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Lady Priscilla Flanders and Sir Neville Hathaway #5
Digging Up Trouble
SHADOWS OF THE PAST — Beneath the fields of Sir Neville's estate lie the bones of ancient Roman soldiers...and much more recent remains that are a mystery to the scholars who dig and delve upon his lands. The unpleasant discovery leads Neville and Priscilla to think twice about their plan to celebrate the happiest day of their lives with their family and dearest friends in such a lonely place. Can the talk of a centuries-old curse upon the Hathaways possibly be true?
An unquiet spirit is stirring up all kinds of trouble, and timid Aunt Cordelia begs Priscilla to leave with the children and never return. But Priscilla vows to remain by Neville's side, come what may. No mere ghost could be stronger than their love...though this one is beginning to sound all too real...
An unquiet spirit is stirring up all kinds of trouble, and timid Aunt Cordelia begs Priscilla to leave with the children and never return. But Priscilla vows to remain by Neville's side, come what may. No mere ghost could be stronger than their love...though this one is beginning to sound all too real...
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
25 people want to read
About the author
Jo Ann Ferguson
82 books33 followersPlease note, this author also writes under the name J.A. Ferguson, Jocelyn Kelley and Rebecca North.
"One of my favorite memories is lying on the grass on a knoll on a late summer day and telling my sister stories I was making up," says Jo Ann Ferguson, who also writes as J.A. Ferguson, Joanna Hampton, Jo Ann Brown, and Rebecca North."There's something magical about being able to spend time with people you enjoy in your imagination. As a writer, I get to go with my characters to their time and place so I can share their adventures and falling in love for the first time…all over again."
She has had a few adventures of her own, including a stint as an Army quartermaster officer where she was the first and only woman in her unit. She still enjoys traveling to the locations of her books and learning all about those places and people. Researching her novels is part of the fun. Whether it's ghosts, calling cards, how to fire an antique gun, or traveling to a world that exists only in her imagination, she pays a great deal of attention to the details that delight her reader. She's even learned a bit of Russian, Arabic, Welsh, and a lot of Regency slang.
Her work has been honored with award nominations from Pearl, ROMY, Romantic Times, Rom/Con, and Affaire de Coeur magazine. Amazon Books chose her novels to showcase. And Romance Writers of America bestowed the two ARTemis Awards for Jo Ann's Zebra Regencies: The Counterfeit Count and A Christmas Bride.
Nonfiction also appeals to her, because it's where she got her start, seeing her first byline when she was twelve years old. She contributed to an encyclopedia of the English Regency period published by Garland Press. For all three editions of the New England Chapter's Now That You've Sold Your Book…What Next?, she has served as co-editor.
Believing in giving back, Jo Ann has served Romance Writers of America on both the local and national levels. She has served on the national board as president as well as a director and at term as vice president. For her volunteer work, she was given RWA's highest honor, the Emma Merritt National Service Award. She is also a creative writing instructor. She was awarded a Massachusetts Art Grant to teach creative writing and then established several creative writing courses at Brown University. Many of her students have gone on to publishing careers of their own.
She lives in Massachusetts, where her favorite hero—her husband, Bill—and their children and two cats. She's not sure which is the most spoiled.
"One of my favorite memories is lying on the grass on a knoll on a late summer day and telling my sister stories I was making up," says Jo Ann Ferguson, who also writes as J.A. Ferguson, Joanna Hampton, Jo Ann Brown, and Rebecca North."There's something magical about being able to spend time with people you enjoy in your imagination. As a writer, I get to go with my characters to their time and place so I can share their adventures and falling in love for the first time…all over again."
She has had a few adventures of her own, including a stint as an Army quartermaster officer where she was the first and only woman in her unit. She still enjoys traveling to the locations of her books and learning all about those places and people. Researching her novels is part of the fun. Whether it's ghosts, calling cards, how to fire an antique gun, or traveling to a world that exists only in her imagination, she pays a great deal of attention to the details that delight her reader. She's even learned a bit of Russian, Arabic, Welsh, and a lot of Regency slang.
Her work has been honored with award nominations from Pearl, ROMY, Romantic Times, Rom/Con, and Affaire de Coeur magazine. Amazon Books chose her novels to showcase. And Romance Writers of America bestowed the two ARTemis Awards for Jo Ann's Zebra Regencies: The Counterfeit Count and A Christmas Bride.
Nonfiction also appeals to her, because it's where she got her start, seeing her first byline when she was twelve years old. She contributed to an encyclopedia of the English Regency period published by Garland Press. For all three editions of the New England Chapter's Now That You've Sold Your Book…What Next?, she has served as co-editor.
Believing in giving back, Jo Ann has served Romance Writers of America on both the local and national levels. She has served on the national board as president as well as a director and at term as vice president. For her volunteer work, she was given RWA's highest honor, the Emma Merritt National Service Award. She is also a creative writing instructor. She was awarded a Massachusetts Art Grant to teach creative writing and then established several creative writing courses at Brown University. Many of her students have gone on to publishing careers of their own.
She lives in Massachusetts, where her favorite hero—her husband, Bill—and their children and two cats. She's not sure which is the most spoiled.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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February 25, 2023Pull quotes/notes
Back cover "An unquiet spirit is stirring up all kinds of trouble, and timid Aunt Cordelia begs Priscilla to leave with the children and never return." In what world is Aunt Cordelia timid?
"When Neville had told her that his family's dirty acres were in Cornwall, she had not been surprised." (9) more dirty acres in this book, I see
"She smiled. 'Just because we are overlooking the sea does not mean you need to fish for compliments.'" (18) nice
"'Pris, your mind dwells too much on murder and mayhem.'
'A trait I must have acquired from spending time with you.'
He laughed. Dash it! Getting into a brangle with her was futile. She was too quick with her answers, and she knew him too well." (45) brangle
"When her arm settled around his shoulder, her hair brushed across his chin in a dozen separate caresses." (107)
"'What is your ulterior motive this morning?'
'To see what I might discover of smuggling activity in this cove.'
'Do you think the owls leave signs to point to their hideaways?'
He laughed. "That would be too easy.'
'Is there anything I can say to make you reconsider your jobbernowl plan to challenge the smugglers' leader?'" (124) jobbernowl!
"'I was hoping to devise some excuse not to.'
'Do not be down-pinned, Neville.'" (145) down-pinned/down in the pins as slang for dejected...I wonder what the etymology is
"Giving Beddlemere a scintillating smile, she went on." (146) (sin till late!pun?)
"Beddlemere might enjoy flirting with the ladies, but he was no fool. He was scared to his bones" (150) there was... no evidence of that in the scene that just happened
"'I instructed Stoddard to get some bottles from the storage room. I find I prefer it.' He tapped his glass against hers, sending a crystal chime swirling through the room. 'And I prefer this company as well, Pris.'
She sat on a bench beside the window and paid no mind to the cold coming around the glass. 'You need not continue with Lord Beddlemere's Spanish coin.'" (153) what is Spanish coin *investigates* ah more slang excellent
"'Ask him to bring some bottles from the crates in the storage room. Then send someone to the stillroom to fetch some viper's bugloss. It needs to be put in boiling water for about a half hour to make a tisane to ease the headache Sir Neville is sure to have when he awakens.'" (163) what is vipers bugloss
"'The smugglers' leader is determined to drive us away from Shadows Fall with ever more dangerous pranks.'" (225) pranks!
Back cover "An unquiet spirit is stirring up all kinds of trouble, and timid Aunt Cordelia begs Priscilla to leave with the children and never return." In what world is Aunt Cordelia timid?
"When Neville had told her that his family's dirty acres were in Cornwall, she had not been surprised." (9) more dirty acres in this book, I see
"She smiled. 'Just because we are overlooking the sea does not mean you need to fish for compliments.'" (18) nice
"'Pris, your mind dwells too much on murder and mayhem.'
'A trait I must have acquired from spending time with you.'
He laughed. Dash it! Getting into a brangle with her was futile. She was too quick with her answers, and she knew him too well." (45) brangle
"When her arm settled around his shoulder, her hair brushed across his chin in a dozen separate caresses." (107)
"'What is your ulterior motive this morning?'
'To see what I might discover of smuggling activity in this cove.'
'Do you think the owls leave signs to point to their hideaways?'
He laughed. "That would be too easy.'
'Is there anything I can say to make you reconsider your jobbernowl plan to challenge the smugglers' leader?'" (124) jobbernowl!
"'I was hoping to devise some excuse not to.'
'Do not be down-pinned, Neville.'" (145) down-pinned/down in the pins as slang for dejected...I wonder what the etymology is
"Giving Beddlemere a scintillating smile, she went on." (146) (sin till late!pun?)
"Beddlemere might enjoy flirting with the ladies, but he was no fool. He was scared to his bones" (150) there was... no evidence of that in the scene that just happened
"'I instructed Stoddard to get some bottles from the storage room. I find I prefer it.' He tapped his glass against hers, sending a crystal chime swirling through the room. 'And I prefer this company as well, Pris.'
She sat on a bench beside the window and paid no mind to the cold coming around the glass. 'You need not continue with Lord Beddlemere's Spanish coin.'" (153) what is Spanish coin *investigates* ah more slang excellent
"'Ask him to bring some bottles from the crates in the storage room. Then send someone to the stillroom to fetch some viper's bugloss. It needs to be put in boiling water for about a half hour to make a tisane to ease the headache Sir Neville is sure to have when he awakens.'" (163) what is vipers bugloss
"'The smugglers' leader is determined to drive us away from Shadows Fall with ever more dangerous pranks.'" (225) pranks!
August 27, 2014
Good story, though a bit slow for me. The romantic interactions between the hero and heroine was sweet and the other characters were interesting.
I noticed, after I already started reading, that this is book 5 in a series. There were some things which happened 'off stage' as it were (probably covered in the previous books), but it didn't interfere with the story and I was able to following along easily.
This was an OK book for me, but it could be read in an afternoon if you are looking for something quick.
I noticed, after I already started reading, that this is book 5 in a series. There were some things which happened 'off stage' as it were (probably covered in the previous books), but it didn't interfere with the story and I was able to following along easily.
This was an OK book for me, but it could be read in an afternoon if you are looking for something quick.
August 29, 2008
I like this series of books which is ongoing about a couple that fall in love and get engaged. It's not just about the romance though. In every book the Pris and Neville have to solve a murder so there is a little bit more excitment than just a regular old romance. The problem with the last couple of books is that they haven't really grabbed my attention so they took a while for me to get through. I think a book is not really good unless I cant' put it down.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews