A Mother’s Betrayal

Manchester, 1867

Mara longs for a peaceful life free of violence and poverty. But she has married into the O'Hara family, who have a reputation for drunkenness and quick tempers. Her eldest stepson Conrad is the worst of them all - a brute and a criminal who makes Mara's life a misery.

But when Conrad is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Mara is the only one who can prove his innocence. Perhaps this is her chance to finally free her family from his toxic influence . . .

Will Mara clear Conrad's name, or will she have the courage to break away from her stepson's villainy?

Readers love Emma Hornby:
'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!'

Emma Hornby lives on a tight-knit working-class estate in Bolton and has read sagas all her life. Before pursuing a career as a novelist, she had a variety of jobs, from care assistant for the elderly, to working in a Blackpool rock factory. She was inspired to write after researching her family history; like the characters in her books, many generations of her family eked out life amidst the squalor and poverty of Lancashire's slums.