About this item

The wooded hills of Oxfordshire conceal the remains of the aptly named Ashdown House - a wasted pile of cinders and regret. Once home to the daughter of a king, Ashdown and its secrets will unite three women across four centuries in a tangle of romance, deceit and destiny ... In the winter of 1662, Elizabeth Stuart, the Winter Queen, is on her deathbed. She entrusts an ancient pearl, rumored to have magic power, to her faithful cavalier William Craven for safekeeping. In his grief, William orders the construction of Ashdown Estate in her memory and places the pearl at its center. One hundred and fifty years later, notorious courtesan Lavinia Flyte hears the maids at Ashdown House whisper of a hidden treasure, and bears witness as her protector Lord Evershot - desperate to find it - burns the building to the ground. Now, a battered mirror and the diary of a Regency courtesan are the only clues Holly Ansell has to finding her brother, who has gone missing researching the mystery of Elizabeth Stuart and her alleged affair with Lord Craven. As she retraces his footsteps, Holly's quest will soon reveal the truth about Lavinia and compel her to confront the stunning revelation about the legacy of the Winter Queen. "Fans of Kate Morton will enjoy this thrilling tale." - Candis Magazine



About the Author

Nicola Cornick

USA Today bestselling author Nicola Cornick has written over 40 historical romances and now writes Gothic time slip for HQ and Graydon House.Nicola's writing is inspired by her love of history and was fostered by a wonderful history teacher and by her grandmother, whose collection of historical romantic fiction fed Nicola's addiction from an early age. She studied in London and Oxford and works as a guide and historian in a 17th century house as well as acting as a historical adviser for TV and radio. Publisher's Weekly have described her as a rising star and her books have been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award and for the Romance Writers of America RITA Awards.Nicola lives near Oxford with her husband and dog. When she isn't writing she enjoys long walks in the countryside, singing in a choir and volunteering as a puppy walker for Guide Dogs.Readers can find out more about Nicola and her books from her website: www.nicolacornick.com. She can also be found on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nicola.cornick and Twitter @NicolaCornick



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