One house, two worlds, dark secrets...The year is 1910. For the past decade, the Averley family has lived a life of luxury in India, but now they must return to Lord Averley's ancestral estate, the sprawling, majestically beautiful Somerton Court. As the household staff hastily prepare for the family's arrival, they receive shocking news: Lord Averley is bringing back a fiancee with three children of her own, and on top of that, there are rumours of a terrible scandal surrounding Lord Averley's resignation as Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. As the family settles in, tensions arise both upstairs and downstairs. Lady Ada must choose between her honour and her heart, Sebastian must fend off ruinous threats from a former servant (and lover...) and gentle housemaid Rose will find herself at the centre of a scandal so enormous it could destroy the Averleys' reputation forever. With plenty of scheming, scandal and sauciness, SECRETS & SAPPHIRES is a thrilling period-drama perfect for fans of Jilly Cooper and DOWNTON ABBEY.
Leila Rasheed is the author of several books and series for children, including the Chips, Beans and Limousines books for Usborne, and (under the name Ellie Boswell), the Witch of Turlingham series. Her most recent books are Katherine Johnson: A Life Story (Scholastic, 2019) and The Smiling Stones (Rising Stars, 2019). She loves travel and places she has lived in include Benghazi, Brussels, Barnsley, Birmingham, Kota Bharu and Ascea. Before she was a writer she was a children’s bookseller in Brussels. She also leads creative writing groups and works for the Royal Literary Fund, helping students with their writing. Her website is www.leilarasheed.com
A sweeping new period drama from Leila Rasheed.
