This follows on from Cavendon Hall and is a projected series of novels set around a stately home in Yorkshire and its occupants, upstairs and down. The present earl, Charles, divorced with four daughters and one son and heir, is to marry their neighbour and old family friend, Charlotte Swann. The son, Miles, has been in love with her daughter for years so the scene is set to follow both families through love, marriage, divorce, financial upheavals and lots of drama. A huge amount of plot is packed into the book as the country crashes through the roaring twenties into the Great Depression, no doubt the centre of the next episode. It’s great stuff. ~ Sarah Broadhurst
On a summer weekend in 1926 the Ingham family gathers at Cavendon Hall, the great house in Yorkshire that has been their family home for centuries, summoned by the Earl.
With them are the Swanns who have served the house for generations - and know all their secrets. The estate is under threat: the aftermath of the Great War has left Cavendon facing ruin. Its heir is pushing for divorce so he can follow his heart. And the Earl has a surprise of his own. Four young women from both sides of the house will be the ones to shape its future - Daphne, fighting to modernise her ancestral home; Cecily Swann, forging a path as a fashion designer in London; Deidre, the career girl, and Dulcie, the outspoken debutante. They will change the estate's future for good or ill as the roaring twenties burn towards the Great Depression. Nothing will ever be the same again...
Acclaim for Cavendon Hall: 'A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue...if you've been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you Daily Mail
'A stately home, a dangerous secret and two families whose fates have been intertwined for generations...a gripping period piece set on the brink of the Great War. Exquisite escapism of the highest order.' The Lady
Author
About Barbara Taylor Bradford
Barbara Taylor Bradford was born and raised in Leeds, and worked as a journalist in London. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, is one of the bestselling novels of all time and Barbara’s books have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide. Ten miniseries and television movies have been made of her books. In October of 2007, Barbara was appointed an OBE by the Queen for her services to literature. She died on 24th November 2024 aged 91.
