The House of Secrets

Set against the backdrop of World War 2, the wealthy Belleville family must face the tragedies and heartbreak that war brings to the doorstep of their grand Australian home. Daughter Julia, headstrong and 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. For her family, it is a secret they swear to keep forever but can they? Half a world away, her brother Richard is fighting for Britain, flying dangerous missions across the Channel knowing that 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, Jane, the woman he left behind? Brought up in Richard's shadow, William Belleville resents the popularity of his older brother and when there is an unexpected death in the family, it is William who 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 he remain faithful to just one woman or will his roving eye mean more trouble for the family. 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 book sets the scene for the betrayals that will be revealed and secrets that will be exposed as the family adjusts to a post-war world where much has changed. This is the first book in the three book series. Book two will be published in 2016. J (Judith) 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.