"Three girls decide to share a flat in Chelsea: Denny, the sensible daughter of a famous actress; Chess, the long, lean, tempermental daughter of an Earl; Marya, the beautiful daughter of an Argentinian millionaire. The light-hearted story of their life together and of the men they meet is suddenly interrupted by the death of Mr. Flower, their meek little landlord. When Denny realises she may have an important clue to the murder's identity, her life is also in danger...."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Alice, Where Art Thou? by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

Any Two Can Play

- Hodder and Stoughton

Natalie Travers had only just had her house in Brighton converted into flats, and installed five sets of tenants, when her younger brother Julian sent her an appeal for help.  Newly deserted by his wife of one year, he was finding it impossible to cope single-handed with his work and his baby twins, Rowena and Randall.

Natalie's elder brother, Maurice, and his wife Freddie, were strongly opposed to Natalie's going to the rescue.  She herself realized what she had undertaken when she reached Julian's house and found babies' garments strewn on sofas and chairs, jars and tins of baby food on the mantlepiece and the remnants of Julian's meals on the table - but she assured herself that as soon as domestic staff could be found to take over, she would be free to go back and resume her own life.

But Julian made few efforts to find staff, preferring as Head of the Music Department of the famous public school, Downinghurst, to concentrate on his beloved music and on his other great love, golf.  Natalie's plans to return to Brighton as soon as possible proved over-optimistic.  Not only the impossibility of leaving the twins, but also her meeting with the attractive Henry Downing were to detain her longer than she had expected. 

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Any Two Can Play by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton © 1981

Any Two Can Play

-William Morrow

With a cast of unforgetable characters and a keen sense of he comic side of human nature, Elizabeth Cadell creates in this, her newest novel, a delightful heartwarming story of love.

Attractive, twenty-seven-year-old Natalie Travers has taken it upon herself to rescue her brother from domestic chaos.  His wife has left him as sole parent to their twins, but egotistical Julian simply isn't inclined to care for them.  Kiknowing that he's hardly the paternal type, Natalie arrives in Downing and takes over with great apblomb, determinded to find the proper nanny.

Independent and happily unmarried, Natalie feels no pressure to change her status - her brother's situation is hardly as advertisement for the joys of the married state.  But when romance appears - quite unexpectedly - in the shape of Henry Downing, scion of the town's founding family, Natalie's feelings come into play.  Convinced that she will make him the perfect mate, Henry soon wins her over and gets the twins into the bargin.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Any Two Can Play by Elizabeth Cadell, published by William Morrow and Co. © 1981

Richly evocative of colonial India and England, 'A Lion In The Way' is the engaging story of Edwin Brooke, a widower and music teacher in Calcutta, and of Annerley, his bright, beautiful daughter. Raising a daughter on his own, on a modest salary, and in India in the throes of change is often trying. But love and the help of Mrs. Devenish turn Annerley into one of Calcutta's more eligible women.

When she returns to England--for that particularly English right of passage,public school--a bright new world open up for her. Mrs. Brooke, her grandmother, can be an exciting taskmistress, but Annerley blossoms into a young beauty. Her experience in two countries provides a vivid description of British family life at home and abroad, and a loving portrayal of India and its people.

Citizens of two worlds, India and England, Annerley and her father accept their modest life in Calcutta. fortune, however, waits in the wings for them--a final twist that will change their life together forever.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of A Lion In The Way by Elizabeth Cadell, published by William Morrow and Co. © 1982

"A holiday in Portugal is planned by Christine Channing's family, to take her mind off a troubled love affair. They are charmed by the country, where they soon make many friends, among them the Baronesa Narvao, who invites them to stay in her luxurious mansion. But the Baronesa is not all she appears to be, and the Channings are rescued from an awkward predicament by the timely arrival of Christine's fiance, James, and his grandfather, the fiery earl."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Be My Guest by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"A blue sky of spring, White clouds on the wing: What a little thing To remember for years -- To remember with tears! William Allingham: A Memory

Greenhurst, a sleepy English village, had not changed since a year ago when the Waynes of Wood Mount fought so fiercely to keep their home together and undesirable characters out of it.

But now the place was buzzing with news of Miss Cryden-Smith's sudden death. To think that all these years the village had never known that she had a son! And what of the loud but likeable American playwright who had just wound his way to Wood Mount? Things could not be the same after his arrival."

"Jessica de Vrais rose early on a cool September morning and eloped, taking with her a small suitcase containing her bridal array, and, just in case "Hubert" did not come up to scratch, some diamonds for her return ticket.

Panic ensued when the case was lost in the middle of a Paris dock strike which held up two young men who were setting off on a motor tour of Europe.

Chasing the case brought together a mad collection of people, including the eccentric Comtesse de Chandillot, who seemed a godsend until her transactions with antique furniture became uncomfortably complicated."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Bridal Array by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"Elaine Tracy wins a luxury cruise to Las Palmas for her fiance and herself. They quarrel and Elaine breaks off the engagement but decides to go on the cruise alone. Attractive and unattached, once on board inevitably she draws a certain amount of masculine attention and for her the holiday promises to be extremely diverting. But not all her fellow passengers, she discovers, are quite what they seem."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Canary Yellow by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

The idyllic beauty of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, its aura of luxury And leisure, suddenly are shattered by the cry of a frightened woman. She is Miss Leeson, otherwise known as Miss Milton, and her presence in Las Palmas in itself is something of a mystery.

With Miss Leeson’s death, ensuing investigations, suspicions, accusations and confessions follow thick and fast. But it takes more than thievery and mayhem to put a crimp in a Cadell romance especially when the young lady is not only intelligent but beautiful, and the young man is very tall, handsomely dark and fiery.

Mrs. Cadell has fashioned an engrossing plot; the villain is charming and in his way, heroic. The victim is, of course, to be mourned, but everything and everybody else in this book are to be admired and enjoyed.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Canary Yellow, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., © 1964. Jacket by Mircea Vasiliu

Caroline Wyatt was spending her Easter holiday with her sister, brother-in-law, and their two delightful children.

At first it was all as happy as she had expected; in fact, the only cloud on the horizon was that Mrs Lauder refused to give her lilies to the church.

Then Mrs Lauder was murdered, the air was filled with fear and suspicion, and everyone, from the cook to Caroline's stepmother, seemed to have so much to hide.

Detective-Inspector Avery Freeland might be charming, but he had a knack of finding out what would be much better left unknown.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Consider The Lilies by Harriet Ainsworth (Elizabeth Cadell), Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

When Julian Hurst went into partnership in an art business instead of in the family firm of solicitors, his family were surprised that he made such a success of it.

They would have been still more surprised if they had known what his business trip to Yorkshire to view some Duval paintings was to lead to.

His engagement to the delightful but mysterious Alexandra Bell, and her subsequent disappearance which led him such a dance through Scotland, Yorkshire, Devon and London, provoked behaviour which seemed odd, to say the least of it.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Cuckoo in Spring by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

A condensed version of this book has appeared in Ladies’ Home Journal under the title, Journey’s Eve.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Crystal Clear by Elizabeth Cadell, published by William Morrow and Co. © 1953

"To escape from an unhappy love affair, Alison Sinclair left her home in Edinburgh to lose herself in London. After eighteen months as companion-secretary to a charming but eccentric Nowegian lady, she is ready to forget the past. But then a chance encounter on a railway station brings it all back, and events move inexorable towards their tragic climax."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Death Among Friends by Harriet Ainsworth (Elizabeth Cadell), published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"Madame Landini's memoirs promised to be sensational. Rodney, who had captured them for his publishing house, and Oliver, his literary agent friend who would handle the business side of the book, could congratulate themselves on a brilliant coup.

But having covered her childhood as a Russian princess, her years of exile in Paris, the discovery of her phenomenal voice, the prima donna reached her first husband's death -- 'man overboard' -- and declared she would write no more. Rodney suspected there was more to this than a display of temperament. He scented mystery and was right."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Deck With Flowers by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"Vitorina's escort from Lisbon to London wore a cloak of respectability which convinced the child's father and aunts, but even before the ten-year-old girl had made her disconcerting discovery of his theft from the rich, private chapel of her home, she had begun to take his measure. Circumstances, plus some contrivance on her own part, enabled the youngster to shake him off. Alone, she reached Victoria and the warm if belated welcome of her father's distant cousin and ex-fiancee, Philippa. How the gold statuette of St Christopher had been stolen and how it reached Portugal again, how Philippa changed at the eleventh hour from one bridegroom to another and how, above all, Vitorina throve on her first taste of freedom and found her father really cared about her after all is interwoven into a delightful, readable story."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Fledgling by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

At Edmund Brooke's insistence, his ten-year-old daughter, Vitorina, leaves the closed world of her old and strait-laced great-aunts and their Portuguese mansion--complete with chapel--and journeys to a boarding school in England. Edmund readily accepts the offer of a golfing acquaintance to act as chaperone for Tory. Once on the train, however, Tory learns quite a bit more about Mr. Darlan, her traveling companion, than he would prefer. And so Tory is called upon to let down her facade of meekness and to reveal her real nature: she is shrewd, imaginative and--as the situation calls for--brave. She is determined to outmaneuver this malicious mastermind, Darlan, and his French female accomplice who poses as his sister.

She reaches London without her companion.

But as planned, Tory is met by her father's delightful distant cousin and ex-fiancée, Philippa. Immediately drawn to Philippa, Tory goes so far as to fake chicken pox in order to stay longer with Philippa. This gives her time to settle some loose ends involving Mr. Darlan's plot and to create one of her own: for wasn't Tory's father Philippa's first great love and isn't he all alone now?

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Fledgling by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by William Morrow and Co. © 1975

For Anabelle Baird, the holiday with her fiance, Philip Ancel, in Lisbon has not been a happy one. Away from their own homes, Philip's weakness which had at first drawn her to him, now seems an insuperable obstacle. And at Lisbon airport she has a surprise encounter with Angus Pemberton whom she had last seen seven years ago, before he left England under a cloud. Still lean, dark and with a magnetic personality, she remembers him best as a troublemaker. And when Anabelle visits friends in the Port country, Angus comes too -- a self-invited guest.

Anabelle's reunion with Angus and her strange meeting with Luis, a small Portuguese boy, are but portents of a mystery in which she is soon to find herself almost unwittingly and yet inextricably involved...

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Fox From His Lair by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"When Elizabeth Cadell writes a book you may be assured of a romantic, fast-moving tale with mysterious and unique characters," says the Santa Monica Independent Journal. The Friendly Air, Mrs. Cadell's twenty-fifth novel, is the brightest yet!

Young, beautiful Emma Challis should have been happy about her engagement to Gerald Delmont. After all, wasn't he a brilliant and sophisticated young man and wasn't his legal career one of the most promising in all of London? Everyone seemed to agree that Gerald was the perfect husband for Emma--everyone but Lady Grantly.

When Gerald first requests that Emma help Lady Grantly, his wealthy but difficult client, to choose a new home, Emma complies dutifully but reluctantly. Yet Lady Grantly is a delight! Not at all the cranky old thing Gerald has painted, she is a thoroughly charming and spirited woman whose scatterbrained ways endear her to Emma. When Lady Grantly picks the coast of Portugal as the site of her new home, Emma accompanies her there.

The journey is filled with surprises. For the first time Emma comes to know a gentle way of life among gentle people where even the young, brilliant lawyers have a friendly air.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of The Friendly Air, William Morrow & Co., Inc., © 1971

"I've nothing against the girl. But do you deny that her father's a smuggler?"

"Certain I don't."

For the first time, there appeared a slight crack in the stoney mask.

"You admit that?"

"Of course he's a smuggler ! How do you think he got rich so quickly? It wasn't his farm or his olives or his cork trees."

"It's obvious," said Roderick, speaking with difficulty, "that you've lost your standards."

"I will send you with one of my men to a hut - you will be safe there. Tomorrow, he will take you back to - " The sentence remained unfinished. There was a whine and a thud, and a bullet passed no more than a foot over Roderick's head and burried itself in a nearby tree. The next instant, the smugglers of Yago, the province of Cadiz, were making for the shelter of the rocks. Leading them, leaping lightly over the rocks, was Roderick Saracen."

"The Green Empress coaches specialised in taking clients of wealth or importance across Europe in luxury. When Angus Graham became "liaison officer" for one of these coaches, he did so lightheartedly, but the dangers and difficulties of the journey were compensated for only by the charming presence of Lord Lorrimer's daughter Angela."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Green Empress by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"An engaging story of strange happenings in an English village. But Deepwood is no ordinary village, the flat-dwellers at the Lodge are no ordinary tenants, and there is the matter of two extraordinary gentlemen not of this world at all."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Greenwood Shady by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

Neither Stapling Manor nor any of the fine family possessions of this stately home really belonged to Lady Laura, but for more than twenty years she had enjoyed them undisturbed. Many peole in the nearby little town of Rivering were well aware of the situation. No-one was worried except nice old Cosmo Brierly, trustee of the Estate, and he had no control whatever over this eccentric aristocrat. His one comfort was that Lady Laura was a wonderful custodian of the place, keeping all intact and cherished, even making money by son et lumiere in summer and successful (if unlawful) use of the Stapling land.

But when the owner of the estate arrives from America, there are certain surprises in store.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Haymaker by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

Spirited and beautiful Stacey Marsh made a mistake--she should never have come home for her wedding. She had forsaken her hometown of Dorsham, England, long ago because it was too quiet, too provincial, not at all the kind of place for the likes of Stacey. In sophisticated Paris she had met sophisticated Jules Charbonnier, the man she planned to marry. So why hadn't she just married him in Paris instead of insisting upon an English wedding?

As soon as stacey returns to Dorsham, she senses something wrong. The town simply doesn't look the way it is supposed to. The quiet village she had yawned over is now frantic with community activity. Her family, the gentle and stable people she had always relied upon, are clearly not themselves, claiming that Stacey's grandfather's ghost has come back to haunt them; and and for Nigel--the boy next door--well, he is simply too handsome and aggressive for his own good.

Things become even more complicated when, with only one week to go til the wedding, Jules and his formidable gradmother, Madame Charbonnier, arrive in England. Not only is Stacey completely incapable of explaining the strange behavior in Dorsam, she is having difficulty interpreting her peculiar behavior. Stacey has but a few days to decide whether what she is feeling is merely homesickness or whether it is something else, for why does Dorsham seem gayer then gay Paris? Why does her family seem so much more colorful than before? And what makes the boy next door so much more attractive than the boy next door should look?

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Home For The Wedding by Elizabeth Cadell, published by William Morrow and Co. © 1972

Jendy Marsh was worried about her sister Nancy. Six weeks before her wedding day, Nancy had broken off her engagement to Allen Harvey and gone away to Spain. Nancy and Allen were the two poeple Jendy loved most in the world, and there was little she could do to help them except wait until she was needed.

This is a delightful tale of romance and heartache, and happiness at last, in an English village and under Spanish skies, with as engaging an assortment of characters as you could hope to meet.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Honey For Tea by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"Here is the warm, slightly cock-eyed, thoroughly delightful world of Elizabeth Cadell: here is some of the best material she has ever put into a novel.

The setting is the little town of High Ambo, to which comes Caroline West in order to escape her late husband's relatives. Like so many placid, good-hearted people, she is immediately put upon. A cat -- not a nice cat -- moves in and stays. And then comes Caroline's sister Iris, full of the determination to be a newspaper reporter. And then Robert, with a disposition something like the cat's, and Polly, his sweet ingenuous fiancee .... and the three-ring circus begins its hilarous performance.

A great number of little boys with big ears and green caps serve as supporting players. Altogether this is in the happiest, most laughable tradition of English comedy. People who want to find as much life and laughter as possible between the covers of a novel will not be disappointed by this one."

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Iris In Winter, by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hale ©

"Paul took the paper and read the paragraph indicated, and as he read, the kitchen seemed to perform a slow, revolving movement, and come to rest with a grinding jar.

It looked a very nice announcement.

There was only one thing wrong with it. He had never in his life heard of Madame de Brulais or her daughter Helga."

Indeed, it was a situation which opened up endless vistas of surprises and complications.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Journey's Eve by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

Edmund Forth, a wealthy architect, is already engaged to the beautiful and efficient Angela, but in Portugal he meets a penniless young girl who runs a boarding house in London. Fran Nash is devoted to her small brother and sister and her eccentric but talented boarders and she, it is, who teaches him that efficiency is not enough, that people are all important.

This story, set against the vividly contrasting backgrounds of a peaceful up-country estate in Portugal and London, is told with all Elizabeth Cadell's 'deft humour' and 'refreshing grace'.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Language of the Heart by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"The lark shall sing me hame in my ain countree." - Allan Cunningham

There was no money, the family was scattered, and Lucille, who had mothered them all since she was sixteen, was going to be married.

So the house must be sold; Lucille knew that that was the only reasonable thing to do, but the family had different ideas.

Home they came by whatever way they could, penniless and bedraggled but with certain new-found friends who were to help them to upset Lucille's plans -- all her plans for a calm, settled and sensible life.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Lark Shall Sing by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

Meet the Wayne Family . . . six (6) laugh-tempting ingredients in Elizabeth Cadell’s newest recipe for the good life. The Lark Shall Sing by Elizabeth Cadell Author of Money to Burn, The Cuckoo in Spring, etc. Wacky and spontaneous, yet eminently sensible, this novel is Elizabeth Cadell’s thenth contribution to human felicity. As readers know and as critics have pointed out Mrs. Cadell has a way of combining the best features of Nancy Mitford, Angela Thirkell, and P. G. Wodehouse. * The fact is that she is now universally recognized as one of England’s most delightful exports, and in this book she is gloriously and consistently better than ever before: warm, humorous, original, and wonderful fun.

The six Waynes, with no parents to guide them, are six violent individualists ranging in age from nine to twenty-four. Head of the household is Lucille, red-headed, forceful, determined to make this family a going concern.

As a year’s experiment, Lucille parcels everyone out, while she herself takes a job as companion to an old lady. Eleven-year-old Simon and nine-year-old Dominic go to an aunt and uncle. Ten-year-old Julie is popped into convent school. Nicholas is finishing off his army service and gentle, whimsical Roselle is making a muddle of being a secretary.

Suddenly news from Lucille throws all the other Waynes into an uproar and precipitates a sensational family reunion. Converging on Lucille by bus, foot and bike, they proceed to shatter one of her dreams and help her to start another.

Young and unexpected loves paves some of the way; an Italian Fuller Brush man and a retired school matron add a bit; and the indomitable small-fry clean up what’s left.

This is plain good fun for everyone who’d rather laugh than cry. *The Library Journal, discussing Mrs. Cadell’s last novel.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of The Lark Shall Sing, Elizabeth Cadell, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1955, Sixth Printing , © August, 1965. Jacket by Michael Mitchell

What is the mystery in Grant Hewitt's family which checks his marriage to Claire? Why is he running away from his inheritance and his home? One missing letter lies at the centre of the mystery, a letter which would explain, if it could be found, an old woman's will and the strange effect it had on a household.

Elizabeth Cadell's new novel is thronged with perceptive and often delightful character studies and she captures the brooding, enigmatic atmosphere in a house of discord, portraying the indecision of people who prefer to live in worlds of their own, and keeping her story's secret to the end.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Letter To My Love by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton © 1963

"You can't ask Rae down just as if you were inviting her to an ordinary house in the country. What's the use of landing Rae in a place like Thorpe? What'll you do?"

Richard finished a mouthful, pushed his plate aside and turned to Rae.

"I'll tell you," he said. "I'll take you up to the three attics, where all our old treasures are stored. I'll show you the arbour we built -- all by ourselves. I'll drive you up and down our hilly roads. I'll show you our Duchess, if she's still alive; I'll show you our treehouse. Don't let Judy frighten you -- I'll provide all the entertainment. How about it? Will you come?"

There was a moment's pause.

"Yes, I'll come," sai Rae quietly.

Rae's holiday at Thorpe didn't turn out like this. But from being lonely and sad, it became -- by way of three engaging children and a sturdy housekeeper, and mad Duchess, and Iron Duke and Richard -- gay, interesting and, at last, blissful.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Men And Angels by Elizabeth Cadell, ©,

This is the diary of Anne Cunningham Bastos, an English girl who marries into a Portuguese family. It is a record of her engagement, the hectic preparations and family difficulties, the country wedding, and of the early months of her entirely new life as a young wife in Portugal, a life divided between the ranch and the family home in Lisbon.

Her own family and that of her husband, their numerous friends and neighbours appear in these pages, keenly observed n the humorous account of day to day incidents and celebrations.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Mixed Marriage: The Diary of a Portuguese Bride, Elizabeth Cadell, Romance Book Club Edition, London: The Romance Book Club, © 1963, This edition by arrangement with Hodder and Stoughton Ltd.

If you’ve ever read a novel by Elizabeth Cadell, you’ll know what good-natured fun to expect in the pages of this book.

She offers gaiety, humor and a quite surprising down-to-earth philosophy that puts sense in the nonsense. (Anne Richards, The New York Times Book Review)

Her touch is beautifully light and her spoofing of some traditional English types ever so gentle.(The Nashville Tennessean)

Be it know, however, that Elizabeth Cadell has never written a novel with more enchanting people, places and things. Here they are:

Raymond Trysting, age 35, the present Lord Falcon. Raymond is an attractive young man with plenty of presence and an interesting past;

Trysting Mansion, historic family seat which should be Raymond’s except that it has just burned down;

Auriol Trysting, Raymond’s beautiful (and frustrating) sister whose prospects are fine (three rejected suitors in the background) but who can’t seem to make up her mind;

The family silver, which is just as historic as Trysting mansion, except that it’s disappeared;

Leigh Anderson, buoyant (and rich) Canadian "cousin" who doesn’t want to fall in love with Auriol, since she can’t cook anything but eggs.

These three young people try hard to solve each other’s problems, but there is the complication of the aunts: Elvira (forgets things), Rosande (writes poetry), Dolly (sneezes).

Oddly enough - but logical in a Cadell - these crotchety and engaging members of various generations get along well and wackily and there’s never a let-down to the well-deserved and very happy ending.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Money To Burn by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by William Morrow and Co. © 1955

"No wonder the three old aunts were decidedly queer. There was no money to launch them into Society, so they had lived at Trystings all these years, never travelling, never meeting people. For what could they do without money?

The question was, however, what they had done with money, with the thirteen thousand pounds collected from the insurance company.

"Well, what did happen to it?" asked Leigh. "There's nothing private about it" said Brian, "everybody in Cammertree can tell you what happened to it. They burnt it."

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Money To Burn by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

At rushing farm, the manning household-with Aunt Flora at its head-lives in harmony. with the appearance of George Manning, however, peace is at an end. George is a successful actor, spoilt and selfish. he sees nothing at rushing but discomfort and boredom, and his relations hope he will carry out his repeated threat of departing by the next train. but with the arrival of Brian Lorimer and the enchanting Angela Reynolds, George finds something at rushing which proves a greater attraction than his comfortable existance in London.

Taken from the back of My Dear Aunt Flora large print edition © 1996 by arrangement with Robert Hale LTD, F.A. Thorpe pub. LTD.

Beautiful, hard-headed Kerry Moystyn was doing just fine as secretary to a London entrepreneur. Of course her aunts worried about her but that was only natural; then too, her latest beau suffered over her independent nature but that, too, was natural. Ever since her mother had deserted her when she was just a child, Kerry had managed to make her own way in life, and things would probably have continued happily ever after if only her boss hadn’t sent her on an errand.

The errand takes Kerry to Gaston-le-Grand where she is to deliver a message to a Madame Daumier. One look at the beguiling, exotic Madame and Kerry knows this is no ordinary business trip. The journey proves to be filled with surprises not the least of which is a very hard-headed, independent and handsome young man!

Taken from inside the dustjacket of The Past Tense Of Love by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by William Morrow and Co. © 1970

When Philippa Lyle, newly engaged, returns home from Canada to visit old friends and family, she finds her sleepy hometown in rural England much changed. Montoak crackles with excitement as a team of archaeologists unearths the ruins of a beautifully preserved Roman villa and baths. Almost everyone is caught up in the excavations or in the proposed plans to expand the newly awakened, bustling village. Even Philippa finds herself becoming drawn into the excitement both in town and on the site.

But Philippa soon realizes that there is even more to be discovered in Montoak. She and Ward Rowallen, a childhood friend and heir to the crumbling manor house on the hill, unexpectedly renew their friendship. Powerful, but long neglected, it now takes a new and disturbing turn especially when a mysterious find is unearthed among the ruins. Dark secrets long unspoken and the good-hearted but bumbling intervention of two ancient sisters help bring Philippa and Ward into close and romantic proximity. Indeed Canada seems very far away until the sudden appearance of her fiancé.

A perennial favorite, Elizabeth Cadell combines the best elements of romance fiction with mystery to produce a charming an engrossing novel.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Remains to be Seen, Elizabeth Cadell, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., © 1983.

Romance, intrigue, and fun-Cadell specialties at their brightest in this, her twenty-seventh novel!

An independent, spirited beauty, Ellen Berg seemed the least likely girl to fall in love with an historic ruin in a small English village. But that was before she was told of her deceased mother's regal ancestry and her legacy of a fifteenth-century English manor house. Curiosity gets the best of Ellen and she leaves her beloved Arizona ranch life for the adventures ahead. But she never expected the adventures to be so adventurous!

The "ruin" Ellen anticipates is nothing less than a mansion, a thing of beauty. But the catch, wouldn't you know, is that the manor was preserved and maintained, and now lorded over, by Ellen's forgotten but, alas, formidable aunt, Lady Laura. Lady Laura, descended from the Earl of Bosfield, is a terror who once intimidated Ellen's mother. But Ellen is of sterner stuff and the struggle is intense, outrageous, and filled with the unpredictable.

Not the least of the unpredictable occurrences on this journey involves a handsome archaeology student who is--rather surprisingly--living on the manor property. Ellen is not quite sure which of her dilemmas are more disturbing--the fight for the manor house or the fight to keep her mind off its attractive tenant!

Taken from the inside flap of the dust jacket of Royal Summons, William Morrow & Co. Inc., © 1973

"Lindy and Rex Barron were going out to Lisbon to get to know their father, and on the voyage Kate Verney took a motherly interest and pleasure in them. So they turned to her when things went wrong, when their father had disappeared and all his friends and associates seemed to be lying to them, when they seemed to be surrounded by bewildering and sinister mystery."

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Shadow On The Water by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

"A delightful story about the Waynes of Wood Mount and the small town of Greenhurst, now busily preparing for the marriage of Miriam Arkwright to an Italian Count.

Nicholas Wayne, like Alice in Wonderland, finds it hard to believe impossible things: to believe that he could forget Estelle Dryden who went to America ten years ago or that his sister Julia, who had always been a scraggy child, should come back from Rome tall and attractive with a supple figure and delicate auburn hair. But after a good deal of plain speaking from a very pretty young woman, Nicholas is obliged to change his mind."

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

The village of Greenhurst, headquarters for the Wayne family, is aflutter with excitement and festivity in anticipation of Miriam Arkwright's coming marriage to an Italian count.

All the Waynes descend on brother Nicholas, including red-headed Julia, who had been sent to Italy to become a concert pianist, and returns home not quite sure what she wants to be. She is no longer the child Nicholas remembers, but is still enough of a scatter-brain to mix up her luggage...thereby involving Nicholas in the most wonderful love of his life.

The luggage in question ends up in the hands of Elaine Morley, the most beautiful young woman Nicholas has seen in many a year. Elaine, however, to her increasing dismay, is already engaged--to a most determined and quite nasty fellow who refuses to let her go...

Julia, so intent on solving the romantic problems of others, suddenly realizes she has not one--but two of her own. One is a new arrival in town; the other, Derek Arkwright, who has always seemed just the boy next door...And even Nicholas' rather formidable secretary, Miss Stoker, is caught up in he shower of orange blossoms.

Although that well-known course is certainly fraught with obstacles of everybody, including Miriam and her Count, Mrs. Cadell can handle it all, and does, in her usual engaging, spontaneous, and eminently sensible way.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Cadell, Published by William Morrow and Co. © 1961

Claire worked for two happy years on Stephen's Buckinghamshire farm, content that their easy comradeship would eventually ripen into something more. . . She was the girl that took too much for granted

The dead Jeffry Hansard had not acted in a way to endear him to his nearest and dearest. . .He was the deceased benefactor of mysterious character

Coolie was lovely and charming and a threat to claire's happiness. Mr. Donner was anxious to gather details of Jeffry Hansard . . .They were the Americans, father and daughter

And the man who loved his farm by was destined to leave it, who was dependale and amusing, kind but determined. . .That was Stephen, whom two girls loved

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Spring Green by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton © 1953

It looked so peaceful from the outside, a perfect setting for a charming family. But a time was to come when a stranger stirred up the concealed undercurrents, forcing them to the surface.

The wide repercussions had a sudden and unexpected effect on the lives of the inhabitants of Folly's Cottage.

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Sugar Candy Cottage by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

Although this story's particular events could not have happened anywhere except in India, girls everywhere will feel at home in its sunny atmosphere. The three girls who lived these adventures were completely different, but they formed a close-knit trio and shared all each other's joys and problems. Poopy possessed a face that seemed blank to everyone but her two friends, who read it with ease. She started each day neatly dressed, but within ten minutes the other two were pulling up her shoulder straps and anchoring her garments with saftey pins. Marise had beautiful curls and a chic born of her French ancestry. She came to the rescue with expert advice when Poopy fell irrevocably in love with the first man she ever really looked at.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of Sun In The Morning by Elizabeth Cadell, published by William Morrow and Co. © 1950

"SUN IN THE MORNING tells the story of three girls growing up in India. But the scene and the characters are so authentic that it almost seems as if the author had herself shared their home (and their thoughts and lives) in Minto Lane, Calcutta."

Taken from the inside flap of the dustjacket of Sun In The Morning by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Hodder and Stoughton ©

When, like Ruth and Roger Mallard, you inherit a large house but no money to keep it up, one thing you can do is turn it into a guest house. And having made up their minds, the Mallards decided that River Lodge was to be a guest house of the very best kind.

The first week's guests were specially chosen - or self-invited: a rich aunt; a theatrical producer and the lovely Felicity; Felicity's sister and her twins; a famous artist and the amiable 'Goosey'; the fattest dog in fiction; and a not-so-rich but very comic uncle and aunt; these make up the list of guests at River lodge's inauguration. With them comes an element of discord in the person of Rover's brother Paul, who casts an uneasy shadow over the forthcoming engagement between Felicity and her producer. Oddly enough, the well-meaning interference of the other guests does not seem to help matters. In fact, there is trouble. But it is not disastrous, and by the time the first guests have left River Lodge several matters have worked out to the entire satisfaction of the mallard family, whatever anyone else might think.

Once again, Elizabeth Cadell reveals her flair for elegant comedy. Her intensely individual characters, with all their foibles acutely observed, and the with and charms with which she guides them through their summer storms, are in the true tradition of the English humorous novel.

Taken from inside the dustjacket of River Lodge by Elizabeth Cadell, published by Robert Hale © 1950