Book picks similar to
The Moon and the Thorn by B.J. Chute


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The Kissing Gate


Susan Sallis - 2012
    Gussie, Ned and Jannie are not quite siblings, but they share a fiercely close and affectionate family bond. In their bohemian Cornish home, with a famous and distinguished artist as their father figure, they glory in their unusual upbringing and their unconventional, loving family life. Until one day a terrible tragedy destroys the foundations of that family, and they have to learn to cope on their own. Moving from Cornwall to New York and back again to the West Country, Susan Sallis's warm and powerful novel shows us love and sorrow, and family life in all its guises.

Grace in Winter


Deirdre Purcell - 2019
    Although her children are now grown, she remains the main carer for her highly destructive youngest daughter Leonie.When ex-husband Harry, for his own manipulative reasons, gifts the mother and daughter with a winter cruise, Grace accepts despite her reservations, hoping that a change of scene will do them both good.Ben, a novelist whose career is in freefall, is also on the cruise. Captivated instantly by Leonie's beauty, he wastes no time in getting to know her - and Grace along with it. As the older woman grapples with unexpected feelings the encounter awakens within her, it is discovered that Leonie has gone missing. And the scene is set for a dramathat will change the course of lives.Grace in Winter is a compelling story of the struggle between duty and self, and of a feeling that never ages in a woman fighting to reclaim her own life.

The Retreat: A Romantic Suspense (Triquetra Series Book 3)


L.C. Kincaide - 2019
     Casey Barrow and a group of co-workers were looking forward to a few days of rest and camaraderie at a Catskill Mountains retreat away from their demanding careers. Reunited with a man she turned down years ago when working in Chicago, she hopes to make up for lost time during this getaway. However, rather than unwinding, the group becomes stranded in the dreary mountain mansion. By morning, four people have disappeared without a trace. Someone carrying a grudge has lured them there and cut off every means of escape. Running out of time, the captives face a new danger at every turn to liberate themselves. With the men injured from their efforts, Casey realizes it is up to her to find help before the killer returns to finish the rest of them off one by one. ** If you haven't read the first two books in the series and plan to, be warned of Major Spoilers in the Epilogue.**

Vanished


Cheryl Gorman - 2015
     Devlin Morgan, the reclusive owner of Morgan’s Keep, coolly turns away her inquiries, and the villagers, who respect Devlin, refuse to cooperate, as well. Worse still is her own unwanted attraction to him. Especially once she begins to suspect he’s involved with her sister’s disappearance and the mysterious “Chiming Ghost.” In order to solve the mystery of her missing sister, she’ll also have to probe Devlin’s dark past, discover the truth about the “ghost.” and decide whether to trust the passion in her heart or play it safe and return to England. Whatever happens, she’ll never be the same when she leaves the island.

The Tilbury Poppies


Sue Wilsher - 2018
    But times are changing with the outbreak of war. With a husband bent on signing up for the trenches and a lecherous master of the house, Lily is forced to leave.Doing her bit for the war effort - and bringing in more money for the family - Lily goes to work in a factory making explosives to send to the trenches. It's a hard job. The munitionettes must face terrible working conditions, the constant danger of accidents and air strikes and a patronising, self-serving boss. And then someone she never wanted to see there arrives. Lady Charlotte, the pampered daughter of the Hall, joins the factory as a supervisor... Lily and Charlotte have choices they never had before - but in the shadow of the Great War, can the factory girls work together for a better future?

Daughters of Penny Lane


Ruth Hamilton - 2017
    Estranged from her husband Dan, who suffered from two strokes triggered during the Blitz, she finds comfort in living closer to her remaining sister, Nellie, and a cast of new neighbours. But they too have problems of their own: Vera Corcoran fears for her life at the hands of an abusive husband and Olga Konstantinov fled Russia to seek a new life in Britain. But even though the bombs have stopped falling, tremors still rock the family when Alice's reviled mother is kicked out of Nellie's home and seeks vengeance. Despised by her daughters, Elsie Stewart was a cruel mother and forced their father to an early grave. Alice is desperate to start a family of her own and be a much better example to her own children. But will this be with the man she's married to? And when visions from the past resurface, she soon uncovers a dark secret that her mother has kept hidden for so long . . .

The Mummy Lessons: The second novel from award winning blogger Just A Normal Mummy


Helen Wallen - 2019
    

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues / Jitterbug Perfume / Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas


Tom Robbins - 2002
    

The Secret of Greystone Hall


Elizabeth Wilde - 2014
    Then suddenly the man vanished. All too soon she finds that the corridors of the gloomy mansion are filled with sinister secrets. To her sheer horror she begins to question whether the old man could be behind terrifying events that shrouded the ancient walls and stalked her into the very shadows of death and madness.

Called From Beyond: The Spirit Guide: Ghosts and Haunted Houses


Caroline Clark - 2017
    Is Mark going mad or was his girlfriend Called from Beyond? Mark’s girlfriend dies in a car accident before he can tell her how much he loves her. He never believed in ghosts, but a well-meaning friend and guilt push him into new and dangerous territory. All he wants is the chance to say he is sorry. To speak to her one more time. During a desperate, alcohol-fueled binge, he buys an Ouija board and calls Alissa. Is his drinking problem or survivor’s guilt making him doubt his sanity? Or are the footsteps in the night and inexplicable messages real—has Alissa returned? Gail and Jesse have their own guilt to bear, both tormented by a secret they have no choice but to keep. Is it their fault Alissa died? All they want is to help Mark through his grief, but his true plight soon becomes apparent. Evil is waiting and it’s worse than they can imagine. Will Mark be sucked into the darkness or will he send away his love to save his own life? Scroll up now to find out in this thrilling, fast-paced ghost story that will have you reading well into the night. Just remember to keep the lights on. This is the second book in the exciting Spirit Guide Series. Each book is a complete story and they can be read in any order. They follow Gail and Jesse as they search for ways to put spirits to rest and to save those who are tormented by them. The first book in the series is The Haunting of Seafield House It is permanently 0.99 and FREE on Kindle Unlimited or get an introduction to the series for free - Get The Black-Eyed Children at http://eepurl.com/cGdNvX

The Shivering Sands & The Secret Woman


Victoria Holt - 1983
    There, she finds herself caught up in the drama of that ancient house and the unusual members of the Stacy family. When Caroline Verlaine's sister, the archaeologist Roma, disappears, Caroline is forced down to Lovat Stacy in an attempt to discover what has happened. She finds herself caught up in the drama of the ancient house and with the unusual members of the Stacy family. But it is Napier Stacy, recently returned from years of banishment for apparently killing his brother, who she is especially drawn to. Napier is haunted by the tragedy, and Caroline becomes determined that he should put his past behind him and not allow, what she insists was an accident, to cloud his life for ever. At the same time, she becomes equally determined to solve the mystery of her own sister's disappearance. Why has Roma vanished? Was it an accident or has she been murdered? As the tension mounts Caroline soon realizes that this quest to uncover the truth is a dangerous one and is marking her out as the next victim. /////// 2) The Secret Woman (1970) - To all appearances, Anna Brett was a quiet, capable young woman whose only ambition was to carry on the profitable antiques business bequeathed her by a spinster aunt. And so she was - until the memory of a cherished moment with a blue-eyed stranger suddenly returned to haunt her with savage intensity. It was then Anna discovered the secret woman who waited within her - impetuous, daring . . . and dangerous.

Beneath the Raven's Moon


Jill Jones & Jill LaForge Jones - 2003
    Now, Catherine finds herself back on the small peninsula to attend the reading of her eccentric uncle’s will. It is in the very mansion her own grandfather built amongst ghostly servants, chilling houseguests, and a mysterious and captivating stranger that Catherine must finally unlock the dark secrets of her past.

Eloisa's Adventure


Rebecca King - 2015
    Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate events leave her stranded in the middle of nowhere instead. Help comes in the unlikely form of a huge gothic castle, and her rather reluctant host, Simeon Calversham, Lord Pendlebury. However, it quickly transpires that Mitchelham Castle is not the place of safety she had hoped it would be. Eloisa is quickly plunged into a desperate battle for survival in the long, draughty corridors, where more than the ghosts go bump in the night. Simeon finds himself feeling more for his guest than any respectable host should, but is determined to protect her, whatever the cost to his sanity. It quickly becomes impossible to ignore the raging desire that surges between them but, with the dangers looming ever closer, Simeon is faced with a desperate battle to keep them both alive while trying to unmask the cold-blooded killer who stalks the house. Will the castle’s sinister secrets prevent any chance of a happy ending? Or will he be forced to let her go just to keep her alive? If he does, could he ever hope to win her back again?

Vampire Kisses 1: The Beginning


Ellen Schreiber - 2011
    Dangerous first love. This is where it all begins...The mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood empty for years. But one day it seems to be occupied, and its mysterious, handsome inhabitant Alexander Sterling becomes the source of much talk around town. Raven, a vampire-obsessed Goth-girl who has always considered herself an outsider in 'Dullsville', is determined to uncover the truth surrounding the secretive Alexander. As she gets to know him, and their spark intensifies, Raven finds herself in some unanticipated situations. Vampire Kisses: The Beginning captures the thrill of a most unusual romance.Also available by Ellen Schreiber:Vampire Kisses 2: Kissing CoffinsVampire Kisses 3: VampirevilleVampire Kisses 4: Dance with a VampireVampire Kisses 5: The Coffin ClubVampire Kisses 6: Royal BloodVampire Kisses 7: Love BitesOnce in a Full Moon

Holiday Heist at Dunhaven Castle: A Cate Kensie Mystery (Cate Kensie Mysteries Book 3)


Nellie H. Steele - 2020
    When Cate recognizes one of the stolen necklaces from when she traveled back in time to the year 1856 to solve a murder mystery, Cate knows there’s only one thing left for her to do. Despite the hectic holiday season approaching, complete with two grand holiday events, Cate must travel to 1925 and unravel the mystery surrounding the jewelry theft. However, things take an unexpected turn when she arrives. As Cate discovers more unanswered questions, she starts to wonder if there’s a piece to the puzzle she has yet to uncover. While Cate and estate manager, Jack, try to unravel the puzzle in the past, another mystery brews in the present for Cate. Strange and eerie nightmares centered around a bookcase in Dunhaven Castle’s library disrupt Cate’s sleep, rattling her mind even during her waking hours. She wonders if these are connected to the jewelry theft or if something darker lurks in Dunhaven’s halls.Can Cate solve the mysterious theft of her family’s jewelry? Will the bookcase hold the secrets to the past? If it does, will Cate be able to decipher the clues on its shelves? Or is there something more sinister at work in Dunhaven Castle? Find out if Cate has what it takes to solve the newest mysteries at Dunhaven Castle in Holiday Heist at Dunhaven Castle, book three of the riveting cozy mystery series Cate Kensie Mysteries.