Rachel Rhys

Get swept away to the enchanting South of France with this “exquisite and shimmering” (Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone) suspenseful historical novel, where perilous secrets lurk under the glitz and glam of seaside wealth. She didn’t have an enemy in the world…until she inherited a fortune. London 1948: Eve Forrester is stuck in a loveless marriage, isolated in her gray and gloomy house when out of the blue, she receives a letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mysterious inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera. There, Eve discovers she has been bequeathed an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. But while she rubs shoulders with the rich and famous, challengers to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge—challengers who would love to see Eve gone forever. Alone in paradise, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest—before her unexpected twist of fate turns deadly… With Rachel Rhys’s “thrilling, seductive, and utterly absorbing” (Paula Hawkins, #1 bestselling author of The Girl on the Train) prose, Fatal Inheritance is an intoxicating story of dysfunctional families and long-hidden secrets, set against the decadence of the Côte d’Azur.

A Novel

Fatal Inheritance

'An exquisite story of love, murder, adventure and dark secrets, Rachel Rhys brings this dangerous crossing brilliantly and beautifully alive' LISA JEWELL 'Thrilling, seductive, utterly absorbing' PAULA HAWKINS England, September 1939 Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, poisonous secrets begin to surface. Suddenly Lily finds herself trapped with nowhere to go ... Australia, six weeks later The world is at war, the cruise liner docks, and a beautiful young woman is escorted onto dry land in handcuffs. What has she done? 'Thrilling, captivating. Simply stunning' Daily Express 'It is written so beautifully it seems to glide by way too quickly, transporting you on a journey you won't want to end' Sunday Mirror 'Rhys creates such a powerful sense of foreboding that you may well gulp down the entire book in a single day' The Irish Times

A Dangerous Crossing

In this “thrilling, seductive, and utterly absorbing” (Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author) historical suspense novel in the tradition of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile and Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10, pre-war tension and forbidden romance abound, and not everyone will survive the journey… The ship has been like a world within itself, a vast floating city outside of normal rules. But the longer the journey continues, the more confined it is starting to feel, deck upon deck, passenger upon passenger, all of them churning around each other without anywhere to go... 1939: Europe is on the brink of war when young Lily Shepherd boards an ocean liner in Essex, bound for Australia. She is ready to start anew, leaving behind the shadows in her past. The passage proves magical, complete with live music, cocktails, and fancy dress balls. With stops at exotic locations along the way—Naples, Cairo, Ceylon—the voyage shows Lily places she’d only ever dreamed of and enables her to make friends with those above her social station, people who would ordinarily never give her the time of day. She even allows herself to hope that a man she couldn’t possibly have a future with outside the cocoon of the ship might return her feelings. But Lily soon realizes that she’s not the only one hiding secrets. Her newfound friends—the toxic wealthy couple Eliza and Max; Cambridge graduate Edward; Jewish refugee Maria; fascist George—are also running away from their pasts. As the glamour of the voyage fades, the stage is set for something sinister to occur. By the time the ship docks, two passengers are dead, war has been declared, and Lily’s life will be changed irrevocably.

Dangerous Crossing

Island of Secrets

*NOW A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK 2017* 'The pages turn themselves!' Shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown 2017 A stunning, atmospheric novel in the great tradition of Death on the Nile and Patricia Highsmith, which tells of a young girl's terrifying journey trapped on a cruise liner to Australia at the brink of the Second World War. 'Thrilling, captivating. Simply stunning' Daily Express 5 ***** 'An exquisite tale of love, murder and dark secrets' LISA JEWELL 'Intoxicating. I loved this book!' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'An utter treat . . . a glorious mix of proper old-school glamour and a labyrinthine plot full of class war, politics and sexual tension . . . A masterful storyteller.' VERONICA HENRY ***************************** England, September 1939 Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, poisonous secrets begin to surface. Suddenly Lily finds herself trapped with nowhere to go ... Australia, six-weeks later The world is at war, the cruise liner docks, and a beautiful young woman is escorted onto dry land in handcuffs. What has she done? *************************************** Candis magazine BOOK OF THE MONTH Red Magazine PICK OF THE MONTH: 'Think Patricia Highsmith on the seas' Prime Magazine pick of SIX INTRIGUING READS 'Bag a copy of this Daphne du Maurier-style debut!' Press Association 'Thrilling, seductive, utterly absorbing.' PAULA HAWKINS, author of The Girl on The Train 'A gorgeously atmospheric read, prepare to be transported . . .' RUTH WARE, author of The Woman in Cabin 10 'Completely compelling and atmospheric. I absolutely loved it' JANE FALLON, Author of MY SWEET REVENGE 'What a world of glamour, uncertainty and intrigue! . . . It is a gem of a book' COLETTE MCBETH, author of The Life I Left Behind

'Intoxicating. I loved this book!' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'An exquisite tale of love and dark secrets' LISA JEWELL 'A gorgeously atmospheric read, prepare to be transported ...' RUTH WARE A TALE OF GLAMOUR, INTRIGUE AND DESIRE ABOUT A YOUNG WOMAN'S ASTONISHING JOURNEY TO A NEW LIFE IN AUSTRALIA AT THE BRINK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR ********** England, September 1939 Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, long-hidden secrets begin to surface. Her heart beats faster for the attention of handsome Edward, but is his heart already taken? Australia, six-weeks later The world is at war, the cruise liner docks, and Lily's desire for Edward is untameable. But something else is awry on this ship and Lily is determined to find out .... ********** Readers are falling in love with DANGEROUS CROSSING: ***** 'Full of luxurious and decadent detail, bringing the five-week sea voyage from England to Australia bursting to life' *****'I enjoyed every single page. Rich, evocative and intriguing from start to finish' *****'Delicious, dark and completely compelling' Also try Rachel Rhys' brand new gripping and immersive read, ISLAND OF SECRETS

The captivating Richard & Judy Book Club page-turner

Roman

˜Dasœ Versprechen der Freiheit

Auf dem Weg in die Freiheit begegnet eine junge Frau ihrem Schicksal ... Europa steht kurz vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, als das junge Dienstmädchen Lily Shepherd in Essex an Bord eines Überseedampfers mit Ziel Australien geht. Sie will die dunklen Schatten ihrer Vergangenheit hinter sich lassen. Die Überfahrt beginnt traumhaft – Musik, glamouröse Tanzabende, exotische Landgänge. Lily schließt neue Freundschaften und erlaubt sich sogar, von einem Mann zu träumen, der in ihrem alten Leben unerreichbar gewesen wäre. Doch schon bald verblasst der Glanz der großen Reise, denn Lily ist nicht die einzige an Bord, die Geheimnisse hat ...

Das Versprechen der Freiheit

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CAPITAL CRIME AWARDS MYSTERY BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Transports us to another time and place. I loved it' PRIMA MAGAZINE 'Iris is a heroine you'll absolutely root for in this escapist tale of murder, intrigue and romance' RED MAGAZINE Thrown into a world built on beauty and lies, will she find the truth? London 1957: Iris Bailey is bored to death of working in the typing pool and living with her parents in Hemel Hempstead. A gifted portraitist with a talent for sketching party guests, she dreams of becoming an artist. So she can't believe her luck when socialite Nell Hardman invites her to Havana to draw at the wedding of her Hollywood director father. Far from home, she quickly realizes the cocktails, tropical scents and azure skies mask a darker reality. As Cuba teeters on the edge of revolution and Iris's heart melts for troubled photographer Joe, she discovers someone in the charismatic Hardman family is hiding a terrible secret. Can she uncover the ugly truth behind the glamour and the dazzle before all their lives are torn apart? ______________________________ OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR RACHEL RHYS: 'Intoxicating' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'Tantalising' DINAH JEFFRIES 'Heart-pounding' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'Transporting' SUNDAY TIMES 'A fabulous summer read' DAILY EXPRESS READERS ADORE RACHEL RHYS: 'I absolutely adore Rachel Rhys' books, historical mystery with so much added glitz and glamour' 'Unputdownable. Wonderful characterization and very well reseasrched' 'A captivating and fascinating read' 'Recommended for anyone who loves historical fiction with a bit of mystery and a dash of romance' 'Oh my goodness, I absolutely adored this book!'

Rachel Rhys

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