Three popular works by Catherine Cookson celebrate the romance of early North Country England and include the titles The Love Child, The Maltese Angel, and The Year of the Virgins.
Beatrice Steel, always over-possessive about her family home, Pine Hurst, has become insufferably dominating since the death of her mother, ruling her father, her sisters and the servants with an iron hand. Of course, she constantly has to remind herself, it is her father who actually owns the house, but it is the thought that he might remarry, thus making another woman mistress of Pine Hurst, that fills her with dread. Then, unexpectedly, her father dies and, when the family gather for the reading of the will, nothing she hears matches her expectations. It is then she realises that her security is threatened and that she must begin to lay plans to protect her position and allow her to enjoy her most prized possession. THE OBSESSION is one of Catherine Cookson's most unusual novels, powerfully portrays a woman so driven by the need to protect her inheritance that she will sacrifice almost anything or anyone to ensure she does not lose it. It is yet another triumph for this most popular of authors. From the Paperback edition.
Kirsten MacGregor, an orphan in the 1850s, was left in the hands of a cruel baby farmer. Somehow she survived her terrible childhood, only to be sold to a vicious master at the age of fourteen, until they were separated by a storm. Rescued by the Flynn family she gave birth to a child at the same time as Florence, mistress of the great house nearby, was told that her newborn son was dead. The two women entered into a secret bargain that was to change Kirsten's fortune and place her in the middle of a bitter feud.
Suddenly risen to power and influence, Samuel Fairbrother, manufacturer and retailer of boots, shoes and clogs, decided that his new station in life deserved a more imposing residence. Accordingly he bought himself a thirty-four-roomed mansion situated on the outskirts of Fellburn. With the house came the butler, Maitland, who at once made plain his belief that Samuel, far from the gentleman his predecessor had been, was no more than an upstart. So began a clash of wills between master and man, at which Samuel Fairbrother discovered he was at a distinct disadvantage, for Maitland was well skilled in the art of maintaining his indispensability. Fairbrother, for his part, was only too aware that he dare not dispence with Maitland's services. And so an uneasy truce was declared between them. As the years went by and the century turned, Samuel Fairbrother saw his children, one by one, leave the big house to make lives for their own--all except his eldest daughter Janet who, by means of a legacy, was enabled to shape the destiny of her father's scattered family and effect the reconciliation that he thought was impossible. From the Paperback edition.
Grace Rouse tried in vain to love her husband but found she could not. Looking for love elsewhere, she found herself torn between a man who could give her children and a man who passionately desired children but could only give them his name.
The Golden Straw, as it would be named, was a large, broad-brimmed hat presented to Emily Pearson by her long-time friend and employer Mabel Arkwright, milliner and modiste. And before long it was to her employer that Emily owed the gift of the business itself, for Mabel was in poor health and had come to rely more and more on Emily before her untimely death in 1880. While on holiday in France, Emily and the Golden Straw attracted the eye of Paul Steerman, a guest at the hotel, and throughout his stay he paid her unceasing attention. But Paul Steerman was not all he seemed to be and he was to bring nothing but disgrace and tragedy to Emily, precipitating a series of events that would influence the destiny of not only her children but her grandchildren too. THE GOLDEN STRAW conceived on a panoramic scale, brilliantly portrays a whole rich vein of English life from the heyday of the Victorian era to the stormy middle years of the present century. It represents a fresh triumph for this great storyteller whose work is deservedly loved and enjoyed throughout the world From the Paperback edition.
From British publishing phenomenon Catherine Cookson comes two beloved books--"Hamilton" and "Goodbye Hamilton"--now available in the United States for the first time and offered in one convenient volume.
Catherine Cookson’s final published work shows her at her most intimate and inspirational. From the earliest poem, written when she was 19 years old, to poetry written just before her death in 1998 at the age of 91, this anthology spans the gamut of Catherine Cookson’s life and work. The collection draws on many themes that will be familiar to readers of this much-loved writer: love, work, class and the beauty of nature. She also shares more personal thoughts, reflections on her own writing, marriage to her beloved Tom, and life in the north of England. The poems are characterized by her down-to-earth common sense, and the hard-won philosophy she developed for herself. In “Brushed Nylon,” she tackles the subject of a failed relationship, while “The Daily Round” takes a look at working life. “Slow Me Down” talks of her feelings about growing old, and “The Joy of the Country” recalls a holiday in Wales. Catherine Cookson remains one of the world’s favourite storytellers. She completed an astonishing 104 works in her lifetime, books which continue to bring pleasure to millions of readers.
The first novel from the international bestselling master of romance Catherine Cookson introduces her most charismatic heroine in this timeless tribute to romantic love during England’s Edwardian era. The moment he lays eyes on Kate, Dr. Rodney Prince is enchanted. Despite her poverty, it’s clear that she exudes warmth and intelligence. His own wife, living in the oblivion of velvet cushions and lavish dinner parties, seems crude by comparison. Though they meet only briefly, Kate leaves an indelible mark upon his mind. Rodney knows that Kate’s spirit has suffered at the hands of men. Her father, an embittered dock worker, directed his violent rages toward Kate and her mother. At eighteen, Kate fell victim to a smooth-talking seducer and became the unwed mother of a child. Such circumstances only deepen Rodney’s desire to rescue Kate and overturn the codes of a society that serve to keep them apart. As he unintentionally wins over the heart of Kate’s fatherless daughter, he and Kate begin to acknowledge that the gap between rich and poor might not be so great after all.
Bridget Dean Mordaunt was a woman of consequence in her own part of the world. Inheriting her father's businesses at the age of nineteen, by the time she was twenty-three in 1880, she was running them as confidently as any man. Yet the path destiny required her to follow was not an easy one. Her feckless cousin Victoria became infatuated with Lionel Filmore, the fortune-hunting elder son of an old but impoverished family living in the decayed grandeur of Grove House. Bridget had no illusions about Lionel, but Victoria's happiness was paramount to her. So a pattern began to form that would shape the lives of generations to come, a pattern of some good and some great evil, but all of it inexorably linking Bridget ever more closely with the Filmores and their house. THE BLACK CANDLE displays all of Catherine Cookson's narrative skills and shrewd perception of human strengths and frailties which have established her as our most widely-read and best-loved novelist. And in Bridget Mordaunt she has achieved a notable and highly distinctive addition to her gallery of remarkable women. From the Paperback edition.
Set in the 1970's, The Solace of Sin is the story of a strong and independent woman whose life is transformed by new surroundings and new acquaintances.
There would be times when Riah Millican came to regret that her husband had learned to read and write, and then shared his knowledge with her and their children. For this was Durham in the 1830's, when employers tended to regard the spread of education with suspicion. But now Seth Millican was dead and she was a widow with the need to find a home and a living for herself and her children. The chance of becoming a housekeeper didn't work out, but it led to Moor House and a scholarly recluse obsessed with that very book learning that could open so many doors and yet create so many problems; especially with her daughter, Biddy, who was not only bright, but witful... THE BLACK VELVET GOWN is the story of a mother and daughter, often at odds with each other, facing the need to challenge and fight the prejudice of an age--a narrative of great power and diversity that is one of Catherine Cookson's major achievements.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.