Just Before Dawn

Strong #2

by Jeannie Johnson

It has been 10 years since Tom Strong left Bristol, and the Strong family, a powerful dynasty whose wealth was founded on growing sugar and keeping slaves, want him back. New ways must be found to maintain the family's fortune, and Horatia Strong is determined that Tom will be part of it. But old enemies plot his downfall and Tom begins to wish he'd stayed away. A lot of money can be made from property and land, and Horatia decides to do just that. She is also ruthless with regard to Tom and will do anything to win him for herself. When Tom discovers the depth of Horatia's deceit, he is determined to leave—until a secret from the past threatens to change his mind.

Genres: Historical Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

aka J.G. Goodhind.

Jeannie Johnson was born and brought up in South Bristol and has worked in law, the probation service, tourism and as a supporting actress in CASUALTY and HOLBY CITY. She recently won the BBC New Writers Initiative at Radio Bristol for a script entitled 'Second Time Around'. She is married with one daughter and lives in the Wye Valley with her husband.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel to daughter of destiny and continues the story of Blanche and Tom strong set in Bristol in some dirty seedy times. Thoroughly enjoyed and was disappointed when I flipped the page to find it was the end of book 2. So onto book 3.

[Sue Shipley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at England and cholera's terrible conditions and costs. Interesting characters.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the "Strong family saga". I enjoyed this one even better than the first book "Like an evening gone". I liked the fact that even though Tom and Blanche loved each other, Blanche kept faithful to her husband Conrad. By marrying her, not only did Conrad gain a mother for his children, but he saved Blanche from scandal, allowing her to be treated as a respectable lady, not as a servant.

I loved how Blanche was able to repay Edith for the friendship and kindness which Edith bestowed on Blanche in the first novel when they worked together in Marstone Court (the Strong family's mansion). They became as close as sisters in this book. Edith was a likeable character in both books. There were some harrowing scenes involving Edith, her children and her neighbours in the poverty stricken, cholera infected neighbourhood which in which she lived. It truly was a horrid time for the poor souls who died from this disease resulting from poor sanitation and filthy water. I found myself squirming and feeling nauseated at times by the descriptions of the slums in which the poor lived.

I also enjoyed reading about the ambitious and ruthless eldest daughter of Emmanuel Strong, Horatia. Horatia had always been jealous of Blanche's (her half sister) and Tom's relationship. Horatia had been in love with Tom since she was a young girl and was determined to wed him one day. She managed to succeed in this book in a most conniving way.

Once I finished this book I could not wait to start the third instalment "Forgotten faces". I rate this book 3.5 stars.