About this item
Manchester 1787. When budding young criminal Mary Jebb swindles Michael Croxon's brother with a blank pound note, he chases her into the night and sets in motion a train of sinister events. Condemned to seven years of transportation to Australia, Mary sends him a 'Penny Heart'-a token of her vow of revenge.Two years later, Michael marries nave young Grace Moore. Although initially overjoyed at the union, Grace quickly realizes that her husband is more interested in her fortune than her company. Lonely and desperate for companionship, she turns to her new cook to help mend her ailing marriage. But Mary Jebb, shipwrecked, maltreated, and recently hired, has different plans for the unsuspecting owners of Delafosse Hall.A Taste for Nightshade is a thrilling historical novel that combines recipes, mystery and a dark struggle between two desperate women, sure to appeal to fans of Sarah Waters and Carolly Erickson.
About the Author
Martine Bailey's historical crime debut, 'An Appetite for Violets', takes sharp-witted cook Biddy Leigh on a murderous trip to Italy. Its mix of crime, gastronomy and social history was described by Fay Weldon as a new genre, 'culinary gothic'. 'An Appetite for Violets' was picked by the American Library Association's Booklist as one of the top ten crime fiction debuts of the year.'The Penny Heart' is a gripping novel of suspense that draws on age-old themes of cooking, trickery and revenge. When timid new wife Grace Moore hires a new cook, she finds she is tied to a world she didn't know existed...a world of deceit, double-crossing, and murder. The stars, riddles and murder align in 'The Almanack', a historical mystery featuring 50 authentic riddles. 1752, Midsummer. Following a desperate summons from her mother, Tabitha Hart departs London for her home village of Netherlea - only to discover that her mother has allegedly drowned. Determined to discover the truth, Tabitha consults her mother's almanack and uncovers a series of cryptic notes describing her terror of someone she names only as 'D'.'I was enthralled by the riddles and puzzles leading through many twists and surprises to a satisfying conclusion. A thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing read!'- Paula Brackston, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch's Daughter. In pursuit of authenticity Martine studied with TV food historian Ivan Day and experienced Georgian food and fashion at firsthand with an historic re-enactment society. As an amateur cook she won the Merchant Gourmet Recipe Challenge and was a former UK Dessert Champion, cooking at Le Meurice in Paris. Martine lives in Cheshire, England, and is married with one son.Follow Martine at:http://www.martinebailey.comhttps://twitter.com/MartineBaileyhttps://www.facebook.com/MartineBaile...http://www.martinebailey.comSee less
