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Rachel Rhys is the pen-name of a successful psychological suspense author. A Dangerous Crossing is her debut under this name and is inspired by a real life account of a 1930s ocean voyage. A Dangerous Crossing is due to be published around the world. Rachel Rhys lives in North London with her family.
Author photo © Johnny Ring
A completely glorious and captivating read, one where glamour and enchantment walk hand in hand alongside intrigue and mystery. Step into 1948 and meet Eve, she goes against her stuffy husband’s wishes and travels to the French Riviera to find out about a mystery inheritance. As Eve attempts to uncover the riddle of her benefactor, she discovers the glittering world she has walked into may have a very ugly core. This is such a beautifully easy book to read, I simply slid into the pages and swam in the silky mysterious depths. I found myself willing Eve on, I became more and more fond of her, completely invested in the storyline. The surrounding characters are simply delicious, the allure of the French Riviera was dazzling. Rachel Rhys writes with the elegance of the age, the words and story wrapped themselves around me. Intrigue sparks intrigue, and a whiff of dastardly turns more deadly as information floats free. ‘Fatal Inheritance’ is eloquently seductive, I highly recommend finding yourself a beautiful spot and slipping into this rewarding story.
A completely glorious and captivating read, one where glamour and enchantment walk hand in hand alongside intrigue and mystery. Step into 1948 and meet Eve, she goes against her stuffy husband’s wishes and travels to the French Riviera to find out about a mystery inheritance. As Eve attempts to uncover the riddle of her benefactor, she discovers the glittering world she has walked into may have a very ugly core. This is such a beautifully easy book to read, I simply slid into the pages and swam in the silky mysterious depths. I found myself willing Eve on, I became more and more fond of her, completely invested in the storyline. The surrounding characters are simply delicious, the allure of the French Riviera was dazzling. Rachel Rhys writes with the elegance of the age, the words and story wrapped themselves around me. Intrigue sparks intrigue, and a whiff of dastardly turns more deadly as information floats free. ‘Fatal Inheritance’ is eloquently seductive, I highly recommend finding yourself a beautiful spot and slipping into this rewarding story.
All aboard for an Agatha Christie-esque mystery set on a ship bound for the distant shores of Australia in 1939. As the world teeters on the edge of another war, working class Lily is about to plunge headlong into a new life. She’s leaving her family and her little room in Hammersmith to work in domestic service in Australia. While she’s on a lowly assisted-passage scheme, once aboard the ship she “feels like a person of substance”, enjoying cocktail parties in the company of flirtatious Edward Fletcher and the decadent Campbells as they stop off at the likes of Pompeii, the Pyramids and Colombo. But, as Lily’s Jewish friend Maria remarks, “on a boat like this everyone is running away from something”, and that certainly turns out to be true when a succession of misdemeanors strike; an assault, a disappearance, and then murder. All in all, this is a scrumptiously entertaining, read-in-one-sitting mystery that fizzes with glamour, romance and intrigue and the sting of an unexpected twist, while also exploring sexual, racial and class prejudices. ~ Joanne Owen
April 2017 Debut of the Month. All aboard for an Agatha Christie-esque mystery set on a ship bound for the distant shores of Australia in 1939. As the world teeters on the edge of another war, working class Lily is about to plunge headlong into a new life. She’s leaving her family and her little room in Hammersmith to work in domestic service in Australia. While she’s on a lowly assisted-passage scheme, once aboard the ship she “feels like a person of substance”, enjoying cocktail parties in the company of flirtatious Edward Fletcher and the decadent Campbells as they stop off at the likes of Pompeii, the Pyramids and Colombo. But, as Lily’s Jewish friend Maria remarks, “on a boat like this everyone is running away from something”, and that certainly turns out to be true when a succession of misdemeanors strike; an assault, a disappearance, and then murder. All in all, this is a scrumptiously entertaining, read-in-one-sitting mystery that fizzes with glamour, romance and intrigue and the sting of an unexpected twist, while also exploring sexual, racial and class prejudices. ~ Joanne Owen
'A Fatal Inheritance is GLORIOUS! Hugely enjoyable escapism, featuring The South of France, film stars, gorgeous villas, lavender-scented air, ex-Nazis, family secrets and more besides! I enjoyed it ENORMOUSLY.' MARIAN KEYES London 1948: Eve Forrester is trapped in a loveless marriage, in a gloomy house, in a grey suburb. Out of the blue, she receives a solicitor's letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mystery inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera. Eve discovers her legacy is an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean sea and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. Alone in paradise, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest - before events turn deadly... Reminiscent of a Golden Age mystery, A Fatal Inheritance is an intoxicating story of dysfunctional families and long-hidden secrets, set against the razzle-dazzle and decadence of the French Riviera. 'With a dash of Agatha Christie and a nod to Zelda Fitzgerald, Rachel Rhys' historical mystery is simply gorgeous. . .will have you yearning to sip a gin fizz while watching the sun sink into the Mediterranean' KATE RIORDAN 'A transporting golden-age infused mystery caper' Sunday Times 'An exquisite and shimmering read. I completely lost myself in Rhys's lovingly evoked 1940s French Riviera and was gripped by the slow-burn mystery. An essential summer read!' LISA JEWELL 'Mixes glamour with tantalising intrigue - and a dark hint of dread' Daily Mail
1948: an English housewife trapped in a dull marriage escapes to the South of France to claim a mystery inheritance. But rivals to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge, and now they want her out of the way ... She didn't have an enemy in the world... until she inherited a fortune London 1948: Eve Forrester is trapped in a loveless marriage, in a gloomy house, in a grey suburb. Out of the blue, she received a solicitor's letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mystery inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera. Eve discovers her legacy is an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean sea and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. But while she rubs shoulders with film-stars and famous writers, under the heat of the golden sun, rivals to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge. Rivals who want her out of the way. Alone in paradise, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest - before events turn deadly...
*NOW A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK 2017* Shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown 2017 A stunning, atmospheric novel in the great tradition of Death on the Nile and Patricia Highsmith, which tells of a young girl's journey on a cruise liner from England to a new life on the brink of the Second World War. 'Thrilling, captivating. Simply stunning' Daily Express 5 ***** 'An exquisite tale of love, murder and dark secrets' LISA JEWELL 'Intoxicating. I loved this book!' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'An utter treat . . . a glorious mix of proper old-school glamour and a labyrinthine plot full of class war, politics and sexual tension . . . A masterful storyteller.' VERONICA HENRY ***************************** England, September 1939 Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, poisonous secrets begin to surface. Suddenly Lily finds herself trapped with nowhere to go ... Australia, six-weeks later The world is at war, the cruise liner docks, and a beautiful young woman is escorted onto dry land in handcuffs. What has she done? *************************************** Candis magazine BOOK OF THE MONTH Red Magazine PICK OF THE MONTH: 'Think Patricia Highsmith on the seas' Prime Magazine pick of SIX INTRIGUING READS 'Bag a copy of this Daphne du Maurier-style debut!' Press Association 'Thrilling, seductive, utterly absorbing.' PAULA HAWKINS, author of The Girl on The Train 'A gorgeously atmospheric read, prepare to be transported . . .' RUTH WARE, author of The Woman in Cabin 10 'Completely compelling and atmospheric. I absolutely loved it' JANE FALLON, Author of MY SWEET REVENGE 'What a world of glamour, uncertainty and intrigue! . . . It is a gem of a book' COLETTE MCBETH, author of The Life I Left Behind
'An exquisite story of love, murder, adventure and dark secrets, Rachel Rhys brings this dangerous crossing brilliantly and beautifully alive' LISA JEWELL'Thrilling, seductive, utterly absorbing' PAULA HAWKINSEngland, September 1939Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, poisonous secrets begin to surface. Suddenly Lily finds herself trapped with nowhere to go ...Australia, six weeks laterThe world is at war, the cruise liner docks, and a beautiful young woman is escorted onto dry land in handcuffs.What has she done?'Thrilling, captivating. Simply stunning' Daily Express'It is written so beautifully it seems to glide by way too quickly, transporting you on a journey you won't want to end' Sunday Mirror'Rhys creates such a powerful sense of foreboding that you may well gulp down the entire book in a single day' The Irish Times
A stunning atmospheric novel in the great tradition of DEATH ON THE NILE and Patricia Highsmith - tells of a young girl's journey on a cruise liner from England to a new life on the brink of the Second World War.'Thrilling, captivating. Simply stunning' Daily Express 5 *****'An exquisite tale of love, murder and dark secrets' LISA JEWELL'Intoxicating. I loved this book!' SANTA MONTEFIORE'An utter treat . . . a glorious mix of proper old-school glamour and a labyrinthine plot full of class war, politics and sexual tension . . . A masterful storyteller.' VERONICA HENRY*****************************England, September 1939Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, poisonous secrets begin to surface. Suddenly Lily finds herself trapped with nowhere to go ...Australia, six-weeks laterThe world is at war, the cruise liner docks, and a beautiful young woman is escorted onto dry land in handcuffs. What has she done?***************************************Candis magazine BOOK OF THE MONTHRed Magazine PICK OF THE MONTH: 'Think Patricia Highsmith on the seas' Prime Magazine pick of SIX INTRIGUING READS'Bag a copy of this Daphne du Maurier-style debut!' Press Association'Thrilling, seductive, utterly absorbing.' PAULA HAWKINS, author of The Girl on The Train'A gorgeously atmospheric read, prepare to be transported . . .' RUTH WARE, author of The Woman in Cabin 10'Completely compelling and atmospheric. I absolutely loved it' JANE FALLON, Author of MY SWEET REVENGE 'What a world of glamour, uncertainty and intrigue! . . . It is a gem of a book' COLETTE MCBETH, author of The Life I Left Behind