A Badgers Brook Saga

5 primary works

The House by the Brook

by Grace Thompson

Published 28 May 2004

Marie and Ivor Masters have been married for nine happy, years, so when her once-loving husband turns to drink and gambling Marie is distraught. He won't confide in her, as he fears that the secret from his past that has come back to haunt him will put both Marie and their children - their daughter Violet and Marie's two sons from her first marriage - at risk Eventually Marie discovers that rather than his father being dead, as Ivor had claimed, he is in fact living in squalor in a house called Badgers Brook - but just as it seems they may be starting to get their life back in order, Ivor disappears. Rather than reveal the whole truth of his own family background to Marie he runs away for the second time in his life - and then he meets Effie, and his troubles really begin.

A Girl Called Hope

by Grace Thompson

Published 3 November 2004

Badgers Brook once again provides sanctuary for a family in need

Married life hasn't been easy for Hope Murton – her mother-in-law, Marjorie, is overbearing and critical, and Hope's husband, Ralph, refuses to stand up for himself. Eventually Hope persuades him to move out and to set up a new home at Badgers Brook with their small son, Davy.

Soon they are beset by tragedy when a road accident leaves Ralph confined to a wheelchair. He takes the only way out he can think of, leaving Hope destitute. Desperate not to return to her mother-in-law's house, she turns to friends for help, including local trader Peter Bevan. Can Hope overcome all that befalls her, and will she ever find true happiness?

The second in the Badgers Brook series, A Girl Called Hope is a gripping tale of post-War life, filled with family and loss, secrets and romance. Perfect for fans of Ellie Dean and Sheila Newberry.

New Beginning

by Grace Thompson

Published 25 March 2005

Badgers Brook offers her the chance for a fresh start.

As the Second World War ends, Sophie Daniels quits the WAAF with nowhere to go. She wanders around the country searching for a place where she can settle, living in bedsits, barns, and small guesthouses in the meantime. Eventually she finds Badgers Brook, where she meets and befriends nine-year-old Bertie, neglected and running wild.

The neighbours warm to her, the place is welcoming, and Sophie knows she has found her home. Friendly local Ryan Treweather is a welcome distraction, and potentially more, if she can just trust him with one big guilty secret. But if Sophie grows closer to Ryan, what will it mean for poor young Bertie?

The captivating third instalment of Grace Thompson's hugely popular Badgers Brook saga series, perfect for fans of Maureen Lee and Ellie Dean.

The Heart of the Home

by Grace Thompson

Published 30 September 2005

Meriel Evans had worked in her father's estate agency since leaving school and she was happy there, but at twenty-nine she knew she had to make a move. She found a place at the Ace Estate Agency but realised at once that the owner, George Dexter, and her father knew and disliked each other. Though neither would explain why. She was attracted to the house called Badgers Brook and determined to stay, even though she would miss her parents and her lifetime love, Leo Hopkins. The quarrel between Dexter and her father increased to a bitterness that resulted in secrets from the past being revealed, and almost destroyed her family. Especially when she learned that Leo had known about them all along, and hadn't confided in her. The truth about the past eventually strengthens Meriel; and the secrets, once told, were no longer dark.

False Friends

by Grace Thompson

Published 7 December 2006

Lowri Vaughan is in need of refuge – where better to find it than Badgers Brook?

Rumours abound that her father is a fraudster, maybe even a murderer, but while he is indeed locked up, Lowri and her mother know he’s an innocent man. Some gossip-seeking townsfolk work on currying Lowri’s favour, hoping she will drop her guard. Sorting those who can’t be trusted from those that can is tough work for Lowri, but that’s perhaps the least of her worries – she must secure her father’s release, and fast…

The moving, final book in Grace Thompson's much-loved Badgers Brook saga series, perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs and Ellie Dean.