Book picks similar to
A Peculiar Curiosity by Melanie Cossey


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Brings the Lightning


Peter Grant - 2016
     Walt Ames, a former cavalryman with the First Virginia, is headed West with little more than a rifle, a revolver, and a pocket full of looted Yankee gold. But in his way stand bushwhackers, bluecoats, con men, and the ever-restless Indians. And perhaps most dangerous of all, even more dangerous than the cruel and unforgiving land, is the temptation of the woman whose face he can't forget. When you can’t go home again – go West!

Hullo Russia, Goodbye England


Derek Robinson - 2008
    and qualifies to fly the Vulcan bomber. Piloting a Vulcan is an unforgettable experience: no other aircraft comes close to matching its all-round performance. And as bombers go, it's drop-dead gorgeous.But there's a catch. The Vulcan has only one role: to make a second strike. To act in retaliation for a Russian nuclear attack. Silk knows that knows that if he ever flies his Vulcan in anger, he'll be flying from a smoking wasteland, a Britain obliterated. But in the mad world of Mutually Assured Destruction, the Vulcan is the last--the only--deterrent.Derek Robinson returns with another rip-roaring, gung-ho R.A.F. adventure, one that exposes and confronts the brinkmanship and saber-rattling of the Cold War Era.

A Last Goodbye


Dee Yates - 2018
    In time they're joined by rugged farmhand Tom, come to lend some muscle to Ellen's ageing father, who has begun to find sheep farming hard to manage alone. Almost inevitably romance grows between Ellen and the new arrival but once married however, Ellen discovers that Tom has a brutish side to his character. As war in Europe spreads, she begins to dream of him leaving for the trenches as a way for her to escape.Even with Tom fighting abroad however, the family can not hide from the realities of war as a group of POWs are brought to their valley to build a reservoir. And amongst the men, sworn enemies and shunned by all the locals, Ellen finds a gentler heart that she finds difficult to resist...

The Black Mountains


Janet Tanner - 1981
    Charlotte, James and their seven children are independent spirits, united by strong family values.Living in a mining community is never easy, and when the shadow of impending war threatens, they must pull together to face the hardship to come. Can this close-knit family overcome whatever tragedy life throws at them?The Black Mountains, a moving saga of love, happiness and heartbreak, is perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Katie Flynn. ‘Sensitive and exceptionally polished’ Manchester Evening News The Hillsbridge Sagas The Black Mountains The Emerald Valley The Hills and the Valley A Family Affair

The Water and the Wine


Tamar Hodes - 2018
    Leonard Cohen is at the start of his career and in love with Marianne, who is also muse to her ex-husband, Axel. Australian authors George Johnston and Charmian Clift write, drink and fight. It is a hedonistic time of love, sex and new ideas. As the island hums with excitement, Jack and Frieda Silver join the community, hoping to mend their broken marriage. However, Greece is overtaken by a military junta and the artistic idyll is threatened.

The Blackmailed Beauty


Ilene Withers - 2013
    There, an unwanted encounter with the local viscount turns into an assault. Claire fights back and escapes with her virtue intact only to be blackmailed by his sister, Lady Regina, who witnessed the attack. Claire now faces ruin if she does not meet the terms of the blackmail – convince the Earl of Roydon to marry her, even though a long-standing arrangement has matched him with Lady Regina. Noel Mallory, the Duke of Lamborton, meets Claire and is immediately enamored by her. He becomes frustrated, however, when she alternately seems to welcome his attentions and spurn them. Worse, she seems to be seeking the attentions of his best friend, the Earl of Roydon. Noel sets out to win Claire’s love and discover the reason behind her confusing behavior.

Storms Gather Between Us


Clare Flynn - 2019
    Since escaping his family’s notoriety in Australia Will Kidd has spent a decade sailing the seas, never looking back. Content to live the life of a wanderer, everything changes in a single moment when he comes face to face with a ghost from his past on a cloudy beach in Liverpool.The daughter of an abusive zealot, every step of Hannah Dawson's life has been laid out for her... until she meets Will by chance and is set on a new path. Their love is forbidden and forces on all sides divide them, but their bond is undeniable. Now, they will have to fight against all the odds to escape the chains of their histories and find their way back to one another. A compelling tale of family secrets and love against the odds, perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy and Gill Paul. Praise for Storms Gather Between Us 'Another great book by Clare Flynn’ Reader Review‘A really gripping and moving pre WWII story’ Reader Review‘I would recommend this book without hesitation’ Reader Review‘Very descriptive, immersive and well written. This book is guaranteed to make you turn each and every page.’ Reader Review‘I was totally gripped from the first page’ Reader Review

A Tale of Two Sisters: A heartfelt historical drama of intrigue, love and loss in a strange land


Merryn Allingham - 2019
    But as their search uncovers unforeseen dangers and exposes an unexpected ardour, is Alice ready for the truths they’ll uncover? An emotional historical drama perfect for fans of Linda Finlay and Rosie Goodwin

Looking For Love


Rosie Harris - 2003
    The youngest of three, she longs to be loved by her mother, but Ellen spends all her time with her eldest son, while Abbie and her brother, Sam, take refuge with their neighbours, Sandra Lewis and Peter Ryan. Although vibrant and attractive, Abbie pushes people away with her constant need for reassurance. Infatuated with Peter, she longs for the day when he tells her that he loves her. And Sam is courting Sandra. But Peter and Sandra have a secret - one that could destroy the friends' relationship should it become known. Will Abbie finally find the security and affection she has been searching for all her life, or will she always be looking for love...?

Farewell Bergerac: A World War II Thriller (World War II Adventure Series)


Fredrik Nath - 2012
    Fredrik Nath is one of those few."- The Masked PersonaFrom the author of wartime adventure novel 'The Cyclist', the Historical Novels Society editor's choice February 2011.A reluctant hero in war-torn France...A teacher in St Cyprien, a small town in Aquitaine, France, descends into an alcoholic daze, after his son dies in the Spanish Civil War. His life seems meaningless and he moves to Bergerac where he survives by poaching and fishing. Isolating himself from the world, he ruminates over his hatred of the Fascists who killed his son. He is dragged back to reality when, after the occupation of France by the Nazis, he witnesses Security Police beating a young Jewish girl. He reacts by killing the Germans and hides Rachelle, the young teenager. She breathes life into the world in which he has hidden himself and gives him a reason to go on.Dufy begins a path of revenge on the occupying Germans. A sniper in the Great War, he uses his skills to devastating effect, always posing as the town drunk.Then the British drop supplies and a beautiful SOE agent whom Dufy falls in love with. But as the invaders hunt down the partisans in the deep, crisp woodland, nothing works out as Dufy had hoped.Farewell Bergerac is an unforgettable wartime tale of fragile love, loss and redemption.

The Asylum


Debra Meller - 2020
    Her infant son, already dead, lies on her chest still clinging to his mother.On the morning that is Patty found, she is not expected to survive but is taken to hospital where she eventually recovers. But, severely emotionally disturbed, Patty soon finds herself a patient at Hillside Asylum. There, Patty’s condition deteriorates, and the staff and doctors perform unnecessary experimental procedures on their patient.But when someone from Patty’s past learns about her incarceration, they vow to get her out. And those responsible for the abuse will be made to suffer . . .

Eagle at Taranto


Alan Evans - 1987
    The Italian fleet, harboured at Taranto, were proving to be a thorn in the side of the Allied war effort, preventing the spread of operations from Malta to Egypt.But the sheltering battleships and cruisers were more heavily defended than anything previously attacked by the slow, lumbering, carrier-based torpedo planes.Enter Mark Ward, an ace pilot in the RAF. Armed only with his wits and his trusty Swordfish biplane, he and his comrades must strike a devastating blow to the Italian fleet, or risk losing the war… A pulse-pounding thriller based on real events, perfect for fans of Alexander Kent, Douglas Reeman and Alistair MacLean.

The Cortés Enigma


John Paul Davis - 2014
    Twelve hours later it appeared again, this time much closer to the mainland…Who was on board or where they came from remained a mystery…No trace of the vessel was ever found…1904: In an old graveyard in a remote part of the Isles of Scilly, a distinguished academic makes a surprising discovery. The inscriptions on the gravestones are unlike any he has ever seen, at least in that part of the world. The clues point to an astounding possibility: a maritime legend and a priceless treasure. And a four-hundred-year-old cover-up!Present Day: History Lecturer Dr Ben Maloney is sitting in his office when the phone rings. A call from his cousin is rarely anything out of the ordinary, but today what he has to say is anything but normal. His great-great-grandfather’s ship has been discovered near a deserted island in the Isles of Scilly. Along with his murdered corpse!Dropping everything, Maloney’s decision to visit the site of his ancestor’s demise soon proves to be one fraught with danger. With nothing but a hundred-year-old diary and legends from the island’s past to guide him, Maloney’s only chance to solve the riddle of his ancestor’s death is to unravel the pieces of an altogether greater mystery. An unimaginable treasure remains unfound. And some will stop at nothing to find it…

A Mother's Trust


Dilly Court - 2011
    Phoebe's father was killed in gang warfare and she and her family share a deep hatred for the Paxman brothers - whose lawless ways strike terror into the whole community.Despite her English mother's feckless ways, Phoebe is fiercely protective of Annie. Then just as the family are about to go to Italy for the winter, Phoebe discovers Annie is in trouble - and the Paxmans are involved. Phoebe is determined not to betray her mother's trust and, giving up her own chance of happiness, she stays behind to care for her. But when Phoebe and Annie are forced to leave London and Annie falls dangerously ill, Phoebe has little choice but to turn to the man she holds responsible for all her family's troubles...

The Malice of Angels (Esme Quentin Mystery #3)


Wendy Percival - 2017
    Esme, wary of Max's motives, declines to get involved.Meanwhile, Esme’s friend Ruth, prompted by WW2 anniversaries, wants to solve the mystery of Vivienne, her mother Bea's sister, a wartime nurse who never came home. Despite Bea’s disapproval, Ruth is convinced the truth will finally help Bea come to terms with her loss and asks Esme to investigate.Esme unpicks the threads of Vivienne's past and stumbles upon a disturbing connection, linking the old soldier’s murder to her own distressing past and her late husband's fate. As events unravel, Esme realises that to uncover the secrets behind Vivienne’s story, she must also confront the terrifying truth behind her own.