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Emma Hornby

    Emma Hornby crafts gritty historical novels set in 1800s Bolton and Manchester, a path she embarked upon after researching her own family history. The vibrant characters she unearthed provided immense inspiration; much like the figures in her fiction, generations of her own family navigated life amidst the squalor and poverty of Lancashire's slums. Her writing is distinguished by vivid portrayals of ordinary lives and a strong sense of place and time. Hornby brings history to life for readers with compelling and accessible narratives.

    A Daughter's Price
    The Chimney Sweep's Sister
    A Daughter's War
    A Mother's Betrayal
    Manchester Moll
    A Sister’s Fight
    • A Sister’s Fight

      • 400 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      Bolton, Lancashire: 1943 Livvy knows that her family's survival rests on her shoulders - with her parents gone, it falls to her to support her grandfather and her younger sister, Joan. Times are tough, largely due to the hardships of war, and Livvy knows that she will struggle to keep her family safe with the meagre pay most jobs would afford her. When US soldiers are stationed nearby, Livvy decides to take advantage of the opportunity to make some easy money and, along with her best friend, begins selling herself on the streets. Despite the harsh judgements of society, Livvy perseveres with her challenging choice and does the very best that she can for her family's sake. As Joan grows older and wants to explore the freedoms that come with this, Livvy must be careful to hide her unsavoury secret from her family. But when one US soldier takes too much of a shine to her, Livvy's life begins to spiral out of control . . . Will she be able to right things, or will everything she's fought to protect come crumbling down?

      A Sister’s Fight2024
      5.0
    • The Chimney Sweep's Sister

      • 336 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      Jenny and her little brother Noah are orphans, living hand to mouth in a cellar dwelling in the heart of the Manchester slums.At the tender age of nine, Noah is a chimney sweep's boy: a dangerous job, where he's wickedly mistreated. But they survive on his earnings, for which his older sister Jenny feels terrible guilt. It's only her fiery temper that's prevented her keeping down a job herself. With her brother's safety - his life - on the line, Jenny resolves to try and control herself, and put her talent for singing to good use. Can she earn a crust by entertaining the punters at the taverns and inns around town?It seems like a dream come true when she catches the attention of a music hall manager and is offered a spot on a bigger stage, along with an enviable wage. But there's a darker bargain to be struck in return for their new riches . . .How far will Jenny go to protect her brother, and will they ever find the security they crave?

      The Chimney Sweep's Sister2023
      4.2
    • A Mother's Betrayal

      • 368 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      . Will Mara clear Conrad's name, or will she have the courage to break free from her step-son's villainy?---------------------Readers love Emma Hornby:'Similar to Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, Emma Hornby tells a brilliant story that will keep you guessing with twists and turns.

      A Mother's Betrayal2022
      4.2
    • A Daughter's War

      • 336 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      The second book in the page-turning Worktown Girls at War series, from the bestselling author of A Shilling for a Wife , perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin.At seventeen, Renee Rushmore lives at home with her father Ivan - a cruel man who rules the house with an iron fist and keeps Renee isolated and alone. She is desperate to escape him, but with no friends to help her, what hope does she have?Then war breaks out. With factories and farms looking to take on female workers, Renee dares to hope that her freedom might be within grasp. And when she hears through a kindly local farmhand named Jimmy that Oak Valley Farm is in need of help, she might just have found her chance.But her father's eyes are on her day and night. With the help of Jimmy, will Renee be able to escape Ivan's cruelty and find happiness at last?Readers love Emma'Similar to Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, Emma Hornby tells a brilliant story''Emma Hornby's books just keep getting better and better''Keep writing Emma, you are very talented and can't wait for your next book''Emma is a wonderful storyteller and I can't wait for the next one!''Thank you again Emma Hornby for a captivating read''Another beautifully written story by Emma Hornby'

      A Daughter's War2022
      4.2
    • A Daughter's Price

      • 384 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      Gritty and page-turning historical saga set in Northern England in the late 1800s, for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin

      A Daughter's Price2020
      4.1
    • Moll thought she could keep her family safe . . . With an ailing father and a wayward mother, Moll is the only one who can look after her siblings, Bo and Sissy. Soon even Moll can't protect Bo from the lure of the criminal underworld. Or will stepping out with a scuttler spell ruin for them all . . . ?

      Manchester Moll2017
      4.3