Aspidistra Press

A dynasty is at stake.It seemed like a straightforward request–and Helena is used to her sister Blanche making demands on her time and fortune.But the most ambitious of her sisters reveals a dilemma that may wipe out the title she holds. When tragedy...

A reluctant lady sleuth finds she's investigating her own family.1881, Sussex. With a drowned husband—the second love lost—an overbearing family, no longed-for child, and the responsibility of a huge baroque mansion, it's not surprising Lady Helena...

Do you ever really know your family?In the 1880s a sixth daughter learns not to ask for much, even if she’s the daughter of an earl. Even if she married the richest man in her corner of Sussex. Even if she’s now a widow with a splendid Georgian...

Heedless. Stubborn. Disgraced.Small town Illinois, 1870: "My stepfather was not particularly fond of me to begin with, and now that he'd found out about the baby, he was foaming at the mouth"Desperate to avoid marriage, Nell Lillington refuses to...

Does love conquer all? Nell’s not so sure.Adjusting to wedlock isn’t easy for a woman whose initial aversion to the married state took her to the Poor Farm. When a tragedy out of the blue prompts her to repay past debts, her charitable instincts...

For unwed mother Nell Lillington, 1876 Chicago—and her new wealth—offer the promise of longed-for independence. She dreams of a place in society for her daughter Sarah and contentment for her friend Tess. Yet how can she settle in a town where she’s...