Nadine Dorries - Author
Nadine Dorries was born and raised on a council estate in Liverpool in the 1950s and 60s, the dawn of the Mersey beat. Her family were part of a close-knit Irish Catholic community, most of whom came to work on the docks of Merseyside from rural Ireland. Nadine trained as a nurse, working in hospitals in Warrington and Liverpool. After qualifying she moved to Zambia for a year and ran a school for local children. On her return to the UK, she founded, ran and sold her own business, Company Kids Ltd, which provided childcare services for working parents.
Determined to give something back, Nadine entered politics. In the 2005 general elections she was elected as the MP for Mid-Bedfordshire, a position she continues to hold nine years later. One of the most well-known politicians working in Britain, she is renowned for her determination to push her chosen causes to the top of the political agenda. She created a political storm when she described Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne as ‘two arrogant posh boys’. In 2012 she was a star of ITV’s ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’.
A successful businesswoman and passionate Member of Parliament, in 2013 Nadine achieved another life long ambition and wrote her debut novel. The Four Streets is the first in series, and Nadine is currently working on the second book, to be published in December 2014.
County Mayo, Ireland, 1947. In the worst winter in living memory, Ruby Flynn is rescued from the tiny cottage on the Atlantic coast where her family has perished. She is one of the storm orphans, taken in by nuns to be educated for a life in service. Now she must find her own way in the outside world.
It is 1953 and five very different girls are arriving at the nurses' home in Lovely Lane, Liverpool, to start their training at St Angelus Hospital. Dana has escaped from her family farm on the west coast of Ireland. Victoria is running away from a debt-ridden aristocratic background. Beth is an army brat and throws her lot in with bitchy Celia Forsyth. And Pammy has come from quite the wrong side of the tracks in Liverpool. The world in which they now find themselves is complicated and hierarchical, with rules that must be obeyed. Everyone has their place at St Angelus and woe betide anyone who strays from it. But when an unknown girl is admitted, after a botched late abortion in a backstreet kitchen, a tragedy begins to unfold which will rock the world of St Angelus to its foundations.
Step into an emotional and expressive read, one that takes you back in time and yet explores issues that remain in the public eye today. ‘The Ballymara Road’ is the final part of ‘The Four Streets’ Trilogy and in keeping with the previous two books, there is a world of heartbreak and pain waiting to bombard the families in this tale. The Doherty’s and Deane’s will need all of their collective warmth and camaraderie in order to endure. Nadine Dorries has the ability to describe stark cruelty without flinching, yet you feel her compassion, you also feel her connection and admiration for the people of the Four Streets. It’s the small realistic every day occurrences that encourage a welcome bout of affection, fun and laughter to enter into this tale. After the tragedy and difficulties faced in ‘The Four Streets’ and ‘Hide Her Name’, this captivating novel is a just and appropriate end to the trilogy.~ Liz Robinson
The FitzDeanes are wealthy. They have Ballyford Castle in Ireland and a growing shipping business in Liverpool. But Lady FitzDeane is unable to provide an heir. All of her five boys have died in infancy. There are whispers that the family is cursed - punished for a terrible mistake long buried in the past. When young Ruby Flynn, an orphan reared and educated by nuns, arrives at Ballyford to work as a nursery maid, she cannot shake the feeling that she has been there before. But when? Soon rumours and strong emotions are swirling around the beautiful girl with red hair, green eyes - and a mysterious past. Who is she really? And what will her arrival mean for this powerful family, riven by tragedy?
Step into an emotional and expressive read, one that takes you back in time and yet explores issues that remain in the public eye today. ‘The Ballymara Road’ is the final part of ‘The Four Streets’ Trilogy and in keeping with the previous two books, there is a world of heartbreak and pain waiting to bombard the families in this tale. The Doherty’s and Deane’s will need all of their collective warmth and camaraderie in order to endure. Nadine Dorries has the ability to describe stark cruelty without flinching, yet you feel her compassion, you also feel her connection and admiration for the people of the Four Streets. It’s the small realistic every day occurrences that encourage a welcome bout of affection, fun and laughter to enter into this tale. After the tragedy and difficulties faced in ‘The Four Streets’ and ‘Hide Her Name’, this captivating novel is a just and appropriate end to the trilogy.~ Liz Robinson
A moving and at times harrowing read, the second in the trilogy drops you straight back into the traumatic aftermath of ‘The Four Streets” so brace yourself and prepare for a maelstrom of emotions to surge over you. If you haven't yet read ‘The Four Streets’, start there to make the most of the story, to understand what makes these people tick. The author has created a tangible cast of characters, she paints their lives; the scandal, the gossip, the affection and friendship simply yet expressively. Family is everything, the Doherty’s and Deane’s are fascinating, they aren't perfect, they make mistakes but remain steadfast and true to each other (well, most of them do). This is not an easy cosy read, it is challenging and stimulating, yet somehow optimism shyly hides just out of sight. The ending leaves you wanting more, but there is consolation in knowing there is a third book, Ballymara Road, yet to come. ~ Liz Robinson
December 2014 Book of the Month. A moving and at times harrowing read, the second in the trilogy drops you straight back into the traumatic aftermath of ‘The Four Streets” so brace yourself and prepare for a maelstrom of emotions to surge over you. If you haven't yet read ‘The Four Streets’, start there to make the most of the story, to understand what makes these people tick. The author has created a tangible cast of characters, she paints their lives; the scandal, the gossip, the affection and friendship simply yet expressively. Family is everything, the Doherty’s and Deane’s are fascinating, they aren't perfect, they make mistakes but remain steadfast and true to each other (well, most of them do). This is not an easy cosy read, it is challenging and stimulating, yet somehow optimism shyly hides just out of sight. The ending leaves you wanting more, but there is consolation in knowing there is a third book yet to come. ~ Liz Robinson
One of our Books of the Year 2014. An appealingly poignant story of family and lost innocence, simply yet artfully told. The opening chapter is unpretentiously descriptive, yet in a few paragraphs the author paints the four streets and its inhabitants so that they resonate vibrantly in your mind. The characters are so colourful and very real, you believe in their support, their sadness, their joy, their shame, their love. From the energetic tots through to the worldly wise Grandmother, you feel these people are known, are cared about, are loved by the author. Dorries highlights two different families, money poor, support rich; at times slightly disconnected and disjointed, at others a well needed pillar of support and strength in the community. The author handles the unthinkable abhorrence that lurks and skulks through the story with composure and consideration; the tragedy that visits is heart rending and painful to read. One simple question remains, how far would you go to protect those you love? ~ Liz Robinson
April 2014 Debut of the Month. An appealingly poignant story of family and lost innocence, simply yet artfully told. The opening chapter is unpretentiously descriptive, yet in a few paragraphs the author paints the four streets and its inhabitants so that they resonate vibrantly in your mind. The characters are so colourful and very real, you believe in their support, their sadness, their joy, their shame, their love. From the energetic tots through to the worldly wise Grandmother, you feel these people are known, are cared about, are loved by the author.Dorries highlights two different families, money poor, support rich; at times slightly disconnected and disjointed, at others a well needed pillar of support and strength in the community. The author handles the unthinkable abhorrence that lurks and skulks through the story with composure and consideration; the tragedy that visits is heart rending and painful to read. One simple question remains, how far would you go to protect those you love? ~ Liz Robinson
'A riveting tale packed full of history, love and deceit' OK! Magazine. In post-war Tarabeg, two women are waiting for ambitious Michael Malone to return home. Rosie is the local schoolteacher and most people think she is promised to him. Just a few have guessed that he has secretly begun to woo Sarah, whose brutal fisherman father would kill her if he knew. Both Rosie and Sarah love Michael, both hope to become his wife and their lives will interweave in a tale of tangled secrets, old promises and new feuds. Michael Malone's choice will have fateful consequences for everyone - especially, in due course, for his young daughter. This is the first in a new sequence of novels with a brilliant cast of characters and a story that will lead to Liverpool in Mary Kate and back to Ireland in The Seven Acres.
'A riveting tale packed full of history, love and deceit' OK! Magazine. In post-war Tarabeg, two women are waiting for ambitious Michael Malone to return home. Rosie is the local schoolteacher and most people think she is promised to him. Just a few have guessed that he has secretly begun to woo Sarah, whose brutal fisherman father would kill her if he knew. Both Rosie and Sarah love Michael, both hope to become his wife and their lives will interweave in a tale of tangled secrets, old promises and new feuds. Michael Malone's choice will have fateful consequences for everyone - especially, in due course, for his young daughter. This is the first in a new sequence of novels with a brilliant cast of characters and a story that will lead to Liverpool in Mary Kate and back to Ireland in The Seven Acres.
'A riveting tale packed full of history, love and deceit' OK! Magazine. In post-war Tarabeg, two women are waiting for ambitious Michael Malone to return home. Rosie is the local schoolteacher and most people think she is promised to him. Just a few have guessed that he has secretly begun to woo Sarah, whose brutal fisherman father would kill her if he knew. Both Rosie and Sarah love Michael, both hope to become his wife and their lives will interweave in a tale of tangled secrets, old promises and new feuds. Michael Malone's choice will have fateful consequences for everyone - especially, in due course, for his young daughter. This is the first in a new sequence of novels with a brilliant cast of characters and a story that will lead to Liverpool in Mary Kate and back to Ireland in The Seven Acres.
The final gripping instalment of the bestselling Four Streets trilogy which began with The Four Streets and continued in Hide Her Name. Christmas morning, 1963. Fifteen-year-old Kitty Doherty gives birth in a cold, unfriendly Irish convent. She knows her beautiful baby boy presents a huge danger to her family's Catholic community back in Liverpool's Four Streets. When her baby is adopted by a wealthy family in Chicago, Kitty considers the problem solved. But soon it's obvious the baby is very sick and only his birth mother can save him. In Liverpool, a charismatic new priest has arrived. As the Dohertys cope with the tragic consequences of Kitty's pregnancy, the police seem close to solving the double murder which rocked the Four Streets to the core. But now all that is about to be put at risk once again.
1950s Liverpool. In the tight-knit Irish Catholic community of the Four Streets, two girls are growing up. One is motherless - and hated by the cold woman who is determined to take her dead mother's place. The other is hiding a dreadful secret which she dare not let slip to anyone, lest it rips the heart out of the community. What can the people of the Four Streets do when a betrayal at the very heart of their world comes to light?
In the Four Streets, a dreadful murder has been committed and 14-year-old Kitty Doherty is pregnant with the dead man's child. This secret is so dangerous that it is decided Kitty must go to Ireland to await the baby's birth. But in Liverpool, the police aren't giving up their search for the truth. Somewhere, in this tight-knit Irish Catholic community, someone must know something. The streets are alive with gossip and rumour, and it isn't easy to keep a secret that big. Another stunning novel from the bestselling author of The Four Streets.
Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus Hospital. Son Finn has done something unheard-of and passed his Eleven Plus exam. How on earth will they pay for his books, his grammar school uniform and shoes? Bronia Ryan has battled depression since her husband died and now one of her sons is in prison. Her youngest, Lorcan, wants no part of a life of crime, but how can he ever escape? Or protect his mother from her vicious eldest son? As usual, St Angelus is at the heart of things. Life and death, love and loss, jealousies, rivalries and betrayals are woven into a rich tapestry in Nadine's great series about poverty, sacrifice and community spirit in post-war Liverpool and the early days of the NHS.
1950s Liverpool. Christmas is the most harrowing time of year for the nurses of St Angelus Hospital. A brilliant nurse secretly battling a fatal illness over Christmas... A starving baby boy abandoned in the freezing cold... A cruel, controlling mother, determined to block her daughter's nursing career at all costs... In the run up to Christmas, nurses Pammy and Beth are aiming to win the coveted national decorating competition for the St Angelus children's ward, but drama after drama threatens to upset their plans. Amid the hardship and poverty of 1950s Liverpool, only the humour and community spirit of nurses and patients will get the Angels through their toughest Christmas yet.
A festive treat from the #1 bestselling author of The Four Streets and The Lovely Lane series. 1950s Liverpool. Christmas is the most harrowing time of year for the nurses of St Angelus Hospital. A brilliant nurse secretly battling a fatal illness over Christmas... A starving baby boy abandoned in the freezing cold... A cruel, controlling mother, determined to block her daughter's nursing career at all costs... In the run up to Christmas, nurses Pammy and Beth are aiming to win the coveted national decorating competition for the St Angelus children's ward, but drama after drama threatens to upset their plans. Amid the hardship and poverty of 1950s Liverpool, only the humour and community spirit of nurses and patients will get the Angels through their toughest Christmas yet.
1950s Liverpool. Christmas is the most harrowing time of year for the nurses of St Angelus Hospital. A brilliant nurse secretly battling a fatal illness over Christmas... A starving baby boy abandoned in the freezing cold... A cruel, controlling mother, determined to block her daughter's nursing career at all costs... In the run up to Christmas, nurses Pammy and Beth are aiming to win the coveted national decorating competition for the St Angelus children's ward, but drama after drama threatens to upset their plans. Amid the hardship and poverty of 1950s Liverpool, only the humour and community spirit of nurses and patients will get the Angels through their toughest Christmas yet.
1950s Liverpool. Christmas is the most harrowing time of year for the nurses of St Angelus Hospital. A brilliant nurse secretly battling a fatal illness over Christmas... A starving baby boy abandoned in the freezing cold... A cruel, controlling mother, determined to block her daughter's nursing career at all costs... In the run up to Christmas, nurses Pammy and Beth are aiming to win the coveted national decorating competition for the St Angelus children's ward, but drama after drama threatens to upset their plans. Amid the hardship and poverty of 1950s Liverpool, only the humour and community spirit of nurses and patients will get the Angels through their toughest Christmas yet.
The nurses of Lovely Lane - Dana, Victoria, Pammy and Beth - are now in their second year and are about to face some truly harrowing and difficult times on the wards. St Angelus needs a new assistant matron, but the members of the Liverpool District Hospital Board have overruled Emily Haycock and Dr Gaskell in their choice. Enter the mysterious Miss Van Gilder from somewhere down south. The life of St Angelus is soon disrupted as her proposals turn the running of the hospital upside down and threaten the jobs of the domestics and porters. But Miss Van Gilder harbours a dark and dishonest secret, and the staff - who are used to looking after their own - set out to uncover it. Will they do so in time, before her meddling begins to affect the morale of the nurses and put the lives of their patients in danger? For one very sick little boy, especially, it will be touch and go.
Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus Hospital. Son Finn has done something unheard-of and passed his Eleven Plus exam. How on earth will they pay for his books, his grammar school uniform and shoes? Bronia Ryan has battled depression since her husband died and now one of her sons is in prison. Her youngest, Lorcan, wants no part of a life of crime, but how can he ever escape? Or protect his mother from her vicious eldest son? As usual, St Angelus is at the heart of things. Life and death, love and loss, jealousies, rivalries and betrayals are woven into a rich tapestry in Nadine's great series about poverty, sacrifice and community spirit in post-war Liverpool and the early days of the NHS.
Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus Hospital. Son Finn has done something unheard-of and passed his Eleven Plus exam. How on earth will they pay for his books, his grammar school uniform and shoes? Bronia Ryan has battled depression since her husband died and now one of her sons is in prison. Her youngest, Lorcan, wants no part of a life of crime, but how can he ever escape? Or protect his mother from her vicious eldest son? As usual, St Angelus is at the heart of things. Life and death, love and loss, jealousies, rivalries and betrayals are woven into a rich tapestry in Nadine's great series about poverty, sacrifice and community spirit in post-war Liverpool and the early days of the NHS.
Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus hospital in Liverpool. Since her husband was injured in the war, she has supported her five children and the family; she just about gets by. When Finn, her youngest, passes the eleven plus exam, Noleen feels faint. Allowing Finn to attend the grammar will stretch her purse too far. As the nurses of Lovely Lane near their final exams, Noleen will find herself tested and her heart broken. Just how far can a mother's love stretch?
From the bestselling author of The Angels of Lovely Lane, The Four Streets and Ruby Flynn. Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus Hospital. Son Finn has done something unheard-of and passed his Eleven Plus exam. How on earth will they pay for his books, his grammar school uniform and shoes? Bronia Ryan has battled depression since her husband died and now one of her sons is in prison. Her youngest, Lorcan, wants no part of a life of crime, but how can he ever escape? Or protect his mother from her vicious eldest son? As usual, St Angelus is at the heart of things. Life and death, love and loss, jealousies, rivalries and betrayals are woven into a rich tapestry in Nadine's great series about poverty, sacrifice and community spirit in post-war Liverpool and the early days of the NHS.
This is the complete story, in one volume, of Nadine's bestselling Four Streets Trilogy. Set in the Irish Catholic community of 1950s Liverpool and on the west coast of Ireland, this is a saga of working-class families. Despite living on the edge of poverty, they are bound together by humour and loyalty, gossip, grumbling - and endless cups of tea. It is also the gripping, horrifying story of a young girl betrayed by a man who is trusted and revered by the people of the Four Streets. The community's revenge is played out over a drama in three acts: The Four Streets, Hide Her Name and The Ballymara Road.
This is the complete story, in one volume, of Nadine's bestselling Four Streets Trilogy. Set in the Irish Catholic community of 1950s Liverpool and on the west coast of Ireland, this is a saga of working-class families. Despite living on the edge of poverty, they are bound together by humour and loyalty, gossip, grumbling - and endless cups of tea. It is also the gripping, horrifying story of a young girl betrayed by a man who is trusted and revered by the people of the Four Streets. The community's revenge is played out over a drama in three acts: The Four Streets, Hide Her Name and The Ballymara Road. What people are saying about THE FOUR STREETS SAGA: 'This book is realistic, humorous & emotional' 'I'm on the last chapter, cannot wait to go to bed tonight!' 'This book has it all ... and it pulls at the heart strings' 'The characters are totally believable - every one can be seen so clearly. It's like watching a movie and waiting for their next line'
St Angelus runs like a family: the workers take care of their own - a lesson the mysterious new assistant matron, Miss Van Gilder, is about to learn the hard way. Little Joe has had trouble breathing but the doctors don't take his sister Lily's concerns seriously, least of all Miss Van Gilder. The nurses of Lovely Lane have a secret which is dividing their close knit group and when Nurse Pammy Tanner once again breaks the rules, her actions threaten them all.
The nurses of Lovely Lane - Dana, Victoria, Pammy and Beth - are now in their second year and are about to face some truly harrowing and difficult times on the wards. St Angelus needs a new assistant matron, but the members of the Liverpool District Hospital Board have overruled Emily Haycock and Dr Gaskell in their choice. Enter the mysterious Miss Van Gilder from somewhere down south. The life of St Angelus is soon disrupted as her proposals turn the running of the hospital upside down and threaten the jobs of the domestics and porters. But Miss Van Gilder harbours a dark and dishonest secret, and the staff - who are used to looking after their own - set out to uncover it. Will they do so in time, before her meddling begins to affect the morale of the nurses and put the lives of their patients in danger? For one very sick little boy, especially, it will be touch and go.
It is 1953 and five very different girls are arriving at the nurses' home in Lovely Lane, Liverpool, to start their training at St Angelus Hospital. Dana has escaped from her family farm on the west coast of Ireland. Victoria is running away from a debt-ridden aristocratic background. Beth is an army brat and throws her lot in with bitchy Celia Forsyth. And Pammy has come from quite the wrong side of the tracks in Liverpool. The world in which they now find themselves is complicated and hierarchical, with rules that must be obeyed. Everyone has their place at St Angelus and woe betide anyone who strays from it. But when an unknown girl is admitted, after a botched late abortion in a backstreet kitchen, a tragedy begins to unfold which will rock the world of St Angelus to its foundations.
The nurses of Lovely Lane - Dana, Victoria, Pammy and Beth - are now in their second year and are about to face some truly harrowing and difficult times on the wards. St Angelus needs a new assistant matron, but the members of the Liverpool District Hospital Board have overruled Emily Haycock and Dr Gaskell in their choice. Enter the mysterious Miss Van Gilder from somewhere down south. The life of St Angelus is soon disrupted as her proposals turn the running of the hospital upside down and threaten the jobs of the domestics and porters. But Miss Van Gilder harbours a dark and dishonest secret, and the staff - who are used to looking after their own - set out to uncover it. Will they do so in time, before her meddling begins to affect the morale of the nurses and put the lives of their patients in danger? For one very sick little boy, especially, it will be touch and go.
From the bestselling author of The Angels of Lovely Lane, The Four Streets and Ruby Flynn. The nurses of Lovely Lane - Dana, Victoria, Pammy and Beth - are now in their second year and are about to face some truly harrowing and difficult times on the wards. St Angelus needs a new assistant matron, but the members of the Liverpool District Hospital Board have overruled Emily Haycock and Dr Gaskell in their choice. Enter the mysterious Miss Van Gilder from somewhere down south. The life of St Angelus is soon disrupted as her proposals turn the running of the hospital upside down and threaten the jobs of the domestics and porters. But Miss Van Gilder harbours a dark and dishonest secret, and the staff - who are used to looking after their own - set out to uncover it. Will they do so in time, before her meddling begins to affect the morale of the nurses and put the lives of their patients in danger? For one very sick little boy, especially, it will be touch and go. Can't wait for the next one? The Mothers of Lovely Lane is out now! Search: 9781784975081.
It is 1953 and five very different girls are arriving at the nurses' home in Lovely Lane, Liverpool, to start their training at St Angelus Hospital. Dana has escaped from her family farm on the west coast of Ireland. Victoria is running away from a debt-ridden aristocratic background. Beth is an army brat and throws her lot in with bitchy Celia Forsyth. And Pammy has come from quite the wrong side of the tracks in Liverpool. The world in which they now find themselves is complicated and hierarchical, with rules that must be obeyed. Everyone has their place at St Angelus and woe betide anyone who strays from it. But when an unknown girl is admitted, after a botched late abortion in a backstreet kitchen, a tragedy begins to unfold which will rock the world of St Angelus to its foundations.
It is 1953 and five very different girls are arriving at the nurses' home in Lovely Lane, Liverpool, to start their training at St Angelus Hospital. Dana has escaped from her family farm on the west coast of Ireland. Victoria is running away from a debt-ridden aristocratic background. Beth is an army brat and throws her lot in with bitchy Celia Forsyth. And Pammy has come from quite the wrong side of the tracks in Liverpool. The world in which they now find themselves is complicated and hierarchical, with rules that must be obeyed. Everyone has their place at St Angelus and woe betide anyone who strays from it. But when an unknown girl is admitted, after a botched late abortion in a backstreet kitchen, a tragedy begins to unfold which will rock the world of St Angelus to its foundations.
County Mayo, Ireland, 1947. In the worst winter in living memory, Ruby Flynn is rescued from the tiny cottage on the Atlantic coast where her family has perished. She is one of the storm orphans, taken in by nuns to be educated for a life in service. Now she must find her own way in the outside world.
The first in a brand new series from the bestselling author of THE FOUR STREETS, and RUBY FLYNN. It is 1953 and five very different girls are arriving at the nurses' home in Lovely Lane, Liverpool, to start their training at St Angelus Hospital. Dana has escaped from her family farm on the west coast of Ireland. Victoria is running away from a debt-ridden aristocratic background. Beth is an army brat and throws her lot in with bitchy Celia Forsyth. And Pammy has come from quite the wrong side of the tracks in Liverpool. The world in which they now find themselves is complicated and hierarchical, with rules that must be obeyed. Everyone has their place at St Angelus and woe betide anyone who strays from it. But when an unknown girl is admitted, after a botched late abortion in a backstreet kitchen, a tragedy begins to unfold which will rock the world of St Angelus to its foundations. Can't wait for the next one? THE CHILDREN OF LOVELY LANE is out now! Search 9781784975043. What people are saying about THE ANGELS OF LOVELY LANE: 'Nadine Dorries's writing is sparkling and vibrant, her books are a joy to read' 'The book was like a dream - difficult to put down' 'You feel as if you know the characters personally!' 'Enthralling read, can't wait to read more'
The darkest sin casts the longest shadow... RUBY FLYNN, set in Ireland and Liverpool, is the enthralling story of a family haunted by ancient wrongs. The FitzDeanes are wealthy. They have Ballyford Castle in Ireland and a growing shipping business in Liverpool. But Lady FitzDeane is unable to provide an heir. All of her five boys have died in infancy. There are whispers that the family is cursed - punished for a terrible mistake long buried in the past. When young Ruby Flynn, an orphan reared and educated by nuns, arrives at Ballyford to work as a nursery maid, she cannot shake the feeling that she has been there before. But when? Soon rumours and strong emotions are swirling around the beautiful girl with red hair, green eyes - and a mysterious past. Who is she really? And what will her arrival mean for this powerful family, riven by tragedy?
The FitzDeanes are wealthy. They have Ballyford Castle in Ireland and a growing shipping business in Liverpool. But Lady FitzDeane is unable to provide an heir. All of her five boys have died in infancy. There are whispers that the family is cursed - punished for a terrible mistake long buried in the past. When young Ruby Flynn, an orphan reared and educated by nuns, arrives at Ballyford to work as a nursery maid, she cannot shake the feeling that she has been there before. But when? Soon rumours and strong emotions are swirling around the beautiful girl with red hair, green eyes - and a mysterious past. Who is she really? And what will her arrival mean for this powerful family, riven by tragedy?
Step into an emotional and expressive read, one that takes you back in time and yet explores issues that remain in the public eye today. ‘The Ballymara Road’ is the final part of ‘The Four Streets’ Trilogy and in keeping with the previous two books, there is a world of heartbreak and pain waiting to bombard the families in this tale. The Doherty’s and Deane’s will need all of their collective warmth and camaraderie in order to endure. Nadine Dorries has the ability to describe stark cruelty without flinching, yet you feel her compassion, you also feel her connection and admiration for the people of the Four Streets. It’s the small realistic every day occurrences that encourage a welcome bout of affection, fun and laughter to enter into this tale. After the tragedy and difficulties faced in ‘The Four Streets’ and ‘Hide Her Name’, this captivating novel is a just and appropriate end to the trilogy.~ Liz Robinson
This is the story which sets in motion the events of Nadine Dorries's brilliant new novel Ruby Flynn. It is 1846, famine is gripping Ireland and nowhere is it crueller than in Mayo on the west coast. Owen FitzDeane of Ballyford Castle is a good landlord, but even he is powerless to save all his tenants. When he comes upon a half-dead girl beside the road, he insists on taking her back to the castle, to see if they can save her. But Eilinora is no ordinary girl and soon superstition and fear begin to swirl around her, while Lord FitzDeane of Ballyford falls deeper under her spell.
The final gripping instalment of the bestselling Four Streets trilogy which began with THE FOUR STREETS and continued in HIDE HER NAME. On Christmas morning 1963 fifteen-year-old Kitty Doherty gives birth in a hostile Irish convent. Kitty knows her beautiful baby boy presents a huge danger to her family's Catholic community back in Liverpool's Four Streets. When her baby is adopted by a wealthy family in Chicago, Kitty considers the problem solved. But soon it's obvious the baby is very sick and only his birth mother can save him. In Liverpool, things have begun to settle down. A charismatic new priest has arrived. The Dohertys are coping with the tragic consequences of Kitty's pregnancy, and the police seem close to solving the double murder which rocked the Four Streets to the core. But now all that is about to be put at risk once again.
Step into an emotional and expressive read, one that takes you back in time and yet explores issues that remain in the public eye today. ‘The Ballymara Road’ is the final part of ‘The Four Streets’ Trilogy and in keeping with the previous two books, there is a world of heartbreak and pain waiting to bombard the families in this tale. The Doherty’s and Deane’s will need all of their collective warmth and camaraderie in order to endure. Nadine Dorries has the ability to describe stark cruelty without flinching, yet you feel her compassion, you also feel her connection and admiration for the people of the Four Streets. It’s the small realistic every day occurrences that encourage a welcome bout of affection, fun and laughter to enter into this tale. After the tragedy and difficulties faced in ‘The Four Streets’ and ‘Hide Her Name’, this captivating novel is a just and appropriate end to the trilogy.~ Liz Robinson
A moving and at times harrowing read, the second in the trilogy drops you straight back into the traumatic aftermath of ‘The Four Streets” so brace yourself and prepare for a maelstrom of emotions to surge over you. If you haven't yet read ‘The Four Streets’, start there to make the most of the story, to understand what makes these people tick. The author has created a tangible cast of characters, she paints their lives; the scandal, the gossip, the affection and friendship simply yet expressively. Family is everything, the Doherty’s and Deane’s are fascinating, they aren't perfect, they make mistakes but remain steadfast and true to each other (well, most of them do). This is not an easy cosy read, it is challenging and stimulating, yet somehow optimism shyly hides just out of sight. The ending leaves you wanting more, but there is consolation in knowing there is a third book, Ballymara Road, yet to come. ~ Liz Robinson
The final gripping instalment of the bestselling Four Streets trilogy which began with THE FOUR STREETS and continued in HIDE HER NAME. On Christmas morning 1963 fifteen-year-old Kitty Doherty gives birth in a hostile Irish convent. Kitty knows her beautiful baby boy presents a huge danger to her family's Catholic community back in Liverpool's Four Streets. When her baby is adopted by a wealthy family in Chicago, Kitty considers the problem solved. But soon it's obvious the baby is very sick and only his birth mother can save him. In Liverpool, things have begun to settle down. A charismatic new priest has arrived. The Dohertys are coping with the tragic consequences of Kitty's pregnancy, and the police seem close to solving the double murder which rocked the Four Streets to the core. But now all that is about to be put at risk once again.
In the Four Streets in Liverpool, a dreadful murder has been committed, and 14-year-old Kitty Doherty is pregnant with the dead man's child. This secret is so dangerous that her mother, Maura, and the redoubtable Kathleen, her best friend Nellie's grandmother, decide the girls must be spirited away quietly to Ireland to await the birth of the baby. But back in Liverpool, the police are not giving up their search for the truth. Somewhere, in this tight-knit Irish Catholic community, someone must know something. Someone surely will talk one day. The streets are alive with gossip and rumour and it isn't easy to keep a secret that big. HIDE HER NAME is the gripping sequel to Nadine Dorries's first bestseller, THE FOUR STREETS, shot through with darkness, but also filled with humour, warmth and charm.
December 2014 Book of the Month. A moving and at times harrowing read, the second in the trilogy drops you straight back into the traumatic aftermath of ‘The Four Streets” so brace yourself and prepare for a maelstrom of emotions to surge over you. If you haven't yet read ‘The Four Streets’, start there to make the most of the story, to understand what makes these people tick. The author has created a tangible cast of characters, she paints their lives; the scandal, the gossip, the affection and friendship simply yet expressively. Family is everything, the Doherty’s and Deane’s are fascinating, they aren't perfect, they make mistakes but remain steadfast and true to each other (well, most of them do). This is not an easy cosy read, it is challenging and stimulating, yet somehow optimism shyly hides just out of sight. The ending leaves you wanting more, but there is consolation in knowing there is a third book yet to come. ~ Liz Robinson
It is Christmas morning in 1964. For nurse Fionnuala Kennedy, it is work as usual. As she trudges through the cold streets to catch her bus, Fionnuala thinks of the secret which she has been keeping from her beloved mother and father - and of how on earth she is going to break it to them. She promises herself that she will do it that very evening, when she gets back home. None of the hospital staff are expecting very much to disturb their routine - it is Christmas Day, after all. And indeed, Fionnuala's morning at the hospital begins quietly enough, but then all hell breaks loose, and she is faced with an emergency to rock her world to its foundations. Join the characters from THE FOUR STREETS in this heartwarming short story from bestselling author Nadine Dorries.
One of our Books of the Year 2014. An appealingly poignant story of family and lost innocence, simply yet artfully told. The opening chapter is unpretentiously descriptive, yet in a few paragraphs the author paints the four streets and its inhabitants so that they resonate vibrantly in your mind. The characters are so colourful and very real, you believe in their support, their sadness, their joy, their shame, their love. From the energetic tots through to the worldly wise Grandmother, you feel these people are known, are cared about, are loved by the author. Dorries highlights two different families, money poor, support rich; at times slightly disconnected and disjointed, at others a well needed pillar of support and strength in the community. The author handles the unthinkable abhorrence that lurks and skulks through the story with composure and consideration; the tragedy that visits is heart rending and painful to read. One simple question remains, how far would you go to protect those you love? ~ Liz Robinson
1950s Liverpool. In the tight-knit Irish Catholic community of the Four Streets, two girls are growing up. One is motherless - and hated by the cold woman who is determined to take her dead mother's place. The other is hiding a dreadful secret which she dare not let slip to anyone, lest it rips the heart out of the community. What can the people of the Four Streets do when a betrayal at the very heart of their world comes to light?
April 2014 Debut of the Month. An appealingly poignant story of family and lost innocence, simply yet artfully told. The opening chapter is unpretentiously descriptive, yet in a few paragraphs the author paints the four streets and its inhabitants so that they resonate vibrantly in your mind. The characters are so colourful and very real, you believe in their support, their sadness, their joy, their shame, their love. From the energetic tots through to the worldly wise Grandmother, you feel these people are known, are cared about, are loved by the author.Dorries highlights two different families, money poor, support rich; at times slightly disconnected and disjointed, at others a well needed pillar of support and strength in the community. The author handles the unthinkable abhorrence that lurks and skulks through the story with composure and consideration; the tragedy that visits is heart rending and painful to read. One simple question remains, how far would you go to protect those you love? ~ Liz Robinson
1950s Liverpool. In the tight-knit Irish Catholic community of the Four Streets, two girls are growing up. One is motherless - and hated by the cold woman who is determined to take her dead mother's place. The other is hiding a dreadful secret which she dare not let slip to anyone, lest it rips the heart out of the community. What can the people of the Four Streets do when a betrayal at the very heart of their world comes to light?