Held to Ransom

by Jemima Brigges

The continuing saga, set in Pre-Regency Shropshire (1808-1816) involving the gentry at Linmore Hall.

Joshua Norbery vowed never to marry for money, but is forced to accept the unthinkable; when he learns that a mortgage taken out on his family estate has been acquired by the bride’s father. The only way to regain it is to provide a son as heir to his father-in-law’s business empire.

Arthur Bradstone uses the threat of losing Linmore to ensure Joshua’s compliance, but no one seems to have told Joshua’s wife of the part that she is required to play.

Hardly has Joshua overcome the initial difficulties in his marriage, than shadows from his past threaten to tear it apart. There are insidious influences to avoid, secret intrigues with a hint of scandal, as well as a petulant wife to appease and an interfering father-in-law to be endured.

How can Miss Dinchope, the eminently superior housekeeper that Joshua employs, prevent Bradstone from infiltrating the household with his hired minions? Will she succeed, by subterfuge, in training the raw country servants to resist bribery? Is the paragon in black bombazine all she claims to be on her testimonial, and is she, herself, beyond temptation?

Therein is Joshua’s dilemma – for if she is not, how will he respond?

For what maiden lady of indeterminate age, who rules the servants’ hall with a firm hand, would permit a tall, grey-eyed gentleman to disturb her composure?

Part 1 of a marriage of convenience, which would never have taken place if a vital piece of information had been known... And a friendship that begins in an atmosphere of emotional blackmail.

Author news

A date for your diaries
Following on from last year's success with Counting the Cost, JEMIMA BRIGGES will be running a FREE Kindle Promotion for her latest book, HELD TO RANSOM, between Thursday 3rd – Monday 7th August 2017 inclusive.
Thanks to your help with spreading the word, in 2016, Counting the Cost achieved #1 & #2 position in major categories on Amazon, and garnered critical acclaim from readers. The aim of this years promotion is to provide readers with even more opportunities to share the ongoing story of Linmore.

Jemima Brigges on Facebook
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Jemima Brigges Facebook page. Follow Jemima on Facebook @jemimabrigges
Amazon Bestseller
Timed to coincide with the Bronte Festival of Women's Writing, (September 9th - 11th), Jemima Brigges' KDP free ebook promotion ran from Thursday 8th - 12th September inclusive. During that time Counting the Cost achieved the #1 slot in the Literary fiction / Historical, and #2 in British & Irish / Historical ebook categories. The #1 position qualified Counting the Cost to be rated as an Amazon Bestseller in the Free ebook category.

https://jemimabrigges.com/

Book Reviews

Held to Ransom continues the story of the Norbery family which began in Jemima Brigges' previous novels Brothers at Arms and Counting the Cost. Having enjoyed those so much I read this enthusiastically hoping this new story would match the same excellent standards set in those earlier novels; I needn’t have worried as the book is a resounding triumph.
The story concerns the events surrounding the marriage of Joshua Norbery, who was the focus of Brothers at Arms, and who is now seeking to develop his estate in Shropshire. To achieve this, he contracts a marriage of convenience hoping to achieve his goals for the estate and improve the lives of all who live there.
The marriage is beset by difficulties that escalate as people from Joshua’s past return to haunt him. His father in law, Arthur Bradstone, a nefarious industrialist with a distinctly shady past, applies unwarranted pressure on Joshua to produce a male heir for his business empire; an act of crass interference that almost dooms the union to failure.
Determined to prevent Bradstone from dominating his home, Joshua employs the services of Miss Dinchope, whose early story featured in Counting the Cost. Her strong character instils discipline in the servants, and provides unexpected support to the master of the increasingly troubled household.
What begins as an apparently simple story soon, through the same excellent prose of the earlier novels, twists and turns through unpredictable territory. There is a sense of ominous brooding under the surface from which no one is immune. As with real life, the actions of characters precipitate unforeseen consequences which only serve to deepen the problems that they face and increase the drama in interesting ways towards a truly unexpected and tragic climax.
As Held to Ransom is the first part of an ongoing story, I can only anticipate the drama that is yet to unfold and eagerly await it.
5/5

by Julian L

About the Author

Jemima Brigges

Jemima Brigges, an exiled Salopian, combines a love of the county of her birth, history of the Georgian era in fiction and fact, with a fascination of the English class system on both sides of the social divide; a facet, which emerged during research of her own family history.

Her passion for writing began in childhood, but was set aside until early retirement from a career in nursing, midwifery, teaching and alternative therapy, gave her the time and opportunity to undertake a writing course. Thus achieved, the concept of the Linmore series was born; one that alternates between the gentry and working class folk, whose lives are inextricably linked within a fictitious rural community amongst the rugged Shropshire Hills and winding country lanes that Jemima wandered as a child.