Sarah Waldock

Felicia and Robin go to Italy for the sake of the health of their adopted daughter, Pernel, but Florence is not the perfect haven Felicia remembers it from the perspective of a child. As well as social obligations, the De Curtney-Robertini family find themselves in a supposedly haunted house, interrupted by sundry unpleasant people, and simultaneously tracking down smugglers and what appears to be some people with very nasty habits.

Recently-orphaned migr e, Francine DuChesne, is happy to leave school and live with her adoptive aunts, and is disconcerted when her French cousin turns up, insisting that she write to his father, her uncle. Francine consults Viscount Kit Rookwood and his friend, Stotham (Stoat) Brierly about her concerns, and finds herself embroiled in intrigue far beyond the plotting of pranks she used to enjoy at school

A story set in a fantasy version of the time of Good Queen Bess, in which Sir Walter Raleigh, in search of fabulous golden treasures of the Incas, found instead ... dragon eggs.Bess Marlowe and her friends enrol in a school to teach young people how to care for dragons, in the hopes of Bonding with one, to become one of the new elite draxiers, or dragon knights. Bess has been reared by Master William Shakespeare after her own father died in mysterious circumstances, and Bess hopes to overcome the stigma surrounding her father by doing well. She loves her lessons but is not expecting to find an enemy whose hatred goes beyond school rivalries. As the enmity of this man becomes more sinister, Bess and her friends find themselves ready to fight to save the lives of unhatched dragons.

Robin and Felicia receive a letter from Fanny Rose, the beauty they met on the ship on which they sailed to England. Fanny wrote an impassioned plea for aid, as she has found a man who she wishes to marry, but there has been trouble. Crispin Parsons, the family tutor, still carries a torch for Fanny, and wishes to help her, even though she has found another man. As Robin and Felicia are about to leave England to take Pernel and the other children to Italy for the winter, they decide to break their journey in Kent, near Canterbury, to look into Fanny's unspecified troubles. What they find is a very unpleasant family indeed, and some nasty things going on. A lot of secrets are revealed, regarding Fanny as well as her betrothed's family.

By request, "The Armitage Chronicles" is a deeper look at the romances seen in the background in 'Jane and the Sins of Society' as well as a visit to Agnes Fanshawe, an old school friend of Jane's, who is also mentioned in that book. This book is a collection of three novellas, covering their stories. Laura Finds Love Laura Evans struggles to handle the spite of a prettier girl who makes fun of her appearance and pokes fun at Laura's other friends. Laura feels her looks would never attract someone like Gerard, Marquess of Falkrington, known to be a heart-breaker, and quickly bored by any female. However, Gerard is about to learn that he is more interested in how much personality a girl has, rather than her superficial looks. The Governess's New Job It is one of the clich s of romance, that the noble lord marries his governess. However, the novels generally have the courtship before marriage, and do not involve a proposal to save the noble lord's life by being with child as soon as possible to deter his assassination. Her whirlwind wedding to Michael Strode, Duke Braxtrode, is encouraged by his three daughters, but the family still faces danger. Nessie Fanshawe and the Dastardly Doctor Agnes 'Nessie' Fanshawe is less of a poor little dab of a woman than she was when first encountered in 'Jane and the Opera Dancer', and is chaperoning her connexion, Emma Kemp, in Bath. However, she cannot stand by when she has some worrying suspicions about a doctor of whom she hears, and turns to her distant cousin, 'Beau' Popham for advice.

This is my first book of traditional poetry. It wanders from pathos to bathos, epic to limerick as the fancy took me. Some poetry included was written for inclusion in novels of mine, supposedly as the efforts of my characters. Some was written in character as a part of fantasy role-playing games. And some is about life as I see it. My father gave me a love of poetry from an early age, when he would read to me from school anthologies he brought home from the school where he taught. I love words, and playing with them, and poetry is another way to play with words. I started making a concerted effort to understand poetry forms and conventions a few years ago. Doing this has enabled me to write better poetry and revise older poems, though some stand essentially unaltered because I like them the way they are.

This spinoff from the 'Charity School' series, follows from 'Anne's Achievement' and includes many of the secondary characters from that book, as they mature and start to think about marriage. It has an underlying theme of music lovers, since music was one of the things which brought Anne and Ellery, Lord Wroth, together in the first place. A house party at Wrotherhyde Hall provides the setting for the disparate personalities from the sharp-tongued Death Morville to the cheerful Harry Tweedie and his dog, Towser. Anne has taken the trouble to entertain her guests with competitions and games, as well as music, and with a ball to culminate the entertainments. The clash of personalities and individual prejudices also produce their own dramas.

Daisy Ellis may be a blue stocking, but she had no intention of being a governess if she could support herself with investment and industry from the initial loan given by Elinor Macfarlane. Her surprise to discover that her parents had not died penniless leads to her decision to enjoy some social life as well as expanding her millinery business. The summer's heat prompts Daisy to leave town for Brighton, with her grandmother and companion, but on the way they run into someone Daisy never expected to see again. Daisy's fortune has far-reaching consequences, however, since suddenly the relatives who were uninterested in helping a crippled brat are desirous of knowing the beautiful and wealthy Miss Margaret Ellis, and exploiting her. Daisy's adventures in Brighton draw her closer to Julian Nettleby, who was happy to get to know her again, and it isn't just that she is wealthy that draws him. Daisy plans to have a good time before choosing a husband, but the efforts of previously unsuspected relatives force Daisy's hand.

With the death of Mr Everard, the Swanley Court School is short of a trustee. The Bishop of Norchester suggests his own Godson, one Lucius Belvoir, whose avocation and business are horticulture. Libby is keen to involve her girls with growing food for the table or flowers for the parlours and asks Lucius to fill the vacant post. After a rather unfortunate start, since Lucius is bedevilled by a misapprehension, Lucius and Libby begin to form a somewhat stormy partnership, united over the problems caused by some of the choicer spirits from the harsh Oxford school. The Goyder twins are now old enough to be more use than problem, but are keen to be out in the world before the O'Toole twins are old enough to cause mayhem. Add to the mix Lucius' much younger brother, who has a deformed hip, the problems surrounding the orphan girl he meets and brings with him, and the malice of a family the Belvoirs have informed on, and the transition to a new trustee is never going to be quiet and peaceful.

Caleb Armitage, the 'gentleman Bow Street runner', finds that being knighted is no picnic. The Prince of Wales requires Jane and Caleb to attend the start of the season; and when an old acquaintance turns up, it appears that the prince has an ulterior motive. He hopes that the intrepid pair will be able to elucidate the reasons for a number of supposedly accidental deaths. When Lady Lieven presents tickets to Almack's, it appears that she also has an investigation she wishes Jane in particular to carry out. Add to that a sabotaged Draisine, or hobby horse, and Jane and Caleb find themselves very busy in a world of glittering leisure and pleasure.

Toby Davenport did well out of helping his cousin, Lucius, known as Luke, Lord Rokemere, to recoup the family fortune, but he has a mind to increase his own share of what they gained. A genius at mathematics, and also filled with common sense, Toby decides to use half his wealth to gamble with the highest in society, using his skill with probability theory to win more than he loses. He unexpectedly meets Mary Heatherington, the best friend of his cousin Luke's wife, in desperate need of aid. She has had to become a governess and has found herself in dire straits. Toby helps her, but both young people cross a dangerous man, who is out for revenge. Fortunately the patronage of the Prince of Wales, and some good friends stand them in good stead.

This story follows on from the events of 'Sir Percy hits back, ' by the Baroness Orczy After Percy and the League rescued Fleurette, only child of Armand Chauvelin, the Jacobins were overthrown, and Robespierre sent to the guillotine. Chauvelin, the cleverest member of the Committee of Public Safety, finds his many enemies see a way to get rid of him Imprisoned, and expecting death, Chauvelin knows he cannot expect aid from the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel; but he still hopes. The pleas of Fleurette for the life of her 'Bibi' sends Percy and the League back to France. However, since one of the League, Jimmy Holte, meets with an accident, it is a younger Holte, Peter, or rather, Petronilla, who is placed as Chauvelin's keeper whilst Percy arranges an escape. Spending weeks together in hiding, this unlikely pair find much in common, and Chauvelin finds he comes to care for the vivacious girl. An unfortunate incident in which Chauvelin is recognised leads to danger, but Percy is impressed by the way Chauvelin places his trust in Percy's hands, as some of his own followers has failed to do. After the escape, Chauvelin places his skills at the disposal of the league, having become disillusioned by those in charge in France. He is not accepted by all the members of the league, and the angry and jealous manoeuvring of Armand St. Just places Peter into danger even in England.

Madelaine Vardy, friend of Beth Brandon, fears that her mother is arranging an unpalatable marriage for her. Madelaine finds the migr Comte de Boisvallon repulsive and believes he is only after her inheritance. She is only weeks from reaching her majority and taking control of her own fortune, and fears her mother is trying to force her to marry before that happens. Beth organises an escape, and sends her friend to be governess to the ward of her uncle, Adam Brandon, Baron Darsham. Beth hopes to match-make between Adam and Madelaine. Madelaine is happy in Adam's household apart from the spite of a jealous and malicious maid servant, who tries to make trouble for Madelaine. Her spite backfires, when Madelaine and Adam are forced to confront their growing feelings for each other. However, the Comte de Boisvallon has not forgotten Madelaine, and he concocts a reckless and desperate plan to gain control of Madelaine and her money.

Felicia and Robin must settle to their new job of being lord and lady of the manor, whether that may be a matter of sorting out drains or settling feuds between two tenant families. Naturally, trouble follows the intrepid couple, from theft to kidnapping, hidden treasure to murder. This braided novel presents their trials and tribulations as a series of short stories.

Jane and Caleb have been settling into their home, Daisy Hall, in Essex. Their reputation for solving crimes and mysteries ensures that they will continue to have an interesting life. These continuing stories have them contending with arson, theft, fraud, attempted murder and even high treason. Jane and the Burning Question is a novella and the following short stories continue the tale of Jane and Caleb's mystery solving, as a braided novel, whilst making friends in the area, spending time with their extended family, and increasing their household.This is the sixth book in the Jane, Bow Street Consultant series.