The Dark Arches

Hawksmoor #4

by Aileen Armitage

Seduced under the arches of Clondarra's village bridge, Irish shop girl Rosa Sheridan is persuaded to give up the baby for adoption and make a new life for herself in England. But she can never forget -- particularly when her happy marriage doesn't bring her the children she longs for. Twenty years later, a successful businesswoman, Rosa's life becomes entwined again with three women from her past: the woman who arranged her child's adoption; the woman who adopted her; and Lucy, her child. Together they must work out their destinies in the shadow of the arches.

427 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

About the author

Aka Aileen Quigley, Ruth Fabian, Erica Lindley.

Aileen Armitage was brought up in Huddersfield where her father's family have lived for the past 400 years. Aileen has made use of their story, and that of the town, in her well-known 'Hawksmoor' novels - the series that has earned her a reputation as 'Yorkshire's Catherine Cookson'. After gaining a BA in modern languages, Aileen taught English for ten years. When failing sight obliged her to give up her teaching career, Aileen began writing and had many magazine articles and short stories published before she turned to longer fiction. She has since been widely published in the UK and in the USA. Aileen also lectures on novel writing for writers' seminars and is a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio. She is a frequent guest speaker, especially since winning UK Woman of the Year award in 1988. In 2002 she was awarded an honorary D.Litt degree for her contribution to literature. Aileen has four grown-up children from her first marriage. She is now happily remarried to the writer Deric Longden.