There were many who said that Riley appeared to be older than his years. He finished school at an early age, leaving a harsh childhood behind him, brimful of optimism and secure in the knowledge that his teacher, Fred Beardsley, had faith in him. Neither of them could have envisaged at the time how their lives would be intertwined. Fred encouraged Riley, a gifted mimic, when he was offered a position at The Little Palace Theatre in Fellburn. And then Riley surprised Fred by forming a close friendship with leading lady, Nyrene Forbes-Mason, who was nurturing his burgeoning talent as an actor. What Riley hadn't told him was that he had great hopes of the relationship developing into something more. Over the subsequent years, Fred observed with amazement Riley's rise to fame and fortune. As for his relationship with Nyrene, that did indeed change although not in the way that Riley had envisaged.
As soon as she saw Shekinah Hall on the wild moorlands near Hexham, Constance Stapleton was attracted to it. With her marriage to Jim on the brink of collapse, Connie sensed that the move would initiate the separation from Jim she knew was inevitable. Connie was told she must negotiate with Vincent O'Connor if she wanted to buy the house, although his abrupt manner took her by surprise. She was to discover that mystery was a way of life for Vincent and began to rely on him increasingly as she settled into her new routine. However, when shocking revelations about her husband came to light, she realised that her life at Shekinah could be under threat…
Matty is fifteen and is leaving school in a few weeks' time. He wants to work with animals, and would like to get a job on a farm. But his parents say he's too young to leave home - he must stay in the town and get a job in ship-building, like his father. They also say he can't go on a camping holiday with his friends. And they say he can't keep his dog, Nelson, because Nelson barks all day and eats his father's shoes. But it is because of Nelson that Matty finds a new life ...
Years ago Bill Bailey had met and married Fiona, a young widow with her own family. The Baileys made their home in the Tyneside town of Fellburn, where Bill's business prospered. When one of Fiona's children, Willie, acquired a new friend, the wayward Sammy Love, Sammy and his father Davey were, in various ways, able to enhance the lives and fortunes of the Baileys. Now with Davey dead there were new challenges to face. It had been agreed that Sammy would live with them - but would this formidable lad with his colourful language fit in as a fully-fledged member of the Bailey family? As for Fiona, it was she who bore the brunt of the arguments and disagreements that were an inevitable part of life in the Bailey household. Whatever life had in store, however, she knew she could always rely on Bill, that rock of a man with a rough tongue but a heart of gold.
Money is tight in the farming communities around Fellburn in the 1880s so when Hector Stewart announces that he is to marry wealthy Moira Conelly, it is his son Daniel who guesses the real reason for the union. However, Moira has not been entirely honest about her background or finances. She certainly expects to become wealthy, although that depends on the generosity of an aunt whose money she has been promised. But when her aunt dies some years later, to Moira's dismay she is not the one to benefit. The effects of this bombshell are felt throughout the Stewart family, now without the means by which the farm could have prospered. Daniel, deprived of an opportunity to better himself, can see no escape, until a family tragedy opens up the way for him to expand his horizons and find the love and happiness he thought unattainable... This powerful novel of family conflict once again demonstrates why Catherine Cookson is Britain's best-loved storyteller.
Alison Read, orphaned at the age of two, had for some years lived and worked with Paul Aylmer, her appointed guardian. Paul, an experienced antiques dealer whose business thrived in the south-coast town of Sealock, had come to rely on Alison, who had quickly learned the trade. But when he asked her to value the contents of Beacon Ride, a chain of events was set off that led to the exposure of a secret he had for years managed to conceal. As a result, Alison's relationship with Paul came under threat and she knew that only by confronting the situation head-on would her ambitions be realised. Part mystery, part love story, The Lady on my Left displays yet another facet of Catherine Cookson's remarkable talent.
