Elizabeth Edmondson – författare

From the author of THE FROZEN LAKE comes an enthralling novel of love, betrayal and idealism, as three very different young women go up to Oxford in the years immediately before World War Two.Vee – the clergyman’s daughter. Boyish, alluring, she plans to use her time at Oxford to put right everything that went wrong in her loveless childhood. Her friendship with Alfred introduces her to politics and the subversive attractions of secret societies; it will lead to her career as a secret agent, but at what cost to old loyalties and her true feelings?Claudia, radiant, intense, aristocratic, is equally drawn to the secret society and one member in particular; his dazzling influence will see her travel to Berlin and come under the spell of Fascism as war looms.And Lally, glamorous daughter of an Irish-American senator, is sceptical of the society and the arguments from both sides. Her own choices will bring her into Vee’s new life, with all its dangers and betrayals. As the world becomes embroiled in the events of war, what price personal values, losses and loves?

Escapist and completely absorbing, The Villa in Italy is the perfect, mouth-watering summer read.Four very different people are named in a will. Delia, an opera singer robbed of her voice by illness; George, an idealistic scientist who cannot face what his skills have created; Marjorie, desperately poor and unable to dislodge her writer’s block; and Lucius, ostensibly in control but whose personal life is in chaos. All are summoned to the Villa Dante, home of the late Beatrice Malaspina. But who was she?While they wait to find out, the villa begins to work its seductive magic. With its faded frescoes, overgrown garden and magnificent mediaeval tower, it is unlike anywhere they have been before. Slowly, four characters who have gone to great lengths to hide their troubles find that change – and even hope – is possible after all. But the mysterious Beatrice has a devastating secret to reveal that will affect them all…A beautiful evocation of Italy in the aftermath of World War Two, the personal consequences of living through such a time, and a celebration of humankind’s ability to heal and learn to love again, this most absorbing novel will win Elizabeth Edmondson a host of new fans.

The French Riviera is the setting for this absorbing tale of family intrigue, scandal and romance, against the glamorous background of 1930s artists and aristocracy.Polly Smith is struggling to make a living as an artist when her friend and patron, Oliver, invites her to his father’s house in the South of France. Thrilled to escape cold, wet London, Polly asks for her birth certificate to get a passport. Her world changes. Her mother is in fact her aunt; her father is unknown; even her name isn’t right.Fleeing to the Riviera, Polly finds the serenity and sunshine bring her painting to life as never before. But all is not well in the grand house. Oliver’s father was forced to leave England in a cloud of scandal and despite the sophisticated, cosmopolitan crowd of friends with which he has surrounded himself, his past is about to catch up with him. Yet even though Polly will find herself at the centre of a web of deception, her own future begins to take on a new and fascinating shape…

*Now also published as The Villa on the Riviera*The French Riviera is the setting for this absorbing tale of family intrigue, scandal and romance, against the glamorous background of 1930s artists and aristocracy.Polly Smith is struggling to make a living as an artist when her friend and patron, Oliver, invites her to his father’s house in the south of France. Thrilled to escape cold, wet London, Polly asks for her birth certificate to obtain a passport - an act which unexpectedly turns her world upside down. For her mother is in fact her aunt; her father is unknown; even her name isn’t right.Fleeing to the Riviera, Polly finds that the serenity and sunshine brings her art to life as never before. But all is not well in the grand house. Oliver’s father was forced to leave England in a cloud of scandal and his past is about to catch up with him.But even as Polly finds herself immersed in a web of suspicion and deception, her own future begins to take on a new and fascinating shape…The perfect read for fans of THE VILLA and SUMMER’S CHILD, this is a beguiling and evocative tale that will transport you away to the Riviera itself.

Fabulous family saga of secrets held through two generations, set against the atmospheric background of the Lake District at ChristmasThe year of 1936 is drawing to a close. Winter grips Wetmoreland and causes a rare phenonmenon: the lakes freeze. For two local families, the Richardsons and the Grindleys, this will bring unexpected upheaval, as the frozen lake entices long-estranged siblings and children to return home for the holiday season.Some are aware of what is happening in Europe; others don’t want to know. Everyone’s keen to put aside their troubles – money worries, love tangles, career problems, domestic rifts – and enjoy themselves skating while they can. But one visitor carries the seed of violence and not even the redoubtable matriarch of the Richardson clan can prevent the carefully buried secrets of the past from reappearing and transforming everything.A compelling blend of family closeness and strife, dazzling passion and the dark influence of history, this is an enthralling read to curl up and savour.

Escapist and completely absorbing, The Villa in Italy is the perfect, mouth-watering summer read.Four very different people are named in a will. All are summoned to the Villa Dante, home of the late Beatrice Malaspina. But who was she?While they wait to find out, the villa begins to work its seductive magic. With its faded frescoes and magnificent mediaeval tower, it’s unlike anywhere they have been before. Slowly, four characters who have gone to great lengths to hide their troubles find that change – and even hope – is possible after all. But the mysterious Beatrice has a devastating secret to reveal that will change everything . . .The perfect holiday read for fans of Rosanna Ley and Rachel Hore, The Villa in Italy is a beautiful evocation of Italy in the aftermath of World War Two.

A novel of family secrets hidden through two generations, set against the stunning backdrop of the Lake District in midwinter. From the author of The Villa in Italy.One family Christmas uncovers two generations of secrets…The year of 1936 is drawing to a close. Winter grips Wetmoreland and causes a rare phenonmenon: the lakes freeze. For two local families, the Richardsons and the Grindleys, the frozen lake entices long-estranged siblings and children to return home for Christmas.Some are aware of the storm clouds of war gathering over Europe, yet everyone wants to put troubles aside, however personal, to enjoy a frozen Christmas. But one visitor carries a seed of violence and not even the matriarch of the Richardson clan can prevent the carefully buried secrets of the past from erupting to change everything.A compelling blend of family closeness and strife, dazzling passion and the dark influence of history, this is an enthralling read to curl up and savour.

From the author of THE FROZEN LAKE comes an enthralling novel of love, betrayal and idealism, as three very different young women go up to Oxford in the years immediately before World War Two.Vee – the clergyman’s daughter. Boyish, alluring, she plans to use her time at Oxford to put right everything that went wrong in her loveless childhood. Her friendship with Alfred introduces her to politics and the subversive attractions of secret societies; it will lead to her career as a secret agent, but at what cost to old loyalties and her true feelings?Claudia, radiant, intense, aristocratic, is equally drawn to the secret society and one member in particular; his dazzling influence will see her travel to Berlin and come under the spell of Fascism as war looms.And Lally, glamorous daughter of an Irish-American senator, is sceptical of the society and the arguments from both sides. Her own choices will bring her into Vee’s new life, with all its dangers and betrayals. As the world becomes embroiled in the events of war, what price personal values, losses and loves?

*PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS The Art of Love*Absorbing and escapist, The Villa on the Riviera is perfect summer reading for fans of Rachel Hore and Santa Montefiore.Polly Smith is struggling to make a living as an artist when her friend and patron, Oliver, invites her to the south of France. But her world is unexpectedly turned upside down when she digs out her birth certificate to apply for a passport. Her parents are not who she believed them to be - even her name is different.Fleeing to the Riviera, Polly finds that the serenity and sunshine brings her art to life as never before. But all is not well in the grand house. Oliver’s father was forced to leave England in a cloud of scandal and his past is about to catch up with him. And Polly’s own future begins to take on a new and fascinating shape…The perfect read for fans of THE VILLA and SUMMER’S CHILD, this is a beguiling and evocative tale that will transport you away to the Riviera itself.

January 1954. Mists cover the hills around Selchester. Someone at the research facility known as the Atomic is leaking secrets to Soviet Russia, and when nuclear scientist Bruno Rothesay goes missing, the British Intelligence Services are convinced he’s the mole. Hugo Hawksworth isn’t so sure. Then a body turns up, and Hugo’s instincts are proven correct. But if Rothesay wasn’t selling secrets to the Soviets, who is?As Hugo digs deeper into buried connections and unlikely coincidences, he knows there’s more to this case than his London superiors believe. But following his instincts will pit him against the Establishment—and tangle him once again in the poisonous legacy of the late Lord Selchester.As he closes in on the truth, Hugo finds himself confronted by an adversary who will stop at nothing, in a case that will prove the most personal of his career.With a touch of Downton Abbey, a whisper of Agatha Christie and a nod to John Le Carré, A Matter Of Loyalty is the third and final book in this delightfully classic and witty murder-mystery series.

Ein dunkles Geheimnis überschattet das Familientreffen in dem alten Haus am See.England, Dezember 1936. Im tiefverschneiten Lake District versammeln sich die Menschen, um Weihnachten zu feiern. Auch die junge Alix Richardson ist aus London angereist, aus Sehnsucht nach ihrer Familie und den Freunden aus Kindertagen. Aber vor allem will Alix endlich erfahren, was für ein Rätsel den frühen Tod ihrer Mutter, Lady Helena, umgibt. Die Geheimnisse, denen sie auf den Grund gehen will, sind so tief und dunkel wie die Wasser des zugefrorenen Sees. Schon bald wird ihre Suche zu einem gefährlichen Tanz auf dem Eis.

Freundschaft, Liebe und VerratOxford, 1932: Im College treffen sich Verity, die Pfarrerstochter, ihre aristokratische Cousine Claudia und Lally, die Tochter eines Senators aus Chicago. Die drei genießen das Leben, aufregende Bekanntschaften und ihre neu erlangte Freiheit. Doch bald wird aus dem Spaß bitterer Ernst, und die jungen Frauen müssen Entscheidungen treffen, die ihr ganzes Leben verändern werden.

Die Vergangenheit ist ein gefahrlicher Ort ... Cornwall, 1934: Die aufstrebende Designerin Cleo Otway wird aus dem Wirbel der Londoner Modewelt gerissen und fur ein Wochenende nach Landrake Hall versetzt. Inmitten der grunen Hugel von Cornwall ist Landrake ein Ort, an dem die Zeit stehen geblieben scheint. Hier herrscht Lord Landrake, der neue Ehemann ihrer Mutter, der Schauspielerin Rosina Otway. Eigentlich sollte Cleo sich fur ihre Mutter freuen, doch irgendetwas stimmt nicht mit dem Anwesen. Ihre Stiefschwestern begegnen ihr feindselig, die ganze Familie scheint etwas zu verbergen Schon bald beginnt Cleo um das Leben ihrer Mutter zu furchten und jeder, der Cleo helfen konnte, das Geheimnis der Familie zu luften, schweigt oder ist tot. Bis auf Fitz Falconer, der jungere Bruder der verstorbenen Lady Landrake, der sie nach und nach in die skandalose Geschichte und die erbitterten Rivalitaten der Familie Landrake einweiht. Doch kann Cleo ihm wirklich vertrauen? Spannend und voller Atmosphare ein Familiengeheimnis-Roman im wunderschonen Cornwall fur Fans von Felicity Whitmore und Susan De WinterBegeisterte LeserInnen: Ein magischer Erzahlstil und eine verwunschene Atmosphare! Amazon-Leserin Eine spannende und sehr flussig erzahlte Geschichte, in der man als Leser sofort mittendrin ist und die Atmosphare formlich spuren kann. Amazon-Leserin