Showing results by author "Irina Shapiro" in All Categories

1588. When Rafael de Silva’s ship is smashed on the rocks off the coast of Ireland, he must find a way to get by without access to any resources or help from the locals, since being apprehended will result in certain death for a soldier of the ill-fated Spanish Armada. Terrified and half starved, Rafael gets help from an unexpected source, but safety is just an illusion, and love is a liability when Rafael’s very survival depends on keeping the secret of his birth from being discovered by those closest to him.

2018. When a skeleton is found entangled in the roots of an ancient tree on Rhys Morgan’s country estate, Quinn is persuaded to come out of retirement to film one more episode of the Echoes from the Past series. But the nameless skeleton proves to be the least of her problems when secrets from the past suddenly come to light and a new threat looms over her family.

Still grieving the death of her husband, Lauren leaves the hubbub of Boston for the peaceful shores of Cape Cod, where she hopes to come to terms with her loss and devote herself to her writing. Historic Holland House, isolated on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, seems like the perfect refuge, until Lauren discovers that she’s not alone, and her ghostly roommate might be none other than Sophie Holland, the mysterious first mistress of the house.

In 1782, a ghost ship ran aground in a secluded cove in Cornwall. To this day, no one knows what became of the Aurora’s crew or the shadowy woman rumored to be onboard. In 2021, when Kyle inherits his aunt’s historic house in Cornwall, all Nicole anticipates is a few idyllic days in a beautiful setting—until she discovers that not only is the house connected to the centuries-old legend of the Aurora and the woman at the center of the mystery, but it also hides its own dark past.

The discovery of a young woman’s body drifting down the Thames, her hair adorned with flowers and her legs wrapped in blue silk like a mermaid’s tail, presents Lord Jason Redmond and Inspector Daniel Haze with a puzzling new mystery. Who was she, why was she murdered, and what led the killer to leave her body displayed this way? Was it an act of love, meant to make the victim appear beautiful in death, or was there a more sinister reason?

When Nicole Rayburn adds a historic bookshop to her list of promotional venues, she meets the owner, Deborah Dolan, who’s desperate to discover what happened to her Victorian ancestor. A well-respected playwright, Edgar Hilliard seemingly had it all: professional success, a thriving business, and a loving family, but according to family lore, Edgar walked out one night, never to return, an unfinished manuscript his only legacy to future generations.

When famed psychic Alicia Lysander is brutally attacked after leaving a seance at the home of an earl, Jason Redmond and Daniel Haze must retrace her movements to determine who might have had a motive to want Alicia dead. As they delve into the private life of the woman who had not only become a friend but had also helped Daniel to rescue his abducted daughter, they uncover buried secrets, bitter rivalries, and unexpected betrayals.

As the hurricane batters the house and the waters rise, Callum is found hanging from an ancient oak, murdered in the same way as the notorious villain in his most popular book. Cut off from the outside world, the guests soon realize that the murderer might strike again, and everyone at the plantation could either be the next victim or the killer.

When Nicole visits Stiles Castle, the stately home of Lady Caroline Seaton, she doesn’t expect to stumble upon a centuries-old mystery hidden in the noble family’s genealogical tree. Once she finds that some vital details have been removed from the ancestral records, Nicole can’t refuse her friend’s plea to discover the truth and help her save the floundering family business.

When the Earl of Granville is skewered with a pitchfork in his own stables, Inspector Haze and Lord Redmond must unearth decades-old family secrets in order to unravel the motive behind the murder. But just when they think they’re making headway, disturbing new revelations come to light and cast doubt on their findings.

When a young woman vanishes without a trace from a quaint fishing village on the coast of England, only one person knows the truth, but he remains silent allowing the authorities to search for her in vain. Meanwhile, Valerie Crane finds herself transported to the year 1605. Terrified and confused, she turns for help to the Whitfield brothers, who take her in and offer her a home. Both Alexander and Finlay Whitfield fall in love with the mysterious woman, who shows up on their doorstep, creating a love triangle that threatens to consume them all.

When a gentlewoman is savagely murdered in her own bed, Lord Redmond and Inspector Haze must pick apart her seemingly blameless life to understand what drove her attacker to such frenzied rage—and how they managed to escape from a locked room in a house filled with people. The closer Redmond and Haze get to the truth, the more secrets they uncover, and the greater the risk the perpetrator will strike again. Will they solve the case before the killer claims another victim?

Several years have passed, and the Whitfields, Sheridans, and their extended family must face new challenges and make life-altering decisions. As the hands of time continue to turn, the events that unfold will either tear the family further apart or bring them closer together, closing the gap in time and space once and for all.

Every old house has its secrets, so it comes as no surprise when a relic of a noble Victorian family is discovered in the new home of historical author Nicole Rayburn and her husband Kyle. Curious about the lovely young woman in the sepia photograph, Nicole delves into the history of the family and stumbles on a long-forgotten mystery.

When Hugo and Neve settle in Paris, they assume that they will enjoy a few peaceful years away from the turmoil of British politics, but they are not nearly as safe as they believe themselves to be, especially since everyone has something to hide. Meanwhile, Max must learn to adapt to life on a sugar plantation in Barbados, and decide whether to accept help from an unexpected and dangerous source; a decision which may cost him his life.

Jamestown promises to be a history lover’s dream, a reality series featuring 15 contestants who will spend six months living in 17th century conditions, their ability to adapt and overcome daily hardship judged by millions of TV viewers. Supplies will be replenished, and a medical officer will be on hand to ensure everyone’s well-being. Lucrative cash prizes will be awarded at the end.

In 1540, newly married and pregnant Isobel Devlin vanished from a tiny island in Lancashire, never to be seen again. In 2020, leaving London for the first time since the pandemic began, Nicole Rayburn and Kyle Walsh head to a guesthouse in the Lake District for a much-needed holiday. Across from the historic manor house, on an island in the middle of a lake, are the ruins of Montrose Abbey, the last known abode of Lady Isobel Devlin. Intrigued, Nicole begins to research Lady Isobel’s disappearance as the subject for a new book.

For Inspector Sebastian Bell and nurse Gemma Tate, a night at the theater becomes a deadly spectacle when the two lead actors are found dead on the stage, murdered before a stunned audience. Drawn into a shadowy backstage world, they encounter a cast of suspects, each with desperate secrets to hide…Sebastian is determined to get justice, and to keep Gemma safe from the dangerous killer circling the cobbled streets of Covent Garden. But she is already too deeply involved, and, in a world where everyone wears a mask, could she have trusted the wrong person…?

2014. When skeletal remains are discovered in a bathtub concealed in a secret chamber in a London mansion, Quinn’s only clue is a Fabergé necklace that may have belonged to the victim. She delves into the life of Valentina, a young Russian refugee who came to live in the house after the Russian Revolution. 1917. Wealthy, beautiful, and titled, Valentina has enjoyed a gilded existence, but the winds of change thrust her into the role of head of the family. Valentina quickly learns that not everyone can be trusted, and sometimes true love can be found in the most unexpected places.

It’s 1624, and the Whitfields finally arrive in England. Eager to spend time with Louisa and Kit, their visit is not the happy reunion they’d hoped for. In the meantime, in 1777, Abbie and Finn go behind enemy lines to spy for the revolution, putting themselves in grave danger. The slightest mistake can mean the difference between life and death, tearing them apart forever. Unexpected revelations, long-buried secrets, and unforeseen reunions threaten to destroy everything the Whitfields and Sheridans hold dear, throwing their lives into turmoil once again.