Books by J Mary Masters

In this third book in the series, the Belleville family begin to rebuild their shattered lives. Wrongly believing they are safe from the madman Alistair McGovern, he escapes from custody to attempt one final act of vengeance. In the aftermath of this final desperate act, each of them must come to terms with the events of the past.Her marriage in tatters, Julia Belleville begins to question whether she can rebuild her relationship with her first love American surgeon Dr Philippe Duval, even as they both immerse themselves in the life of their daughter Pippa, who expects they will marry. Julia's elder brother Richard, determined to gain custody of his two sons, laments the failure of his marriage to Catherine, who has returned to England and is already looking elsewhere. Yet Richard too finds himself unexpectedly falling in love against his better judgement even as he confronts Philippe over his troubling behaviour.Meanwhile, it is William and Alice who provide the stability of a settled family life. Yet they too are caught up in the unsettled lives of the people they love. In this dramatic third instalment of the Belleville story, there are many twists and turns as the family rebuild their lives. Set against the backdrop of the world of the 1950s, the story takes readers from the countryside to Australia's great harbour city of Sydney, to London and to Derbyshire, and to New York. But in the end, it is the sprawling Australian cattle station Prior Park that draws the Belleville family members back to their country origins time and again. It is where their hearts belong.

A chance encounter. A secret from the grave. A brutal act of revenge. Ten years on and heartbreak threatens to tear the Belleville family apart as their deepest secrets are tragically exposed. Hundreds of miles from Prior Park, the grand home of the wealthy Belleville family, a tragic accident robs a young girl of her parents. As yet, this means nothing to the family, and especially not to Julia, the only daughter. Yet in New York, her long lost love Dr Philippe Duval receives an unexpected letter from his past which he cannot ignore.Julia's brother Richard laments he can no longer hold on to his aristocratic wife Catherine Cavendish who longs to return to her life in England. Unexpected events in her family provide the perfect excuse for her to return home.It is Richard and his brother William who must face the unwelcome demands of Alistair McGovern as he presses his claim for inclusion in the family. They are determined his very existence must be kept secret from matriarch Elizabeth Belleville, now a widow. For each of them, long buried secrets from the past will begin to surface to reveal the shocking depths of the betrayals within their midst and the bitter legacy for those who remain. In a dramatic final act of revenge, Prior Park itself must pay a price as the secrets and betrayals are brutally exposed.

Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, this is the heartbreaking story of a young girl in love, the secret she must never reveal and the family who betrayed her trust.Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, this is the heartbreaking story of a young girl in love, the secret she must never reveal and the family who betrayed her trust. It's 1942 and the world is at war. Yet the wealthy Belleville family appear untouched and secure in their grand Australian home Prior Park. That is until daughter Julia, on the cusp of womanhood, falls desperately in love with an American Army officer against her family's wishes. For Julia, it is life-changing. Half a world away, her brother Richard is fighting for Britain, flying dangerous missions across the Channel knowing the next mission could be his last. He meets the beautiful Catherine Cavendish whose aristocratic parents disapprove strongly of the brash young Australian officer. Is he destined to find happiness with Catherine or will he be haunted forever by the memory of Jane, the woman he left behind?Brought up in Richard's shadow, William Belleville resents the popularity of his older brother. In Richard's absence, William attempts to usurp his older brother's authority and take charge of the family fortune.Into this mix comes James Fitzroy, handsome and charming, who sets his sights on Julia. But can she ever really love him?And what of the matriarch Elizabeth Belleville, whose preference for her elder son is well known, but who must endure the fecklessness of her husband, Francis, and the disappointment of a failing marriage. This tale is a well-developed family saga initiation with an interesting cast of characters and some deep secret plot lines ……… the characters are believable, full of depth and colour ……..The story is good and definitely worth an afternoon's devotion.Reader Review, Goodreads.com

Hundreds of miles from their grand Australian home, a tragic accident robs a young girl of her parents. As yet, this means nothing to the Belleville family of Prior Park, especially Julia, the only daughter, who has been married to local property owner James Fitzroy for nearly ten years.Alistair McGovern is pressing his unwelcome claims for inclusion in the family. But his very existence must be kept secret from matriarch Elizabeth Belleville, now a widow.Elder son Richard Belleville's aristocratic wife Catherine longs to return to her life in England. Unexpected events in her English family could provide the perfect excuse.And in New York, Dr Philippe Duval receives a letter from the past which he cannot ignore.For each of them, there are long buried secrets from the past that will begin to surface to reveal the depths of the betrayals within their midst and the bitter legacy for those who remain.In a dramatic finale, Prior Park itself must pay a price as the secrets and betrayals are brutally revealed.In book two of the Belleville family saga, J Mary Masters has created a compelling story of a family whose lives are entwined in a web of secrets and lies that bind them together until one by one the secrets are painfully and ruthlessly revealed.