Beryl Matthews

On the dark, rough streets of Bermondsey, can one girl find the courage to open the door to her destiny? Bermondsey, London, 1913, Little Rose Webster's life has never been easy. Born in the slums of Bermondsey she has longed to escape her poor upbringing and violent step-father. Yet these deprived streets are not so easily fled. Thankfully she has a quick mind and her insatiable thirst for knowledge means she excels at school - perhaps she has a...

As if everyday life in London's slums wasn't hard enough for Jane Roberts and her three children, the day that ne'er-do-well husband Bert walks out on his family as rent day draws near is a particularly dark time. In the wake of his desertion, the family pull together to find their way forward, and Jane takes the steps she needs to get a divorce and free them all from Bert in the future. With help from a neighbour who is not all she seems, a lucky...

1941, London. Sirens warn of danger as German bomber planes approach the city. Ever cautious, Kathy and her mother head immediately for the nearest public air raid shelter but are separated in the desperate scramble to safety. When the building is destroyed in a direct hit, it is a miracle Kathy survives, and before the night is through, she will suffer further loss as her home is reduced to rubble. Finding herself alone amid the chaos and ruins,...

London, 1910. Twins Lester and Lillia Holdsworth are destined for the stage. Lester is a brilliant pianist; Lillia a magnificent opera singer. But their cruel father has other ideas for their future. Lester is sent to a military academy, while Lillia must marry Lord Dalton - a pompous friend of her father's looking for a young wife to give him an heir. Their plans to defy their father's wishes are put on hold when war breaks out. Lester flies planes...

1856. Christine Banner is alone after her father's death, penniless but armed with an iron will. Determined to put London behind her and find a place to call home, her search takes her to the New Forest where she stumbles upon Lord Frenshaw's estate. Her skill at handling some of the large and difficult war horses bred there, shines through and captures his attention. However, when his son Harry returns from the Crimea, battle-scarred and short-tempered,...

London, 1940. The war is raging across Europe and 23-year-old Grace is devastated by the loss of her husband, Brian, at Dunkirk after only a year of marriage. Her secretary job at a law firm keeps her mind from dwelling on her sorrow but when her boss, James, enlists in the air force Grace is left without work. Alongside her best friend, Helen, the two young women join the War Office in a move that will change their lives forever. As Grace throws...

London, 1900. Hester Stanmore watches in disbelief as the court declares her attacker 'not guilty', and the room erupts into chaos. The man in the dock is being congratulated as if he were a hero, but she has seen the madness in his eyes when he had attacked her. In a rage he had beaten her senseless and left her for dead. It was only her strength that allowed her to survive. Hester was determined to bring him to justice, but what would happen now?...

London, 1938. Hanna and Jack Foster had been sent to an orphanage when their parents were killed. Through the years Hanna refused to let them be separated. But when a couple chose to adopt Jack, Hanna decided it was time to let him go. However, it soon became clear that she had made a dreadful mistake.