VL McBeath

October 1882 Working on a ship is tough...but it's about to become a whole lot worse.... How can a smile be so misunderstood? For Nell, it's a sign of friendship. To her male colleagues, it's so much more.... With two men intent on securing her affections, and little chance of escape, life for...

Days later, when Mrs. Milwood is found dead, the evidence confirms she was murdered...and there are no shortage of suspects. With the finger of suspicion pointing at a childhood friend, Eliza is keen to clear her name....

Liverpool. January 1871 One Man. One Woman. One Choice? Life hasn't been easy for Nell. Orphaned as a child, her elder sister Maria is a substitute for the mother she barely remembers. All she wants now is a husband and family of her own. Second mate Jack Riley loves his life at sea and dreams...

August 1901: A garden party at Oak House is the perfect way to bring the villagers of Moreton-on-Thames together. It’s also an excellent chance for Eliza Thomson to snoop around her old home....

To start again, Mary must leave the past behind . . . With no husband and two small children to care for, survival is Mary's only concern. She needs money . . . and can't be too choosy about the job. Mr. Wetherby doesn't need any more workers for his expanding business, but as a favor to an old...

April 1901: A weekend house party at the stately home of the Earl of Lowton...with an invitation to his daughter’s debutante ball. It should have been perfect. And it would have been…had it not been for the body found dead in the lake....

Liverpool. January 1881 Jack's due back...and Nell is waiting. She's dreamt of this moment for a long time. Nine years after their plan was hatched, Master Mariner Jack Riley is ready to take control of his own ship. And Nell is preparing to travel with him. Counting down the days until he gets...

Liverpool 1882 In a man's world, can a woman survive? Nell's dream of traveling on a transatlantic steamship is about to come true. Although not in the way she expected. Life is hard, and with only three women working amongst a crew of eighty, there are challenges Nell had not foreseen. While...

Long held secrets, revenge, and murder. Eliza Thomson investigates…a suspicious accident, a hand-written note, and an old parish priest. A homecoming doesn’t go as planned in St. Giles; a small village nestled on the east coast of Scotland....

September 1905: In need of an outfit for Connie’s special day, Eliza treats them to a day’s shopping at her favorite London store. After a successful morning, tragedy strikes.

Tensions are rising but Harriet refuses to backdown.... As Mr. Wetherby's wealth and power increase, he won’t tolerate interference in his affairs... From anyone. But Harriet isn't "just anyone," and when she sees him involved in a serious incident, she stores the information away. Maybe one...

July 1903: The villagers of Moreton-on-Thames are on a day trip to Hampton Court Palace, the former home of King Henry VIII. With so much to see, their itinerary is full, but when a race to the center of the maze leads to the discovery of a dead body, their plans have to wait....

July 1905: A family holiday to the seaside, at Brighton’s most prestigious hotel, promises to be a grand affair. And bumping into an old friend adds to the excitement. But when a body is discovered in one of the beach's bathing machines, all plans are put on hold....

Recently home from their trip to Brighton, Eliza and Connie are deep in preparation for the local village fete....

Finding the girl of his dreams should have been a blessing. But people were watching . . . prepared to do anything to keep them apart. Farm laborer Charles Jackson doesn't expect much from life. For the price of a few pints of ale and enough food on the table, he's happy to take work where he...

After a bitter family breakdown, William-Wetherby seeks a new life far from home. But being rid of Mr. Wetherby isn't as simple as it seems.... Setting off in search of his brother, William-Wetherby heads to Liverpool. Since they were last together their world has changed and with no one to turn...

A woman's place is in the home . . . That's what she's always been told. But Harriet has other ideas . . . In 1860s England, it's a man's world and women aren't expected . . . or allowed . . . to upset the status quo. Living with her domineering uncle, Harriet is desperate to break free. Could...

She has the money to live like a lady . . . but there are plenty who want it from her. When an enigmatic stranger steals her heart, can she know he wants her for the right reasons? Widowed at the age of twenty, Ann has no optimism for the future. At the beck and call of her domineering mother...

A family divided...with no signs of reconciliation. Will Lydia rue the day she ever met them? Keen to get away from her abusive father, Lydia happily accepts the post of housekeeper at the Jackson family home. But when William senses romance in the air between Lydia and his son William-Wetherby...