Lesley Pearse

London 1910 Fifteen year-old Belle has lived in a brothel in Seven Dials all her life, with no understanding of what happens in the rooms upstairs. But her innocence is shattered when she witnesses the murder of one of the girls and, subsequently snatched from the streets by the killer, she is sold into prostitution in Paris. No longer mistress of her own fate, Belle is blown across the globe to sensuous New Orleans where she comes of age and learns to enjoy life as a courtesan. Yet thoughts of home ? and the knowledge her status as golden girl cannot last ? compel her to break out of her gilded cage. But Belle finds escaping tougher than she imagined, for her life is threatened by desperate men who crave her beauty and attention. Armed only with resourcefulness and spirit, she has a long and dangerous journey ahead of her. Will courage be enough to sustain her? Can she make it back to her family and friends and find her chance at true happiness? Number One bestseller Lesley Pearse has created in Belle a heroine for our times: a strong woman who stands up for right in a world turned bad.

Brothel

Nunca Me Esqueças

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND WOMAN & HOME BEST BOOKS OF SUMMER Betty is running for her life. When Betty's husband returns from the war broken and haunted, she knows her marriage is doomed. So she escapes. On the run and armed with a new identity, Betty becomes penniless and alone, quickly realising that starting again is much harder than she thought. And she never imagined it could end in murder . . . But sometimes you have to keep running if you want to survive. Praise for Lesley Pearse: 'Storytelling at its very best' Daily Mail 'Evocative, compelling, told from the heart' Sunday Express 'Glorious, heart-warming' Woman & Home

You'll Never See Me Again

A compelling new story from international number one bestselling author Lesley Pearse Spring 1935. Two girls meet by chance on Hampstead Heath. To an outsider, they could not appear more different. Verity is well-mannered and smartly dressed, living with her parents in a beautiful house close to the heath. Ruby is dishevelled and grubby, used to a life of squalor where she is forced to steal to survive. Yet there's an instant affinity between them, and when their fortunes are shockingly reversed, it is the strength of their friendship that keeps them resilient to the challenges and hardships they face. As Britain prepares for war, Ruby finds herself in Devon with the world at her feet and enjoying her first taste of romance. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, Verity is forced to leave behind everything she has ever known and a shadow from the past threatens her chances of a new beginning. But through it all, the girls are always there for each other. Until the day Verity does the one thing that will break Ruby's heart. In a country torn apart by fighting, will Verity and Ruby survive long enough to find a way back to each other? Or do some betrayals go with you to the grave . . .? Praise for Lesley Pearse 'Epic romantic drama set in post-war London' Heat Magazine 'A heart-warming and evocative tale that is a real delight to read' Sun 'A narrative that gallops along, this is quintessential Pearse that will delight her army of readers' Daily Mail 'Must have' Sunday Express 'Yet another great Lesley Pearse novel' Woman Magazine 'Evocative, compelling, told from the heart' Sunday Express 'Utterly riveting, brilliant' Closer 'Full of love, passion and heartbreak' Best 'Glorious, heartwarming' Woman & Home 'This gripping tale of war and friendship is perfect for a long day of beach reading.' Marie Claire

Dead to Me

Londres, 1910. Belle tem quinze anos e uma vida protegida. Graças aos cuidados da ama, ela nunca se apercebeu de que a casa onde vive é um bordel, regido com mão de ferro pela sua mãe. Porém, a verdade encontra sempre maneira de se revelar... Para Belle, será no trágico dia em que assiste ao assassinato de uma das raparigas da casa. Ingénua e indefesa, ela fica à mercê do criminoso, que a rapta e leva para Paris, onde se inicia como cortesã. Afastada do único lar que conheceu, a jovem refugia-se nas memórias de infância e acalenta o sonho de voltar aos braços do seu primeiro amor, Jimmy. Mas Belle já não é senhora do seu destino. Prisioneira da sua própria beleza, é alvo do desejo dos homens e da inveja das mulheres. Longe vão os anos da inocência e, quando é levada para a exótica e decadente cidade de Nova Orleães, ela acaba por apreciar o estilo de vida que o Novo Mundo tem para lhe oferecer. Mas o luxo e a voluptuosidade que a rodeiam não mitigam as saudades que sente de casa, e Belle está decidida a tomar as rédeas da sua vida. Um sonho que pode ser-lhe fatal pois há quem esteja disposto a tudo para não a perder. No seu caminho, como barreiras fatais, erguem-se um continente selvagem e um oceano impiedoso. Conseguirá o poder da memória dar-lhe forças para sobreviver a uma viagem impossível?

Sonhos Proibidos

From the slums of Victorian London to a New World ... Matilda Jennings was a poor flower girl in Covent Garden until the day she saved the life of a minister's daughter called Tabitha. Drawn into the bosom of little Tabitha's family, she little realises it will soon mean uprooting her own life. For Matilda leaves Victorian London's slums and heads first for the darkest corners of New York, then beyond into the plains of the Wild West and San Francisco's gold rush. With only her beauty, intelligence and the strong will she forged on London's streets to guide her, Matilda must create a new life for herself and Tabitha. Between the sweat and tears, heartbreak and passion, she encounters Captain James Russell, a man in whom she might find true love. A love that must withstand separation, war and the birth pangs of a new nation. But through it all, Matilda knows she must never look back . . .

Never Look Back

When Fifi moves to London with her bricklayer boyfriend Dan, her mother is outraged. Despite initial feelings of horror at her new surroundings, Fifi finds the freedom from her middle-class family background exhilarating. Insatiably inquisitive, Fifi is fascinated by her new neighbours and wants to know what goes on behind all those shabby front doors. Why is Yvette, the French dressmaker, such a hermit? Why doesn’t widower Frank join his daughter and grandchildren in Australia? And why doesn’t the formidable and well-bred Miss Diamond move somewhere smarter? But most of all she is ghoulishly fascinated by the Muckles who live opposite in terrible squalor. She listens to their violent quarrels, watches their ill-treated and wretchedly unhappy children, and is appalled by all she sees. When Fifi tries to help the Muckles’ youngest child, who has been physically abused by her father, Fifi unwittingly unleashes a chain of events which will not only bring heart ache to her and Dan, but terrible danger to all the inhabitants of Dale Street...

A Lesser Evil

London, 1914. Belle Reilly finally has the life she's dreamed of thanks to a devoted husband in Jimmy and the hat shop she's wanted to own since she was a child. But as the storm clouds of World War One begin to gather, Belle's already turbulent life is to change in ways she never imagined possible. When Jimmy enlists in the army and leaves for the battlefields of Ypres, her world is shattered and she realises she can no longer stand by and watch, she must volunteer to help the wounded. But her work as a Red Cross ambulance driver in France throws her into the path of Etienne, the enigmatic man who played a significant role in her childhood, and Belle finds herself torn agonisingly between forbidden passion and loyalty to a good man. But the past returns to haunt her present in other - more unpleasant - ways and Belle's character is put to the test like never before. Can she survive this most brutal of wars with her spirit intact? And will destiny finally lead her to lasting happiness even while war rages all around?

The Promise

De amor e sangue

The enthralling new novel from the 10 MILLION COPY & NUMBER ONE bestselling author. Is there a murderer across the street? It's 1964 and twenty-three-year-old Katy Speed is fascinated by Gloria and the goings-on at the house over the road. Who are the mysterious women that arrive in a black car most Saturdays? Then one night, Gloria's house burns to the ground. Bodies are found in the wreckage. And Katy's horror turns to disbelief when her own father is arrested and charged with murder. Determined to prove his innocence, Katy sets out to uncover the truth about the mysterious house across the street and find the real murderer. But that means risking her own life . . . _________ * * * * * - Heat 'Heart-warming and evocative, a real delight to read' Sun 'A narrative that gallops along, this is quintessential Pearse that will delight her army of readers' Daily Mail 'Glorious, heartwarming' Woman & Home 'Evocative, compelling, told from the heart' Sunday Express 'Gripping' Hello

The House Across the Street

Beth Powell and Susan Wright were best friends - both from troubled families, their only happy times were the summers they spent together as children. Until fate intervened and separated them. It's twenty-nine years later when they meet again. Susan is a down-and-out who has shot two people in cold blood. Beth is the lawyer allocated to defend her. Yet their friendship still endures, even as the evidence against her mounts up - a friendship that must be stronger than the traumas of their past. Because for one of them, there can be no happy ending . . .

Till We Meet Again

Procuro-te

From a much-loved author, a gripping story about two children sent to an Australian orphanage in the fifties. All her life, people have told little Dulcie Taylor they'll look after her and her sister May. And every time, her trust has been betrayed. Yet when they are given a new start in a young and exciting country, she really believes it will be a fresh chance for them both. But the new life the sisters hoped for turns out to be a vicious illusion. Then Dulcie meets Ross, another orphanage survivor, and finds a kindred spirit - but the pain of the past is always there, and for Dulcie and May it will be a hard struggle to learn to trust again. Unloved, unwanted, does Dulcie have enough strength and spirit to fight for the happiness she deserves, and protect her younger sister?

Trust Me

A promessa

Hope is the next historical novel from the acclaimed Lesley Pearse. Her existence would be the ruin of her mother . . . Baby Hope, the unfortunate proof of Lady Harvey's adultery, is smuggled out of a privileged aristocratic household to a nearby village. There, her true identity a secret, she grows up in the arms of the poor, but loving, Renton family. But the day comes when Hope must pay her way. What could be more natural than being taken into service by the Harveys? However when she sees something she should not, she is threatened and blackmailed into leaving her beloved Rentons forever. Destitute on the streets of an unfriendly city, Hope's courage and kindness are recognized by a doctor. A talent for healing sees her taken on as nurse and destined for the horrific battlefields of the Crimea. But will Hope ever come home and uncover the true story of her birth? Hope by Lesley Pearse - author of bestsellers Gypsy and Remember Me - is a historical novel of past scandal and its consequences in a compelling nineteenth century setting. Fans of Susan Lewis will love the twists and turns of Lesley Pearse's work. Praise for Lesley Pearse: 'With characters it is impossible not to care about ... this is storytelling at its very best' Daily Mail 'Lose yourself in this epic saga' Bella 'An emotional and moving epic you won't forget in a hurry' Woman's Weekly With her gripping and moving storylines best-selling author Lesley Pearse has captured the imaginations of millions in the UK and abroad. Her other titles The Promise, A Lesser Evil, Till We Meet Again, Secrets, Charlie, Father Unknown, Gypsy, Trust Me, Faith, Never Look Back, Remember Me and Hope are also available as Penguin paperbacks. Lesley lives near Bristol and has three daughters and two grandchildren. Find Lesley on Twitter @LesleyPearse or find out more on her website, www.lesleypearse.co.uk.

Hope

1995, Scotland. The prison of Cornton Vale. Laura Brannigan is in jail for murder. For two years she's been battling for justic - insisting that she didn't kill her best friend, Jackie. Yet with her spirits at their lowest ebb, she receives a letter that takes her back to a different time and memory of an old love ... Twenty years ago was a heady time for Laura: she'd escaped an abusive home and together with new best friend Jackie she'd made a fresh start. The pair had sworn to be sisters for ever. And Stuart had come into their lives - giving Laura a brilliant summer of love. So what went wrong in the intervening years? And why is Stuart writing to Laura now? Does he have faith in her innocence? And can he help free Laura from prison - and her past?

Faith

One woman's hidden past will be exposed in the intense and gripping story from the international bestseller Lesley Pearse Eva thought she knew her mother, until her sudden death changed everything. When Eva Patterson makes the devastating discovery of her mother, Flora, dead in the bath, she finds a note: 'Forgive Me'. And then everything changes. For when Flora leaves Eva a London artist's studio in her will, she finds her mother had a secret past. In the studio's attic are Flora's paintings and diaries, and Eva learns her mother was a popular artist in the swinging sixties. But when Eva's hunt for answers uncovers clues to a shocking crime, she soon learns why Flora chose to hide her past. Will discovering the truth destroy Eva's belief in everything she holds dear? And will this journey lead her and those she loves into danger? ___________ 'Engrossing and emotional, it's another winner from Lesley Pearse' Woman's Own 'I absolutely loved this book. The characters are likeable and the writing is always brilliant' Sun 'Intriguing, heart-tugging, beautifully written' Closer

Forgive Me

PRE-ORDER THE ENTHRALLING NEW STORY OF MURDER AND LIES FROM THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN Amelia White dreamed of being a reporter, but the closest she'd come was selling advertising in the local paper. Until the fateful day she stumbles on a truly shocking scoop. A murder victim, round the corner from her home. When the police and reporters descend, Amelia is horrified at the assumptions made and lies soon to be spread about this poor young woman. Convincing her local paper to let her take up the story herself, Amelia is determined to protect the victim from these smears. But when another body is found, the police investigation stalls. Now, Amelia's own unfolding investigation may be the only one with any chance of learning the truth, and stopping more killings. If only she can work out who the liar is . . . Praise for Lesley Pearse 'Storytelling at its very best' Daily Mail 'Evocative, compelling, told from the heart' Sunday Express 'Glorious, heartwarming' Woman & Home 'Intriguing, heart-tugging, beautifully written' Closer

Liar

International number one bestselling author Lesley Pearse brings a compelling story of courage, friendship and love in her brand new novel Without a Trace. Coronation Day, 1953. In the Somerset village of Sawbridge, young shopkeeper Molly Heywood slips away from the celebrations to her friend's cottage and makes a shocking discovery: Cassie is dead and her six-year-old daughter Petal has vanished without a trace. In her grief, Molly seeks help from her childhood friend George, now the village policeman, but no one can find Petal. The only clue is a letter from London, where Cassie once lived. Despite George's reluctance and her growing feelings for him, Molly resolves to go to London in the hope of discovering the missing child. Arriving in the big city, Molly quickly learns it's a dangerous place for a country girl on her own. But there's hope too - in the Blitz-ruined East End, she unexpectedly finds friendship with strangers from Cassie's past and, with handsome, mysterious workman Charley, the possibility of something more. However, the closer Molly gets to the truth, the more perilous her journey becomes. She has given up everything - her home, happiness and a chance at love - all to find Petal. But is she also risking her life? From the number one UK bestselling author Lesley Pearse comes Without a Trace, a gripping story of bravery, secrets and love. Praise for Without a Trace 'Epic romantic drama set in post-war London' Heat Magazine 'A heart-warming and evocative tale that is a real delight to read' Sun 'A narrative that gallops along, this is quintessential Pearse that will delight her army of readers' Daily Mail 'Must have' Sunday Express 'Yet another great Lesley Pearse novel' Woman Magazine Praise for Lesley Pearse 'Evocative, compelling, told from the heart' Sunday Express 'Utterly riveting, brilliant' Closer 'Full of love, passion and heartbreak' Best 'Glorious, heartwarming' Woman & Home

Lesley Pearse

About

Books

Join the club