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1708 products

The Pearl Brooch
She uses the power once a year for a two-week vacation in another century, where she commissions a famous artist to paint her portrait. This year, she plans to commission Marie Antoinette's favorite portraitist.
Sophia's pearl brooch malfunctions and, instead of arriving in Paris in 1786, she is stranded in the city on July 14, 1789, in the middle of the revolutionaries storming the Bastille. Her vacation to find painting inspiration in another century turns into a desperate battle to survive.
America's Ambassador to France, widower Thomas Jefferson, comes to her rescue and, as their relationship evolves, he wants Sophia to return to America with him. All the while, Sophia's lost love, Pete Parrino, and the rest of the MacKlenna Clan are searching history to find and rescue her.
With her heart breaking as it's pulled in both directions, how will she choose where she really belongs?
Scroll up and grab a copy today.
The Pearl of Penang
Evie Fraser, paid companion to a crotchety spinster, seems destined for a lonely life. Then out of the blue, a marriage proposal arrives by post. She met the handsome Douglas Barrington just once - at his wedding - but never forgot him. Now widowed, plantation-owner Douglas offers her a new life on the lush, exotic island of Penang. How can Evie resist?
But what are Barrington's motives in marrying Evie when he barely knows her, and why is he so hostile and moody?
Evie soon finds herself pitched against Douglas on the one hand and the shallow, often spiteful world of the expatriate British on the other. Has she made the biggest mistake of her life?
Flynn's tenth novel explores love, marriage, the impact of war and the challenges of displacement - this time in a tropical paradise as the threat of the Japanese empire looms closer.
About the Author
Flynn, Clare: - Clare Flynn is the British author of ten historical novels and a short story collection.

The Perfect Stranger
When he burst into my life, he set everything on fire.
He is a multi-millionaire, escaped inmate serving life in prison for a double murder he didn't commit.
He was once my only friend and my first crush.
He doesn't ask for help and I don't offer.
His hair falls into his face and a strand brushes along his chiseled jaw. His vulnerability is disarming.
We both know that he shouldn't be here, but when I stare into his piercing, intense eyes, I can't look away.
I want to tell him to leave, but then he leans over and runs his finger over my lower lip.
When our mouths touch, I know that I won't be able to stop.
What happens when one night isn't enough?

The Perfumer
“Readers will devour this page-turner as the passions spin out.” —Library Journal
A young French perfumer. A world at war. A personal vengeance that could destroy a family.
Europe, 1939: At the dawn of World War II, French perfumer Danielle Bretancourt and her German husband strive to ensure their family's safety, yet neither can foresee the ultimate cost. From London to Paris, Danielle struggles to find her missing child and aid the French Resistance, even as she grieves her losses.
As the war intensifies, Danielle is forced to seek refuge in America to save the lives of her remaining family. She draws on her skills as a talented perfumer to lift her family out of crushing poverty. Yet even as she forges a new life among the Hollywood elite, she cannot forget her child nor the man who risked everything for her. Even an ocean away, she discovers that safety remains an illusion. Set between privileged lifestyles and gritty realities, The Perfumer: Scent of Triumph is one woman's story of courage, spirit, and resilience.
More Reviews:
“A sweeping tale that transports readers from the lavender-scented fields of Provence to the pulsing boulevards of Paris…. Heartbreaking, evocative, and inspiring...a powerful journey.” —Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Empress
”A novel that gives fans of romantic sagas a compelling voice to follow.” —Booklist
“A stylish, compelling story of a family. What sets this apart is the backdrop of perfumery that suffuses the story with the delicious aroma—a remarkable feat!” —Liz Trenow, New York Times bestselling author of The Forgotten
”A gripping World War II story of poignant love and devastating, heart-wrenching loss.” —Gill Paul, USA Today and Toronto Globe & Mail bestselling author of The Secret Wife
“A sweeping saga of one woman's journey through World War II and her unwillingness to give up even when faced with the toughest challenges.” —Anita Abriel, Author of The Light After the War
”Hard to put down...captivating. A must-read.” —Marvel Fields, Chairman, American Society of Perfumers
Author Bio:
Jan Moran is a USA Today bestselling author of women's fiction. She writes stylish, uplifting, and emotionally rich contemporary and 20th-century historical fiction. Midwest Book Review and Kirkus have recommended her books, calling her heroines strong, complex, and resourceful. Her books are also translated into German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, and other languages. Jan studied writing at the UCLA Writers Program, sailed on Semester at Sea, and graduated from the University of Texas and Harvard Business School. She lives near the beach in southern California.
Shop the Heartwarming Family Sagas Standalone Fiction series

The Pier at Jasmine Lake

The Pilots Daughter
Cora is scared to fly again after her husband died in a recent helicopter crash in Pago Pago.
A thousand times she has told herself to turn around, not get on the flight, go back to her young children.
But now, she's seated in first class across the aisle from the girlfriend of a famous billionaire pharmaceutical entrepreneur.
Halfway across the Pacific, the flight is hijacked. Six people are dead-including the pilots.
Cora is a young widow, mother, and emergency room nurse...but as the world closes in around her, she's also a pilot's daughter.
Lost off radar in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, the motive behind the hijacking remains a mystery. Not knowing who to trust, Cora works with the man seated beside her, Seattle Homicide Detective Kyle Adams, to save herself along with the remaining one hundred and fifty-four souls on board.

The Play
What I learned after last year's distractions cost my hockey team our entire season? No more screwing up. No more screwing, period. As the new team captain, I need a new philosophy: hockey and school now, women later. Which means that I, Hunter Davenport, am officially going celibate...no matter how hard that makes things.
But there's nothing in the rulebook that says I can't be friends with a woman. And I won't lie--my new classmate Demi Davis is one cool chick. Her smart mouth is hot as hell, and so is the rest of her, but the fact that she's got a boyfriend eliminates the temptation to touch her.
Except three months into our friendship, Demi is single and looking for a rebound.
And she's making a play for me.
Avoiding her is impossible. We're paired up on a yearlong school project, but I'm confident I can resist her. We'd never work, anyway. Our backgrounds are too different, our goals aren't aligned, and her parents hate my guts.
Hooking up is a very bad idea. Now I just have to convince my body--and my heart.
About the Author
Kennedy, Elle: - A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

The Player: The Wedding Pact #2

The Portal: Only an Ocean Apart
[Hamilton] creates an effective and growing sense of mystery..." -Kirkus
The Portal: Only an Ocean Apart is a distinctly original journey into where life on Earth began and where we go after death. Based on scientific theory, combined with faith that humans can connect across alternate dimensions, Dean Hamilton's first novel reads more like reality than fiction.
After the tragic death of his parents at sea, wealthy socialite and playboy Cole Hollingsworth is set to take over his father's publishing empire, but when childhood schoolmate Lindsay Featherstone, now an accomplished researcher and oceanographer, reenters his life, Cole's world, along with everything he knew to be true about his life, love, and second chances, is about to be turned upside down.
Who is Lindsay, really? What does she want with Cole? And, perhaps most intriguing of all, has she found the key to all of life and death, and the mysteries of the afterlife, in the deepest reaches of the ocean's floor?
The pair embark on a journey to find out the truth about Cole's parents. What they discover along the way will not only transform them but will trigger the beginning of a global transformation humanity could not have possibly foreseen.

The Power of Three: Navigating You to a Worry-Free Retirement with Lower Taxes, Maximum Growth, and Guaranteed Income
Unlock a stress-free retirement with The Power of Three: Navigating You to a Worry-Free Retirement with Lower Taxes, Maximum Growth, and Guaranteed Income by Samantha Irish and Karen Stawicki. Drawing on their extenzsive expertise in retirement planning, the authors present a practical guide to achieving financial security with confidence.
Key Topics Covered:
-
Guaranteed Lifetime Income: Explore reliable income sources like Social Security, pensions, and annuities to cover essential expenses.Cash Value Life Insurance: Learn how this insurance offers protection against unforeseen events and provides tax-advantaged growth potential.Investable Assets: Discover strategies for building wealth through investments to maintain a comfortable standard of living.
Featuring real-world case studies and actionable advice, this book makes complex financial concepts easy to understand. The Power of Three is essential reading for anyone looking to minimize taxes, increase growth, and secure guaranteed income in retirement.
With this invaluable guide, you can craft a reliable retirement plan designed by credible experts.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind: Unlock the Secrets Within
About the Author
A native of Ireland, Joseph Murphy (1898 -- 1981) was a prolific and widely admired New Thought minister and writer, best known for his motivational classic, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, an international bestseller since it first blazed onto the self-help scene. His pamphlet How to Attract Money first appeared in 1955, and likewise entered many editions. Murphy wrote widely on the auto-suggestive and metaphysical faculties of the human mind and is considered one of the pioneering voices of affirmative-thinking philosophy.

The Preacher's First Murder
He was a good cop until he ran into a bad one. Then, to save what was left of his family and his sanity, Michael Hogan, Jr., entered the Fed's Witness Protection Program and became Pastor Matthew Hayden. Just out of seminary, Matt takes a church in rural Texas, looking forward to peace, quiet and a good dose of humility. What he doesn't antipate is his new next door neighbor to be a red-headed, bar-owning bombshell. Matt might be a man of God now, but he is still a man.
Wilks, Texas, is not what he expected either. The town seems ruled by the past and Angie, the beautiful bar owner's daughter, is murdered.
When the second body is discovered, the authorities assume this murder was revenge and arrest Angie. Matt knows full well she didn't do it. She had been with him that night. Matt is forced to put on an old hat--his cop's hat--and discover the truth to save the one person he loves but cannot have.

The Prison of Buried Hopes
In the fifth instalment of this epic fantasy series, a journey south brings together nine eclectic friends and leads them ever closer to answers - and danger.
On their journey south to Freedland, Josie, Dane and their friends sense that someone is following them. Hiding in the twin cities of Merrin Fahl seems like their best course of action - until they're recognized by strangers.
With this tantalizing hint to their pasts within reach, Dane is suddenly arrested and thrown in prison for a murder he didn't commit. In a desperate attempt to free him, Josie promises the king of Vytill the gem and sorcerer's wishes, neither of which she possesses.
Meanwhile, in Josie's homeland of Glancia, war is brewing.

The Prisoner's Key
India's study into the language of spells is interrupted by the arrest of her teacher for an unpaid debt. Before Matt can repay it for him, the powerful magician escapes from his prison cell. To make matters worse, the moneylender is murdered and the magician is implicated.
Convinced of his innocence, India and Matt must discover who really killed the moneylender before the police find the magician. Their investigation leads them down a path littered with lies, betrayal, scandal, and interference from people they don't trust.
Meanwhile, Matt's relatives accuse Cyclops of ruining their daughter, and plan to marry off their manipulative youngest to someone even more manipulative and far more powerful. Should Matt and India support the union, or try to stop it? And how will they stop Cyclops from being deported back to America?

The Private Equity Playbook

The Proactive Executive: A C-Suite Recruiter's 5-Step System for Achieving Greater Career Success
“An exceptional map for understanding the actions, decisions, market positioning and personal development that ultimately determine whether we have effectively managed our careers or fallen short." —John Koryl, President, Neiman Marcus Stores & Online
As a nationally respected executive recruiter, Chris Nadherny knows what it takes for professionals to get to the next level, and what holds them back. During his 30 years with Spencer Stuart—one of the world’s top executive recruiting firms—Nadherny conducted more than 700 search assignments for a wide-range of companies, assessed thousands of successful professionals and counseled many whose career paths have been disrupted or stalled.
More Reviews:
"Having read and prescribed many career books, this would be my absolute top choice. The author's perspective is unique in that his vast executive search experience provides insight both from a company's view as well as from the prospective executive. Together, they form a mosaic of what really defines exceptional talent and how this should guide one's career decisions. Chris Nadherny has created a career management reference guide that will prove invaluable for many aspiring executives in the years to come." —Fred Ley, SVP Corporate HR and Global Talent Management and Acquisition, Walmart, Inc.
"In Proactive Executive Chris Nadherny has consolidated his decades of learnings in the executive search business to create an invaluable blueprint for optimizing your career. His book is packed full of insights, practical how-to's and suggestions for aspiring C-suite professionals. The lessons that he shares are particularly relevant in today's ultra-competitive marketplace." —Jody Bilney, SVP and Chief Consumer Officer, Humana, Inc.
"Want help in improving your career? Then read this book before it's too late. Chris Nadherny turns 30 years of executive search experience into a reference guide that offers invaluable advice for executives at every stage of their careers." —Gian Fulgoni, Co-Founder & CEO at comScore, Inc.
"Chris Nadherny shares his considerable experience as a national C-suite recruiter to capture the most critical, but often overlooked, elements of professional development and career planning in his book, The Proactive Executive. His book is full of proven and practical advice, insights, how-to's, action steps and real life case studies to guide your journey. A great read!" —Kimberly Williams, CEO, Consumer Safety Technologies
"Today as you move up an organization or change companies in a leadership position, you need the total package. Chris Nadherny outlines the steps needed to prepare yourself in advance for a significant career move, and to make sure it is the right one. Importantly, his approach makes these difficult steps achievable." —Roger Adams, Chief Marketing Officer, Fortune 500 diversified financial services company, Board Member, Association of National Advertisers.
"Read this book! No fluff here. Only practical tools and 'hard' career management skills that are guaranteed to result in positive career and personal growth. This is a 'go to' resource successful executives can pick up throughout their careers." —John Seebeck, VP and General Manager ECommerce, CDW, Inc.
"Physician heal thyself hasn't typically been relevant advice for business executives. Until now. Chris Nadherny's Proactive Executive does just that. This book reminds smart, strategic, and effective executives, who have mastered goal setting, planning, execution and monitoring, to apply these very talents to managing their own careers. Starting with the most important trait, self-awareness, Chris brings evidence in the form of examples and cases proving the qualities, and then the strategic actions that he's seen work over a stellar career of his own in executive search." —Tom Collinger, Executive Director Medill IMC/Spiegel Digital and Database Research Initiative, Northwestern University
"I have known Chris for nearly 20 years as a candidate, client and friend. This book powerfully distills career management insights from the thirty year career of someone I consider to be one of the world's most respected search executives. The detailed case studies, what-if scenarios, lessons learned and proactive action plans he lays out will be invaluable to executives at any stage in their career." —Love Goel, CEO, GVG Capital
"It's easy as an executive to be so focused on your job that you forget to manage your career. Nadherny's The Proactive Executive is filled with savvy observations and practical suggestions to help even the most successful executives improve the odds of building successful, long-term careers. I loved the real-world examples, and I have already earmarked a bunch of pages that I'll be going back to. The Proactive Executive is a must read for any modern executive!" —David Spitz, CEO, ChannelAdvisor
"Today's business environment requires leaders to manage multiple, complex initiatives while reacting to new information on an ongoing basis. Good leaders almost always have a proactive plan to handle these challenges. Perhaps the toughest project any leader faces is the long-term management of his or her career through the series of changes in their personal situation and the rapidly evolving marketplace. In his new book, The Proactive Executive, Chris Nadherny provides an excellent roadmap for managing your most important business project—your career. The Proactive Executive provides a career's worth of practical perspective, insights, suggestions and "how to" tips designed to keep you ahead of the curve and achieving greater personal career success." —Michael Linton, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Farmers Group Insurance, Inc.
"I wish this book had been written sooner! There is lots of wisdom here that I could have used in my own career. I am overnighting The Proactive Executive to both my adult kids. Chris Nadherny's insight and advice is that important." —Bill Bass, Chairman, Black Wolf Group
Author Bio:
As a nationally recognized C-level recruiter, I spent 30 years with Spencer Stuart, a leading global executive search firm. My early career was in brand marketing after receiving a Wharton MBA. While at Spencer Stuart my executive search clients included leading Fortune 500 companies, private equity portfolio companies, and later stage start-ups. Along the way, I assessed the track records and backgrounds of over five thousand aspiring and C-suite executives. The insights and observations gained from these assessments provided me with unique perspective on how successful careers are formed. I also counseled many other executives whose careers had become derailed.
After many years in the recruiting trenches, I decided to leave Spencer Stuart with the goal of helping executives achieve greater professional success through proactive and thoughtful career planning and management. In my forthcoming book, The Proactive Executive: A C-Suite Recruiters 5-Step System for Achieving Greater Career Success, I share the best of my 30 years’ worth of observations, learnings and insights. The book provides practical, straightforward advice, action steps and how to’s for immediately improving your career prospects, job satisfaction and earnings potential. My hope is that this book will positively influence the careers of many executives, including yours.

The Problem Child
Cymbeline Barnes declared Viktor Olofsson her arch-enemy when they were children. When he saved her beloved sister, she started to see him as a hero instead. Still, she can't let go of the idea that her destiny is waiting somewhere else in the world.
Viktor Olofsson has cared for Cymbeline his whole life. However, when she continues to rebuff him, he allows himself to entertain the idea of newcomer Emma.
Will Cymbeline come to terms with her life and wake up to the idea of love before it's too late?
Author Bio:
Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary and historical romantic women’s fiction with nearly forty published titles. When asked to describe her books, she could never figure out what to say that would perfectly sum them up until she landed on “Hometowns and Heartstrings.”

The Quilting House, A Hickory Grove Christmas
A weathered family barn, a second chance at love, and the quilt that wove them together...
It's winter, and Liesel Hart needs a project. Single and over the hill, she's more likely to turn to the convent than to find a date for the Christmas tree lighting. But when her friend's daughter reaches out with questions about Liesel's favorite passtime, she sees a chance to reinvent herself... until a family secret comes knocking like the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Gretchen Engel has a simple dream: open a craft store. But then her ex-boyfriend comes home for Christmas, bringing a winter storm with him. Now Gretchen is stuck in the Hickory Grove Inn with her ex and a Christmas shopping list a mile long... how can she pull off a business plan if she can hardly manage the holidays?
Becky, Fern, and Maggie, and Greta are close friends and happy locals, and their cherubic children are starring in this year's Nativity play. But a critical prop is missing... and the show can't go on without it.
Will the group of six find the time to patch together a cozy friendship? Or will they run out of hot cocoa first?
Take a trip to the heart of America and fall in love with Hickory Grove's quirky residents who work hard, enjoy the simple life, and always put love first. Each title is a standalone read.
The Schoolhouse: Book One
The Christmas House: Book Two
The Farmhouse: Book Three
The Innkeeper's House: Book Four
The Quilting House: Book Five

The Ranch
A ranch they didn't expect to love. A family they didn't expect to find.
Amanda and Abigail Brooks didn't even want a ranch. They should be pleased the secondary beneficiary is trying to take it away. But now they've been in Birch Creek for a while and they've started to put down roots. They won't give up without a fight-even if the odds of winning are bleak.
Donna Ellingson started on the wrong side of things, but she's eager to rectify past mistakes. But when helping one widow harms the other, none of the choices she's presented with are clear.
Can the women save the ranch that has brought them all together, and learn to love openly and boldly, even when life keeps getting in the way?

The Raven Song
When the body of a young woman is discovered at the home she shared with her disabled daughter, DI Tom Janssen and his team must investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.
The woman was a single mother, well regarded and popular among the group she frequented, but she had a chequered past... a life she kept secret from those around her... a life that may, ultimately, have led to her death. Friends, past lovers, and confidants offer conflicting descriptions of the deceased... did anyone know her at all?
The team realise the daughter is missing and, away from her medication, the little girl's life hangs in the balance. Unless the team can solve a seemingly calculated murder, an innocent life will be lost...
Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.
The Raven Song is the latest novel in the Hidden Norfolk series of thrillers from the million-copy bestselling British crime writer, JM Dalgliesh, the author of the Dark Yorkshire books. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, JD Kirk, Angela Marsons, Simon McCleave and Damien Boyd.

The Reboot
If you're starting a thousand mile journey with a single step, you better make sure you're wearing comfy shoes.
Abby Archer's life has rarely been better. As a newlywed, she and Steve have things just as she wants them. But when a big surprise leaves Abby confused, can she trust Steve to do things the way she needs them handled?
Amanda Brooks' business had a rocky start, but she and Mandy are more energized than ever. Eddy's back too, and they're trying to navigate a new way forward. Work and love are both shaping up nicely when disaster strikes. Can the new presence in town wreck all their plans, or will Amanda square her shoulders and persevere?
Donna has finally accepted her feelings for Will, and she's enjoying her job too. But working far from home has its own share of difficulties, and eventually her current job will end. When the retreat is built, will Donna find that tiny Manila is big enough to fulfill all her dreams?
Return to Birch Creek to see how your favorite friends are navigating career, family life, and love with a little bit of laughter.

The Reset
"This is the most ambitious entry yet in this brain-twisting time-travel series." —BookLife (Publishers Weekly)
WHEN THE WORLDS COLLIDE, THEIR LOVE WILL REWRITE THE FABRIC OF REALITY
In the shocking third installment of the Time Corrector series, super-genius Dr. Vincent Abajian finds himself in an even grander drama, and this time, the fate of his beloved daughter is on the line. The Reset is a culmination of worlds colliding, timelines interweaving, and relationships that seemed indestructible, reaching dire breaking points.
Vincent gets in the midst of an international political crisis forged by his adversary, Philip Nardin. As he tirelessly works to offset the impact, Philip kidnaps Nozomi, Vincent’s daughter. In an endgame decision, Vincent relinquishes his time-correcting powers to Philip while the world leaders launch a devastating arms race to weaponize Intreton—the purest energy source that can alter reality if mishandled. The two opponents, Vincent and Philip, unite against political and military forces to save reality from crumbling. Their plan reveals a mind-bending past and the identity of a time-twisted villain Philip calls the Lunatic. Such revelation leads to a dramatic conclusion and opens the possibility of a Reset. As someone close to Vincent shows their true self, Vincent discovers that Nozomi’s complex ties to Emika and Akane may hold the key to the Reset in this time-hopping clash of love, egos, and desires.
A story of love that transcends time and reality, and the sacrifices masquerading as selfish acts, the final book of the award-winning Time Corrector series is a whirlwind of unexpected events—many questions will finally be answered. And yet, new possibilities lay beyond this head-spinning conclusion.
Awards:
2024 International Book Award Finalist in Science Fiction Category
1 Amazon Best Seller in Science Fiction History & Criticism
#1 Amazon Best Seller in Mystery & Detective
More Reviews:
“This latest series installment delivers an intricately recursive time-hopping tale of heartache and skulduggery. Indeed, readers will find that the narrative is more intricate than the inside of a complex pocket watch. If Back to the Future is elementary time travel, this is the stuff of doctoral theses.” —Kirkus
"Being the final installment in the Time Corrector Series, The Reset can be savored more by first reading the previous installments. This page-turner is an epic and captivating finale of an amazing series." —Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite
"Triple-stuffed with time-jumps, alt-reality doubles, chronological paradoxes, tense military showdowns, and other smart twists that bend existence like taffy, the third entry in Datta's Time Corrector series is relentless in its invention, relentlessly committed to big ideas and bigger surprises. This volume draws on a Marvel Universe's worth of complex, reality-crossing backstory." —BookLife (Publishers Weekly)
"With a non-linear structure and a sprawling story, Avi Datta takes readers through a maze of a plot, intricately weaving different threads that come together in the end like the perfect jigsaw puzzle for a soaring climax." —Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
"A lavishly detailed, intricate, and addictive read.… well-stocked with hard SF elements. Datta’s vivid descriptions do an excellent job of bringing the Time Corrector Universe to life on the pages.... To say it is intricate would be an understatement.... The brilliance of this book lies in the way the author gradually reveals the mystery surrounding the Lunatic and his ties to Vincent and Philip. Every piece of information leads readers on a twisting journey that ends with an unexpected revelation.... Fans of mind-bending science fiction will find themselves enthralled by Datta’s expertly crafted narrative and clever twists” —Prairies Book Review
"Datta's attention to detail and pacing results in a complex plot that keeps readers on the edge from cover to cover with its exploration of love and sacrifice in the face of a time-twisted villain." —K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
“With each turn of the page, Datta deftly reveals subtle hints about Vincent’s true intentions, keeping readers on edge and tantalizing them with glimpses of a greater mystery. As disparate threads begin to converge, the stakes become higher and the consequences more dire.... Fans of dense, intricately detailed SF won’t want to miss this one.” —BookView Review
"The book continues Avi Datta's tradition of brilliant storytelling, non-linear plot making, and absolutely beautiful character development. Just when the reader thinks they have everything figured out, Datta will impress him or her with the most incredible twists and turns imaginable" —Adam Wright for Reedsy Discovery
"The complex relationships between Emika, Akane, and the daughter they are technically both mothers to were interesting. They both love her, but they are struggling to deal with the fact that they were one person when she was conceived." —Samantha Gregory for Readers' Favorite
"Puzzle lovers and readers who love to contemplate intricate time conundrums will be fully engaged with the book's sophisticated plot." —The Manhattan Book Review
"The first-person narrative allows the reader to witness characters' inner dialogues and connect with them more easily, as we are given a deep understanding of their perspective." —Online Book Club
"The book weaves together multiple themes, including time travel, love, politics, intrigue, and high-stakes action." —San Francisco Book Review
Author Bio:
Dr. Avi Datta is the author of the genre-bending sci-fi series, Time Correctors. The Winding is his debut novel and the first one in the series. He is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Illinois State University. He is also the director of the University’s Center for Entrepreneurial studies. He researches and publishes in Radical Innovation, Management of Innovation, Technology Strategy, and Strategic Entrepreneurship. Outside his day job, he is a writer, an avid painter, a watch collector, and a coffee enthusiast who enjoys classic rock and western classical music.

The Resurrectionist
It's 1820, and the physicians of London are on fire to unlock the secrets of human anatomy, some consorting with criminals to get their scalpels into a fresh body. Job Mowatt has become such a criminal-a body snatcher, a resurrectionist. The wages are just enough to keep his brilliant daughter, Ivy, clean and safe in London's worst slum. When anatomist Percival Quinn asks Job to dig up a rare specimen-the wife of a powerful and dangerous man-Job knows instantly he is inviting trouble, but knows, too, that the payment would allow Ivy to escape the brief, miserable existence that awaits women of her class. All it will take is a single night's work. A single night that will bring Job deeper into darkness and closer to death than he has ever been. Lords and ladies in their glittering mansions, six-bottle men and opium eaters in foul tenements, they all take their secrets to the grave...and sometimes the resurrectionist brings them back.

The Retreat
You can't win until you learn when to fall back. . .
Amanda Brooks can't seem to find a job that suits her. She's really hoping her new plan is a good one, because she needs something to keep her busy while her boyfriend's gone.
Abigail Brooks is opening a new legal practice in the middle of nowhere, but she's positive she can make it work. With more flexible hours, she's finally prepared to settle herself and her family into their new life out West.
Donna Ellingson's brother may be a grade-A jerk, but she's grown a lot in the past year. She's not afraid of a fight anymore, as long as she's on the right side.
But when a rival developer breaks ground on a retreat in nearby Flaming Gorge, he steals all of Amanda's best contractors. Abby's nearly as frustrated when her big sister drops in, eager to "help" as usual. And Donna discovers that sometimes no love life is better than too much. . .
Can these three friends-turned-family learn when to go all-in and when to let go before their various battles meet with unhappy endings?

The Return of Absent Souls
In this stunning conclusion to the After The Rift series, Josie and her friends return home to find Glancia on the brink of war and their enemies in power. With political machinations and court intrigue bringing danger at every turn, they must tread carefully. But being careful won't bring resolutions and answers. It won't bring back lost memories or stop the nation hurtling into war.
The only thing that can make everything right is the ultimate sacrifice. But will Josie make it?
At the heart of it all is the magic that stole the memories of so many. The magic that some people will do anything to get their hands on. In a palace full of lies and betrayal, Josie and her friends must be careful who they trust - or suffer the consequences.
THE RETURN OF ABSENT SOULS is the final book in the After The Rift series. The books in order are:
#1 The Palace of Lost Memories
#2 The Echo of Broken Dreams
#3 The Whisper of Silenced Voices
#4 The Temple of Forgotten Secrets
#5 The Prison of Buried Hopes
#6 The Return of Absent Souls

The Reunion
Hotel Lilith holds terrible memories for Cait Du Bois.
The darkest night of her life happened within its walls.
Once, she vowed never to return to the place that reminds her of the horror she experienced. But when the hotel is chosen as the location for her high school reunion, Cait finds herself unable to resist the appeal of showing off her new life to the people who once made her existence miserable.
Cait is no stranger to being noticed in public, especially as a bestselling author with an enthusiastic fan base, but back at Hotel Lilith, she was once recognized for a completely different reason. With all eyes on her as she returns to the town she's spent years running from, Cait finds it increasingly difficult to discern between her fans and foes.
Haunted by the memory of a night that torments her, she resolves to put the past behind her and move on.
No one knows the truth about what happened back then.
At least, that's what she's always believed.
Shortly after her arrival, strange things begin to occur. A mysterious package, strange calls, and frightening text messages seem to be just the beginning of the nightmare about to unfold.
Someone is determined to bring the truth to light. If they succeed, the life Cait has built based on secrets could come crashing down around her. And, if they want her to pay for what she's done, her lies may be the least of her concerns.
Someone's out for blood.

The Revelation of Three
He thought he was prepared to go to war with the Devil, but what if Satan's not his true enemy?
Ever since the Devil donned a powerful amulet that allows him to walk the Earth, he has grown weaker-and so has his authority. As a result, mutiny is rising in Hell, and the Devil must fight to remain the king of the underworld. Little does he know, there is much more at stake than his title.
After the death of the nun who raised him and his best friend, Jordan Conway cannot think of anything but finding Sophia and keeping her safe. Luckily, he has a team of archangels on his side, and with their help, the two lifelong friends are reunited. But Jordan didn't expect the reunion to include another of Sister Helen's charges-the boy he'd loved like a brother but who had pushed him away, Dane. The three orphans never thought their lives would amount to much, but finding their way back to each other is leading them to finding out who they truly are.
All paths converge when the fourteenth sphere, a celestial object with a power like no other, appears at the Met. The angels must keep it from falling into the wrong hands, and soon, the lines between good and evil blur as they find themselves fighting alongside Satan to prevent the unleashing of a dark and dangerous force hell-bent on taking them all down. But in this world, nothing is as it seems, and the mysterious sphere is possibly the least of their concerns...
Get ready for another adventure as the three friends, and the angels they now consider family, travel the globe in search of a way to save each other-and the world.
About the Author
Schaller, Sara M.: - Sara M Schaller is a young adult author and publishing professional. She lives in Colorado and works at her local library. Sara loves the world of pop culture and the performing arts, so when she is not reading or writing, she is either watching movies and shows, attending conventions, or going out to see live performances. She likes to write stories for all ages in the fantasy genre, and her writing usually contains elements of speculative fiction and features a large cast of characters. Sara has a Bachelor's degree in English, Art History, and Religious Studies from the University of Denver, and a Master's degree in Publishing from Pace University. You can visit her online at www.saramschaller.com.

The Risk
Everyone says I'm a bad girl. They're only partly right--I don't let fear rule me, and I certainly don't care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar's head hockey coach, I'd be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.
And that's who Jake Connelly is. Harvard's star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel--I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn't making it easy for me.
I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.
For every fake date...he wants a real one.
Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it's getting harder and harder to resist Jake's oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.
That's the one risk I'm not willing to take.

The River Jewel: A Letter Series Novella

The Road Home
About the Author
Bestselling author Kathleen Shoop holds a PhD in reading education and has more than 20 years of experience in the classroom. She writes historical fiction, women's fiction and romance. Shoop's novels have garnered various awards in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, Eric Hoffer Book Awards, Indie Excellence Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the San Francisco Book Festival. Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer's Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books and Pittsburgh Parent magazine. She lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

The Roll-Away Pumpkin
"Marla Little's pumpkin is rolling away Can she catch it before it's gone forever? Readers both young and young at heart will delight in this lovely, whimsical tale." -BookBub
On a windy autumn day, Marla Little comes running down the hill, yelling, "Help My giant pumpkin is rolling away Onward it goes, rolling and turning, with no sign of stopping Diddle-dee-doo Oh, what shall I do?"
A little girl chases her giant pumpkin all over town with some help along the way. Featuring a cast of delightful characters and beautifully illustrated with memorable scenes, you'll love reciting "Diddle-dee-doo Oh, what shall I do?" together with your little pumpkin.
It's perfect for teaching sequencing to preschool and kindergarten children, and it's a fun way to introduce your little one to nostalgic characters such as the farmer, the baker, the milkman, and so on. Older preschoolers or kindergarteners may enjoy retelling the story. Try asking your little one who's running after the pumpkin and to guess what will happen next
There's more: This adorable little story is a celebration of pumpkins and all vegetables during the fall harvest season. With the townsfolk dressing up as vegetables, this picture book will get kids excited about Halloween
The book is exquisitely illustrated by award-winning Italian illustrator Daniela Volpari. Every page is a beautiful work of art, making this one of those picture books whose images will linger long after you've turned the page.
Get your copy of this book now and inspire your kids to share and to help others.
This book would make the ideal gift for your child to get ready for the fall or autumn season, Halloween, and Thanksgiving-all perfect opportunities to introduce your little one to the wonderful world of pumpkins.
The Roll-Away Pumpkin is:
- recommended for toddlers and preschoolers aged 2 to 5 years.
- a delightful and whimsical children's picture book for early and beginner readers.
- written with repeating sentence structures to capture young listeners' attention and give early readers confidence.
- beautifully illustrated with exquisite autumn hues, brimming with expression and humor that small children will love.
- a charming little story that teaches the joy of helping one another and sharing.
- entertaining-the book is full of funny situations that are sure to elicit plenty of giggles.
- perfect for teaching sequencing to preschool and kindergarten children at home or in the classroom.

The Roommate
He thought his life couldn't get any worse...
Wesley Gates is down on his luck.
He's drowning in debt.
His demanding career isn't letting up.
And, to top it all off, after years of ignoring their failing marriage, his wife has had enough.
Heartbroken and in desperate need of a place to stay while he gives his wife the space she's asked for, Wes is shocked when he runs into a familiar face from his past. As they catch up, Wes quickly learns his old classmate has an extra room and a non-existent social life. He can't help feeling grateful to spend time with someone who remembers who he was during their glory days, long before his life fell apart. So, when Elias offers to rent out his spare bedroom, it seems like the answer to all Wes's problems. Wes takes his old friend up on the offer without hesitation.
Living with someone you barely know is better than living with a stranger... Isn't it?
But soon, Wes realizes moving in with Elias may have been a mistake.
Between the wild mood swings, strange occurrences, and total disregard for his new roommate's privacy, Wes begins to wonder if Elias will be his savior or his worst nightmare.
When his wife reveals devastating news that destroys the final bit of shaky ground Wes was standing on, his new roommate may be all he has left.
Maybe that's what Elias wanted in the first place...
Or maybe it's all in Wes's head.
Elias invited him in...
Will Wes ever be able to leave?

The Route That Takes You Home
All she needs is a fresh start. Can she find it in a familiar place? It's been a rough year for Kate Duncan, both on and off the job. Being a mail carrier puts her in close proximity to her customers, with consequences that can't always be foreseen. So when a position opens at her hometown post office, she decides to leave Chicago in her rearview mirror. What follows is a summer filled with change. Kate and her cat settle into a charming apartment above Eagle River's historic Main Street, but she dreams of a different home to call her own. And when she volunteers for the annual sweet corn festival, it doesn't take long for her to establish her new place in the community. As she drives the back roads around Eagle River, Kate begins to take a personal interest in the people on her route. So when an elderly resident goes missing, she feels compelled to help track him down. It's a quest marked not by miles of gravel, but matters of the heart: friendship, family, and the small connections that add up to a well-lived life. Don't miss this new series by the author of the heartwarming "Growing Season" novels!

The Ruby Brooch
Armed with a mysterious ruby brooch and a duffel bag judiciously packed with modern conveniences, paramedic Kit MacKlenna swirls through time, appearing in 1852 on the Oregon Trail with only one goal in mind--find her birth parents before their murderers do.
A serendipitous meeting on a wagon train with sexy lawyer Cullen Montgomery, who resembles the ghost who has haunted her for years, just might set her off track. Her desire for secrecy collides with his pursuit of truth. If she can survive the dangerous journey and thwart his attempts to expose her as a fraud, she might uncover the identity of her birth parents and return home to reassemble the shambles of her life.
As the journey continues westward, a mutual spark of attraction ignites and grows too strong to resist, forcing her to question what she truly wants. When disaster strikes, she must decide whether to stay in the past with her heart, or return to her home in the future--a place she believes she no longer belongs?
About the Author
Katherine's historical research has taken her along the Oregon Trail, to the reenactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek, to England and Scotland, and the beaches of Normandy. Also, while researching 'The Emerald Brooch' she flew on Texas Raiders, a World War II B-17. Katherine is the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of five. She is also a marathoner and lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Sail
As a picturesque and perfect summer arrives in Michigan, a father and son prepare to sail around Lake Superior, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. It is a trip three years in the making and filled with planned stops for wreck diving, camping, and hiking. The water is deep, the wind is just right, and the sunsets are sublime. If there was ever a place for Robin and Tristian Norris to "get away from it all," the remote Superior coastline is it.
But when their anchor fouls, Robin not only uncovers a lost hoard of valuable gems but also discovers a mysterious stowaway aboard their boat. Who is she? And what is she running from?
What started as a paradisiacal trip quickly turns into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, and the trio is forced to battle high-tech pirates who'd do anything to reclaim their prize...in a nightmare that tests not only the trio's bond, but their will to survive.
Grab a life jacket and find something or someone to hold on to, it's time to go sailing.

The Sand Pounder: Love and Drama on Horseback in WWII
2021 Maincrest Media Historical Fiction Award Winner
"The Sand Pounder is one of those rare historical novels with a charm that appeals to both young and old readers." —Readers' Favorite
"M.J. Evans does an excellent job of winding the era's history and the lesser-known job of the Sand Pounders into a realistic story of a mature teen's determination to make a difference in her world." —Midwest Book Review
"A gripping YA historical novel packed full of twists, turns and memorable characters. Highly recommended!" —Wishing Shelf Book Review
Fearing an invasion by German and Japanese forces during World War II, the U.S. Coast Guard enlisted horsemen to patrol the beaches along the east and west coasts. The unit was called "The Sand Pounders" and they rode their horses up and down the beaches from 1942 to 1944.
In Tillamook, Oregon, a young equestrian decided to join them. There was only one problem...they were only accepting men. That didn't slow her down.
The Sand Pounder is a Young Adult historical fiction set during World War II.
Author Bio:
M.J. Evans is the multi-award winning author of middle-grade and young adult fantasies and novels. She is best known for her horse stories such as In the Heart of a Mustang and PINTO!, as well as her fantasies, The Mist Trilogy and The Centaur Chronicles. Mrs. Evans is a life-long equestrian, a former teacher of middle-grade and high school students, and the proud mother of five grown children. She loves to ride her horses in the Colorado mountains.

The Sapphire Brooch
A Union soldier risks everything to save the life of Abraham Lincoln, while a Confederate surgeon races through time to preserve Lincoln's Legacy.
Reenactor Dr. Charlotte Mallory has spent years perfecting the portrayal of her ancestor, Civil War Confederate surgeon Major Carlton Mallory. In the middle of the 150th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek, she is hurled back in time and lands in the middle of the battle itself, and from there is catapulted into dangers that threaten her life and shatter her heart.
Charlotte is captured by Union soldiers during the battle and hauled before General Sheridan. The General only sees a Confederate surgeon who can solve a challenging problem for him, so he threatens Charlotte with the destruction of her two-hundred-year-old ancestral home unless "he" agrees to rescue a Union spy from a Confederate hospital. To save her home and possibly her own life, she reluctantly agrees. After a harrowing journey to Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond, she finds her target, a handsome, green-eyed spy with a Minie ball in his gut and is now at death's door. Without a thought for long-term consequences, she returns with him to the future, where she has the technology to save his life.
While recovering from his gunshot wound in Charlotte's ancestral home, the spy, Major Michael Abraham "Braham" McCabe learns the man he works for, President Lincoln, was assassinated. Now Braham is determined to return to his century to prevent the assassination. When Charlotte refuses to help him, because it will change the future, he finds another way to get back to his own time.
Now Charlotte must find the courage to follow her heart into the past, and fix the mess she created before it unravels and changes the course of history.
What began as the rescue of a dying man explodes into an eight-month, terrifying, and spellbinding escapade that carries Charlotte across the boundaries of time, honor, and duty to protect history and those she loves, putting everything she cherishes at risk, her heart, her home, and her life.
Scroll up and grab a copy today.
The Scarlet Queen

The Scholar
"I delighted in every turn of the story and when away from it found myself eager to return to Emerson Pass. I can't wait for the next book." —Kay Bratt, author of Wish Me Home
She's marrying him out of necessity. He's secretly hoping to sway her heart. Will their friendship deepen into happily ever after?
Colorado, 1924. Louisa Lind is a dutiful daughter to her adoptive parents. After the boy she loves marries someone else, she vows to assist her father and mother with church work and forget all about marriage. But when tragedy strikes, the suddenly penniless young woman reluctantly accepts a marriage proposal...from her dream man's twin brother.
Having completed his medical school studies, Theo Barnes has returned to Emerson Pass to apprentice under the town's doctor. Smitten since childhood with the pastor's adopted daughter, he gallantly offers to wed Louisa to save her from destitution even though he knows her to have been in love with his twin brother. Despite his family believing the marriage to be a mistake, Theo persistently holds out hope that all he needs is time to win Louisa's heart.
They both suffer from childhood wounds and began to see their connection as something much deeper.
Can the two damaged souls find a way to finally move on from their painful pasts and find love?
SCROLL FOR SAMPLE!
Author Bio:
Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary and historical romantic women’s fiction with nearly forty published titles. When asked to describe her books, she could never figure out what to say that would perfectly sum them up until she landed on “Hometowns and Heartstrings.”
Book Excerpt:
Chapter 1: Theo
On a summer day in 1924, I arrived home to Emerson Pass, Colorado, with no idea of the ways in which my life would be irrevocably altered in the months to come. Had I known what waited for me, I’d have run off the train instead of walking like the gentlemanly scholar I fancied myself.
All I knew that day was that I was glad to be home. I’d been away at medical school for over four years. I was now about to step off the train to begin a new season of my life as a small-town doctor.
For the second time in my life, my family stood on the platform anticipating my arrival. The first had been when my twin brother, Flynn, and I had returned from the war. His was the face I spotted from the window. We were alike in appearance but opposites in personalities. He looked rakish in a tan summer suit and straw hat. Next to him, the oldest of my siblings, Josephine, stood with baby Poppy in her arms. Her husband, Phillip, was next to her, clinging to the hand of their little girl, Quinn, named after our stepmother. She was the second child of my stepmother’s first students to be named Quinn. I wouldn’t be surprised if someday they named the school after her.
My second sister, Cymbeline, never one to wait patiently, ran toward the passenger car, waving frantically as her hat came unpinned from her piles of dark brown hair and caught flight. Our younger sister Fiona followed closely behind. Her quick hands, made for playing the piano and catching her sister’s lost items, snatched the hat from midair.
Cymbeline looked much the same as when I’d first left for school when she was sixteen. Fiona, however, had grown up during my time away. At seventeen, she was now more of a woman than a girl. No longer in short skirts and pinafores, she wore a rose-colored drop-waisted dress that hung loosely over her small frame. Both Cymbeline and Fiona were delicate beauties with alabaster skin and almost black hair. They’d always looked similar but, like Flynn and me, were not of similar dispositions.
Papa stood with his arm around my stepmother. Stoic in public, Papa was as soft inside as any man I’d ever known. Mama held a handkerchief to her mouth. Her weekly letters to me while I was away had been as consistent as the university’s chapel bell ringing on a Sunday morning. Whether she’d given birth to us or not, Mama was our mother. She’d come to us when Flynn and I were nine years old. He claimed to remember little from before that time, but I wasn’t sure that was true. Regardless, we loved her with all our hearts. She looked as young and pretty as she’d been when she first came to us, stepping onto this very same platform on a snowy winter’s day.
My smallest sisters, Addie and Delphia, twelve and eight respectively, stood close to Papa. I had to take them in for a moment too, changed as they were from the image in my mind of two small girls. As fair-haired as Cymbeline and Fiona were dark, they competed with the summer sun with their yellow hair and light blue eyes. My chest ached at the sight of them. Time didn’t ebb and flow but constantly charged forward with no pause with which one could catch up. I’d missed much while at school. But I was home now, I reminded myself. Where I belonged.
As soon as the doors opened, I grabbed my suitcase and headed down the steps to the platform. The first-class car had been empty since Denver, so I exited with ease. Cymbeline threw herself at me with such power that she nearly knocked us both to the ground. She was as strong as many men. A natural athlete. One frustrated by her lack of opportunities to compete.
“Theo, I’ve missed you so,” Cymbeline said, almost angrily.
I chuckled at her stormy expression. “I’ve missed you. Now, don’t be angry with me. I’m here now.”
She hugged me again, then stepped away to peer at me with dark eyes fringed with thick lashes. “You seem larger.”
“Do I? You’re prettier than ever,” I said.
“Don’t be silly. I have more important things to do than be pretty.” Regardless of Cymbeline’s retort, I could see in her brilliant smile that my compliment pleased her.
Flynn held out his hand before pulling me into a half embrace. “Brother, have you learned everything there is to know and are ready to stay put?”
“Not everything,” I said, grinning back at the face that looked so much like mine. “Now that you’re married, have you been tamed?”
“A little,” Flynn said. “I’m going to be a father soon.”
“What? How come I didn’t know?”
“We just told the folks last night. Or I did. Shannon’s feeling too sick to come out.”
“Nothing serious?” I asked.
“Mama says it’s morning sickness and completely normal,” Flynn said. Shannon was a beauty with dark curls and skin the color of milk. My brother had fallen for her shortly after we’d returned from the war. Although Flynn had been saying all his life that he was to remain a bachelor until the day he died, he’d been unable to resist Shannon. They’d married a few years back. I’d worried when Mama had written there were still no babies that there might be something wrong. Given this happy news, I needn’t have.
Fiona approached in her quiet manner, still holding Cymbeline’s hat. “Hello, Theo.” Her voice was as soft and sweet as it had always been. Listening to her speak, no one would guess at how powerful and crystal clear her singing voice was. She’d gotten enough musical talent for all seven of us.
I set my satchel down to take her hands. “Hello, Fi.” Her hair curled at the nape of her delicate neck. She made me think of a newly budded pink rose. “What’s happened to you? You’re all grown up.”
“Not so much,” Fiona said, smiling. “I’m still your baby sister in here.” She tapped her chest before taking my hand to lead me over to the rest of my family.
“Theo, welcome home,” Papa said with a voice thick with emotion. He held out his hand for me to shake.
“Thanks, Papa.” Tears threatened to break through my natural reserve. I turned to my mother.
“I’m so very happy to see you.” Mama embraced me.
“I’m sure Lizzie can fatten me up in a few weeks,” I said.
Josephine, cradling her infant, held out her cheek for me to kiss. I did so before pulling back the blanket to see my niece, Poppy. She was too young to see who she resembled or even to open her eyes to greet me. “She’s precious, Jo.”
“We think so,” Josephine said with a glance up at her husband, Phillip.
I shook Phillip’s hand and knelt to say hello to little Quinn, who promptly hid herself behind her father.
“Quinn looks like her namesake,” I said. Although that was impossible, as they shared no blood. Still, odder things had come about in our family.
“Isn’t it strange?” Josephine asked as she and Mama exchanged a smile. “As sweet as her, too.”
My little sisters approached next. Addie reminded me very much of Josephine. They were both blonde and slight, although Addie was quieter and frailer than Jo had been at that age. Jo had been a little mother to all of us after our mother died and before Mama Quinn came to us. She’d had to grow up too fast.
“Hi, Theo,” Addie said shyly. “I made you this.” She thrust a card with a pressed orange poppy into my hand.
“Thank you.” I knelt on the platform to get a better look at her.
“Are poppies still your favorite?” Addie’s blue eyes were the same color as the sky above us and had this way of unsettling me with their purity.
“They are. This is very pretty. You did a wonderful job.”
“I thought you might’ve changed.” Addie’s bottom lip trembled. “Or forgotten me.”
I brushed her soft cheek with my thumb. “I could never forget you.”
“What about me? Did you forget me?” Delphia, her little body tense as if waiting for a fight, watched me with narrowed eyes.
“Hmm…what’s your name again? You look vaguely familiar.”
Delphia stomped her boot. “You’re lying. You remember me.” I laughed and picked her up and swirled her in a circle.
“Don’t be a goose. Of course I remember my baby sister.”
She laughed and hugged my neck with all the strength in her thin arms. “I knew it.”
I set her down. “In fact, I want you to tell me everything about everything.”
“All right. But not now. Mama said I’m not to dominate the conversation at lunch.”
“Maybe later you, Addie, and I can go out to the meadow and pick some flowers for the table and we can talk all about everything then.”
Delphia grinned and lifted her chin defiantly. “Yes. But I’ll do most of the talking. That’s how it is with Addie and me.”
“I remember,” I said, winking at Addie.
“Let’s get you home and settled,” Mama said. “Lizzie’s prepared a feast for lunch.”
“Fried chicken.” Delphia took my hand. “And strawberry ice cream for dessert.”
My mouth watered. “I can’t wait.”
Just like that, I was back in the thick of the Barnes family.
***
When we arrived, Jasper greeted us at the door as he always had. He and his wife, Lizzie, who ran our kitchen, had come with Papa from England years and years before. When Papa had decided to give up his lord title as firstborn son and come to America, Jasper had insisted on accompanying him.
“Theo, welcome home,” Jasper said. His British accent was as strong as it had ever been. I could not decide if he clung to his English ways out of spite or habit. “We have you in the guest room upstairs.”
“Fiona and Cymbeline share your old room now,” Mama said.
I followed Jasper upstairs to clean up and get unpacked. “Your mother had some new suits made for you.” Jasper went to the wardrobe and opened both the doors. “Nonetheless, there should be sufficient room for whatever’s in your luggage.”
Several new suit jackets and trousers were hung in a row along with crisp shirts.
“They’re made of fine material. Mr. Olofsson used his best.” Jasper nodded with obvious approval. “I made sure.”
“Thank you.” I turned away from the wardrobe to get a better look at him. He was as formal and tidy as always in his black suit with its vest and tie. “How’s Lizzie?”
“She’s well and would like to see you as soon as you’re able.”
“And Florence?” Their daughter was around the same age as Addie with a cheerful, outgoing personality like her mother.
At the sound of his daughter’s name, a slight smile lifted the corners of Jasper’s mouth, but only for an instant. “Florence is a little too American for my taste, but she’s a fine girl.” He returned to the business at hand, never one to deviate too far from his duties. “The water closet is ready for you if you’d like to freshen up.” He gestured toward the adjoining bathroom. “Dinner is at seven. They no longer dress for it in the summer, as they eat outside on the porch.” He imitated an American accent with the word porch. “Which has a screen around the perimeter.” He sniffed. I wasn’t sure why a screen was particularly offensive, but I didn’t ask.
“Your brother-in-law built this back porch specifically for outdoor eating,” Jasper said. “Lord Barnes is quite taken with the idea and insists that everyone remain in their day clothes.”
I nodded, fighting the urge to laugh. “He’s gone rogue on us, Jasper.”
“Yes, but what can you expect?”
I wasn’t entirely sure of the meaning of that question, so I simply thanked him. “I’ll be down shortly. I’m looking forward to one of Lizzie and Mrs. Wu’s wonderful meals.”
“Very good, Dr. Barnes.”
The pride in his voice made me smile. Being home was indeed very good.
After he left, I looked around the room, which hadn’t changed much since I’d last seen it. Lilies in a vase on the dresser gave off a lovely scent, one I remembered well from my childhood. Walnut furniture, a yellow-and-red braided rug, and the easy chair by the window were familiar and comforting to me. I’d lived lean during my university years, renting a room close to campus and eating meals at the cafeteria or the neighborhood diner. Because of the vigor with which I’d approached my schooling, I’d done little else but study.
I hung my few items of clothing in the wardrobe and placed the rest in the dresser. I bathed and shaved, happy to wash away the grime of my travels. I’d just finished dressing, having chosen a light blue linen suit, when there was a knock on the door. “Theo, it’s Fiona and Cymbeline. Are you available for a visit?”
“Yes, yes, come in,” I called out to them.
They came into the room, bringing the scent of their rosewater perfume, and sat on the end of my bed. Like two pretty bookends, they wore white dresses with dropped waists and had their hair pulled back in a way that made it seem as if they had cut their hair like so many of the girls did now. I was happy to see they’d kept their long tresses.
“You’re actually here,” Cymbeline said. “I thought you might never come home.”
“Why would you think such a thing?” I sat in the armchair. “I’d never planned on staying away forever.”
Cymbeline lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug. “I don’t know. We thought you might meet a lady and not want to leave her.”
“Did you meet any ladies?” Fiona asked.
“No, I was too busy for that,” I said.
“Thank goodness,” Fiona said. “We wouldn’t have liked you to choose someone without all of us having a good look at her first.”
I laughed. “Pity the poor woman who has to face all of you.”
“True enough.” Cymbeline rolled her eyes. “No one in this family can stay out of anyone else’s business.”
“But we’re lucky to have one another.” Fiona smiled sweetly. “Cym likes to pretend she doesn’t need us, but it’s not true.”
Cymbeline shot me a sassy grin. “Fiona always sees the good in people, even me.”
“You are good,” Fiona said. “Having opinions and wishing certain things about this world were different doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.”
“Do you see what I mean, Theo?” Cymbeline asked. “Fiona’s the good one.”
“She is pure of heart,” I said. “And we love you for it, Fiona.” Fiona beamed at us. “I love you both very much too. I’m glad we’re all back together.”
“Have you seen any of the old gang from school? I’ve exchanged a few letters with Isak, of course, but he’s not the best correspondent.”
Isak, Flynn, and I had all served together during the war. Like Flynn, he’d started a business upon his return to Emerson Pass. I hadn’t anticipated that he’d open a bakery. “I had no idea Isak wanted to be a baker.”
“He makes the most delicious breads and pies,” Fiona said. “Even Lizzie says so.”
“Is he courting anyone?” I asked. “I thought he’d be married by now.” Isak and his brother, Viktor, resembled Vikings from the storybooks we’d read as children—tall, wide-shouldered, and blond hair that looked red in certain light. If anyone wanted to make either of them mad, all you had to do was mention that their hair was red. Regardless of what they thought about their hair, they were popular with the young ladies.
“Not that we know of,” Fiona said.
“How’s Viktor?” I asked, cautiously. Viktor was a sore subject with Cymbeline. His adoration of my sister seemed to agitate her instead of the desired effect. He’d been enamored with her since we were young.
“He’s back in town,” Cymbeline said. “Not that I care.”
“He’s returned home with a degree in mathematics,” Fiona said. “He’s working at the bank.”
“Ah, yes, I think Isak mentioned that.”
“Mama’s terribly proud of him,” Fiona said.
“They gave him the money for college,” Cymbeline said. “Mama said he was always clever and should go to school if he wanted.”
“They’re thankful to him for saving Jo, you know,” Fiona said.
“I do know,” I said. Our family would be forever in Viktor’s debt for saving Josephine from sure death when she’d been taken by a bad man.
“Now he’s a banker.” Fiona wriggled her eyebrows at her sister. “Very fancy. Right, Cymbeline?”
“I told you I couldn’t care less,” Cymbeline said. “And wouldn’t you know, Theo, the big oaf still thinks he’s in love with me.”
I didn’t think there was much thinking involved. He knew for sure how he felt about her. He’d wanted my sister for as long as I could recall. She, however, detested him, mostly because she’d thought of him as competition during her school days. He was athletic and smart. In addition, and possibly the worst offense, he was a boy, which meant he had all the opportunities she wished she had.
“What else is happening in town?” I asked.
“There’s trouble brewing at the church,” Fiona said. “A few horrible ladies who are on the church board don’t like Pastor Lind.”
“We heard from a friend that there’s a group who want him out,” Cymbeline said. “Even Papa’s worried.”
“Can’t he help?” My skin prickled at the sound of the name Lind. I’d once thought I was in love with Louisa Lind. I’d embarrassed myself when I’d asked her if she’d write to me when I was away at the war. Unfortunately, it was Flynn she wished she could write. We’d only been sixteen when we lied our way into the army. I told myself I’d been young and stupid back then. I’d had no earthly idea how to tell that a girl loved my twin brother instead of me.
“No, the church has its own board, which includes awful Mrs. Poe,” Fiona said. “She doesn’t like Pastor Lind. I don’t understand why.”
“It’s because she’s a bluenose,” Cymbeline said, sounding disgusted. “She thinks Pastor Lind is too casual and encouraging.”
“She wants him to talk about hell more,” Fiona said. “But you know that’s not how Pastor Lind does things.”
“How do you two know all this?” I asked.
They exchanged a look. One I didn’t understand other than it told me however they’d come upon this information would not be shared with me.
“We know people who know things,” Cymbeline said.
“The Linds have no idea,” Fiona said. “They’re going to spring it on him.”
“Wouldn’t that mean they’d have no place to live?” If I remembered correctly, the Linds’ home, right next to the church, was actually owned by the congregation. Papa, years ago, had sold it all to the church. How that worked exactly as far as the deed to the house went, I wasn’t sure. Even so, I had a bad feeling that would be the case.
“But Pastor Lind’s been there since we were young,” I said. “They can’t just get rid of him, can they? What would it mean to his wife and daughter?”
“Last Sunday, Pastor Lind looked awful, right, Fi?” Cymbeline asked. “Pale and kind of sickly.”
“Yes. Mama noticed too.” Fiona’s cheeks flushed. “I think it’s that terrible woman causing all the trouble that’s making him sick. I can’t stand it when people are unkind.”
“She’s been extremely vocal about her discontent,” Cymbeline said. “Horrible woman.”
“How’s Louisa?” I asked, keeping my voice casual. “You don’t think she suspects? Doesn’t she run around with the same group of friends as you two?”
My sisters exchanged a look. They knew of my ill-fated attempt with Louisa.
“Don’t look like that,” I said. “I’m asking as an old friend of hers. I’d think her father being in trouble would bother her.”
“She doesn’t socialize with the old crowd any longer,” Cymbeline said. “She’s gotten strange.”
“Strange?” Louisa had been adopted by the Linds after her father had been killed in a shootout. She’d always been quiet. I suspected the first nine years of her life had been traumatizing but didn’t know the details.
“All closed up,” Fiona said.
“Pinched like—in the face.” Cymbeline scrunched her brows together. “Like she always has a lot on her mind.”
“That’s a shame. Is she stepping out with anyone?” I was pleased with myself that I could ask the question and not care about the answer. My misplaced feelings for her were nothing but a boyhood infatuation. I’d hardly thought of her in the time I’d been away.
“No.” Cymbeline shook her head. “She doesn’t do much but church duties and taking care of the Linds. They’re not young, after all.”
I left it at that, not wanting to delve any further into the Linds when it was my sisters I was interested in hearing about. “What about you two? Do I need to chase any suitors away?”
“Not a one,” Cymbeline said. “We like it that way.”
“And why is that?” I asked.
“Because we’re busy,” Fiona said. “Me with my music. Cymbeline helps Poppy with her veterinarian calls almost every day.”
“Really? That’s great, Cym.” My middle sister had always loved animals. She loved being outside as well.
“Papa says it keeps me out of trouble,” Cymbeline said.
“Which apparently is important because of my attitude.” All three of us burst into laughter.
***
The entire family had lunch on the newly built screened porch at the back of the house. Perhaps it was because I was home, but everything shone with a special luster. I couldn’t remember the lawn ever being as green. Rhododendrons bloomed in bright pink and red at the edges of the fenced yard.
Everyone talked at once between bites of Lizzie’s juicy fried chicken pieces.
“Mama, can we be excused to play croquet?” Delphia asked.
“Yes, but you have to let Quinn play too,” Mama said, gesturing toward my niece, who sat in her father’s lap. “Please be careful to keep her out of harm’s way.”
“We will,” Fiona said before lifting Quinn into her arms. “Do you want to be my partner?”
Quinn nodded and answered with a slight lisp. “Yeth, please.”
“Are you coming?” Delphia asked Cymbeline.
Cymbeline looked torn for a moment, but her love of sport won out over wanting to stay with the adults. “Why not?”
Except for Josephine, all my sisters exited the porch and spilled out onto the lawn. If I were a painter, I would have wanted to capture the beauty of the girls in their light summer dresses.
“Aren’t they something?” Papa asked me.
“They are. I’ve missed you all more than I can say.” I exchanged a smile with Josephine.
Talk turned to Josephine’s library and how they’d had to allocate money for more children’s books. “We’ve had quite the population growth,” Papa said. “There are a lot of new babies, not just here at our table.”
“A large batch of christenings over the last few years,” Mama said.
Flynn glanced at his pocket watch for the sixth time in as many minutes. “Flynn, do you need to be somewhere?” Papa asked, indulgently.
“Are you worried about Shannon?” Mama asked.
“A little,” Flynn said. “She was feeling pretty sick earlier.”
“Go home,” Josephine said. “It’ll ease your mind.”
“I hate to leave,” Flynn said. “But I should check on her. She wasn’t doing too well when I left.”
“Do go,” I said. “We have plenty of days to visit now that I’m home.”
Flynn stood, looking relieved. He clapped me on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re home. I’ll see you soon.”
We all said our goodbyes before he practically ran down the steps of the porch and around the corner of the house.
“What do you think of the new porch?” Josephine asked me. “Phillip designed and built the whole thing.”
“I like it very much,” I said. “What a great way to spend the afternoon.”
“And it keeps the bugs out in the evening,” Mama said. “Thanks to clever Phillip.”
Josephine beamed at her husband. “He is clever.”
Phillip brushed aside the compliment. “Nothing to it, really.”
“I saw Dr. Neal at the Johnsons’ store yesterday,” Papa said. “He looked as if he might collapse on the spot.”
“The poor man,” Mama said. “He’s been counting the days until you arrived, Theo.”
Papa nodded. “He lost a baby in delivery last month and feels haunted by it. He’ll want you to take over that part of things, I expect.”
Josephine had baby Poppy cradled in one arm as she poked her fork into one last bite of chicken. “Martha said he hasn’t slept well since.”
“Sadly, losing babies happens,” I said. “I’m certain he’s blameless.”
The talk moved to the opening of the new schoolhouse. My attention waned. Hearing about Dr. Neal’s troubles worried me. The life of a small-town doctor would encompass a myriad of responsibilities. Losing babies was inevitable. I must harden myself to a certain extent.
“Do you ever miss teaching, Mama?” I asked, forcing myself back into the conversation.
She glanced over at Papa. “Once in a while I have a twinge of remorse, but you kids have kept me so busy over the years that it was like I had a full classroom.”
Josephine laughed. “Seven of us is like a classroom.”
“And now we have the grand-babies.” Papa’s eyes twinkled. “Never a dull moment.”
Chapter 2: Louisa
The problem with trouble? One never sees it coming until it’s too late. In the years since I’d been with the Linds, I’d been lulled into a false sense of safety. Then, out of nowhere, I was faced with complete uncertainty. Would I be returned to a life of near starvation and homelessness?
I’d gone to Isak Olofsson’s bakery thinking all was well. I lived a quiet life with the Linds, taking care of them as they began to show the signs of age, cooking, shopping, and cleaning for them. In addition, I taught Sunday school and helped with whatever other church duties they needed. My existence wasn’t exciting, but it was steady and safe. That’s all I needed.
“Louisa, I wondered if you had a minute?” From behind the counter, Isak wiped his hands on the front of his apron.
“Yes, what is it?”
He looked around his empty shop as if he were worried there were others eavesdropping before speaking. “I heard a few of the old biddies from church talking this morning. They must have thought I couldn’t hear or maybe that I wouldn’t care, but they were talking about Pastor Lind.”
I clenched my teeth together. Knowing what he would say, I waited. Mrs. Poe hadn’t been discreet in her dislike of Father. No doubt she’d decided to start another church in town. What did I care, anyway? There were enough sinners in town for two churches.
Isak placed both of his large hands palm down on the wooden counter. A powder of flour dust coated the reddish hairs on his forearms. “Mrs. Poe said the church board has voted and they’re getting rid of your father.”
My stomach dropped. Black dots danced before my eyes. “That’s impossible.”
“I asked Flynn about this,” Isak said. “He said the board is elected by the members to represent their wishes. Apparently, Mrs. Poe has been on a secret campaign to lure people over to her side.”
I thought I might pass out as I gripped the edge of the counter. “I had no idea.”
“She’s very persuasive, I guess. I’m sorry, Louisa. I wanted you to know in case there’s something to be done.”
“Thank you.” I picked up my loaf of bread and left the shop in a daze. Blindly, I walked the few blocks home. How was this happening? Where would we go? The house belonged to the church. Did Father and Mother have savings? Would we be able to find somewhere to live?
Yes, I told myself. Of course they had savings. They’d sent me away to finishing school, after all. That wasn’t the act of poor people.
Yet there was also the fact of my mother’s surgery the previous year. My mother hadn’t wanted anyone to know that she’d suffered through a serious health condition. It had started with a chronic wet cough and shortness of breath. I’d insisted, finally, that she go see Dr. Neal. He’d done a few tests and sent her to an expert in Denver. The team there had suspected lung cancer and had immediately taken her in for surgery where they removed part of her lung. The doctor said the masses were definitely cancerous but assured us that his expert skills had gotten all of the bad cells. I wasn’t so sure. Regardless, we’d told no one. Mother was proud that way. She considered her stout strength her greatest asset as a preacher’s wife.
There was another fact that had me worried. A small-town preacher relied upon donations from his congregation to pay his salary. For whatever reasons, we were never as successful filling the donation bowl as we hoped. Father always said the Lord would provide. I wasn’t so sure about that, either.
When I came in through the back door, Mother was at the small table near the kitchen window. Sunshine streamed through the spotless glass. In the bright light, the wrinkles that etched her face were more evident. For a second, I saw her as an old woman instead of Mother. She’d aged right before my eyes but without me truly seeing.
Even though I’d been with them since I was nine years old and I was now in my early twenties, I still felt as though I’d only just arrived. The three of us had needed one another with an urgency unlike other families. Mother had yearned for a child that never came. Father wanted nothing but to make her happy. I’d needed them for all things: shelter, food, and mostly love. No one could have been more patient or caring. I came to them broken open to the very core. They stitched me up day by day until much of my past, if not forgotten, faded enough for me to feel close to a normal girl.
I had only to let my mind drift back to the years with my real father to shudder. The games he played with me were too horrid to revisit. Yet when I’d first come here, Mother had encouraged me to talk about them if I needed to. Now that I was gown, I could imagine how awful it must have been for her to hear the atrocities of my childhood. At the time, I was grateful to let them out.
However, I’d kept one horrible thing to myself. As much as I’d shared with the Linds, I couldn’t tell them about the other thing. The thing my father did that made it impossible for me to love a man. I put all that aside for now. How could I tell Mother and Father what I’d heard?
Mother smiled at me as I set the loaf of bread on the table. Even if I’d been able to contemplate marriage, leaving my parents wasn’t an option. They needed me to cook and clean and take care of most everything. I couldn’t leave them. Not that I wanted to. They’d given me a chance for a good life. The least I could do was repay them with the same kindness.
I leaned down to kiss Mother’s soft cheek. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Right as rain.”
“Good. Would you like me to make coffee?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Would you, dear?”
“Isak had just pulled the sourdough loaves out of his ovens this morning. I bought one to go with our eggs.” I’d walked out to the Cassidys’ farm the day before to buy a dozen eggs from Nora. The youngest of the Cassidy girls had taken over the farm after her father died. She’d added a few milk cows and invested in layer chickens to supplement their cattle. She now kept many of us in town with fresh milk and eggs.
“How was Nora?” Mother asked. “She wasn’t at church last Sunday.”
“She was well but said one of her cows had a baby in the middle of Saturday night and she was too tired to make it to church.”
“That girl works too hard.”
It was true. Their father had died right after the war, leaving his wife and three daughters with a barely profitable small cattle ranch. The oldest of the Cassidy sisters, Alma, had gone off to nursing school and had fallen in love with a gentleman from Chicago and not returned to Emerson Pass. Shannon had married rich Flynn Barnes. Nora, like me, hadn’t felt she could leave her mother, and did the work of a man to keep the place going. I hoped for her sake that she’d have the chance to have a husband and family of her own.
Father came in the back door. I knew the moment I saw the gray tinge to his complexion that something was wrong. He didn’t greet us but instead sat heavily on one of the chairs at the table.
“Louisa brought bread from the bakery,” Mother said.
“I’m fixing eggs, too. Would you like coffee?”
“No, thank you,” Father said. “I have to talk to you both.”
“What is it, Simon?” Mother asked. “Are you unwell?”
He looked pale and exhausted, with puffy bags under his eyes. “I’ve had a shock.”
I sat with them at the table and clasped my hands together.
“The board voted. They want us out,” Father said.
“How can this be?” Mother clutched the cross that hung from her neck. “Where will we go?”
“We have to be out by the end of the month,” Father said.
My mind couldn’t grasp any of this. I looked around our small, tidy kitchen. It was all I’d known since I’d moved in with the Linds when I was nine years old. We would be homeless.
“But why would they do this?” I asked out loud.
“From what I can gather, Mrs. Poe would like more fire and brimstone,” Father said. “And less encouragement about how the love of Jesus can save any sinner.”
“Isn’t that the main message of Jesus?” I asked, flabbergasted. Before I’d come to live with the Linds, I hadn’t known much about being a Christian. We hadn’t even had a Bible in our ramshackle house. But they’d quickly rectified that, teaching me of the ways of the Lord. I’d come to understand how daily talks with God could change a battered heart.
“What will we do?” I asked.
Mother sighed. “Do what we’ve always done, move on.”
“To another church?” I couldn’t believe my ears. This was our home. “Can’t you simply retire? We could find another house here in Emerson Pass.” Father was in his mid-sixties. He’d been working hard all his life, always there for his flock.
Father took off his wire-rimmed glasses and cleaned them with his handkerchief. “My salary was barely enough to live on and with your mother’s operation last year, we’re out of money. There’s nothing left. I don’t know what we can do, other than find another church. There are small towns sprouting up all over the country. Surely I can find another position. We always have before.”
The idea of leaving Emerson Pass seemed inconceivable. We belonged here. All our friends were here. Frustration made me tremble. What had been the point of sending me to school? “Why, in heaven’s name, did you send me to finishing school? I should have stayed here and worked.”
“We wanted you to find a wealthy young man who could take care of you,” Father said. “I thought it was your best chance of meeting the right sort of people.”
“Right sort of people? You’re my people. I didn’t want to get married and leave either of you or Emerson Pass. This is my home.”
He put his glasses back on, tucking the flexible temples around the backs of his ears in a gesture I knew very well. “Louisa, you have to think about yourself. We’re not going to live much longer. A husband is your only opportunity.”
“Opportunity? For what?”
“Survival.”
I stared at him as tears of anger dampened my cheeks. “Father, why didn’t you send me to school for something practical? I could have become a teacher or a nurse.”
“Neither of those professions is something you can do and have a family. Do you want to be an old maid?” Mother asked.
I was astounded by their reaction. Had I not known how much they wanted me to marry? Neither had ever expressed it in such a blunt fashion. Perhaps they should have. I’d thought they were content to have me stay with them forever. That idea had been shortsighted. I could see that now. However, the idea of either of them dying on me was so heartbreaking, I couldn’t even think about it.
“I thought you wanted me to stay with you,” I said. “I’ve been useful to you, haven’t I?”
Mother’s eyes filled with tears. “Louisa, I told you from the beginning that we weren’t adopting you because we couldn’t afford a housekeeper. You’re our daughter, not our maid.”
“Is that what you’ve thought?” Father asked. “That we needed you?”
“Well, don’t you?” I asked. “I’m young and strong. And a good cook.” I mumbled the last part.
“Do you not want to marry because of us?” Mother asked.
“Because that’s not a good reason.”
“I don’t want to marry because, well, I just don’t want to.”
“As much as we love you, we want you to have a life of your own,” Mother said. “A family of your own.”
“We thought finishing school would bring exactly that,” Father said. “Didn’t you wonder why we were sending you in the first place?”
“I…I guess I didn’t,” I said. “I thought you wanted to refine me so that I would be more of an asset at the church. Anyway, how was I supposed to meet a young man at a girls’ school?”
“By becoming friends with your classmates who would then introduce you to brothers and cousins,” Father said with obvious irritation in his voice. “Louisa, I don’t understand you.”
That much was clear.
“But what about Flynn?” Father asked. “You liked him.”
“He didn’t reciprocate those feelings,” I said. “Shannon was the one he wanted. Anyway, he was just a crush I had. All of the other girls in town had one on him.”
My parents exchanged a glance.
“Theo cared for you, though,” Mother said. “He made no secret of it.”
“Mother, no. Not Theo.” How could I explain that Theo would be the absolute last man on earth I’d ever marry? Even if he wanted me still, which I felt certain he wouldn’t. He’d gone off to medical school and would be returning to Emerson Pass to be Dr. Neal’s partner. Most likely, he’d met someone and would bring her here to marry.
“What’s wrong with Theo?” Father asked. “He was an excellent Sunday school student.”
“Yes, he always knew his verses. Flynn did not.” Mother seemed to have forgotten our dire situation, because she actually smiled. She’d always been fond of all the Barnes children. Like everyone else in town.
“Theo’s not for me.” I left it at that mostly because I couldn’t articulate what it was about him that I didn’t like. He was too much like me, perhaps. I could see the pain of his past in his eyes. Sensitive, all-seeing eyes. When he looked at me, I imagined that he could see into the deepest parts of me. The parts I wanted to keep hidden from the world. With someone like him, I’d never be able to stay separate. He’d insist on knowing me. I didn’t want to be known. Not even to my parents.
If they knew what my father had done, they might understand that the idea of a man’s touch terrified me. I should tell them, I thought. My secret that I’d kept hidden all these years. The words wouldn’t come. Instead, a darkness seeped into my very core. I was bad and damaged. No decent man would want me.
“I can try to get a job,” I said. “Maybe somewhere in town?”
“Doing what?” Father asked, not unkindly but with utter hopelessness.
“Maybe I could get a job as a maid?” I clamped my lips together to keep them from trembling before continuing. “Quinn might need another maid. Or I could assist Lizzie in the kitchen.”
“Even if you were able to get work, we have no place to live.” Father put both his hands over his knees and took in a shuddering breath. “I’m not feeling well. I need to lie down for a while.”
I’d go see the Barnes family as soon as I could. Quinn wouldn’t turn me away. She would surely have some variety of work for me. Or maybe Mrs. Johnson needed someone to help her at her store.
“I’ll think of something,” I said. “I know I will.”
Mother only nodded, then rose to her feet and followed Father into the bedroom.
Chapter 3: Theo
The first morning assisting Dr. Neal, I drove into town feeling robust and excited. I was home where I belonged and about to begin the work I’d studied long and hard to learn. Wildflowers decorated the meadows and scented the air with sweet perfume. The sun had already risen in the east and cast rays of morning light onto the landscape. The first part of June and too early for dust, potholes still held puddles of brown water. Mama had told me a sudden rainstorm had come just days before I arrived. Today, the sky was cloudless and a shade of deep blue I’d not seen in my travels.
My stomach fluttered at the first sign of the brick buildings of town. Dr. Neal’s office was just a block off Barnes Avenue, named after my father. He’d addressed me as Dr. Barnes when he’d called the house last night and asked me to come in first thing in the morning. Dr. Barnes? It still seemed like a title for someone else, not me. I parked near Papa’s office and straightened my tie, studying myself in the mirror for a quick moment. My thick, wavy hair had been tamed with a light pomade my sister Cymbeline had suggested. I ran a few fingers along my chin, feeling for any spots of shaving soap that might linger. All these newfangled soaps and lotions were all the rage. I had to admit they smelled nice.
I smiled slightly remembering how proud Mama and my sisters had looked when I went downstairs in one of my new suits. I opened the car door and placed my feet onto the ground. One foot after the other, as I’d done for the last four years. Papa’s dream had been a thriving community when he’d first come here as a young man. He’d accomplished that, I thought, as I walked down the main street of town. We were nestled in the valley between two mountains and isolated from much of the world. Ice that covered the pond all winter had melted and reflected the blue sky. The Johnsons’ dry goods store had its doors open to allow the fresh air in while Mrs. Johnson hustled behind the long counter waiting on customers. I waved to her as I passed by, and she called out to me. “Good luck on your first day.”
“Thank you,” I called back. Dr. Neal was her son-in-law, having married Martha Johnson. Like many of the other young couples in town, they had a gaggle of children and another one on the way. Which was why we needed another doctor.
Through the window of the tailor’s shop, I spotted Mr. Olofsson bent over a piece of fabric. His shoulders had a permanent slump from leaning over his work for so many years. His wife was at the counter wrapping a package in brown paper for a customer.
I passed by the bank. Viktor Olofsson was inside, looking very official as he wrote into a leather ledger. He didn’t raise his head from his work. Although neither of Olofsson boys had followed in their father’s footsteps, they’d inherited his work ethic.
The boardinghouse had been sold recently, and the new owners had given it a fresh look with a fresh coat of paint and a porch swing and pots filled with colorful flowers.
I was just rounding the corner to head to the doctor’s office when I ran into Louisa Kellam. Or Louisa Lind, as she was known now, having been adopted by the pastor and his wife. The atrocities of her childhood before then had only been imagined by my siblings and me. Mama had always been tight-lipped about the whole affair, saying only that Louisa had suffered greatly before being adopted.
“Theo Barnes, is that you?” Her eyes widened from under the brim of her hat.
I smiled, taking her in as she held out her hand to me. “It most certainly is.” I lightly brushed my lips over her gloved hand. “I start work with Dr. Neal this morning.”
“A doctor. Your parents must be proud.”
“I believe they are, yes.” Her golden hair was tucked under a light straw hat with a blue ribbon that matched her dress. She was no longer the malnourished little girl she’d once been; a slight flush in her cheeks and her curves told me she was in good health.
“Poor Martha says she never sees her husband,” Louisa said. “They’re anxious for your help.”
“I’m delighted to be of service.” I touched the front brim of my hat.
She looked down at the tips of her shoes. “You’re looking well. Medical school agreed with you.”
“As are you.” In fact, she was more beautiful than ever. I felt a tinge of my old crush coming back to life. Never mind, I told myself. She would never be interested in me. I’d certainly learned that with my ill-fated request to write to her during the war. What an idiot I must have seemed to her. I’d certainly felt like one. Despite the embarrassment the memory brought, it all seemed like another lifetime now. I’d gone to school and forgotten her. My infatuation was simply a young man’s fanciful imagination. Not true love.
She caught her bottom lip with the top one before speaking. “I’ve always meant to say how sorry I was about how I acted that day when you asked if I’d write to you.”
“Nothing to be sorry about.”
“I was a stupid child.”
“And I, the wrong twin,” I said with a laugh.
“Oh, Theo. Don’t say that.”
I waved a hand dismissively, smiling down at her. “I’m only teasing. I was simply scared and needed something to cling to.”
She briefly touched the sleeve of my jacket. “Of course you were scared. Going off to fight a war that had nothing to do with us. And not yet seventeen. I couldn’t believe my ears when you told me you and Flynn had enlisted. You were too young to have to face such a horrible war.”
“We were but didn’t know it.”
She glanced upward before smiling. “When Flynn started courting Shannon, I didn’t want to show my face in town. I think the whole town knew I liked him. I was such a lost little lamb—thinking I was in love when I knew nothing about what that really meant.”
I laughed again. “That describes me as well. How about we agree to never think of it again?”
“Agreed. I’m glad you haven’t held a grudge. It’s nice to see you.”
“You too. Are your parents well?” I asked.
She touched a slender finger to the brim of her hat. “Not entirely well. Father has been fired from the church.”
“No, really?” Fired from the church? Was that even possible? “Papa wouldn’t let that happen.” He’d found Pastor Lind himself.
“Things have changed. The town and church have gotten bigger. Your father isn’t able to protect everyone like he used to. The congregation decided they wanted a board to run the finances and staff. They didn’t like Father, and now they’ve pushed him out.”
I didn’t know what to say. How could they not like kind Pastor Lind? He was jolly and encouraging, especially to the youngsters. “Your father was a great pastor. I can’t comprehend what they didn’t like.”
“They’re more the fire-and-brimstone types. Father’s style isn’t that way.”
“I do recall your father’s message to be uplifting rather than threatening.” Pastor Lind and his wife suggested we carry on conversations with the Lord, as if he were an intimate friend.
She sighed and clutched her package against her chest. “Since Prohibition, a war has developed.”
“A war?”
“Between those who believe Prohibition saves souls and those who don’t.”
“Right, yes. That seems to be everywhere in our country,” I said. “Dividing communities and even families.” Flynn and my father thought the government shouldn’t be involved in business, let alone ban alcohol. Flynn and Phillip were running a secret bar in the basement of the ski lodge. The sheriff looked the other way. When I’d asked Mama what she thought, she’d merely pursed her lips and given a little shake of her head. Phillip and my brother were upstanding businessmen in this town. Did running an illegal bar make them less so? I didn’t think so, but I knew there were many who would disagree. Would those same women who were forcing out Pastor Lind convince the sheriff to shut down the bar? Were my brother and brother-in-law setting themselves up for trouble? For that matter, who was making the booze in the first place?
“We’re going to have to move out of the house,” Louisa said, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Where will you go?” I asked.
Her gaze flickered toward a man walking by us. She seemed to wait until he was out of earshot before turning back to me. “I’ve no idea. Father thinks he’ll find another position in a different town but, Theo, he’s old. This whole ordeal has defeated him. I’m not sure he’s well. He looks terrible.” She paused, shaking her head. “I want him to retire and take it easy.”
“That isn’t an option? I mean, if you could find a new place to live here in Emerson Pass?” Already my mind had moved forward, thinking through how we could help them.
“There’s nothing left. Mother needed an operation last year, which wiped out his savings. The rest of it he’d wasted on sending me to finishing school. We’re in terrible trouble.” She tilted her head and peered up at me from under her lashes. I fell backward into the past, as she looked much more like the frightened child she’d been than the moment before. She must be feeling the way she had when she was young, unsure where her next meal would come from or where she would sleep.
“I had no idea.” I felt certain my parents hadn’t, either.
“As a matter of fact, I wondered if your mother had any positions open?”
“Oh, well, I don’t know.” A job at the estate? Not Louisa. She was clever and educated. “What sort of position do you have in mind?”
“Anything.” Her shoulders heaved as she let out a sharp, quick breath. “I have to find a way to take care of my parents. I owe them my life. If they hadn’t taken me in, who knows what would have happened to me.” She looked sideways as if she wondered if someone watched her before answering. “I’m grateful to Father, but I wish I’d learned something more useful than how to walk with a book atop my head. I didn’t know we were in trouble or I would have done something useful and gotten a teaching certificate.”
A woman carrying the load of a household seemed unfathomable to me. However, the world was changing. Since the war, women seemed to have different expectations for their lives. They’d carried on at home while the men were at war.
“My father has been on the same side as Flynn,” Louisa said. “As have all the early settlers. The newcomers are of a different ilk.”
“Really? I wouldn’t have predicted your father to be of that mindset.”
She gave me a tight smile. “He’s a Scotchman, after all. His stance on Prohibition is another reason why the church board wants him out. He and your brother haven’t exactly kept their opinions to themselves.”
“I worry about my brother and brother-in-law, if you want to know the truth.”
She fluttered her fingers toward the street. “The whole affair makes me sad. I never thought this town would be in such conflict.”
“Me either.” I hadn’t realized all this was going on while I’d been away at school. My stomach churned at the thought of my father’s peaceful town having two sides of a debate. In the past, we’d prided ourselves on our tight-knit community. However, I knew the spirits of the early citizens. They’d come from other countries where poverty and oppression had made it impossible for them to live satisfying and prosperous lives. Here in the wilds of the Rockies, they’d had the chance to live lives exactly as they wished. With new people coming in, had the original spirit of our community been stifled?
“Father’s soul’s broken,” Louisa said. “The trouble with the congregation and my lack of marriage.”
Why hadn’t she married? I couldn’t imagine she wasn’t sought after wherever she went. “I have to admit, I thought you’d be married by now.” That would be the obvious solution for her. She needed a husband with the financial means to take care of her and her parents. “Is there no one?”
“No. My father thought I’d meet someone rich and powerful to take care of me. That’s why he sent me away to school. Sadly, I didn’t realize that’s what he wanted.”
“It’s not too late. You’re young and beautiful.”
“Thank you, Theo, but marriage isn’t an option. Now go. I don’t want to make you late for your first day.”
“Yes, I should.” I glanced downward, thinking for a moment. “You know, I think you should go out and visit my mother this morning. I’m not sure she’ll have a position for you, but I know she’ll have some ideas about where you might move to. She and Papa own a lot of these buildings in town. Surely there’s a place for you to go. Papa’s not going to leave his oldest friend without a home.”
“You’re a good person, Theo Barnes,” Louisa said. “Some things don’t change.” With that, she turned away and made her way toward the church.
I watched her for a few more seconds before heading the other direction toward the doctor’s office. We’d been going opposite directions since the beginning. That, too, hadn’t changed.
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The School Mistress
Good read!
It was nice to read a story that was not filled with conflict. With everything going on in the world, I enjoyed a light, happy story even though it was predictable. I have since bought The Spinster and read it in a day.
Cute heart warming story, Feel good upbeat tale. Family based
Great book
The School Mistress
“I delighted in every turn of the story and, when away from it, found myself eager to return to Emerson Pass. I can't wait for the next book.” —Kay Bratt, bestselling author of Wish Me Home
The delightful first book in USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson's Emerson Pass Historicals historical romance series.
An untested teacher. A wealthy benefactor. When their attraction becomes undeniable, will they open their hearts to each other?
Colorado, 1910. Quinn Cooper can’t help feeling uneasy. But securing a job as a schoolmarm in a tiny frontier town was the only way to save her family from starvation back in Boston. And her nerves aren’t eased by a stray gunshot that spooks the sleigh horses, casting her into the snow… until she’s rescued by a handsome stranger.
Lord Alexander Barnes knows better than to believe any pretty young woman would willingly become a mother to five children. But the lonely widower finds himself charmed by the lovely newcomer and her easy rapport with his offspring. And after his disgruntled nanny quits, his heart melts at the sight of her joyfully taking over the role.
Determined to prove herself in the schoolhouse and as a governess, Quinn fears her near-poverty will prevent any possible courtship with the affluent Englishman. And between their age difference and prejudicial violence in the town, Lord Barnes is certain this second chance at happiness just cannot be.
Will their love go unspoken, or will their persistence reward them with a lasting passion?
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“Highly recommended.” —Christine Nolfi, award-winning author of The Sweet Lake series
“I frequently found myself getting lost in the characters and forgetting that I was reading a book.” —Camille Di Maio, bestselling author of The Memory of Us
“I loved this book!” —Karen McQuestion, bestselling author of Hello Love and Good Man, Dayton
Author Bio:
Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary and historical romantic women’s fiction with nearly forty published titles. When asked to describe her books, she could never figure out what to say that would perfectly sum them up until she landed on “Hometowns and Heartstrings.”
Book Excerpt:
Chapter 1: Quinn
Had I known of the ways in which Emerson Pass would test my character, I might not have had the mettle to step off the train that autumn day in 1910. Then again, perhaps I would have. The path to our true places, our northern lights, are circuitous. We cannot predict the joys and sorrows that await us on this journey through life. Courage is our only map.
My journey began when we lurched to a stop at the train station with a terrible roar and release of steam from the engine. As I had during the entire way from Denver to Emerson Pass, I wondered if the passenger car would remain in one piece. During our trek higher and higher into the Rocky Mountains, through tunnels and over tracks built on stilts over deep canyons, I’d feared we’d never reach our destination. My wild imagination had run amok envisioning the train falling from the track and killing us all. Would I die in the unforgiving mountains after making it all the way from Boston to Denver?
I cleaned the window and pressed close, hoping to catch a glimpse of the former mining town that was to be my new home. I’d expected golden leaves of the famous aspens this time of year. Instead, I saw nothing but snow flurries so thick it was as if I were peering into a closely knitted white blanket.
I slipped into my wool coat, frayed and tattered from withstanding six Boston winters, and squared my shoulders. Courage, just then, was a shadow buried deep within me. Even more so than the day last week when I’d pressed this same nose to a different window to catch one last glimpse of my mother and sister as the train pulled from the station.
Next to me, the baby asleep in her mother’s arms woke and began to howl. Her diaper was full. The odor mixed with that of human perspiration and the greasy hair of my companions might have turned my stomach, but I was too tired and hungry to care. Third-class was not for the fainthearted. I gathered my suitcase and rose unsteadily to my feet. I waited for the couple with the baby to exit first, then the two men dressed in overalls and heavy work boots with whom I’d been sure to avoid eye contact. For a woman, traveling alone was not wise. For those like me, without funds or a companion, I had no choice but to set out alone.
I held my long skirts high and stepped from the train down to the platform and lifted my face toward a sky the color of smoke. Daylight was nearing its end. Snowflakes as big as quarters caught in my lashes. Grime and soot swirled about me as I tromped onto the platform. The covered area was a relief, although the wooden planks were icy. Behind me, the train groaned as if it too were happy to have arrived. Here at last, it seemed to say.
The trip had taken almost a week to get from Boston to Denver. Long days with the scent of oil and unwashed men. When we reached the plains, blizzards, ice storms, and harrowing wind that howled like a tortured animal had chased us all the way to Denver. “Unusual this time of year,” the porter had said to me, probably in response to my terrified expression. After a night spent in Union Station in Denver, unable to sleep for fear of being murdered for my meager possessions, I’d boarded the train that took us up the mountains to my final destination.
A gust of wind swept under the train station’s awning and threatened to lift my hat from my head. I gripped the brim between gloved fingers. This hat with its wide black bow was no match for the gusts of wind and snow. It did not matter. I was off the godforsaken train. I was alive, despite nature’s relentless attempt to make it otherwise.
I would have dropped to my knees and kissed the ground if I hadn’t been concerned with decorum. Truly, with no thought to my only gloves and second-best dress, I’d have dug through the snowdrifts that were as tall as my five-foot-two-inch frame and given the ground a big smooch as if it were my beloved. Instead, I sighed with great relief and stuck a pin through my hat, fixing it more securely into my masses of honey-blond hair.
My thick, silky hair was my only vanity. Some women needed wigs to make their buns appear thicker, but mine needed no enhancements. I’d once hoped my golden tresses compensated for my lack of figure. Even with my corset pulled tight, I had no curves. My hips were narrow and my chest flat. Combined with a quick mind that suffered no fools, and a teaching degree instead of a dowry, my fate was clear. Spinsterhood.
Alexander Barnes had written that he would send a man to fetch me and take me to the boardinghouse in town where I was to live. Clutching my suitcase, I searched the platform but saw no one. I exhaled, long and slow. My warm breath made a cloud in the frigid air. Only a few seconds off the train and I couldn’t feel my toes. Dizzy and light-headed, I felt as if I were drunk. Was it the altitude?
What if no one came for me? What if coming out here all alone to this place that was truly the Wild West was a terrible mistake? Emerson Pass was a town of prospectors, mostly men and probably heathens. One tiny woman named Quinn Cooper who had never set foot outside of Boston until a week ago was sure to fail.
I gave myself a stern lecture as I stood shivering on the platform. What was needed were the skills of a fine actress and the courage of a lion. For Mother and Annabelle. Images of their thin faces wavered before me like apparitions. Under my gloves, there were cracks between my fingers from the frigid nights without heat. I was their remedy and their hope. This work would save them. I’d live frugally with the barest of necessities and send everything else to them. Soon, I would have enough to send for them. We could all be together. Or I would return home.
No looking back. I can do this. I will do this. I was a young, educated woman about to teach at a newly built school. Lord Barnes had written of its brick construction and shiny wood floors. A dozen students, he’d said, who needed an education. I might be headed to spinsterhood, but I was a good teacher. Having my own school was a dream. Remember how blessed you are, I reminded myself.
I’d be plucky, like the characters in the novels I loved so much.
Please, someone come. Don’t leave me to freeze when I’ve finally reached my destination. As if I had conjured him, a young man appeared from the curtain of snow. He had dark eyes with thick lashes and a red mouth, which smiled at me. Brown curls sneaked out from under the back of his newsboy cap.
“Miss Cooper?”
“Yes, yes.” Relief flooded through me. I was saved.
“It’s Harley, Miss Cooper. I’m sorry to be late.” I detected a slight accent. French, perhaps? “This storm came out of nowhere this afternoon and made traveling slow. Our horses don’t like it. We have a twenty-minute drive to town in the sleigh, but I have blankets.”
Harley took my suitcase, and I followed him outside where a sleigh waited, hitched to two brown horses. One whinnied and grinned at me with his large teeth. “Hello, lovely.” I stroked his nose. He nudged at me, most likely wondering if I had an apple. If I’d had one, despite how much I loved animals, I would not have shared it with him. I hadn’t eaten since the morning. Although my room and board would be covered, I’d had to leave most of the traveling money Lord Barnes had sent with Mother. They needed it to survive until I could mail my first paycheck. Which meant that I’d had to get by on one meal a day.
“Careful now,” Harley said, helping me into the sleigh. “We’ll have you there by suppertime. Mrs. Winslow makes a fine stew, and the boardinghouse is warm.” Had he hesitated before the adjective warm? What else was it besides warm? Was warmth all it had to brag of? And Mrs. Winslow’s stew? I thought of Mother’s meals. Although made of meager provisions, somehow, they always tasted delicious, if not altogether filling. Bread filled the spaces between our bones, my mother sometimes said when the soup was mostly broth.
I ached with a sudden homesickness. They would be sitting by the fire by now with their knitting or needlepoint. I was not there to read to them as had become our custom since my father passed two years ago.
No, I must not succumb to self-pity. This was an adventure. An opportunity. Traveling across the country to this beautiful, uninhabited land. A newly built schoolhouse and children who craved learning. I’d read the letter from Lord Barnes so many times I had it memorized.
The children here need education and refinement. The West lacks in proper guidance for young ladies, especially. Our hope is for your good breeding and manners to influence and educate a new generation of Americans. These are children born of adventurous and hopeful men, who have longed to provide better lives for their children. Alas, with this effort comes the wild.
Five out of the dozen children in town were his own. He was the board of education for their community, he had written. Not because I’m fit for the vocation, but because there was no one else. He did not mention a wife in his letters. I felt certain she was dead, as he’d referenced a nanny who cared for his children, but never a mother.
It was how he’d spoken of education that had touched my heart.
We raise them to be tough here, but at what cost? Surely culture and art must be taught, no matter that the gold rush has given birth to a new West?
“Please take off your hat or you might lose it,” Harley said.
I undid the pins and stuck them into the band, then handed the hat to him. He set it under a blanket in the back, along with my bag. “And wrap this scarf around your head and face.”
He tucked several blankets around me. On top of those, he laid a fur of some kind that smelled of oil. I lifted my scarf over my nose, which still carried the scent of home, and tried to relax. Bells around the horses’ necks made a merry song as Harley drove us away from the station. It was slow going for the horses through the high snow, but they clopped at a steady pace.
“Thank you for picking me up,” I said.
“It’s my pleasure, miss. I work for Lord Barnes. I take care of the animals and the garden, and whatever else needs doing. My little sister, Poppy, and I live in the servant’s cottage on his property.”
“I thought the train station would be closer to town.”
“Back during the gold rush, the train stopped at the mining site,” he said. “As the town grew, they realized building in the valley between the two mountains made more sense.”
“Have you been here long?”
“A few years, yes. My parents were French. They came out here chasing gold, like most. They died three winters ago from the flu, and so now it’s just Poppy and me.”
“Poppy? What a sweet name.”
“She’s thirteen. Same age as Miss Josephine, Lord Barnes’s oldest daughter. She can’t wait to start school. Until my parents died, we spoke mostly French, so she’s anxious to learn to read in English.”
“Does Lord Barnes live in town?” I asked.
“No, his estate’s a few miles from town.”
Estate? Estates were large with servants and fine meals. What did I expect from a man with the title Lord in front of his name?
“Lord Barnes owns at least a thousand acres, including the land in town. There was a fire in the late nineties and most of the residents left. Lord Barnes bought up all the property and rebuilt the town. This time in brick.”
“He owns everything?”
“That’s right. He rents the buildings to local businessmen for a fair price. His aim is to civilize this place.” Harley laughed, clearly fond of his boss. “If anyone can, it’s him.”
Normally, I would have been fascinated to learn more. I’m curious bordering on nosy. People are like books. I can’t wait to turn the next page to learn what happens next. But I felt sleepy, lulled by the rhythm of the sled across snow. I blinked to try to stay alert, but between the falling snow and dimming light blocking the view, in combination with the warmth of the fur some poor animal had sacrificed, I drifted to sleep.
The sound of a shotgun jarred me awake. Both horses jumped and neighed and then began to run. Harley called to them and tried to rein them in, but to no avail. They were afraid. As was I. Another shot rang out. The horses ran faster. The sled seemed to be several inches above the snow, as though we were flying. We were out of control. I could feel it in the way the sled shimmied. One of the horses reared back, and the sled yanked hard to the left. We flew over an embankment. A large tree loomed close. I screamed as I flew from the sled. Everything went black.
Chapter 2: Alexander
A pounding on my front door pulled me from a particularly moving passage in a Henry James novel. Startled, I looked at the clock in the corner of my library. Six on an evening? Who would call without notice? The children were all upstairs with Nanny Foster having baths. My belly was full of Lizzie’s hearty stewed chicken and potatoes, and I’d just settled in with a glass of whiskey for a deep read.
The knocking turned loud and fierce. I rose from my chair, alarmed. This was not the typical timid tap of tradespeople or visitors, but urgent, almost frightened, as if something was terribly wrong. A shiver crept up the back of my neck. Jasper’s efficient footsteps passed by the door of the library, all click-click on the hardwood floors.
I crossed the room and into the hallway just as Jasper yanked open the front door. Wayne Higgins stood on the steps, holding his hat in his hands. Behind him, snow dumped from a hidden sky.
“Mr. Higgins, are you all right?” Jasper asked.
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry to bother you.” Wayne nodded to me as I came to stand next to Jasper. “Lord Barnes, Harley’s had an accident. He and the schoolmistress were coming from the station.
Someone fired a gun and the horses got spooked and somehow the sled got unattached and it went over the embankment just yonder.” He pointed toward the road. “Clive and I saw the whole thing. We hauled them up from the bank, sir.” A layer of snow had already covered his white-blond hair and glistened in the lamplight.
Harley had gone to get Miss Cooper an hour ago. “Are they hurt?” I asked.
“Harley’s all right. We dropped him at the cottage so his sister could clean up a gash on his hand. He was bleeding pretty good. The teacher hasn’t opened her eyes or made any noise. We thought it best to bring her here so we could call the doctor.”
“Of course, yes, come in,” I said. From the darkness, Wayne’s brother, Clive, appeared, carrying a woman in his arms. She was a tiny slip of a thing, not much bigger than my thirteen-year-old daughter. Her boots were well-polished, but the soles were thin, and the sleeves of her dark coat tattered. Fair curls had come loose from her bun and dangled over Clive’s arms.
“Evening, Lord Barnes.” Clive shared the same light blue eyes with his brother. Tall and broad, made from German stock, they owned the butcher shop in town. The Higgins Brothers Butcher Shop was clean and well-run. They sold their cuts of meat at a fair price. I’d known them from the first day they move here. I happened to know, too, they gave away scraps and day-old meat to the hungry.
“I think she’s bumped her head real good.”
I stepped forward. “I’ll take her.”
“Yes, sir.” Clive transferred her to me. I gazed down at the lovely face that belonged to Miss Cooper. This was not the old lady spinster I’d expected. For one, she was a young woman. And my, she was a beauty, with alabaster skin and delicate bone structure. Her cheeks, flushed from the cold, were the color of cherry blossoms in the spring. She had long dark eyelashes and hair the color of wheat. A small mouth suited her small oval face.
Clive and Wayne hovered by the front door, holding their hats in their hands. “We sure hope she’s not hurt too bad,” Clive said.
“Would you like to come in?” I asked. “Lizzie can get you something warm to drink before you go back out in the cold.”
“No, sir. We best get back into town and send the doctor out,” Wayne said.
“This time of night he’ll be at the saloon,” Clive said.
“Thank you. It’s very kind of you,” I said, holding back from making a comment about the doctor’s gambling and whiskey habits.
“One more thing before we go,” Clive said. “The shots sounded like they were down by the Coles’ place. It might be best to send someone out there in the morning to make sure they’re all right.”
Samuel Cole and his family lived on the other side of the creek that separated our property. He and Rachel were good friends and neighbors. I doubted there was anything amiss. Samuel knew these parts better than anyone. The shots were most likely from him. He hunted or trapped almost all their meat. Deer were particularly abundant this year.
“Thank you. We’ll take care of it,” Jasper said as he clasped his hands behind his back. A habit from the old days when he’d been trained as a footman on my father’s estate.
“Yes, sir,” Clive said, without making eye contact.
At first glance, one wouldn’t have thought Jasper to be intimidating. He was quite ordinary-looking—tall and slim with sandy-colored hair and light blue eyes. It was the unfortunate way his lips often puckered, as if he smelled something foul, and his posh British accent that made him seem haughty and disdainful.
“Thank you. That’ll be all,” Jasper said to the Higgins brothers.
The young men put their hats back on and inched backward before escaping into the night.
Jasper shut the door as I headed toward the library with Miss Cooper.
My cook, Lizzie, appeared, poking her head out of the door that led downstairs to the kitchen, bringing the scent of garlic and butter with her. “What’s all the commotion?” She placed her flour-covered hands over her round cheeks. “Who is that?”
“The new schoolteacher. Harley had an accident on the way back from the station,” Jasper said. “Don’t worry, he’s all right.” He often anticipated a question before it was asked. “But he’s got a gash on his hand. Can you send Merry over to check on him?”
Merry, who had appeared from downstairs before she could be summoned, nodded and scuttled to the closet for a coat. “Yes, yes. I’ll go right away.” Not that I would have discussed such a topic, but I assumed I wasn’t the only person in this house who’d observed young Merry’s crush on Harley. In fact, the only person who seemed oblivious to the pretty Swedish immigrant’s devotion was Harley himself. If he didn’t come to his senses soon, I couldn’t imagine the strong, tall woman with golden skin and hair would remain single for long. The town was full of men only too happy to entertain her.
As Merry bounded out the door, I headed into the library, Lizzie and Jasper close at my heels.
I set Miss Cooper on the east-facing couch. In the lamplight, she looked even younger. She couldn’t have been much older than twenty. In our correspondence, Quinn Cooper had never mentioned her age, but I’d assumed she was an old maid—a spinster with a silver bun and a long nose with a wart.
Jasper had already fetched a blanket. I grabbed one of the square pillows from the settee and placed it under Miss Cooper’s head.
Lizzie, never exactly calm in normal circumstances, stood over Miss Cooper, tutting and fussing. “Is she breathing?” Short and round with curly brown hair that was forever springing from her bun and freckles that covered her fair skin, Lizzie looked very much like her Irish mother. Both her parents had worked for my father at our country estate. When I left for America, she and Jasper had asked to join me. Initially, I brought only Jasper but sent for her as soon as I was settled here in Emerson Pass. She’d been making delicious meals ever since.
I knelt at the side of the couch and picked up one limp arm to feel Miss Cooper’s pulse. “Strong,” I said.
“Shall I fetch tea?” Lizzie asked, looking as if she were about to burst into tears. “For when she wakes?”
“Yes, and smelling salts,” Jasper said. “We need smelling salts.”
“And loosen her corset,” Lizzie said. “God knows that’ll help.”
Jasper coughed and turned red.
“Let’s try smelling salts first,” I said, almost laughing despite the gravity of the situation.
Lizzie nodded and flew from the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.
“I had no idea she was young,” I said to Jasper.
“It’s not proper for her to travel alone,” Jasper said. “Americans have no sense of propriety.”
At times, I found Jasper’s reluctance to accept America’s ways irritating, but this time I agreed with him. A wave of shame washed over me. Why hadn’t a companion accompanied her? It wasn’t proper. Every young woman should travel with a companion. I should have paid for someone to chaperone her. Dangers lurked around every corner on a train headed west. Not to mention here in Emerson Pass. Rough and lonely men would do terrible things to her if given the chance. How could I have possibly suggested she stay at the boardinghouse? She wouldn’t be safe there. Miners and prospectors stayed there, forever enraged that the gold they hoped for never appeared. They stumbled home at night from the saloon, drunk and violent. It would be fine for an older woman who had more than likely seen a thing or two, but this innocent woman would be in constant danger.
She would have to stay here in the house. We had more than enough rooms to accommodate her. I’d built this house with three extra bedrooms, hoping for family and friends from England to come for extended stays.
I heard the clamor of my children filing down the stairs. They’d come to say good night. Would seeing their teacher splayed out upon their couch scare them? I feared it might. Especially after what had happened to their mother. I glanced at Jasper, who uncharacteristically seemed as rattled and unsure as I. Before I could decide upon a diversion, the children burst into the library. All five of them. Wearing their flannel nightgowns, they looked clean and shiny and smelled of lavender soap. I loved them after their baths.
For once, the children seemed stunned into silence. They gathered around the prone body on the sofa and stared.
Flynn, one of the nine-year-old twins, not unusually, found his voice first. “Who is she, Papa?”
Before I could answer, Cymbeline, only six years old but particularly articulate, stepped closer to Miss Cooper and whispered, “Is she a princess from a faraway land?” Cymbeline’s dark curls, still damp from her bath, stuck to her rosy cheeks.
Nanny Foster, from behind, spoke in a sharp voice. “Cymbeline, don’t get too close. She might be sick.”
“No, it’s all right, Nanny,” I said. “She’s only bumped her head.”
“Is she a stranger, Papa?” Josephine asked in a voice much too old for only being thirteen. “Have we taken her in from the cold?”
“No, this is our new teacher. Harley had an accident in the sleigh.”
“The small sleigh?” Flynn asked.
“What does it matter?” I asked.
“I’m just wondering,” Flynn said, grinning. “Because if the larger one is wrecked, then we wouldn’t be able to go into town for school.”
“You’re out of luck. It was the small one,” I said.
Fiona, my smallest daughter, slipped her hand into mine. At three, she still looked like a doll, with dark ringlets and round blue eyes that could melt the heart of the fiercest man. Especially her father. “Papa, I’m scared.”
I lifted her into my arms. “No need to be afraid, my darling. Doc’s on his way. He’ll fix her right up.”
“What if he can’t?” Theo asked. The quiet, worried half of my twin set didn’t have to explain his question. He would be thinking of his mother, who had walked into a blizzard and died when Fiona was a baby. Theo had been the one to find her. The doctor had come then, too.
“Let’s not worry ourselves,” Nanny Foster said in her brisk, unemotional way. “This looks like a strong but rather foolish young woman.”
I wasn’t sure how a bump on her head made her foolish, but I’d learned not to follow up with Nanny Foster’s observations unless I wanted a few more paragraphs of her opinions.
The children all gathered close, inspecting our patient.
Fiona wriggled from my arms, forever worried she’d miss something her older siblings were privy to.
Jasper appeared with a piece of ice wrapped in a cloth and placed it gently on top of that mound of shiny hair.
Miss Cooper’s eyes fluttered open. I took a step backward, stunned by the beauty of those eyes, brown and shiny as polished stone. They widened with alarm as she took in her surroundings. Here we were, staring at her like she was part of the circus. “Children, step away. Give Miss Cooper some room to breathe.”
“Oh, dear,” Miss Cooper said. “What’s happened? Where am I?”
The School Mistress
Good read!
It was nice to read a story that was not filled with conflict. With everything going on in the world, I enjoyed a light, happy story even though it was predictable. I have since bought The Spinster and read it in a day.
Cute heart warming story, Feel good upbeat tale. Family based
Great book

The Schoolhouse: A Hickory Grove Novel
To move forward, she might have to take a step back.
Divorced empty-nester Becky Linden wants a fresh start. After two decades away, she returns to her hometown to find herself. What she discovers instead is the long-abandoned schoolhouse where she had her first kiss as a teenager. Others might see an eyesore, but Becky sees the neglected building as a charming business opportunity and... her future. However, she can't do it on her own. The one man who can help her is the last one she ever thought she'd ever ask-her ex-boyfriend.
Zack Durbin works for the school district that owns the run-down building, and he agrees with locals: the schoolhouse is a problem. What's more? It's his job to solve the problem. Then Zack's old high school sweetheart shows up with a dream to open a bookshop and reboot her life. Is Zack willing to sacrifice his career for the only woman he's ever loved? Or will the past haunt him forever?
The Schoolhouse is a heartwarming, second-chance romance about a determined forty-something, her high school sweetheart, and the abandoned schoolhouse that just might have a little life left. Order your copy today.
Hickory Grove, Indiana is an old-fashioned small town full of big-hearted people with quirky stories. Each book is a sweet, standalone read.
The Schoolhouse: Book One
The Christmas House: Book Two
The Farmhouse: Book Three
The Innkeeper's House: Book Four
The Quilting House: Book Five

The Sea Star Bakery: A Willa Bay Novel
Life is a series of decisions to make, but choosing the right one isn't always cut and dry.
Up until a few years ago, Cassie was living her dream life—happily married to her high school sweetheart Kyle and raising their two kids together in a house with a white picket fence. When she and Kyle grew apart and eventually divorced, she was devastated. Now, she's picking herself up and building a new life.
Her dream of owning a bakery seems out of reach, until a For Lease sign goes up in the window of the best bakery in town. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, but with a mortgage, young children and an almost-empty bank account, it feels impossible. Kyle offers to help her, but she wants to do it on her own. Besides, there are too many pesky feelings for him that she can't seem to shake.
With a beautiful co-worker asking him for a date and a possible promotion at work, Kyle should be on top of the world. If only he could stop thinking about his ex-wife and the life they used to share.
Cassie's friend Zoe has found her calling in life—turning the old Inn at Willa Bay into the premier wedding venue in the Pacific Northwest. However, she didn't count on the challenge of working closely with her new boyfriend Shawn and her good friend Meg. All of the responsibility for the renovation has fallen on her shoulders and she doesn't know how everything is going to get done before the Inn's grand opening.
Meg knows that Zoe needs more from her, but between working at the Inn part-time and her job as a sous chef at a local lodge, she's burning the candle at both ends. Eventually, they'll turn the old barn at the Inn into a restaurant for her to manage, but that's at least six months away. In the meantime the Inn's tight renovation budget can't afford another full-time salary. For the time being, Meg's life is at a standstill, looking on with envy at the lives of her friends and family.
Her sister Libby leads the perfect life—except for the fact that she's been hiding marital problems for a few months and is now at her breaking point. She's watching her friends pursue their passions, but feeling stuck in her own life. If her husband doesn't come clean about his secretive behavior and indifference to her, she's going to need to make some serious changes.
Although each of the friends is at a different point in their lives, they all must make decisions that will change the shape of their futures and the small town tapestry of Willa Bay.

The Search for the Stone of Excalibur
A modern day adventure as our protagonists search for Excalibur and the treasures it holds This is a must-read for Middle Graders keen on action, adventure, and Arthurian stories Continuing the adventure that began in Egypt a few months prior in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur. However, their long-standing enemy, Dr. Khalid, is following them as they travel to Scotland to investigate an old castle. Little do they know there is another deadly force, the Eaters of Poison, who have their own mission to complete. Time is running out as the confluence of the planets draws closer. Can Justin and Adam find the second Stone of Power and survive? And why did Aunt Isabel send a girl with them?
Join Justin and Adam as they search not only for the second Stone of Power, but also for the Scroll of the Ancients, a mysterious document that holds important clues to the Seven Stones of Power. As their adventure unfolds, they learn many things and face dangers that make even their perils in Egypt look tame. And how annoying for them that their tag-along companion, Kim, seems to have such good ideas when they are stumped.
Book extras include some historical background on King Arthur, the Dark Ages, warfare and weaponry during Arthur's time, and details on Excalibur. A fascinating peek into the life and times of the real King Arthur, perfect for young time travelers and budding archaeologists. For coloring-in enthusiasts, ten original black and white illustrations including 2 maps make for more enjoyment
About the Author
Ingram, Fiona: - Fiona Ingram's earliest story-telling talents came to the fore when, from the age of ten, she entertained her three younger brothers and their friends with serialised tales of children undertaking dangerous and exciting exploits, which they survived through courage and ingenuity. Haunted houses, vampires, and skeletons leaping out of coffins were hot favourites in the cast of characters. Although Fiona Ingram has been involved in the theatre and journalism, writing a children's book--The Secret of the Sacred Scarab--was an unexpected step, inspired by a family trip to Egypt. The tale of the sacred scarab began life as a little anecdotal tale for her two nephews (then 10 and 12), who had accompanied her on the Egyptian trip. This short story grew into a children's book, the first in the adventure series Chronicles of the Stone. The second book in the series--The Search for the Stone of Excalibur--a huge treat for young King Arthur fans, is now available with Book 3, The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper, on the way. Although Fiona Ingram does not have children of her own, she has an adopted daughter, from an underprivileged background who has discovered the joys of reading for pleasure. Naturally, Fiona is a voracious reader and has been from early childhood. Her interests include literature, art, theatre, collecting antiques, animals, music, and films. She loves travel and has been fortunate to have lived in Europe (while studying) and America (for work). She has travelled widely and fulfilled many of her travel goals. *Book Award Nominations & Wins: *Finalist Children's Fiction USA Next Generation 2009 Indie Book Awards *Finalist Juvenile Fiction USA National Best Books 2009 Awards *Winner Pre-Teen USA 2009 Readers' Favorites Awards *Number 2 in the USA Children's & Teens Book Connection Top Ten Favourite Books of 2009 for Kids, Tweens & Teens *Winner Silver Medal Teen Fiction 2010 Nautilus Book Awards *Finalist Children's Fiction 2010 International Book Awards *Winner Bronze Medal Pre-Teen Fiction 2010 Moonbeam Book Awards *Finalist 2011 Rubery Book Awards *Winner Gold Award Mystery Pre-Teen 2011 Children's Literary Classics Awards *2nd Place in the 2011 YA Sharpwrit Book Awards * Gold Medal 2013 Wise Bear Book Awards

The Second Chance Inn: A Sweet Small Town Romance

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab
“A thrilling adventure for two young boys, whose fun trip to Egypt turns into a dangerously exciting quest to uncover an ancient and mysterious secret.” —Shelf Unbound (2016 Finalist for Best Independently Published Book)
In this exciting Middle Grade adventure set in Egypt, a 5000-year-old mystery comes to life. A scruffy peddler gives Adam and Justin Sinclair an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and their scarab, do the boys realise they are in terrible danger. Dr. Khalid wants the relic at all costs. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. They are plunged into a whirlpool of hazardous and mysterious events when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them. They learn more about the ancient Seven Stones of Power and the mysterious Shemsu-Hor. They must translate the hieroglyphic clues on the underside of the scarab, as well as rescue the missing archaeologist James Kinnaird, and their friend, the Egyptologist Ebrahim Faza, before time runs out.
The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is the kind of adventure book boys and girls love The fast-paced action, the evil villain readers delight in hating, the secrets of the past, and the mysterious ancient setting make this novel a sure-hit favorite for all the young and adventurous at heart. Ingram's impeccable and fascinating research into Egyptian history illuminates the adventure and makes the secrets of Egypt's past as thrilling to the reader as the boys' dangerous encounters.
Awards:
2016 Shelf Unbound Competition Finalist for Best Independently Published Book
2013 Wise Bear Book Awards Gold Medal Winner
2011 Sharp Writ Book Awards (SWBA) Second Place Winner for Young Adult
2011 Children’s Literary Classics Awards Gold Award Winner for Preteen Mystery
2011 Rubery Book Awards Finalist
2010 Nautilus Book Awards Silver Medal Winner for Teen Fiction
2010 International Book Awards Finalist for Children’s Fiction
2010 Moonbeam Book Awards Bronze Medal Winner for Preteen Mystery Fiction
2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Juvenile Fiction
2009 American Book Fest’s Best Book Awards Finalist for Children’s Fiction
2009 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards Honorable Mention for Preteen
Named Number 2 Favorite Book of 2009 in The Children’s and Teen’s Book Connection’s “Top 10 Favorite Books of 2009 for Kids, Tweens and Teens”
More Reviews:
“An action-packed children’s novel set in Egypt, featuring mysterious happenings, an intrepid granny and a sinister plot to gain absolute power.” —Rubery Book Awards
“Adventure lovers will get the opportunity to become tourists on an exciting tour to Egypt through this magnificent novel…. This is an engrossing children’s mystery with non-stop action and interesting dialogue. I enjoyed the entertaining drama while learning about Egypt’s rich historical past…. Fiona Ingram impressed me immensely with her relaxed, eloquent storytelling that will delight both pre-teens and adults. I look forward to the continuing adventure...” —Readers’ Favorite
“Once I started reading The Secret of the Sacred Scarab I never wanted to put it down, and I was ready to read it all over again as soon as I was done. If the first book in The Chronicle of the Stone series by Fiona Ingram is this superb, I hold out high hopes for future installments. I eagerly anticipate Book 2 in the series, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur!” —The Children’s and Teen’s Book Connection
"This is one of the most thrilling children's books that I have read in a long time. Author Fiona Ingram ... has combined an exciting story that is filled with adventure and suspenseful mystery to keep the reader turning the pages with a lot of interesting factual information about the history and geography of Egypt." —Stories for Children Magazine
"It is a rollicking tale, in which the young protagonists have to rely on their wits and their courage as they come up against influential crooks out to get their hands on some of Egypt's greatest archaeological treasures ... Pacy and lively, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is the first in a projected series." —The Witness
"It's time to tell the other books on your bookshelf to make room for a classic in the making! Thrilling, riveting, and packed with action, adventure, and suspense, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is destined for greatness. My 14-year-old son devoured this book with relish and is threatening to run away to Egypt if I don't get my hands on the sequels soon!" —Phillipa Mitchell, Founder and CEO, Red Pepper Books
"Fiona Ingram is the master of writing historical fiction for young adults. Her way with wording has you feeling as though you are part of the adventure. Each turn of the page delivers more action, adventure, and history. The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is a must-read for all young adults, especially young Egyptologists. Fiona Ingram has not only added a brilliant cast of characters but has also included Egypt as one of the characters instead of using it as just a backdrop for the story. Truly, a book I would recommend reading. An amazing start to what I'm sure is going to be a wonderful series, full of action and adventure." —Angela Simmons for Review the Book
"What a great summer read for tween boys especially. This book has all of the elements that boys would find interesting: boys for the main characters, the adventure of Egypt, the mystery behind a sacred scarab, and the action of the chase and kidnapping. Girls will enjoy this book as well. A byproduct of this book may spark an interest in Egyptian culture and history and what a better way for kids to spend time than learning. Great book!" —Mindy Detweiler for Review the Book
Author Bio:
Fiona Ingram was born and educated in South Africa. Her interest in ancient history, mysteries, and legends, combined with her love of travel, has resulted in this award-winning first volume of her exciting children's adventure series, The Chronicles of the Stone.

The Secret She Kept
For FBI agent Blake Wilder, the past is inescapable.
And the one lead she had, regarding the mysteries of her past, only led to dead bodies and dead ends.
When Blake is assigned a new case, they find that their victim has been stuffed into a barrel - in pieces.
Their search for the killer propels them onto a grim and twisted path filled with confusion and false leads.
And for the first time in her career, Blake fears that she may not be able to solve this gruesome case.
But as they begin to unravel the knots of this mystery, they soon realize that everything they thought they knew could not be further from the truth. The stakes are becoming increasingly high for Blake as she delves into her past.
Powerful forces are in play and those closest to her may not be who they claim to be.
Her enemies are closing in and Blake doesn't know who she can trust.
The man in the barrel's past cost him his life and Blake finds herself wondering if hers will too.
Unknown to Blake, the key to solving the case of her past and the case of the body in the barrel is finding out one truth.
The truth of the secret she kept...

The Secrets Amongst the Cypress: The House of Crimson & Clover Volume X
This is the recommended reading order for the series.
Volume I: The Storm and the Darkness
Volume II: Shattered
Volume III: The Illusions of Eventide
Volume IV: Bound
Volume V: Midnight Dynasty
Volume VI: Asunder
Volume VII: Empire of Shadows
Volume VIII: Myths of Midwinter
Volume IX: The Hinterland Veil
Volume X: The Secrets Amongst the Cypress
Volume XI: Within the Garden of Twilight
Volume XII: House of Dusk, House of Dawn The Saga of Crimson & Clover
A sprawling dynasty. An ancient bloodline. A world of magic and mayhem. Welcome to the Saga of Crimson & Clover, where all series within are linked but can be equally enjoyed on their own. For content warnings, please visit sarahmcradit.com.

The Secrets of Second Beach
She lived life online, her final post a cry for help. But the mists of Second Beach answered only with silence.
When the body of a beloved social media star washes up on the rocky shores of Second Beach, panic spreads through the surrounding coastal community. What was once a peaceful haven is now shrouded in fear, and the locals demand answers.
But what begins as a tragic mystery quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Beneath the surface of Washington's sleepy beach towns lies a hidden underworld-a secretive criminal syndicate that has operated in the shadows for years.
Are they involved? Or is something even darker lurking in the mist?
As Detective Thomas Austin uncovers secret after long-buried secret, he discovers a chilling truth that's been hiding in plain sight for decades. And the deeper Austin digs, the closer he comes to a devastating revelation that could rock the entire Pacific Northwest.
Series List (can be read in any order):Book 1: The Bones at Point No Point
Book 2: The Shadows of Pike Place
Book 3: The Fallen of Foulweather Bluff
Book 4: The Horror at Murden Cove
Book 5: The Terror in the Emerald City
Book 6: The Drowning at Dyes Inlet
Book 7: The Nightmare at Manhattan Beach
Book 8: The Silence at Mystery Bay
Book 9: The Darkness at Deception Pass
Book 10: The Vanishing at Opal Creek
Book 11: The Secrets of Second Beach

The Secrets of Wycliffe Manor