Margaret Dickinson – författare

Kitty Clegg has always accepted the hard work in her job as a kitchen maid at the Manor Farm. But now, at sixteen, she seizes the chance to go up in the world and to become a lady's maid.Handsome Jack Thorndyke has more than once held Kitty's adoring gaze. As he prepares his gleaming threshing engine for its winter work, he finally asks her to be his chosen Harvest Nell when the last of the golden Lincolnshire corn is cut.Carried away be her excitement, Kitty fails to heed the warnings whispered into her ear. Jack is far from the marrying kind. Worse still, his playful charm has attracted another - a young girl far above his station. Will Kitty's dreams be scattered like chaff upon the wind? Or can she hold on to a very special kind of love: a love which will bring both heartache and joy to the Manor in the turbulent decades to come?Set in the epic years before and after the First World War, Chaff Upon The Wind, Margaret Dickinson's novel of Lincolnshire life, is a spellbinding story of courage, loyalty and love.

Flame-haired Jeannie Buchanan has spent all her life in the shadow of the dark North Sea. Working with freezing fingers to gut the precious herring, she follows the fleet south, travelling far away from her Scottish home.When her beloved father's trawler goes missing, Jeannie must face up to life on her own. But her fiery temper and fierce independence attract powerful and devious enemies.By standing up to the Hayes-Gorton family, she could be threatening the future of those she cares for most. By denying a man prepared to sacrifice all his privileges for a chance to offer his devotion, she could be facing years of unhappiness. Amidst the great social upheaval of the inter-war years, Jeannie must search again for the real love she has always denied herself . . .Margaret Dickinson's The Fisher Lass brilliantly evokes the dramas of those who are born to the fishing way of life.

The River Folk is a spellbinding story of Lincolnshire life in the inter-war years, by the author of The Fisher Lass, Margaret Dickinson.For twelve-year-old Mary Ann Clark life has always been tough. The pretty daughter of a wife-beating drunk, it is no surprise that she has grown up afraid of her own shadow. That is until 'Battling Bessie Ruddick' takes the young girl under her wing and into the heart of her bustling family.Growing into an attractive young woman, Mary Ann yearns to be loved and when her affection for Bessie's son, Dan, is finally returned she becomes a skipper's wife. But the arduous life aboard ship is clearly not for her and only the arrival of a daughter, Lizzie, seems to hold the marriage together. Yet, tragically, the family is torn apart when Mary Ann is seduced by the promise of a happier life.Although bewildered by her mother's disappearance, it is now up to Lizzie to help her father. For she, unlike Mary Ann, has inherited Dan's love of the river. But then, disturbingly, her life starts to follow the same pattern as her mother's . . .

Featuring some of the characters from Sons and Daughters, Jenny's War is an epic story of loss and heartbreak from Margaret Dickinson.Is it possible for a ten-year-old girl to fall in love? Jenny Mercer thought so. Evacuated to Lincolnshire from the East End of London at the outbreak of war, she is frightened of the wide open spaces and the huge skies. The kindly Thornton family soon makes her feel welcome and no one more so than Georgie, the handsome RAF fighter pilot, who is caught up in the battle for Britain's survival. When Georgie is posted missing, presumed killed, Jenny is devastated and there is more heartbreak when her mother demands that she return home to the dangerous city streets now under almost daily attack from enemy bombers.The family flees in the night under the protection of the blackout, heading north out of the city. But to Jenny's disappointment, it is not back to Lincolnshire but into the hills and dales of Derbyshire where they are always on the move, always on the run. There, Jenny is caught up in a life of deception when all she really wants is to go back to Lincolnshire. For Jenny has never given up hope that one day, Georgie will come back . . .

The Clippie Girls is a compelling story of love, loss and heartbreak in the Second World War, by the author of the Fleethaven Trilogy, Margaret Dickinson.Rose and Myrtle Sylvester look up to their older sister, Peggy. She is the sensible, reliable one in the household of women headed by their grandmother, Grace Booth, and their mother, Mary Sylvester. When war is declared in 1939 they must face the hardships together and huge changes in their lives are inevitable. For Rose, there is the chance to fulfil her dream of becoming a clippie on Sheffield's trams like Peggy. But for Myrtle, the studious, clever one in the family, war may shatter her ambitions.When the tram on which Peggy is a conductress is caught in a bomb blast, she bravely helps to rescue her passengers. One of them is a young soldier, Terry Price, and he and Peggy begin courting. They meet every time he can get leave, but eventually Terry is posted abroad and she hears nothing from him. Worse still, Peggy must break the devastating news to her family that she is pregnant.The shock waves that ripple through the family will affect each and every one of them and life will never be the same again.

Margaret Dickinson's history of oppostional film is a pioneering account of an important by little documented aspect of modern British Cinema: the often extreme form of independent cinema that accompanied the radical politics of the 1960s and 70s. During the 70s an organized independent film and video movement emerged (including such filmmaking groups as London Filmmakers' Co-op, Cinema Action, Amber, Liberation Films and Sheffield Co-op). This avant-garde exerted an increasing influence within the British media mainstream - changing attitudes and practice, and enabling cross-over work by filmmakers such as Peter Greenaway and Sally Potter. This oppostional sector revolutionized British media, especially during the formation of Channel Four at the start of the 1980s, even as the political landscape at large was shifting dramatically to the right. Organized into three parts, 'Rogue Reels 'provides the first overview of the various strands of politicized filmmaking that emerged in postwar Britain. Part I is a concise history of the movement. Part II collects key texts and documents form the period 1971-92. Part III is made up of seven oral histories of the most influential production houses. Recuperating the radical tradition of postwar filmmaking (which continues to impact on today's media culture), 'Rogue Reels' raises urgent issues of policy and practice. Mixing narrative with first-hand accounts, and the important statements and documents of this movement the book provides the first overview of the different strands of filmmaking that are still impacting on avant-garde and mainstream practice.

A Mother's Sorrow is a heart-rending family drama set around WW1 from bestselling author and Queen of the Saga, Margaret Dickinson.Three young women. Two families united. A bond that can’t be broken . . . Sheffield, 1892. Patrick Halliday rules his family with a rod of iron. He’s hard on both his wife and his elder daughter, Flora, but he spoils his youngest, Mary Ellen, because she reminds him of his beloved mother.When Mary Ellen, aged seventeen, finds that she is pregnant, Patrick throws her out of the family home and Flora goes with her. After wandering the Derbyshire countryside for miles, they find shelter on a farm, working for their keep.When Flora must return to her job as a buffer girl in Sheffield’s cutlery trade, she is reunited with her friend, Evelyn Bonsor. As both young women find love and fall pregnant, the Halliday and Bonsor families are united, despite the many trials that cross their paths.Then comes the Great War. Through hardship and tragedy, these two families must stick together to weather the storm . . .

A Mother's Sorrow is a heart-rending family drama set around WW1 from bestselling author and Queen of the Saga, Margaret Dickinson.Three young women. Two families united. A bond that can’t be broken . . .Sheffield, 1892. Patrick Halliday rules his family with a rod of iron. He’s hard on both his wife and his elder daughter, Flora, but he spoils his youngest, Mary Ellen, because she reminds him of his beloved mother.When Mary Ellen, aged seventeen, finds that she is pregnant, Patrick throws her out of the family home and Flora goes with her. After wandering the Derbyshire countryside for miles, they find shelter on a farm, working for their keep.When Flora must return to her job as a buffer girl in Sheffield’s cutlery trade, she is reunited with her friend, Evelyn Bonsor. As both young women find love and fall pregnant, the Halliday and Bonsor families are united, despite the many trials that cross their paths.Then comes the Great War. Through hardship and tragedy, these two families must stick together to weather the storm . . .

No Greater Love is a powerful, heartwarming family drama set in Derbyshire around WW1, from bestselling author and Queen of the Saga, Margaret Dickinson. A troubled family. A young woman seeking refuge . . .Derbyshire, 1904. After a family tragedy and a broken engagement dramatically alter her circumstances, Lady Elizabeth Ingham seeks employment by training to be a nanny. Known only as Lizzie, she secures a post at Alstone-in-the-Dale Manor to care for a four-year-old boy, Charlie Spendlove, who badly needs her kindness and understanding.When Lizzie arrives at the manor, she is appalled at Charlie’s condition. He is a little wild thing; his hair is a tangled mass of ringlets, and he does not speak but screams and kicks most of the time. The family and staff are at their wits’ end and no one expects Lizzie to stay long.But with patience and love, Lizzie soon brings a change and the attitude of the staff towards her alters. As Charlie gradually improves, Lizzie begins to feel at home at Alstone-in-the-Dale Manor, and new love enters her life when she meets James, the master of the house’s brother.But as the First World War looms and young men from the village begin to enlist – can Lizzie’s new-found happiness withstand the hardships of war?

No Greater Love is a powerful, heartwarming family drama set in Derbyshire around WW1, from bestselling author and Queen of the Saga, Margaret Dickinson. A troubled family. A young woman seeking refuge . . .Derbyshire, 1904. After a family tragedy and a broken engagement dramatically alter her circumstances, Lady Elizabeth Ingham seeks employment by training to be a nanny. Known only as Lizzie, she secures a post at Alstone-in-the-Dale Manor to care for a four-year-old boy, Charlie Spendlove, who badly needs her kindness and understanding.When Lizzie arrives at the manor, she is appalled at Charlie’s condition. He is a little wild thing; his hair is a tangled mass of ringlets, and he does not speak but screams and kicks most of the time. The family and staff are at their wits’ end and no one expects Lizzie to stay long.But with patience and love, Lizzie soon brings a change and the attitude of the staff towards her alters. As Charlie gradually improves, Lizzie begins to feel at home at Alstone-in-the-Dale Manor, and new love enters her life when she meets James, the master of the house’s brother.But as the First World War looms and young men from the village begin to enlist – can Lizzie’s new-found happiness withstand the hardships of war?

Heartbroken by unrequited love, courage will guide her path . . .When Molly and her best friend both fall in love with Harry Spencer, their former closeness is strained, but Molly quickly turns her mind to the Suffragette movement, finding solace and passion in helping their cause.With the outbreak of the Great War, the local community hear rumours that Molly has been delivering white feathers, a symbol of cowardice, and she is cast out by everyone she holds dear.In times of despair, can Molly hold on to hope and prove the truth that’s in her heart?From beloved author Margaret Dickinson, A Woman of Spirit is a touching, romantic story set during the First World War.Readers LOVE Margaret Dickinson:'It brought a tear to my eyes, which in my 62 years a book has never done. And such a beautiful and happy ending' 'Couldn't stop reading''Never found a Margaret Dickinson book yet that disappointed''From the first line of the book the reader is swept away by wonderful characters''Having read Margaret Dickinson's books for over 20 years now, I can safely say she is one of my favourite authors''A real page-turner'

Heartbroken by unrequited love, courage will guide her path . . .When Molly and her best friend both fall in love with Harry Spencer, their former closeness is strained, but Molly quickly turns her mind to the Suffragette movement, finding solace and passion in helping their cause.With the outbreak of the Great War, the local community hear rumours that Molly has been delivering white feathers, a symbol of cowardice, and she is cast out by everyone she holds dear.In times of despair, can Molly hold on to hope and prove the truth that’s in her heart?Readers LOVE Margaret Dickinson:'It brought a tear to my eyes, which in my 62 years a book has never done. And such a beautiful and happy ending' 'Couldn't stop reading''Never found a Margaret Dickinson book yet that disappointed''From the first line of the book the reader is swept away by wonderful characters''Having read Margaret Dickinson's books for over 20 years now, I can safely say she is one of my favourite authors''A real page-turner'

Red Sky in the Morning is a heartwarming historical tale of love, hardship and family secrets, from bestselling author and Queen of the Saga, Margaret Dickinson.December 1946. It is two weeks before Christmas, and a young girl stands alone in the cobbled marketplace of a small Lincolnshire town, bedraggled and very afraid. People rush by, not one of them pausing to help her, until kindly farmer Eddie Appleyard takes the time to comfort the lost figure and discovers her name is Anna.In a moment of generosity, Eddie offers her a home, much to the displeasure of his formidable wife, Bertha. Anna’s arrival will change their lives: Eddie’s, Bertha’s and even that of their young son, Tony, who is torn between his warring parents and the mysterious stranger.As the years go by, the secrets of Anna’s past slowly come to light. While facing hardship, she will learn resilience and who she can truly call her family . . .

Margaret Dickinson's The Fisher Lass brilliantly evokes the dramas of those who are born to the fishing way of life.Flame-haired Jeannie Buchanan has spent all her life in the shadow of the dark North Sea. Working with freezing fingers to gut the precious herring, she follows the fleet south, travelling far away from her Scottish home.When her beloved father's trawler goes missing, Jeannie must face up to life on her own. But her fiery temper and fierce independence attract powerful and devious enemies.By standing up to the Hayes-Gorton family, she could be threatening the future of those she cares for most. By denying a man prepared to sacrifice all his privileges for a chance to offer his devotion, she could be facing years of unhappiness. Amidst the great social upheaval of the inter-war years, Jeannie must search again for the real love she has always denied herself . . .

The River Folk is a spellbinding story of Lincolnshire life in the inter-war years, by the author of The Fisher Lass, Margaret Dickinson.For twelve-year-old Mary Ann Clark life has always been tough. The pretty daughter of a wife-beating drunk, it is no surprise that she has grown up afraid of her own shadow. That is until 'Battling Bessie Ruddick' takes the young girl under her wing and into the heart of her bustling family.Growing into an attractive young woman, Mary Ann yearns to be loved and when her affection for Bessie's son, Dan, is finally returned she becomes a skipper's wife. But the arduous life aboard ship is clearly not for her and only the arrival of a daughter, Lizzie, seems to hold the marriage together. Yet, tragically, the family is torn apart when Mary Ann is seduced by the promise of a happier life.Although bewildered by her mother's disappearance, it is now up to Lizzie to help her father. For she, unlike Mary Ann, has inherited Dan's love of the river. But then, disturbingly, her life starts to follow the same pattern as her mother's . . .

The Tulip Girl is Margaret Dickinson's captivating Lincolnshire saga about the endurance of true love in the face of adversity.Abandoned outside an orphanage as a newborn baby, spirited Maddie March has had to fight her way through life. So when she finds a home at Few Farm with Frank Brackenbury and his household, she welcomes the chance for a fresh start.Work on the farm is hard, but believing herself truly loved for the first time in her young life by the farmer's son, Michael, even the animosity of the housekeeper Mrs Trowbridge cannot mar Maddie's newfound happiness.1947 brings harsh winter, sweeping devastation over the farm and threatening the Brackenburys' livelihood. All seems lost, until Maddie has an idea that might save them all from poverty.But then she discovers she is pregnant . . .

A compelling saga from Margaret Dickinson, Fairfield Hall charts the changing fortunes of Annabel Constantine, in the devastating lead up to the First World War.Ruthlessly ambitious Ambrose Constantine is determined that his daughter, Annabel, shall marry into the nobility. A fish merchant and self-made man, he has only his wealth to buy his way into society.When Annabel's secret meetings with Gilbert, a young man employed at her father's offices, stop suddenly, she learns that he has mysteriously disappeared. Heartbroken, she finds solace with her grandparents on their Lincolnshire farm, but her father will not allow her to hide herself in the countryside and enlists the help of a business connection to launch his daughter into society.During the London Season, Annabel is courted by James Lyndon, the Earl of Fairfield, whose country estate is only a few miles from her grandfather's farm. Believing herself truly loved at last, Annabel accepts his offer of marriage. It is only when she arrives at Fairfield Hall that she realizes the true reason behind James's proposal and the part her scheming father has played.Throughout the years that follow, Annabel experiences both heartache and joy, and the birth of her son should finally secure the future of the Fairfield Estate. But there are others who lay claim to the inheritance igniting a feud that will only reach its resolution in the trenches of the First World War.

There are some things which even the closest friendship cannot survive . . . Welcome Home is an enthralling and moving drama from bestselling author Margaret Dickinson, set during the Second World War.Neighbours Edie Kelsey and Lil Horton have been friends for over twenty years, sharing the joys and sorrows of a tough life as the wives of fishermen in Grimsby. So it was no surprise that their children were close and that Edie's son, Frank, and Lil's daughter, Irene, would fall in love and marry at a young age.But the declaration of war in 1939 changed everything. Frank went off to fight, and Irene and baby, Tommy, along with Edie's youngest son are sent to the countryside for safety. With Edie's husband, Archie, fishing the dangerous waters in the North Sea and daughter Beth in London doing 'important war work', Edie's family is torn apart.Friendship sustains Edie and Lil, but tragedy follows and there's also concern that Beth seems to have disappeared. But it is Irene's return, during the VE day celebrations, that sends shock waves through the family and threatens to tear Edie and Lil's friendship apart forever.

Without Sin is Margaret Dickinson's spirited historical saga of a passionate young woman who learns to fight for her own survival in a cruel world. Meg Kirkland fears her impudent tongue has caused her father's dismissal from his job and forced her whole family from their home on Middleditch Farm. Worse still, her father abandons them outside the workhouse, leaving Meg to care for her devastated mother, Sarah, and little brother as tragedy continues to haunt the family.Isaac Pendleton, Master of the workhouse, rules the lives of all those within its walls but when Sarah becomes his latest mistress, Meg is disgusted. Her loyal friend, Jake, born and bred in the workhouse, has a maturity and understanding beyond his years. Yet it is Meg's fiery independence that encourages Jake to leave the workhouse and seek employment on Middleditch Farm. His future is assured, but who will take care of Meg? The pretty, vivacious girl, once so innocent, becomes a calculating and manipulative young woman who will stop at nothing to get her own way even if it means betraying those she has loved.Without Sin is followed by Wish Me Luck, a heartfelt wartime romance.

Margaret Dickinson's Pauper's Gold is the heartfelt story of triumph over adversity, in the cotton mills of Derbyshire.Hannah Francis has been forced to leave her beloved mother and the life she knows in the silk mill town of Macclesfield and is set to become an apprentice at a cotton mill in the Derbyshire dales. It is a cruel blow for such a young girl, but her three travelling companions are even younger than she is, and Hannah is determined to keep their spirits up and remain in good cheer.Once she is settled in the mill, Hannah discovers that the hours of work are long, and the daily routine is dangerous, arduous and harsh, but her bright singing and capacity for joy lighten the load for everyone. Hannah soon becomes a favourite with the other mill workers. Friendships are forged and an innocent love starts to blossom.But can such a fragile love survive cruel reality? It is not long before she attracts the eye of Edmund Critchlow, the man who owns them all, body and soul – the man from whom no pretty mill girl is safe. Times are hard in the cotton industry as civil war rages across America affecting even the mill owner and the lives of all his workers . . .

Wish Me Luck is an engrossing WW2 romantic saga by Margaret Dickinson, and sequel to Without Sin.Fleur Bosley didn't believe in love at first sight, at least not until she bumped into Robbie Rodwell on a railway station in the blackout of wartime Britain. Posted to a newly-built Lincolnshire airfield, Robbie as a wireless operator on bombers and Fleur as a R/T operator in the watch office, their only escape is to the little cottage in the nearby village where Fleur is billeted with another WAAF, Ruth. The two girls become good friends, but Ruth, already hurt by the loss of one of the pilots, does not approve of wartime romances.And Ruth is not the only one to disapprove. When Fleur's mother hears Robbie's name she becomes hysterical and bans him from her home. The young couple are determined to grab their happiness where they can, but is it a kind Fate or a cruel one that has brought them together when secrets from the past threaten their future?Away from their families, there is fun and laughter, the aircrews determined to make the most of every day, every minute, but whenever they fly off into the night on a bombing raid, Fleur must keep watch until the early hours praying that Robbie's plane comes back . . .

Tangled Threads is a gripping romantic saga from Margaret Dickinson.For Eveleen Hardcastle life gets no better than growing up on Pear Tree Farm in the Lincolnshire countryside. Her family works hard for the Dunsmore estate and Eveleen finds it impossible to resist the charms of their employer's son, Stephen Dunsmore. But Jimmy, ever quick to antagonize, ensures that his sister's clandestine trysts do not remain so for long.Mary Hardcastle reacts to the news of her daughter's affair with a shocking ferocity, which seems to be born more of bitterness than maternal protectiveness. But what is it that fuels Mary's resentment towards her daughter? Unable to ignore her own feelings, Eveleen continues to meet Stephen in secret. But deception has a cruel price to pay when her beloved father is found dead from a heart attack. And worse yet, Stephen, far from providing Eveleen with the comfort she craves, deserts her in her hour of need and callously evicts the Hardcastles from the farm.Suddenly homeless, Eveleen is left to take the family reins and she fights to make a new life for her family in Nottinghamshire. And then she makes a stunning discovery about her mother's past which changes all their lives for ever . . .Continue the story of the Hardcastle family with the sequel Twisted Strands.

The follow-up to Tangled Threads, Margaret Dickinson's Twisted Strands follows the dramatic highs and lows of the Hardcastle family as they endure the upheaval caused by war.It is 1914, and Eveleen Hardcastle, now in in her early thirties, has married Richard. As the First World War breaks out, Eveleen, a sophisticated young woman, is left to manage the factory while Richard goes off to fight for his country. Eveleen's mother Mary has found happiness at last in her marriage to Josh. Her young granddaughter, Bridie, still lives at home, and is beautiful, but has a spirited, strong will which her grandmother finds hard to control. Bridie is secretly besotted with her godfather, Andrew, whom she is convinced she will marry when she is older. While the war plays out, Bridie becomes a nurse, looking after wounded soldiers billeted in the local Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire stately homes and there finds a vocation that is both rewarding and gives her a maturity beyond her years . . .

Sing As We Go is a heart-rending wartime novel from the much-loved author of The Clippie Girls, Margaret Dickinson.Kathy Burton longs to escape the drudgery of her life as an unpaid labourer on her father's farm. With only the local church choir and the occasional dance at the village hall for amusement, she yearns for the bright lights. Spurning Morry Robinson's proposal of marriage, Kathy goes to work in the city and is captivated by the sophisticated and handsome floor manager, Tony Kendall.Kathy has fallen deeply and irrevocably in love and, even when the country is plunged into war, she can see no obstacle to their future. But she has reckoned without the devious mind of Tony's invalid mother, Beatrice Kendall.Determined that the possessive woman won't win, Kathy plans her wedding, but the day is ruined when Tony is called up. Feeling deserted, Kathy is forced to face yet further heartache alone. At last, she finds solace in joining a concert party entertaining service men and women. But behind the songs and the smiles, her heart is breaking . . .

Christmas Fireside Stories is a delightful festive collection of short stories that includes delicious Christmas recipes recommended by the authors as well as extracts from your favourite saga novels.Christmas at Briar Farm by Diane AllenChristmas preparations are in full swing at Briar farm as the Bainbridge family get ready for a traditional 1960s Christmas – with all the trimmings.Kate's Miracle by Rita BradshawIt's Christmas 1919 and things are looking bleak for Kate and her two small children in the north of England. That is until Kate discovers the strength of friendship and community at Christmas time . . .The Gift by Margaret DickinsonChristmas Eve, 1914. A moment of hope unites soldiers on both sides of the firing line as the spirit of Christmas crosses even the divides of war, and an act of generosity changes one man's life forever.Christmas at Thalstead Halt by Annie MurrayAt Thalstead Halt, the station master has the unexpected task of sheltering snow bound passengers in the run up to Christmas 1886. And the eclectic mix of travellers bring more than one surprise with them . . .You'll Never Know Just How Much I Love You by Pam WeaverChristmas, 1943. The post office at Goring-on-Sea is surrounded by a heavy blanket of winter snow but nothing can stop the last post, or the power of true love at Christmas time.A Wounded Christmas by Mary WoodCan friendship, humour and a Boxing Day party help to ease the sorrows of 1942? A heart-warming story featuring characters from the saga novel Proud of You.

The second part of the Fleethaven Trilogy, Sow the Seed is a moving and evocative wartime saga from Margaret Dickinson.Lincolnshire, 1926. Kate Hilton is devastated when her mother tells her she is to be sent away to boarding school. For the more Esther tries to keep her from her childhood sweetheart, Danny, the more determined she is to marry him.It isn't until she is eighteen, and finally told the bitter truth about her family's past, that Kate is forced to see why she and Danny can never marry. Torn apart by these revelations, Kate finds unexpected release with the outbreak of war, when she leaves Fleethaven Point to become a driver in the WAAF.In the chaos and destruction of the war years, Kate will witness many things. For as well as all the pain, suffering and loss, she will experience her first taste of a love that finally allows her to leave the past behind . . .The Fleethaven Trilogy concludes with Reap the Harvest.

Concluding the Fleethaven Trilogy, in Reap the Harvest, Margaret Dickinson brings the 1950s vividly to life with a story of secrets and love, buried under years of pride and misunderstanding.Following the disastrous floods of 1953, Ella Hilton is compelled to live at Brumbys' Farm with her grandmother, Esther, and is soon acutely aware of the mysterious surrounding her family's past.As Ella grows up and falls in love herself, the story of three generations of women – Esther, Kate and Ella – comes full circle and history seems destined to repeat itself in tragedy.

The first in her much-loved Fleethaven Trilogy, Margaret Dickinson's Plough the Furrow begins the story of Esther, and her determination and dedication to the Lincolnshire farm land.Lincolnshire, 1910. Shunned by her own family, desperate for work and a place to stay, Esther Everatt walks through the night to Sam Brumby's farm, seeking the chance to earn her keep. Reluctantly, the old man takes her on.Able to work alongside any man, Esther soon earns Sam's grudging respect and affection, and at last feels she has found a home she can call her own. But her peace and security are cruelly shattered when old Sam dies: as a woman, she has no right to inherit the lease on the farm.Believing that her passion lies solely with the land and a place of her own, Esther prepares to risk everything to secure her future – seeking marriage with a local farmhand. But as war arrives to dash the hopes of a generation, Esther begins to discover that it is only the truest of love that can survive the passing of the seasons . . .Continue the tale of love in Lincolnshire with Sow the Seed and Reap the Harvest.