Darry Fraser

A woman alone and a charismatic private detective are caught up in a dangerous quest to discover her true identity in this thrilling historical adventure romance set in 19th century Victoria, from a bestselling Australian author. 1898, Geelong, Victoria. Stella Truehart is all alone in the world. Her good-for-nothing husband has died violently at the hands of an unknown assailant. Her mother is dead, her father deserted them before she was born, and now her kindly Truehart grandparents are also in their graves. Private detective Bendigo Barrett has been tasked with finding Stella. He believes his client's intentions are good, but it is evident that someone with darker motives is also seeking her. For her own part Stella is fiercely independent, but as danger mounts she agrees to work with Bendigo and before long they travel together to Sydney to meet his mysterious client where they discover more questions than answers. What role do a stolen precious jewel and a long-ago US Civil War ship play in Stella's story? Will sudden bloodshed prevent the resolution of the mystery and stand in the way of her feelings for Bendigo? It is time, at last, for the truth to be revealed ... PRAISE FOR DARRY FRASER 'A fabulous storyteller who underlies this compelling plot with strong female characters who challenge the status quo...Fast paced historical fiction, first-hand experience of the South Australian landscape, and the added bonus of a plot line that has been drawn from Darry Fraser's very own family history make this an authentic, seamless and riveting tale.' Better Reading 'A story of personal integrity, courage, stamina, companionship and responsibility, The Good Woman of Renmark is a powerful ode to life in former times, as our nation was beginning to take shape.' Mrs B's Book Reviews 'Outstanding prose that flows and ripples through every page.'- Starts at 60

The Last Truehart

Adventure, romance and history combine in this thrilling 19th century journey through the South Australian bush and along the mighty Murray River in the company of a determined heroine. 1895, Renmark, South Australia Maggie O'Rourke has always had a hard head. No man was going to tie her down to a life of babies and domestic slavery, even if that man was as good (and as annoyingly attractive) as Sam Taylor. Maggie is happily earning her own way as a maid in a house on the Murray River when disaster strikes. Forced to defend herself and a friend from assault by an evil man, she flees downriver on a paddle steamer. With death at her heels, Maggie begins to realise that a man like Sam might be just who she wants in her hour of need. As for Sam, well, Maggie has always been what he wants. The further Maggie runs, the more she discovers there are some things she cannot escape... PRAISE FOR DARRY FRASER 'Outstanding prose that flows and ripples through every page.'- Starts at 60 'Darry has done a fabulous job with some wonderful storytelling and puts herself right up there with the best.' - Green Reads and Tea Leaves

The Good Woman of Renmark

Widow Marcella Ross won't let anything - or anyone - stop her from discovering the truth behind a deadly family mystery ... Mystery and romance collide in this compulsive historical adventure from a bestselling Australian author. 1898, South Australia At the gateway to the Flinders Ranges lies Kanyaka Station, once a thriving sheep and cattle property, now abandoned and in ruins. But a discovery in her late mother's papers draws recently widowed Marcella Ross out to its remote landscape in search of clues to the disappearance of her Uncle Luca, an Italian immigrant whose fate seems to have been bound up in that of his mysterious partner - also long-since vanished. When Marcella is accosted by a daunting stranger, she discovers he too is entangled in the secrets of the past. Tragedy and obsession threaten Marcella's fragile independence, so how far will she have to go to unlock the secrets of Kanyaka - or solve the puzzle of her own future? 1955 After learning that they are unlikely to have children, Frances and Joe MacDonald have taken the unusual step of buying a caravan and travelling together through the outback. They stop at Kanyaka Station, where Fran becomes mesmerised by the past. Family lore holds that an ancestor met an untimely end amid the desolate ruins. But what truly happened, and to whom, at the isolated station? As fate alters the course of her life, Fran's footsteps echo another woman's from so long ago ... As the mystery unravels, will these two women have the chance to take control of their own destinies? PRAISE: 'Fraser's excellent research makes the reader feel like they are actually back in 1898 with her richly detailed settings: bustling train stations and port docks, flies and dust...' - GLAM Adelaide

The Forthright Woman

Where the Murray River Runs

A compulsively readable story of passion, adventure and a woman's quest for independence set against the colourful backdrop of 19th century Bendigo and the goldfields of Ballarat. 1854, Ballarat, Victoria When Nell Amberton's husband is shot dead by a bushranger, there are few who grieve his passing, and Nell least of all. How could she miss the monster who had abused her from the day they wed - the man who had already killed his innocent first wife? But his death triggers a chain of events that seem to revolve around the handsome bushranger who murdered him - a man to whom Nell, against her better judgement, is drawn. But Nell has far more than a mysterious stranger to worry about. With a mess of complications around her late husband's will, a vicious scoundrel of a father trying to sell her off in matrimony, and angry relatives pursuing her for her husband's gold, she is more concerned with trying to ensure her safety and that of her friend, goldfields laundry woman Flora, than dealing with the kind of feelings that led her astray so catastrophically before. After the violence on the goldfields, Nell's fate also hangs in the balance. It seems that, after all, she might need to do the one thing she has avoided at all costs ... ask for the help of a man.

The Widow of Ballarat

The Prodigal Sister

Widow Marcella Ross won't let anything - or anyone - stop her from discovering the truth behind a deadly family mystery ... Mystery and romance collide in this compulsive historical adventure from a bestselling Australian author. 1898, South Australia At the gateway to the Flinders Ranges lies Kanyaka Station, once a thriving sheep and cattle property, now abandoned and in ruins. But a discovery in her late mother's papers draws recently widowed Marcella Ross out to its remote landscape in search of clues to the disappearance of her Uncle Luca, an Italian immigrant whose fate seems to have been bound up in that of his mysterious partner - also long-since vanished. When Marcella is nearly run over by a handsome stranger, she discovers he too is entangled in the secrets of the past. When tragedy and obsession threaten Marcella's fragile independence, how far will she have to go to unlock the secrets of Kanyaka - or solve the puzzle of her own future? 1955 After learning that they are unlikely to have children, Frances and Joe MacDonald have taken the unusual step of buying a caravan and travelling together through the outback. They stop and camp at Kanyaka Station, where Fran becomes mesmerised by the past. Family lore holds that an ancestor met an untimely end amid the desolate ruins. But what truly happened, and to whom, at the isolated station? As fate alters the course of her life, Fran's footsteps echo another woman's from so long ago ... As the mystery unravels, will these two women have the chance to take control of their own destinies?

Good Woman of Renmark

A compulsively readable story of passion, adventure and a woman's quest for independence set against the colourful backdrop of 19th century Bendigo and the goldfields of Ballarat. 1854, Ballarat, Victoria When Nell Amberton's husband is shot dead by a bushranger, there are few who grieve his passing, and Nell least of all. How could she miss the monster who had abused her from the day they wed – the man who had already killed his innocent first wife? But his death triggers a chain of events that seem to revolve around the handsome bushranger who murdered him – a man to whom Nell, against her better judgement, is drawn. But Nell has far more than a mysterious stranger to worry about. With a mess of complications around her late husband's will, a vicious scoundrel of a father trying to sell her off in matrimony, and angry relatives pursuing her for her husband's gold, she is more concerned with trying to ensure her safety and that of her friend, goldfields laundry woman Flora, than dealing with the kind of feelings that led her astray so catastrophically before. After the violence on the goldfields, Nell's fate also hangs in the balance. It seems that, after all, she might need to do the one thing she has avoided at all costs ... ask for the help of a man.

The Widow Of Ballarat

Elsa Goody is a woman on a quest for buried treasure - and her own freedom. A thrilling historical romance adventure from a bestselling Australian author. 1896 Robe, South Australia When Elsa Goody's father and brother George die in quick succession she and her sister Rosie are in trouble. Pursued by an unpleasant suitor with dubious motivation, Elsa leaves for Victoria on the hunt for a fortune in gold coins that her brother has hidden. If Elsa can find it she will be able to save Rosie and herself from married slavery. Their quest leads them on a cross-country journey to find the last man who saw her brother alive, Ezekiel Jones. But Elsa is not the only one looking for buried treasure. She and Rosie are beset by bushrangers and in the confusion Elsa is accused of being an accomplice. Luckily not everyone believes that Elsa is a criminal. When she finally catches up with Ezekiel, it's clear that for him she can do no wrong. But with everyone chasing her and bloody violence on the horizon, life is becoming increasingly complicated. Will she and Rosie ever manage to solve the mystery, find the gold and free themselves from a dark future? 'Outstanding prose that flows and ripples through every page.' Starts at 60

Elsa Goody, Bushranger

Fiona Lowe

Jacquie Underdown

Eva Scott

Penelope Janu

A feel-good collection of Christmas stories, from some of your favourite Australian authors that will warm your heart with the magic of the holiday season. A feel-good collection of Australian Christmas stories that will warm your heart with the magic of the holiday season The Drover Comes Home for Christmas by Darry Fraser [BRAND NEW STORY] December 1889. To save his drought-stricken farm, Shep Miller is droving his remaining cattle overland in a desperate bid to reach the last sale before Christmas. Widow Jenny Wickley is glad to take in his two children during his absence, hoping to help the neighbour she has long admired. But when peculiar swaggies turn up with letters and a touch of magic, a mystery is uncovered that will put all their lives in danger. Will the drover make it home in time? The Six Rules of Christmas by Penelope Janu [BRAND NEW STORY] Picking up the reins of her father's law practice, Ariella Blake has made a place for herself in small-town Warrandale. But when stand-in farrier Jack Adamson blows in for the holidays, with his good looks and infuriating evasiveness, he challenges her to embrace the rules of Christmas. Step by step, will Christmas - and Jack - get under her skin? Newborn Baby for Christmas by Fiona Lowe Georgie and Hamish have been best friends forever. So Hamish can't refuse when Georgie asks him for the Christmas present she's spent her whole life waiting for - a baby! But seeing a very pregnant Georgie changes everything. Not only is Hamish going to be a father, suddenly he's falling for the mother of his child... A Tale of Three Christmases by Eva Scott [BRAND NEW STORY] When Geoff met Lexi... Turning her small farm into a B&B seems the perfect way to make ends meet after the death of her husband. Not having to face Christmas alone is a bonus for Lexi. But when her first booking, attractive businessman Geoff, arrives everything she thought she needed changes. Can strangers from different worlds to find lasting love? Or does fate have surprising plans? The Christmas Wish by Jacquie Underdown [BRAND NEW STORY] Returning home, schoolteacher Brielle hopes a quiet Christmas will quash the ever-present feeling that she no longer belongs anywhere. For single dad, Luke, romance is off the agenda - no matter how appealing his teenage antagonist Brielle has become. It's not only his heart that's at risk - it's that of his young daughter. But after a Christmas wish is cast, the spirit of Christmas conspires to create some holiday magic. Will a Christmas fete change fate?

Our Country Christmas

1890s, River Murray, Northern Victoria Georgina Calthorpe is unhappy living with her indifferent foster family the MacHenry's in their crumbling house on the banks of the River Murray. Unlike the rest of the family, she isn't looking forward to the return of prodigal son Dane. With good reason. Dane MacHenry is furious when on his return he finds his homestead in grave decline. Unaware that his father has been drinking his way through his inheritance, he blames Georgina and Georgina decides she has no option but to leave. Unfortunately she chooses Dane's horse to flee on, and when Dane learns she has stolen his prized stallion, he gives chase. From this point their fates become intertwined with that of a businessman with a dark secret, Conor Foley, who offers Georgina apparent security: a marriage with status in the emerging nouveau-riche echelons of Melbourne. But none of them could imagine the toll the changing political and social landscape would have on homes, hearts and families. Will Georgina's path lead her into grave danger and unhappiness, or will she survive and fulfil her destiny?

River Daughter

A fast-paced historical romance adventure, set on the mighty Murray River in the 1890s with a flawed but loveable heroine. 1890s, River Murray, Northern Victoria Georgina Calthorpe is unhappy living with her indifferent foster family the MacHenry's in their crumbling house on the banks of the River Murray. Unlike the rest of the family, she isn't looking forward to the return of prodigal son Dane. With good reason. Dane MacHenry is furious when on his return he finds his homestead in grave decline. Unaware that his father has been drinking his way through his inheritance, he blames Georgina and Georgina decides she has no option but to leave. Unfortunately she chooses Dane's horse to flee on, and when Dane learns she has stolen his prized stallion, he gives chase. From this point their fates become intertwined with that of a businessman with a dark secret, Conor Foley, who offers Georgina apparent security: a marriage with status in the emerging nouveau–riche echelons of Melbourne. But none of them could imagine the toll the changing political and social landscape would have on homes, hearts and families. Will Georgina's path lead her into grave danger and unhappiness, or will she survive and fulfil her destiny?

Daughter Of The Murray

From a bestselling debut author, this Australian historical adventure romance is a compulsively readable story of hate, honour and an overwhelming love. A nineteenth–century story of greed, honour and an overwhelming love Bendigo 1890 Ard O'Rourke is Linley Seymour's perfect man. They've known each other since they were children and she has never wanted anyone else. But when she discovers Ard has fathered a child with another woman, her dreams turn to dust. Then fate takes a hand. Linley and her Aunt Cee Cee run a women's refuge and Linley finds herself unexpectedly and painfully the guardian of Ard's baby: a child that needs her protection from the greed–filled schemes of a violent man. Ard knows he has no hope with Linley and decides to follow his own path: one that brings him close to redemption. But when he learns Linley and the child are in danger, his own child at that, he cannot stop himself speeding to their aid. Will he prevail? Can Linley find it in her heart to forgive him? Or will their love come to nothing at the hands of a violent man? A compulsively readable historical adventure, set on the banks of the mighty Murray River.

Where The Murray River Runs

Headstrong Prudence North faces a dangerous blackmailer who threatens her family and her dreams of escaping domestic drudgery. An enthralling historical mystery from a bestselling Australian author. 1900, Melbourne, Victoria Miss Prudence North is freshly returned from university in Scotland and determined to find her place among the male-dominated world of the new forensic sciences when a high-ranking policeman waylays her. He threatens to charge her father for illegal medical practices unless she helps him build a case against local landowner Jasper Darke by spying on him. With her sister's illness worsening, if their income disappears, Prudence will have to take on nursing and domestic duties and she'll never have the freedom she craves. Prudence has no choice but to agree. Immediately taken with the handsome Mr Darke, a seemingly good and honest man, Prudence can't see what nefarious activities she's meant to be reporting on. She'll have to get closer... But when a body turns up at her father's surgery, the forensics reveal to Prudence there's more going on about all this than meets the eye. It's clear it's up to her to uncover the truth - of this murder, of whatever's going on at the surgery after hours and, especially, of the intriguing Jasper Darke. Her life, her family and her future rely on it. PRAISE FOR DARRY FRASER: 'Darry Fraser has proven yet again that she is a master at writing Australian historical fiction ... The Last Truehart is an enjoyable and well written tale - a great yarn, a dashing hero and a real sense of place in the evolution of Australian society of the time.' - Great Reads & Tea Leaves 'Darry Fraser effortlessly weaves historical events throughout... a must read for historical fiction fans.' - The Burgeoning Bookshelf 'A fabulous storyteller who underlies this compelling plot with strong female characters who challenge the status quo...Fast paced historical fiction, first-hand experience of the South Australian landscape, and the added bonus of a plot line that has been drawn from Darry Fraser's very own family history make this an authentic, seamless and riveting tale.' - Better Reading

Darry Fraser

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