Miss Cheney's Charade

Miss Cheney's Charade
BY EMILY HENDRICKSON.

PUBLISHED BY ROBERT HALE LONDON.

ISBN 978-0-7090-8273-6.







Set in the year 1815 Miss Emma Cheney was not at all the usual young woman of her time, she longed for travel and adventure.

One morning seeing a letter for her brother George, who was away at a dig, enjoying himself, she opened it and found it was an invitation to view an Egyptian Mummy being unwrapped at Sir Peter Darcy’s home. She is so excited at the thought of so rare an occasion that she determines to dress in her brother’s clothes and attend the viewing as he was away. Dare she do such an outrageous thing, if found out she would probably be ruined, because for a woman to be so bold was unheard of, in that age.

Lady Titheridge, Sir Peter’s aunt, held a musical evening to which Emma and her mother were invited. Emma found the evening much to her taste, not for the music, but for the unusual objects which Lady Titheridge had collected from her travels around the world. Emma studied them with delight and longed to sketch them. During the evening Mr George Brummell a notable leader of fashion and the Ton, engaged Emma in conversation and was pleasantly surprised at her knowledge of the unusual items on show. Emma told him that she longed to sketch them and could spend hours looking at the rare items. She intrigued Mr Brummell and he spent some time with her, which was of course noticed by all, at the musical evening.

Emma was invited back to Lady Titheridge’s home, where she drew some of the items, which were on show, the drawings were excellent and she was invited back to visit whenever she liked, to record some more items.

The day of the unwrapping of the Mummy, arrived, Emma stole away from her house early with a bag of her brother’s clothes. She was going to Lady Titheridge’s home first and hoped that she would be able to change there, into her brother’s clothes. In Lady Tirheridge Emma had found a kindred spirit and letting her into some of her secret she was able to not only change her clothes but was assisted by Lady Tirtheridge’s maid ,to look more like her brother George.

The unwrapping of the Mummy was exciting for Emma and while watching it she also made some sketches , which Sir Peter noticed her doing, he walked over to her to look at her drawings and was so impressed that he asked her to visit again and record more of the rare objects which his Uncle had collected on his travels and he had now inherited. Emma was excited, but also very apprehensive as to whether she would be caught out in her disguise, but she agreed. Many more visits were carried out, with Lady Titheridge’s help, to Sir Peter’s home. It was to become more and more involved and was Emma beginning to fall in love?? This is an unusual book and worth reading, it is always enjoyable to have something a little different in the story line, I think.

I award this book 4.5 Red Roses.AS

Pillars Of The Earth

Ken Follet
The Pillars Of The Earth
Pan Paperback ISBN 978-0-330-45013-3
£8.99 $24.99
1088 pages

This is a huge book in every way. This story is like a Medieval tapestry with all the intricate detail one would expect of the masterpiece it undoubtedly is. When I was advised to read it I expected such a best selling book to be upmarket and difficult to read. In places, where the descriptions of the cathedral take precedence, it is a little complicated. However, the stories – because it is many stories woven into one whole – are wonderful and absorbing, leading the reader along easily. Most readers will be so enchanted that they won’t mind the long passages that delve into the building of a cathedral.

It is the story of a man whose dream is to build the greatest cathedral on earth and of the evolution of these marvellous buildings. However, it is also the story of the people who lived through this time and the hardships they endured. The scheming of bishops and priors is fascinating but the story of Tom, Jack and Aliena and various other characters is what makes this book so compelling. This is the kind of book you find yourself getting lost in and it is hard to come back from a time that is wholly absorbing.

I know that in writing this review I am merely adding my voice to the many that have praised it but I wanted people like me who might think that it was too big a book and probably too highbrow to know that it really isn’t. The Pillars Of The Earth is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I loved every word of it.

It gets our highest award of a bouquet of red roses! Linda Sole

Cruel Lord Cranham

Sandra Heath/Cruel Lord Cranham/Robert Hale Ltd. HB.
ISBN 978-0-7090-8339-9 £18.99

Nicholas Stanhope was the heir to a fortune. From a young age he had learned to be wary of match making mothers, whose daughters might faint at his feet. When he meets Sarah Howard he makes the mistake of speaking so harshly to her that she takes him in dislike.

Sarah is suffering from a cruel disappointment. She has to decide whether Nicholas is a handsome and charming gentleman or yet another cruel man who would break her heart if she let him.

Fate conspires against them both. Can they overcome it and find happiness?

This is a fast paced, amusing Regency. Yet another from this popular and excellent author. Four red roses. Morna

Rise Of The Wolf

Rise of the Wolf by Kat Durante



Eternal Press



978-1-897559-29-1



Pg: 45







Hilary Samuel’s always figured her biggest problem was getting promoted within the Lotti’s chain of restaurants. Just when things are going her way and she has just a few months to move out of the small town things start to get really strange. Heading home late one night she ends up with a flat tire. Just as she is getting ready to leave and thinks things are fine a man shows up and ends up being chased by a wolf, which ends up injured protecting her. Thinking to get the animal some help she takes him home where he promptly goes to sleep on her. Not sure what to do and unable to move the animal she goes to sleep, only to find the animal gone in the morning and convinced she dreamed the whole thing.



Nathan Sutton is CEO of Lotti’s and came to town to check out their newest restaurant. Nathan hides his identity at first to see how the employees deal with a difficult customer, but the truth is he has more to hide than just who he is. He is immediately drawn to Hilary but he is going to have to tell her everything and hope she can deal with it or else he will loose her. Just how strong is she really and just how deep do her emotions go? He is about to find out for sure.





This is a real fun and quick book to read. It will bring a smile to your face as you read it and try to figure out what will happen next. If you enjoy paranormal romances this is one to read.





I give this one 3-1/2 red roses.

Tilly'sStory

June Francis/ Tilly’s Story/ Allison and Busby/ ISBN 987-0-7490-7992-5/ HB £19.99 /446 pages.

This is the third in a series set in Chester and Liverpool by the much loved saga writer June Francis. Those who have read previous books will know that Tilly is Alice’s youngest sister and that she sacrificed a lot to bring her sister up after their mother died and their father went off. The first two books in the trilogy were exciting and compelling but I really feel that Francis has excelled herself this time.

This story tells of Tilly growing up and standing on her own two feet against her sister’s wishes and the resulting coolness between them. We cannot help but admire Tilly’s determination to find work to support herself while she learns to become a writer. Her job in an office is short lived but she has found a decent home with Wendy and her mother over a newspaper shop. Meeting the people that come into the shop, Tilly finds work helping a private detective and also helping Eudora Black’s charity. Alice has never liked or trusted Eudora for reasons of her own, and she can never forgive her father for the way he treated his family, despite knowing that it was his illness that caused his behaviour. Tilly’s determination to see both her father and Eudora bring more grief to Alice.

This is a story of friendship and family life with a thread of mystery and danger running through the book to spice it up. If you enjoy stories that carry on down the years you will find this easy to follow and very enjoyable. Tilly is a warm and lovable character and Francis’ research of the period is as always unimpeachable.

You can never go wrong with this author because you always get what you expect. Five red roses. Linda Sole

Whispering Lake

Whispering Lake by Jessica Coulter Smith

Publisher: Hearts on Fire Books/ebook


Cassie has the ability to see, touch and talk to ghosts. Most of the time, people make her feel like a freak for having the ability to do so. Matt is her best friend for the last 5 years. Cassie adores Matt. He knows about her ability but has never made her feel different because of it. Cassie would love to have a chance to have a relationship with Matt but knows it will never be possible. Matt died more than 50 years ago and is a ghost.

Cassie is going on a mini vacation with her friends. She never expects to meet anyone who will be able to change her mind about Matt, until she meets Cole. Cole doesn’t have any misgivings with Cassie’s ability and completely accepts her for the person she is. Cole has his own secrets, which allow him to believe in Cassie.

Cole thinks he has found the woman that he can spend the rest of his life with, the one that lights a fire in him and an interest that he hasn’t felt since his last serious girlfriend. Now he has to decide if she is really the one for him.

Cassie’s friend Kari is also interested in Cole and she is willing to do anything she has too to get what she wants. Kari doesn’t like that Cassie is getting all the attention. Kari has always gotten the attention of the guys and doesn’t feel it is fair that Cassie is getting some of that attention now. How far is Kari willing to go to get Cole?

Now to complicate matters with Cole, Cassie’s getting her wish about Matt. Just when she thought she had problems with Kari when it came to Cole it is nothing compared to what Kari tries to do when going after Matt. Cassie is going to have to decide what she really wants either Matt or Cole. Cassie needs to decide just how far she is willing to go to get Kari to stop causing all these difficulties and not create any more problems. Cassie is going to have to keep her wits about her to overcome all the problems she is facing.


Werewolves, witches and ghosts oh, my. This one has all that and suspense that will keep you guessing just where this one will end up. It is an interesting book to read as it is hard to put down. You will be glued to your seat until the very end.


I give this one 4 red roses

Melinda Hammond/Moonshadows/Samhain Publishers/ebook/221 pages

It is 1746 and Sarah is making her first appearance at court with her husband. Everything is frightening and new, and the people are strangers, seemingly disapproving. Her husband leaves to fetch her a drink and Sarah steps on a gentleman’s foot. He is friendly and talks to her, telling her about a woman who is the King’s mistress. Her husband returns and is displeased to find her in the company of the Earl of Cordeaux, a wealthy man who apparently imagines he can ride roughshod over everyone.

Jez wakes up in the modern world to find Harry sitting beside her bed. It is time to get up and go to work. At work everything goes wrong and when Jez upsets the intray, a man picks up the bits for her. Jez doesn’t remember her dream of 1746 but the reader will, and because the name of the handsome man is Piers Cordeaux we begin to understand and the link is made. It is at this point that we realise Sarah and Jez’s stories will interlink and perhaps follow a similar path. As the earl tries to seduce Sarah and Piers seems to pursue Jez, both of whom try to resist because they are already married or committed, the reader is treated to a dark and delightful tale in both modern and olden times. But are Sarah and Jez two people or two halves of the same spirit?

This is an intriguing story, mixing the lives of two believable women. It makes for compelling reading and is beautifully told. The end is haunting and wholly satisfying. A book I thoroughly enjoyed! 4.5 red roses. Linda Sole