book picks similar to
The Secrets of Elloughton Park by Stephen Taylor
historical-fiction
netgalley
mystery-crime-thriller
gave-up-on
The Cotton Spinner (The Mill Town Lasses Book 1)
Libby Ashworth - 2020
. .Then Titus is arrested and sent to prison for attending a Reform meeting. Jennet is left to fend for herself and things go from bad to worse as she finds herself pregnant and alone – with another man’s child . . .
Love Lost in Time
Cathie Dunn - 2019
How did the woman end up buried, all alone, in that particular spot in the Cabardès hills?And why was her back broken?AD 777Septimania, on the coast of the Mediterranean SeaSeventeen-year-old Nanthild must marry Count Bellon of Carcassonne, a Visigoth, as part of his peace agreement with Charlemagne. As a wise-woman, she continues to visit those in need of her help during Bellon's frequent absences.But dangers lurk on her journeys...Readers of Kate Mosse and Barbara Erskine might enjoy the tale of Love Lost in Time.
Destiny's Tide
J.D. Davies - 2019
But a more cruel and dangerous foe is on the horizon. When Henry VIII dissolves the monasteries and wages war against France and Scotland simultaneously, Jack must take up his family destiny at the head of the Dunwich fleet.But enemy blades may be the least of his problems. Aging ships, treacherous rivals and ghosts from the past all threaten to interfere with the war effort. The only man he can trust is Thomas Ryman, a former warrior turned monk.As the English fleet descends on Edinburgh, the dangerous game of politics and war reaches a shattering climax aboard the pride of Henry’s navy – the Mary Rose. Stannard and Ryman know that it is not just their lives that are at stake, but the future of England herself...
A Spinster for a Spy: Book 1: Lily - Clean Regency Romance (A Duke's Daughters: The Elbury Bouquet)
Arietta Richmond - 2019
***** FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED ***** Lady Lily Gardenbrook, eldest daughter of the Duke of Elbury, is perilously close to being a spinster. After three Seasons, she still hasn’t accepted a suitor – but not for lack of candidates. Lady Lily has a secret – a secret which would lead to scandal, should it ever be revealed. A secret which relates to the thing which matters most in her life. She hopes for love, yet a husband would never want her, if that secret was known – to marry would mean losing everything. Trent Weatherton, Marquess of Canterford, serves the Crown as a gentleman spy, always monitoring those of the ton for anything untoward. He has never been one to socialise much, but his role requires it of him. Convinced that marriage and spying could never make a good mix, he is unprepared for his reaction to Lady Lily Gardenbrook, which makes him question every assumption. But when Trent’s men discover that secret correspondence travels in and out of Lady Lily’s family residence, he must investigate – for what if the woman he is coming to care for is a threat to the Crown? Can Trent discover what is really happening, before he loses his chance at love? Can Lily overcome her fears, and allow the possibility that love might not steal what is most important to her? Will they each discover that the other is not at all what they seemed, in the best possible way? Or will the chance for love be lost, and Lily be doomed to life as a spinster? Read the whole series ! A Spinster for a Spy (Lily) A Vixen for a Viscount (Hyacinth) (coming soon) A Bluestocking for a Baron (Rose) (coming soon) A Diamond for a Duke (Camellia) (coming soon) A Minx for a Merchant (Primrose) (coming soon) An Enchantress for an Earl (Violet) (coming soon) A Maiden for a Marquess (Iris) (coming soon) A Heart for an Heir (Thorne) (coming soon) If you love great Regency romance, you'll love these !
Ashes From A Burning Corpse (An American True Crime Reporter in the 20th Century Book 3)
Noel Hynd - 2017
When police found him the next morning, there were four wounds to his skull. His corpse had been abused, covered ritualistically with feathers and set on fire. The murder was perverse, horrific and jaded by anyone’s standards. A few evenings later in New York City, the phone rang in the home of Alan Hynd, identified in that era by the NY Times as America’s highest paid true crime reporter. The Oakes case would send the writer, with a quarter of a century of experience covering murders, to the Bahamas in wartime. He would try to bring truth to a case that was littered with a colorful cast of international characters and which, in its resolution, became unique in the annals of true crime. "Ashes From A Burning Corpse" is the fictionalized story of that writer’s coverage of the case – and how it changed his life forever. It is also a literary and cultural journey into New York and the colonial Bahamas of the World War Two era, a story touching upon Hemingway, Sinatra and FDR, big-shot film and Broadway producers, crooked cops, gangsters and a murder trial so big that it knocked the world war off the front pages. Welcome to what is also a literary journey into true crime, politics, book publishing and magazine work in the World War Two era, with allusions to writers from Edmond Pearson to Scott Fitzgerald. "Ashes" is part of a trilogy titled "An American True Crime Reporter in the 20th Century," three cases which were the centerpieces of a veteran real-life crime reporter’s legacy. The trilogy will also include first person novels on the original Charles Ponzi swindling case, "The Pied Piper of Boston" and the Charles Lindbergh kidnapping case, "The Crimes of The Century." The latter two titles will appear in early 2018 and feature the same writer/reporter at earlier stages of his long career. Noel Hynd is the author of more than a dozen novels, originally published by Doubleday, Dial, Bantam, Tor, Kensington, Zondervan/HarperCollins, and currently, his own imprint, Red Cat Tales LLC Publishing of Los Angeles, California. He has sold more than 7 million books worldwide, including hardcover, trade paperback, mass market paperback, Literary Guild and digital editions. His best known titles in the espionage genre are "Flowers From Berlin" and "Truman's Spy." In the supernatural genre, his best known titles are "Ghosts" and "Cemetery of Angeles." "Ingenious...Suspense fiction that stands out!" - New York Times "Noel Hynd knows the ins and outs of Washington's agencies both public and private" - Publishers Weekly "A few notches above the Ludlums and Clancys of the world." - Booklist
Through Castle Windows (Horstberg Saga #5)
Elizabeth D. Michaels - 2015
Following her mother’s death she is guided to Horstberg in search of answers and contentment. When her path repeatedly crosses with the brooding Stefan Heinrich, she is drawn to him by feelings too profound to ignore. The love they share is intense and undeniable, but Ericha’s ignorance of Stefan’s circumstances puts her on a scale in his life opposite to the country he rules, and the wife he loathes.While Stefan questions daily what kind of madness drove him to marry the deceptive and tawdry Johanna Von Bindorf, a princess from the neighboring country of Kohenswald, he is torn between his commitment to do what is right, and his love for a woman that he cannot have; a woman who fills his aching soul. Years of spiraling downward in hopelessness finally drive him to make Ericha a part of his life as far as it is possible, while deep inside he knows that eventually a price for his happiness will have to be paid.As Ericha develops a deep bond with the legendary Abbi du Woernig, she unknowingly breathes life back into the heart and soul of Horstberg. But happiness and peace for the entire family are fleeting and fragile. Both Stefan and Ericha quickly realize the price for their choices is higher than either of them ever could have imagined. When Horstberg’s freedom is bargained for with the life of its ruler, Stefan knows that he must sacrifice everything to once again prove himself worthy to serve the people of his country with dignity and to live his life with the woman he loves.
Combat Ineffective
William Peter Grasso - 2018
The complacent American ground forces are ill equipped, badly trained, poorly led, and painfully unaware of just how combat ineffective they’ve become. That ineffectiveness becomes shockingly clear when they’re quickly overwhelmed by the North Korean People’s Army as it swarms across the 38th parallel to invade South Korea.American units and their equally weak South Korean allies are forced into a headlong retreat that promises to end only after they’ve been pushed off the Korean peninsula and into the sea. It will take hardened WW2 veterans—proven, combat-effective leaders like infantrymen Jock Miles and “Top” Patchett, tanker Sean Moon, and his brother, fighter pilot Tommy Moon—to stem the rout and turn back the North Korean red wave.
Paradiso
Francesca Scanacapra - 2021
In a tiny village in rural Lombardy, Graziella Ponti is born into a loving family.Though they are not rich and life is full of challenges, they are content and safe, surrounded by the tightly-knit community of Pieve Santa Clara.But when the shadow of World War Two falls across the village with the arrival of Nazi soldiers, nothing in young Graziella’s life will ever be the same again.Paradiso is Graziella’s story. It charts her loves, losses and triumphs as she grows up in post-war Italy, a country in transformation, freed from the shackles of dictatorship yet still gripped by the restraints of the Catholic church.Paradiso is inspired by true stories told to Francesca Scanacapra by her Italian family and set in locations where she spent much of her childhood. It is a deeply affecting novel which sheds light on the complexity and trauma of Italy’s past and weaves it into the epic tale of an ordinary woman compelled to live in extraordinary times.
Destiny in Deadwood: The Complete Series
Cynthia Woolf - 2018
JAKE – He’s on the run for killing his fiancée’s murderer, he heads to Deadwood with his brothers. Can he overcome his grief and find love in this rough and rowdy town? LIAM – Grieving for his late wife, he decides to take his children and move to Deadwood, away from all the memories. Can one preacher's daughter remind him that he's still a man who can love? ZACH – He helped his little brother escape, and now he's a wanted man. Having vowed never to marry, will Deadwood be the end of his vow? Will all three brothers find love or will a man out for vengeance put an end to all their dreams?
For All of England: The Story of Matilda of Scotland
Erica Thetford - 2019
As the daughter of King Malcolm of Scotland, she has always been expected to achieve great things, and so she was sent to England to receive an education at just seven years old. Now, at fourteen, her aunt wants her to take vows to become a nun. A knight hospitaller wants her to join the fight against the Saracens in the Holy Land. And, her father wants her to marry a man she does not love just for the money and political benefits. But… perhaps she might become queen of England instead? After all, she is rumored to be the only woman to have ever turned the king of England’s head. And anyway, King William is far kinder and prettier than the man her father chose for her. As dawn breaks, she runs away from the abbey without any solid plan. And just as she takes a deep breath and allows her legs to rest, she is found by the king’s little brother, Lord Henry. He won’t let her travel alone. When she protests his company, he forces her in his horse's saddle and rides away with her into the forest. In this stunning tale of Matilda of Scotland's "lost" seven years, great love is lost and found, a kingdom rises, and a queen is made.
The Drowned Village
Norma Curtis - 2022
He’s not ready to let go.Sixty-five years ago. Pushing aside drooping hollyhocks, Elin Jenkins tosses back her dark hair and runs up the familiar path to the tiny village of Capel Celyn, past the mossy graveyard with its crumbling stones, towards the farm that’s been in her family for generations. Laughing, Al catches her around the waist, squeezing her tight. ‘Marry me,’ he whispers. ‘I’ll use my Navy liberty leave, we’ll go ask your parents. I don’t want this to end.’ Tears prick her eyes as she smiles up at him.Three days later, Al is on his ship back to Pennsylvania. And in the months that follow, Elin’s frantic telegrams to him go unanswered. Then she receives the wedding invitation. Scribbled on the back are three words: No hard feelings.Present day. Al Locke, retired Navy Captain, smooths his silver hair and finishes up with a spritz of aftershave. With a spring in his step he hasn’t had for decades, he sets off up the well-worn track through the valley. As he rounds the last bend, his heart begins to race. He has no doubt he will meet her in the village today. He will at last hear the horrible truth of what happened to Elin after he left, and he’ll confess why he couldn’t face coming back… until now.As Al crests the final, familiar hill, a startling brightness draws him in like a vision. Before him, a glittering lake fills the entire valley. The pretty stone village of Capel Celyn, and all trace of Elin, are gone…A beautiful and heartbreaking story about lost love, forgiveness and family secrets. Fans of Fiona Valpy, Kate Morton and Kathleen McGurl will love this book.
Even So
Lauren B. Davis - 2021
Angela Morrison has it all. She’s married to a wealthy man, adores her son, grows orchids, and volunteers at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry. What more could she want? More — much more. And she’s willing to risk everything after meeting Carsten, the landscaper with the glacier-blue eyes. Sister Eileen, who runs Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, struggles with the silence of God and harbours a secret she believes is unforgivable. She yearns to convince Angela she is loved by God, despite her selfishness and destructive behaviour, but in order for that to be authentic Eileen must learn to love her first, and that’s no easy task — especially after Angela causes a terrible tragedy. Through the crucible of their relationship, Angela and Eileen discover how caring for the most difficult among us and practising forgiveness, no matter how painful, opens a door to the miracle of transformation.
The Orphan's Daughter
Sandy Taylor - 2020
For thirteen-year-old Nora Doyle every day is a fight for survival. In the rural Irish village she calls home, she is no stranger to funerals or feeling the cold wind blowing through the windows of the small cottage where she lives with her family. Somehow Nora manages to keep smiling, but she longs to escape the poverty surrounding her. One day, Nora’s life changes when her sense of adventure leads her and her best friend, Kitty, through a hole in the wall of the huge house on the top of the hill. In the secluded, carefully tended garden they discover on the other side, Nora and Kitty meet Edward, the young boy who lives there, and they instantly form a strong bond. Soon Nora is spending every moment she can spare in the secret garden. But in escaping from her life in the village, Nora is going against the wishes of her family, who have forbidden any contact with the big house. Because Edward holds the key to a family secret that will change Nora’s life forever, and force her to make an impossible choice between her family and her future… A heart-wrenching story of love, loss and the power of friendship during unimaginable hardship. This book is perfect for fans of Orphan Train and The Girl With No Name.
Ignore the Fear: One woman's paddleboarding adventure, 800 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats with a fear of the sea
Fiona Quinn - 2019
Yet as a complete beginner, and a terrified one at that, in April 2018 Fiona set out to see if she could stand up paddleboard up the west coast of Britain, 800 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG). Having walked and cycled LEJOG the year before, something inexplicably compelled her to see if she could turn her previous adventures into a length of Britain triathlon and set three new world records. Along the way Fiona was joined by dolphins, paddled 40 miles across the Irish Sea, and battled past whirlpools. This inspiring and gripping account shows that no matter what the odds, if you dare to start before you’re ready, anything is possible. "Fiona’s stand up paddleboard adventure certainly tested her to the limits. Having had a bad experience in water when she was a child, and then to put herself in a situation that pushes on that fear, week after week, is no mean feat. Along the way she lost sight of shore to paddle across the Irish Sea, becoming the first woman to do so. Through all of the challenges she faced, it was her belief in herself and those around her that enabled her to keep moving forwards." - Sean Conway Fiona Quinn is a keynote speaker, endurance adventurer and entrepreneur. Sharing stories with everyone from school children to business executives, she enthusiastically invites you to change your view of what’s possible.
Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange: a feelgood, cosy autumn romance (The Mill Grange Series Book 2)
Jenny Kane - 2020
Supported by his friends, Sam is keen to help make beautiful Mill Grange a safe retreat for injured army personnel... but his crippling claustrophobia means Sam is living in a tent on the grounds! Enlisting the help of charming village stalwarts Bert and Mabel Hastings, Tina Martins is determined to find a way to help him conquer his fears. But why does she feel like he is keeping a secret?After discovering evidence of a Roman fortlet on the manor's grounds, Thea Thomas is thrilled at the chance to return to her archaeological roots and lead the excavation. She spent the summer with handsome celebrity archaeologist Shaun Cowlson – but now he's off filming his Landscape Treasures show in Cornwall, and Thea can't help but miss his company. Especially as someone else is vying for his attention...Welcome back to Mill Grange and the beautiful village of Upwich, full of larger-than-life characters you can't help but adore.