Rebel heiress (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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I started reading books by Jane Aiken Hodge when I was a teenager, and over the decades have collected several of them. I decided it was time for a re-read, and have just finished her historical romance novel, ‘Rebel Heiress’. I last read it in 2006, and had totally forgotten the characters and the story.

The first person we meet is Henrietta Marchmont, and we’re told that the year is 1812. She’s been living in the United States, where her mother was born. She lived with her aunt, whom she never much liked, as her mother died in childbirth. But the aunt has now died. Henrietta had always been told that her father, who was British, had gone back to the UK before she was born, and had never been heard from. 

Her aunt’s home has been left to the church, but she has discovered some papers and letters showing that her father did try to get in touch, but that her aunt suppressed the letters. And then he was told that both she and her mother died, so he made no more attempt to be in contact. Henrietta decides that her only option is to find a ship that will take her to England, so she can hope to find refuge with her father. 

Watch the wall, my darling (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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I discovered some of Jane Aiken Hodge’s novels when I was a teenager, and on the whole liked them very much. One of my favourites was ‘Watch the wall, my darling’, quoting the famous line which ends… ‘while the smugglers go by’. I last read it in 2008, so had forgotten all the people and the storyline, although I realised that smuggling must somehow play a part.

This novel is set in Sussex, by the coast, during the Napoleonic war period. The heroine is a strong-minded, feisty American girl called Christina, who is in her early twenties. We meet her travelling across the marshes in a hired coach, with a very nervous driver and groom who have been paid well to take her to her destination. She’s been warned by a landlord that she should not travel, and it’s so dark and gloomy - and the journey is taking so long - that she begins to think that she should have take his advice.

The coach has to halt due to branches across the road, and when the three travellers start to pull them aside, they are attacked by masked men. When she says who she is, they are allowed to travel again, with dire threats if they tell anyone what happened. And, at last, Christina arrives at the mansion where, she hopes her grandfather is expecting her. She has never met him, but had promised her late father that she would try to get to know her English family. 

The adventurers (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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It’s a long time since I last read my collection of books by Jane Aiken Hodge. That’s a good thing, as it means I’ve forgotten almost everything about them. Having said that, it’s over twenty years since I last read ‘The adventurers’, but I did recall, vaguely, a horrific massacre at the start. 

The book is set in 1912, during Napoleon’s retreat from Russia. It’s not a period of history that I’m very familiar with, and anything related to war and armies tends to go slightly over my head. So it’s a testament to the author’s writing and characterisation that I read and - on the whole - liked this book despite so much war talk.

Sonia is the main protagonist. She’s a feisty young woman, just about finished with her schooling, and very fond of her governess Miss Elizabeth Barrymore. We meet her as Elizabeth - or ‘Barry’, as Sonia calls her - is trying to find her. Sonia is hiding in a barn, and hears her governess talking to her father. She is still grieving for her only brother, who was coerced into signing up for Napoleon's army a year earlier, and was killed.

There’s sudden pounding at the door, with angry, wounded French soldiers bursting in… and the massacre that I remembered begins. Thankfully there’s no gratuitous detail, and Sonia manages to keep her presence a secret since she knows there is nothing she can do. Hot on the heels of the French come an army of Cossacks, who proceed to destroy whatever is left. 

Maulever Hall (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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I decided it was time to re-read my books by Jane Aiken Hodge. I first read some of her historical novels as a teenager, and have gradually acquired others, over the decades. Sadly most of her books are now long out of print, but some of them are lurking in charity shops, and can sometimes be found second-hand online.

It’s over twenty years since I read ‘Maulever Hall’, and I had entirely forgotten everything about it. It’s set in the early 1830s; part of the focus of one of the characters is the ‘reform bill’ which was eventually pushed through parliament in the UK in 1832. I knew little about this, a bill which was designed to allow more people to vote (still only men, though) and to allow fairer rules for farmers and small property owners.

This is just one thread to the story, but it’s mentioned on the first page (since there’s a danger of riots) and is relevant throughout. 

The main character is a young woman called Marianne. We meet her just after the coach she’s travelling on has had an accident. She’s had a nasty bump on her head, and is just regaining consciousness. The other travellers are friendly, but she finds that she has lost her memory. She’s accompanied by a small boy called Thomas, but is pretty sure he’s not her son. And she has a feeling of terror that she can’t shake off.

They’re put down at a place called Pennington Cross, which isn’t a regular stopping place, but apparently Marianne persuaded the driver to make an exception. She assumes someone will be meeting her, that she will be recognised. But there’s nobody there. And when she hears rapid hoofbeats approaching, her instinct is to hide, though she doesn’t know why.

Jane Aiken Hodge had quite a skill at characterisation, and at setting scenes with just the right amount of description to evoke emotion, without too much detail.  Marianne and Thomas are cold, wet and very tired when they finally come across a village, and I was empathising with her already. Villagers are unwilling to take any notice of such a bedraggled pair, and the vicar, her last hope, is rude and unwelcoming. Thankfully an elderly woman, visiting the vicar, takes pity on them and offers refuge in Maulever Hall. 

I thought the writing extremely good, with a pace that made it difficult, at times, to put the book down. I wondered at first if Marianne was just pretending to have lost her memory, but it’s quickly clear that she really has forgotten almost everything prior to the coach accident. She’s aware of well-known individuals, and has some idea of her skills; she’s fluent in French as well as English, and is quite capable at looking after household chores. She also, quite quickly, becomes a friend to the elderly Mrs Mauleverer, although Mrs Maulever’s maid Martha takes an unexpected dislike to Marianne, while delighting in looking after young Thomas. And Thomas is quite a handful…

The story has lots of twists and turns; Marianne meets and is oddly attracted to Mrs Mauleverer’s son Mark. He seems to be infatuated with the beautiful and widowed Lady Heverdon. Marianne makes herself useful in the house, and also in the village where she gets to know people and does what she can to meet their needs. The progress - or otherwise - of the Reform Bill goes alongside this; Mark Mauleverer is very keen on politics and spends a lot of time working with his part leader, trying to promote the bill. 

The research seems to be impeccable; the language, descriptions and activities seem to be entirely authentic for the era, at least as far as I can tell. There’s some tension, and several times I wanted to tell Marianne she was doing the wrong thing - evidence that she, at least, had got right under my skin. I very much liked most of the main characters, particularly the mysterious Mrs Bundy whom Marianne meets when out riding. 

There’s a romance, of course; it’s central to the people concerned, but a relatively small part of the story. Unsurprisingly, it’s cut short by an unexpected revelation, only for misunderstandings and hurts to be sorted out right at the end. The book reminded me, more than once, of Georgette Heyer’s writing, although this has a tad more substance than many of Heyer’s books. There’s less humour, however. 

I would definitely recommend this if you like authentic historical fiction set mainly in the upper classes with a low-key romantic thread.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's Book Reviews

The Private World of Georgette Heyer (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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My all-time favourite writer of historical fiction is Georgette Heyer. My second is probably Jane Aiken Hodge. So when I discovered that the latter had written a biography of the former, I had to get hold of it.

Having done so, it took me a couple of years actually to start reading 'The Private World of Georgette Heyer', and a couple of months to finish it. I picked it up at random times, and read a chapter or two, but it wasn't so gripping that I had to keep reading.

Georgette Heyer was evidently a very private person with a real dislike of publicity. However she had a great sense of humour and irony, and much of her correspondence with her publishers and others has been preserved. Little is known of her family life, either as a child or an adult, other than the little that has been revealed by those who knew her well. Nonetheless, Jane Aiken Hodge has written a sensitive and fascinating account of her fellow historical novelist.

While the details of Heyer's home life are inevitably scanty, there is much of interest surrounding the writing of the books, the development of characters, the classification Heyer herself made of her heroes, and the progression of her skill as an author.

Re-reading Georgette Heyer's novels, as I do regularly, I shall no doubt dip into this book again to gain more insights into their backgrounds and to remind myself how she felt about the various characters.

Recommended to anyone who has enjoyed Heyer's work.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 15th July 2010

Shadow of a Lady (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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On the whole, I enjoy novels by the late Jane Aiken Hodge. I've collected quite a few over the years, mostly from second-hand or charity shops, since the majority are now out of print.

It's many years since I read 'Shadow of a Lady'. While I had vague recollections of the first chapter, I'd quite forgotten the rest. It's a historical novel, set in the time of the Napoleonic wars. Helen Telfair is the fictional heroine, who appears in a cameo aged eight as the book opens. However the majority of the book takes place when she is a young and independent-minded adult.

Although Helen is fictional, she is surrounded by a cast of characters from history including the flamboyant Emma Hart.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes their historical fiction to be primarily history. The writing is very good, as I've come to expect with Jane Aiken Hodge, but for my tastes I found the story too full of ships and battles and intrigue. In places it's rather sordid (though no doubt realistic). Indeed, the main focus of the story - Helen's marriage of convenience - relies on some extreme unpleasantness.

My tastes run towards more fiction and less history, so I found it a bit tedious in places. Still, I was interested enough to read to the end, and found the conclusion reasonably satisfying, albeit too fast and rather too tidy.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 29th July 2009

Watch the wall, my darling (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

I do like Jane Aiken Hodge's novels, both her historical ones and her more contemporary novels set in the mid-20th century. Unfortunately most of her work is out of print these days, although her novels can sometimes be found second-hand.

I bought 'Watch the wall, my darling' nearly thirty years ago, for a few pence from a church fete. I read it then, and again in 1986. But for some reason I didn't pick it up again until recently.

I had entirely forgotten what it was about, other than that it was something to do with smuggling. But that was because of the title, half of the line, 'Watch the wall, my darling, while the gentlemen go by' - a phrase apparently used to encourage people to turn a blind eye to the rampant smuggling that went on in previous centuries.

This story is about Christina Tretton, a courageous and intelligent young woman who was brought up in the USA. After the death of her father, she returns to her family home in Sussex, during the time of the Napoleonic wars.

Christina is caught up immediately in intrigue and danger, involving smuggling and more; she finds herself attracted to her cousin Ross, yet not sure how far she can trust him. She also has to deal with a crusty old grandfather, her rather foppish cousin Richard, and Ross's fussy and not very bright mother.

It was an exciting story, with believable people whom I quickly cared about. Great for general social history too, and understanding a little more about this period in history, although the fictional subplots are the most significant in the book.

Recommended to anyone who likes light historical novels, if you can find it second-hand or in your library.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 18th December 2008

Wide is the water (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

I like Jane Aiken Hodge's writing. She tends to write low-key thrillers with a romantic element, some of them set in exciting historical periods, others contemporary at the time of writing, although now thirty or forty years out of date. On the whole I prefer her more modern fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed 'Savannah Purchase', which is set in the 18th century, during the era of Napoleon.

So I was pleased to find 'Wide is the water' a while ago in a charity shop, which - according to the blurb at the front - is about the same family (the Purchis and Purchas people in the USA and UK). Apparently there are two other books in this series too. This one is set during the American War of Independence.

It's the story of Hart (an American) and Mercy (an English woman), newly married on board a ship, and now separated for a while as Hart goes back to his ship. I don't know if their story was told in one of the previous books; there are a lot of references made to Mercy as a British spy, and the hastiness and dubious legality of their wedding, as well as the sailors calling her a 'Jonah'.

When this book opens Mercy has been left behind, and is about to go and stay with one of Hart's cousins while she waits for him to return. The story then alternates between the two of them, both having exciting adventures and temptations before they eventually meet again. Mercy finds that she must look after a naive young woman who has screaming fits, and Hart's ship is captured by the British, where he meets a relative of his.

The characters are well drawn, and the plot moves forward rapidly; however I found the book a bit over-political for my tastes. There wasn't so much intrigue and political talk that I skimmed, but sufficient to make me wish for more human interaction, and less historical detail. Still, it gave me an insight into life during this period, and once I'd got into it, I mostly enjoyed it.

None of the characters from 'Savannah Purchase' appeared, as far as I can remember; it certainly isn't necessary to have read it or any other book prior to this one.

Recommended in a low-key sort of way if you like realistic historical fiction with well-rounded characters. Not always in print, but the book can often be found second-hand.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 4th September 2008.

Strangers in company (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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I first came across Jane Aiken Hodge as a writer of historical novels. I then learned that she has also written a number of contemporary light romantic thrillers - or, at least, they were contemporary in the 1960s and 1970s. I'm not a fan of thrillers in general, but when the ending is guaranteed to be satisfactory, and the suspense isn't too great, I find them an interesting diversion from time to time.

I have only once before read 'Strangers in company'- in 1999, so it was overdue for a re-read. I finished it in just a few hours; it's not a long book, and is fast-paced and quite exciting, so I picked it up several times rather than just leaving it for bedtime.

The heroine is Marian, in her mid-thirties, and trying to get over the shock of her eighteen-year-old twins leaving her to live with their father in the USA. She has been feeling a bit paranoid, but decides to take a job looking after a younger woman, Stella, on a coach tour to Greece. It seems to be the answer to all her worries - financial and otherwise - although there is some mystery surrounding Stella's background.

As the tour gets underway, some odd things happen, including some very serious accidents. People become suspicious, and nobody is at all sure whom they can trust. Marion becomes increasingly worried, both for her own sake and for Stella's, and at the same time tries to resist her increasing attraction to a friendly classics professor who is also on the tour.

I had completely forgotten the plot, and all its ramifications, so I was gripped right until the last chapters, wondering - like Marian - who her friends were, if anyone. The writing is tense and concise, and yet builds believable characters with ease.

A fair amount of Greek politics is included, as well as classical history, much of which passed me by; I'm no fan of political history. It didn't seem to matter too much, despite being of more significance to the main plot than I would have liked.

It seems a bit dated now, and I suppose in another twenty or thirty years will count as historical fiction - but I'm old enough to remember the 1970s, when this was written, and thought it realistic for the time.

Recommended if you like a not-too-suspenseful thriller with a very low-key romantic thread running through it.

Regularly in print in both the UK and USA, and it's the kind of book that often seems to turn up second-hand.

Greek Wedding (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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'Greek Wedding' by Jane Aiken Hodge is a historical novel set in the 19th century during the Greek wars for independence, a period I know little about. However that didn't affect my enjoyment of this novel, which combines exciting history with a low-key romance.

The novel opens on a ship moored in Constantinople. Brett Renshaw is in despair, considering killing himself, when his ship is hailed by two women dressed in Turkish costume. He has no desire to help them, but his crew are more generous, and he finds himself burdened with Phyllida and her aunt Cassandra, who have managed to escape.

There are chases, piracy, battles, kidnap, treachery... all the ingredients of a thriller, yet written from the point of view of the main characters, with a very human touch that kept me reading. The ending was slightly contrived, with various characters converging unexpectedly and coincidentally, but since I like stories to have satisfactory and tidy endings, I didn't really have a problem with this.

I did skim some of the battle scenes, although they were well-written without too much gore; but I'm not terribly interested in military history and quickly lost track of who was whom amongst the leaders mentioned by name, most of whom I assume were real people. But still I finished the book in just three days, finding it quite difficult to put down towards the end.

Recommended.

(Note - this book has NOTHING to do with the film 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' which was so popular a few years ago!)

Red sky at night (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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'Red sky at night' is an exciting historical novel by Jane Aiken Hodge. It's set in the time of Napoleon, and involves smugglers, Luddite rebellions, and - of course - low-key romance.

Kate and her mother are homeless after the death of Kate's father and brother, since their house is entailed to an unknown American cousin. So they go to work for someone else. But Kate has a secret life, and people aren't always who they seem...

Clever fast-paced plotting, and a very good ending, albeit somewhat predictable. Perhaps a little forced in places, and there are one or two sections which seemed slightly out of character. But overall I thought this a very enjoyable book.

Recommended.

Savannah Purchase (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

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'Savannah Purchase' is probably the first book I ever read by Jane Aiken Hodge. I enjoyed it as a teenager, I enjoyed it it ten years later... and I've just read it for the third time, twenty years on again. It was excellent, and I could hardly bear to put it down once I'd started. I had forgotten quite how good it is.

The story is set in the historical period when Napoleon was imprisoned on St Helena's, and is mostly set in the USA. The plot is unlikely, and potentially clichéd since it features two almost identical cousins (the daughters of identical twins) who switch places. A favourite device with many authors. Yet it works so well that I can't fault the novel.

For one thing, the cousins are very unlike in character. Josephine, the elder by three years, is impetuous, easily angered, rather selfish at times, and utterly devoted to the Napoleonic cause. She wants to use her fortune to buy a ship, and attempt to free the great emperor. But if she vanishes, her husband Hyde (in a marriage of convenience) would find her. So she persuades her much nicer - and poverty-stricken - cousin Juliet to take her place, just for a short period.

Juliet is very reluctant, but a good actress, and soon fits in her new role, aided only by Anne, the one servant who is in the secret. Her tastes are quite different from her cousin's despite such similar looks, but she adapts and all would be well, except that - of course! - she starts to fall in love with Hyde.

I had entirely forgotten almost all the details of the book, although about half-way through I had a vague memory of the event that would trigger the final conclusion. Knowing this rather added to my enjoyment rather than the reverse, as I was able to spot the clues sprinkled by the author which prepared the way for the revelation to come. Even if I had remembered everything in the book, I think I would have enjoyed it, so I hope I'll get around to re-reading it for the fourth time before another twenty years has gone by.

It's light historical fiction - a little more depth than Georgette Heyer's, perhaps, though without the irony and humour. Great characters, exciting sub-plots, and a satisfying ending.

Highly recommended, if you can find it. 'Savannah Purchase' is no longer in print, but is often available second-hand.

Rebel heiress (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

I always enjoy Jane Aiken Hodge's historical novels. As well-researched and readable as Georgette Heyer's, they usually include a bit of intrigue and more serious historical context. On the other hand, they don't have quite the brilliant characterisation or humour that makes Heyer my favourite historical author.

Still, 'Rebel heiress' is an enjoyable book. I had read it only four years previously but had forgotten the plot and outcome. In outline: Henrietta, an American girl, brought up by her strict aunt, learns something unexpected about her British father. She sets sail to visit him when her aunt dies. Her trip coincides with threats of war between the USA and UK, in the time of Napoleon.

Once in the UK, she makes friends, and also meets those who would take advantage of her. She falls in love - naturally - and receives several proposals of marriage. Her frank open manner offends some and charms others. Conversation is believable, situations perhaps a little fraught with coincidence, but still the story reads well.

I felt there were a few subplots that never really came to fruition, but they didn't spoil the book, just slightly surprised me. The ending was also perhaps a bit sudden with events coming to a head (mainly after explanations, rather than action). But, even so, I liked reading the book and hope to enjoy it again in another four or five years.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys light historical novels.

First Night (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

In general I very much like Jane Aiken Hodge's novels. They tend to be either modern or historical, with some excitement and suspense but no gore. There is usually an underlying romance too.

I was a bit disappointed by this one, however. It's set in Napoleon's time, with political intrigue threading through the plot. But much of the conversation seems too modern to be believable. Maybe I've been spoilt by Georgette Heyer's writiing, but I'm sure that Jane Aiken Hodge has written far more authentic historical novels. Perhaps this was one of her earlier ones.

Still, once I got used to the anachronistic style of speech, I thought it was an interesting book. It introduces the fictional European country of Lissenberg, which features in at least one of her other books. The main character, Lady Christabel, makes her debut as a singer. But she gets into trouble as a result and is taken to the UK where her father keeps her hidden. Eventually she escapes with an American sponsor, and they travel through Europe while wars abound.

There's quite a bit of excitement, and the plot itself is well-planned, if complex. Unfortunately I felt there were rather too many loose ends - such as suspicious people introduced, who are never really followed up. The characters, quite apart from not fitting into the historical context, are distinct but not really sympathetic. Then I felt that the ending was rather contrived and sudden.

But I kept reading. It wasn't a bad book, just disappointing when compared with others by this author.

Last Act (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

I'm not generally keen on thrillers, but I do enjoy Jane Aiken Hodge's genre. They tend to be light thrillers - often in a historical setting - with an underlying romance. Her writing style is crisp, her suspense is just scary enough to keep me reading, but not unpleasant enough to stop me sleeping at night!

'Last Act' is set in the 1960s. It features Anne Paget, a singer who has just learned that she has an unspecified illness. Her doctor informs her that she has - at most - six months to live. The same day, she receives an invitation to be understudy in a newly-discovered opera in the small European town of Lissenburg.

With nothing to lose, Anne decides to take up the offer, and finds herself rapidly involved in intrigue, scandal, and extreme danger. Also, of course, she finds romance.

It was a pleasant light read. It's not my favourite novel by this author, and somehow I didn't find myself deeply involved with any of the characters although they were mostly believable enough. But it certainly kept me interested for a couple of days and I enjoyed reading it.

Recommended in a low-key way.

Maulever Hall (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

I'm not entirely sure what it is about Jane Aiken Hodge's books that appeal to me so much. They mostly seem to be thrillers, and that's not a genre I tend to like. 

However, they're also, usually, light romances and are always character-driven, so that helps. A few of them are historical, as well. Besides that, the suspense is never too scary, and the endings are usually happy. Unfortunately, they're mostly now out of print, though they can often be found second-hand.

I hadn't read - or heard of - Maulever Hall when I found it in a charity shop for a few pence. It's the story of Marianne, whom we meet travelling on a stagecoach with a small boy called Thomas. She has totally lost her memory after a crash. She is pretty sure that Thomas is not her son, and the passengers know where she is to be set down.

However, when they alight, nobody comes to meet them, and Marianne finds that she has no purse. So she and Thomas walk to the nearest village, and ask for help from the minister. He is about to throw her out as a vagabond when an elderly lady, who says she is the mistress of Maulever Hall, takes her in.

There is, as ever with this author, quite significant suspense in this fast-paced book. Marianne struggles to regain her memory, falls in love, distrusts one of the servants, and takes part in a dramatic and exciting climax before the final, and highly satisfactory, inevitable resolution.

Recommended.

The adventurers (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

I do enjoy the historical novels by Jane Aiken Hodge. Unfortunately most of them are now out of print, but occasionally I manage to find one at a charity or second-hand shop. Her writing is excellent, and her characters very well-drawn. 

Jane Aiken Hodge's novels tend to be harder-hitting than those of (say) Georgette Heyer, sometimes more like thrillers than romances. But the endings tend to be happy and believable, and they're not usually gory in any way.

'The adventurers', however, begins rather violently. The story opens with Sonia seeing her home destroyed and her family massacred by some of Napoleon's army. She manages to escape and rides away, only to meet a man called Charles Vincent. He is an adventurer, who finds that they share a considerable skill in playing cards.

Sonia, with her old governess, and Charles decide to travel together, hoping to get to the UK. It gradually becomes clear to the reader that Charles is also involved in political intrigue.

There is rather too much war-talk for my taste, but plenty of other excitement and subplots to balance this. The climax is very exciting and I was pleased that everything is resolved satisfactorily in the end.

Not my favourite novel by Jane Aiken Hodge, but still a good read.

Recommended if you like historical fiction.

Rebel heiress (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

I do like Jane Aiken Hodge's novels. They're not my absolute favourite, but I find them an interesting mix of historical, light romance, and low-key suspense. Her writing is very good, and although most of her books are now well out of print, they often seem to appear in second-hand shops.

'Rebel heiress' features Henrietta, a young woman in Boston who has lived with her grandmother for many years. When her grandmother dies, she discovers that her father (in England) did not have any idea that she was even alive.

So Henrietta sets sail for the UK, amidst threats of war, and is taken into her father's household. There she has to contend with his new wife, and her son Cedric. She also meets and is attracted to the very handsome Charles Rivers.

Soon embroiled in London life, Henrietta learns of family scandals, and eventually discovers who her true friends really are.

I found this fast-paced, exciting, and often moving. A well-written and enjoyable historical novel. Recommended.

Savannah Purchase (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

'Savannah Purchase' is an American historical novel by Jane Aiken Hodge. I've enjoyed books by this author since I was given one in my late teens by my aunt, and have collected several of them, mostly from church bookstalls or charity shops.  

This is the first one I ever read; I re-read it in my late twenties, and it's come with me to Cyprus, so it was evidently time for another re-read.

It's the exciting story of a young woman called Juliet who takes her cousin's place as wife to Hyde Purchiss when her cousin, Josephine, tries to rescue Napoleon. It's a daring move, but, unsurprisingly, Juliet starts to fall in love with Hyde.

Much excitement ensures, and there is a satisfying conclusion. I find this enjoyable each time I read it.

A longer review after yet another re-reading of 'Savannah Purchase' can be found here.

Strangers in company (by Jane Aiken Hodge)

(Amazon UK link)

'Strangers in company' is a light thriller by Jane Aiken Hodge.

Marian goes to Greece as a companion to a young and slightly mysterious woman called Stella, but their party is beset with problems and an underlying sense of danger.

Exciting and fast-moving, with Marian unsure whom she can trust until the satisfying conclusion.

Tense in places but not unpleasantly chilling. Recommended.

(I wrote a longer review of 'Strangers in Company' on re-reading it nearly nine years later)