Quintet by Beth Andrews
These short stories, full of mystery, intrigue, and romance, offer their own unique slant on the Regency era and feature an assortment of rogues, naval officers, aristocrats and heiresses:
• The Gooseberry Fool: A most unusual Christmas story: Bored and restless, Mark is offered a potentially dangerous mission. He must contact a mysterious British spy who has important information on Napoleon’s plans for invasion. In a remote mansion, he must identify his contact amongst a slew of characters who may not be what they seem. Can he separate friend from foe?
• The Abducted Heiress: Young Tom Northcote, on his way home late one night, investigates a suspicious carriage leaving an abandoned house and rescues a young heiress, Madelyn Honeywick. He and his older brother James concoct a plan to make everything right. Success may come at the point of a sword, and Madelyn may never receive her inheritance, but James has other plans for their beautiful guest.
• Beyond the Garden Gate: A garden . . . a duel . . . a chilling legend. Charlotte waits to meet Michael, her true love. But it takes Michael a little time to recognize that she is indeed the woman of his dreams. Can their love transcend time?
• One Night in May: A wealthy nobleman visits his newly won property, surprised that someone still lives there. The beautiful unmarried sister of the former owner knows this man by reputation and has loved him from afar for years. In this laugh-out-loud funny story, confuses him thoroughly and tricks him into taking life-changing actions.
• A Shadow on the Soul: When tragedy strikes the Strathairn family at Kildragon Castle, John and Lydia Savidge are asked to investigate. Two deaths seem to be explained. While interviewing witnesses, they discover a third death and suspect a connection. Between them, can they discover the truth?
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Author Bio:
Paul was born in Nassau, Bahamas on April 22, 1958. After an unremarkable flirtation with education, he graduated from St. Augustine’s College in 1974, took A-Levels at Queen’s College, and immediately afterward he went to work as a sub-editor at The Nassau Guardian (1844) Ltd., a local newspaper. Three years later he left the newspaper business to wreak havoc as an accountant in a furniture store. Then on to a period as assistant manager at a music store and office manager at a natural health clinic, among other misadventures.
All the while, he was working on his true passion: writing. He published short stories in several U.S. magazines, completed a course in novel writing with Writers Digest in Ohio, and joined Romance Writers of America, where he was a finalist or winner in several contests sponsored by local chapters. His first book struggled to find a publisher—and, when it did, the publisher disappeared more rapidly than his novel. At last he secured a contract for his third book with Robert Hale, who eventually published six of his regency-era romance and mystery novels, three of which have been reissued by Joffe Books in London.
His hobbies include reading, gardening, singing (in a very small local church), the odd day at the beach, and travel on the rare occasion when he has the time and money. He has contributed a number of articles to Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine and is a member of the recently formed International Heyer Society.