BOOKS

The Chatswood family tree has many branches—and even more secrets. It’s the summer of 1914 in England, and Beth Etheridge, great-granddaughter of the original Elizabeth Chatswood, can’t wait for her twelfth birthday to arrive. That’s when she’ll receive her family’s heirloom “Elizabeth” necklace: one half of a heart encrusted with beautiful sapphires. (The companion necklace, encrusted with rubies, will be given to Beth’s American cousin and pen pal, Kate, later in the series.) But when family from France visits Chatswood Manor for the occasion and another family heirloom goes missing, Beth finds herself on a quest to clear the name of her lady’s maid and friend, Shannon. Her search for answers leads to a hidden diary with clues to a much larger family mystery that dates back generations. What secrets are hidden away in Chatswood Manor? CLICK HERE to get a free excerpt of Beth’s Story, 1914.

It’s the end of June in 1914, and Beth Etheridge is traveling from her home in England’s Chatswood Manor all the way to America, to visit her cousin Kate at Vandermeer Manor in Rhode Island. The girls are thrilled to be united, especially because Beth will be in attendance when Kate receives the heirloom “Katherine” necklace: one half of a heart encrusted with gorgeous rubies. It’s the companion to Beth’s “Elizabeth” necklace. But the trip is cut short when news arrives of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. With talk of war on the horizon, Beth is ordered to return home, but Kate knows the perfect hiding place to help her stay. A wing of Vandermeer Manor is rumored to be haunted, and as the girls explore, they find a different kind of ghost—and a new trove of family secrets. CLICK HERE to get a free excerpt of Kate’s Story, 1914.

Elizabeth and Katherine Chatswood are on the verge of turning twelve years old, which means that the grandest birthday ball in all of England is just a few weeks away! Chatswood Manor is bustling with activity, but in the midst of all the excitement, an Irish refugee named Sean O’Brien shows up in search of his long lost wife Maggie, who was employed at Chatswood Manor many years ago. Mr. O’Brien is turned away by Chatswood’s stern butler, but not before Elizabeth and Katherine hear his story. Through Mr. O’Brien they also find out about the potato famine in Ireland, and are shocked and saddened to hear that so many people are suffering in a place that’s not that far away. The twins vow to not only help Mr. O’Brien find Maggie, but also to somehow help the people of Ireland.

But how are two young girls in an English manor home going to help the starving people of Ireland? Although their father tells them they need not be concerned with others’ problem, the girls begin to craft a top-secret plan. Meanwhile, as they investigate Maggie’s disappearance, they uncover some startling clues—which lead to even deeper mysteries hidden within the walls of Chatswood Manor. CLICK HERE to checkout the thrilling third tale from the Secrets of the Manor series.

Secrets of the Manor: Katherine’s Story, 1848

Trouble is brewing at Vandermeer Manor—and it’s up to twins Katherine and Elizabeth to reveal the truth before it’s too late. The girls are visiting Rhode Island for the magnificent wedding of their father’s cousin, John Vandermeer, to famous writer Anna DuMay. The girls are instantly struck by her kindness and independent nature. She’s a woman at the forefront of the social changes beginning to take place in America and she has many friends who attended attended the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention that summer.

But then something very precious inside the manor gets damaged and the groom threatens to call the wedding off—believing that Anna might have had something to do with it. Everyone is devastated…but the truth always has a way of coming to light. And the twins don’t know it yet, but they might hold the key that will set true love back on its destined course. CLICK HERE to checkout the fourth story in the Secrets of the Manor series.