After several months in which former Parliament member Harry Richmond remaines missing at sea, his wife Ellen accepts the official ruling that he is presumed dead. Her upper-class friends and his political cronies presume Ellen is a grieving widow and treat her accordingly, though she knew her marriage was in trouble. At Harry's funeral service, a former military associate of Harry during the Falkland Islands War, Richard Moreland attends.

As Ellen thinks suicide due to amateur seaman Harry going out on a yacht in dangerous weather, the police wonder if murder occurred. Already worried about the future of her two children with the mountain of debt her dead husband left her with, Ellen learns more about Harry's questionable financial dealings, alleged wrong doings as a soldier, and perhaps sexual abuse of his adopted oldest daughter. Only Richard seems to be on Ellen's side in seeking the truth of what happened to Harry, but she questions his agenda.

Though the tale starts off a bit slow as Clare Francis introduces the cast including a dead Harry and their relationships, once the story line shifts into gear it never slows down. Readers will find Ellen a delightful enigma until the climax. Is she the victim only trying to protect her children or is she the killer trying to hide her own misdeed? Fans will take tremendous satisfaction trying to determine who the real Ellen is, but Ms. Francis cleverly hides the truth in plain sight and it is not revealed until the taut climax.

Harriet Klausner

I got this book on a friend's recommendation and it wasn't until I began to read that I realized I had seen this story done as a made-for-British-TV-movie on BBCAmerica. I thought it was an especially good thriller on TV but I wasn't sure I wanted to read the book after the fact, especially since I knew "whodunit", but I gave it a try and armed with the image of Francesca Annis ("Reckless") as Ellen, I waded in. It was a good idea. There are so many story nuances and side plots that simply can't make it into a TV movie, either from time constraints or the known attention span of viewers, and it was like reading a richer version of the movie. The ending was still the same, but delivered in a much more compelling (and less screen-worthy) manner. I hadn't read Clare Francis before, but I certainly will read her again.

"Deceit," by the British author Clare Frances, is a beautifully written novel that builds in intensity until its surprising conclusion. Ellen Richmond's husband, Harry, has mysteriously disappeared while on his yacht. Months later, neither Harry's body nor his yacht has been recovered and he is presumed dead. Ellen's top priority is protecting her children, Katie and Josh, from anything or anyone who may hurt them.

Protecting the children and herself will be quite a challenge for Ellen. It seems that Harry had quite a few secrets, both of a personal and professional nature, and he has left the family emotionally devastated and almost penniless. Harry had hurt Ellen in many ways and her marriage was in deep trouble at the time of her husband's disappearance. She is hoping that after Harry's memorial service, she will be able to forget the past and get on with her life.

Unfortunately, as further revelations come out about Harry and his death, Ellen's peace of mind is shattered and her family's security is threatened. Clare Frances does a masterful job of creating memorable and fully developed characters. Ellen is a complex woman who has been guilty of being too trusting and passive, but who now must call on all of her inner strength to survive emotionally from day to day. Other memorable characters include Richard Moreland, a kind and honorable man who befriends Ellen and her son, and Jack, Harry's sleazy business partner, whose attentions to Ellen are unwelcome and unwanted.

As more terrible truths emerge, Ellen's world starts to fall apart. The last quarter of the book will have you on the edge of your seat until you finally reach the surprising conclusion. Lovers of British suspense novels will adore "Deceit," a first-rate thriller.

Clare Francis specializes in dysfunctional families with disturbing secrets. In "A Dark Devotion," Grace Dearden, a young wife and mother who lives in Norfolk, England, suddenly disappears. Alex O'Neill, an attorney and an old friend of Grace's husband, Will, steps in to help. Alex's services are needed, since the police suspect that Will may have had something to do with Grace's disappearance. Alex begins an investigation of her own, hoping to find out what really happened to Grace.

Alex's interest in the case is not entirely professional. Her marriage is shaky, since her husband, Paul, is a drunk who is deeply involved with some disreputable characters. Alex still has feelings for Will, whom she loved when she was a young girl. As she delves into the complexities of this case, Alex begins to uncover the truth behind the Dearden family façade.

Frances sets up her story well, and she populates "A Dark Devotion" with intriguing characters. Alex is a smart, compassionate and tenacious lawyer, whose experience with the criminal justice system makes her a valuable ally. Although Alex cares for Will, she tries not to allow her emotions to color her perceptions. Other notable characters are Alex's weak-willed and shallow brother, Edward, Will's fragile mother, Maggie, and his vulnerable little boy, Charlie. Francis makes us care about these people and we are eager to find out how things went so dreadfully wrong for this "picture perfect" family.

The book is weakest at the end, when startling revelations come one after another. Francis, like so many authors in this genre, wants to surprise the reader with twists and turns, but she lays on the contrivances and the melodrama too thickly. Still, most of "A Dark Devotion" is a literate and engrossing novel that will have you turning pages quickly to see how the mystery is resolved.

London attorney Alexandra O'Neil is upset with her husband Paul, also a lawyer, because he has a propensity for defending those who are guilty. For instance, his latest client, Mr. Ronnie "lifelong felon" Buck nearly killed a cop, but Paul got him acquitted based on a stategey of self-defense. Even worse to Alex is the post-game gala gloat.

From her hometown in Norfolk, Will Deardon calls Alex to help him. His wife Grace vanished and the police are looking closely at him as a suspect in the disappearance of his wife. Alex has mixed feelings about taking the case because Will was her first love before he married Grace. However, she also wants him safe and the real perpetrator caught. She travels home to give him legal council only to begin to believe that the man she represents is guilty of a heinous crime.

A DARK DEVOTION is a cerebral legal thriller that readers will appreciate, as the tale never loses sight of its prime theme. The audience will ponder the issues of whether everyone, even the guilty, should have proper legal representation and how far should an attorney go to defend their client. Alex is a great lead player and the support cast especially her spouse and client, enable readers to see deeper into moral dilemma. Fans will quickly develop a deep devotion to Clare Francis with works like this one.

Harriet Klausner

This was my first encounter with this author and I loved the book. The contrast between Norfolk and London was well drawn, the vivid description brings Norfolk to life. The characters are believable, but perhaps the women are stronger and more 'real' than the men. The plot is good, not too obvious - but not exhausting! I will certainly read more from this author. I am less certain about Harriet Walter the narrator, I did not find her voice very easy to listen to, and I did not feel she had sufficient range to do justice to the reading.

Clare Francis's new novel, "Betrayal" is about Hugh Wellesley, a well-to-do English businessman who is very much on edge. One reason that Hugh's nerves are frayed is that he is in danger of losing the family business that he inherited from his father. Worse still, Hugh hears that Sylvie, his former lover, has been stabbed to death. Hugh knows that sooner or later the police will question him about the crime. He does not want the police to delve into his personal life, and he wants to avoid a public scandal at all costs.

Hugh's fragile wife, Ginny, is an asthmatic who does not handle stress well. Soon, she is caught up in Hugh's troubles and the police start to question both Hugh and Ginny about Sylvie's death. Did Hugh or Ginny kill Sylvie? Or is there another person who had reason to want Sylvie dead?

Francis effectively depicts Hugh's torment and guilt over the mess that he has made of his life. Not only has Hugh neglected Ginny in order to expand a business that may now fail, but he has embroiled his wife in a homicide investigation. Even if Hugh is not charged with Sylvie's murder, he may not be able to salvage his marriage or his business.

"Betrayal" works much better as a character study than it does as a mystery. Hugh is basically a decent individual who has made some very costly mistakes, and Ginny is a beautiful but insecure woman who wants nothing more than to win back her husband's affections. The author depicts Hugh, Ginny and a large cast of secondary characters deftly. The lively characters are a major strength of the book.

Unfortunately, the mystery element of the novel is not as strong. "Betrayal" is replete with red herrings, but an astute reader should be able to figure out the solution long before the end. Nonetheless, I recommend "Betrayal" as an engrossing character study of a desperate man trying to save himself and his family from ruin.

Betrayed by his business partner and harried by a hostile takeover of his family business, Hugh Wellesley has betrayed his fragile, high-strung wife with Sylvie, an old flame burning anew, now murdered and thrown into the river near his family's summer cottage in Devon. Insisting to the police that he hardly saw Sylvie that summer, he falls under increasing suspicion as the web of lies begins to unravel.

Between interrogations, frazzled conversations with his wife, brusque exchanges with his country doctor brother, sympathetic advice from the doctor's wife (and his former business partner's sister), and cut-throat buy-out negotiations for his family glass company, the reader learns that Hugh was obsessed by Sylvie, betrayed by her and without an alibi.

But Hugh's wife, Ginny, and his brother and sister-in-law cover up for him so thoroughly that Ginny is arrested instead. Unable to cope with his business reversals, Ginny has been tearful and touchy all summer, possibly unstable, even suicidal. Murder is not out of the question.

The betrayals mount as the psychological tension builds. Suspicion cripples intimacy and stifles communication, undermining a deeper core of strength and resiliency which adversity has uncovered in their marriage. Francis ("Deceit") ratchets up the suspense as the atmosphere grows more claustrophobic and the secrets crawl out of dark corners. Veteran mystery readers, however, will see the solution coming and may be a bit disappointed in Hugh.

This is a well written and well researched book. We may feel that Francis and Clare of Asissi, who lived in the 13th century, are irrelevant to the present time. However, as shown in this book, the values they espoused, of equality, peace and partnership in all relationships are equally important in the "Dot.com" age. The book is not just for Religious but is a valuable starting block for self development. The section on self knowledge is thought provoking. "Who am I" is quite often a difficult question to answer frankly. We now acknowledge that Francis was the first ecologist, with a profound respect for all created things, in which he saw God the Creator. This book shows us very clearly that we do not inherit the earth from our forebears, we do in fact borrow it from our children. It is a very good read. I enjoyed it. It is also very competitivly priced and would make a nice Christmas gift.

"Through the Veils of the Morning" throws much light on the genius of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. It also provides material for meditation, and will be found very helpful by those conducting Retreats. Both Francis and Clare were clearly aware of the action of the Holy Spirit in their lives and were conscious of the flexibility and freedom that should be given to the working of the Spirit. This book presents for us the working of same Spirit in the lives of Francis and Clare and sets out to show their creative life-style in response to the Spirit's action. Whilst the book is not a compendium of Ignatian-like spiritual exercises, it still manages to present Franciscan Spirituality in a way that can be followed by those who wish to follow the journey of Francis and Clare. The author shows that the first step on this journey is that of facing the reality of "Who am I"? This is the first hurdle to be crossed if one wishes to enter the Promised Land. The first part of the process begins, therefore, with the question "Who am I"? - the discovery of one's real identity. From examples given by the author it is clear that many only touch reality when they are shocked into by serious sickness, accident or approaching death. Francis and Clare embraced reality and by so doing discovered God at the centre of it. The author outlines the circumstances and events of their lives that enabled them to let go of "baggage" and find the "pearl of great price". The pathway chosen by Francis and Clare was that of poverty and rejection. The author develops these themes.

The second part of the book deals with a journey which discovers the inter-connectedness of all creation - particularly the "brotherhood and sisterhood" of the human family.

The third part of the book deals with the great theme of Peace in all its richness - this the "Mission" The on-going discovery of the pathway of poverty and rejection which Francis and Clare followed led them to a mission of Peace. Francis' "Canticle of the Creatures" is an eloquent testimony to the beauty and breadth of this mission.

The book is made up of an Introduction to Franciscan Spirituality plus small cameos of the lives of Francis and Clare. The author then develops three main categories of meditations and exercises: 1) Humility 2) Sisterhood/Brotherhood. 3)Peace. The final part of the book presents resource-materials and reflections suitable for each section. This is a book not just to be read through - but to be reflected on - a book for "the journey" Its purpose is to help one deepen one's awarenss of reality and offers a pathway through life according to the spirituality of Francis and Clare. The reflections lead one to consider the three great questions: Who am I? Who are we? - What should I do? It marks the first attempt to set out a programme of exercises drawing on the richness of Franciscan Spirituality which has much to offer to out times.

The book has 267 pages and is published by Veritas and Co, Dublin - 2000. It is very keenly priced.

In "Forth and Abroad," readers get more of a history lesson of the Roswell Poor Clares' five foundations than an inside peek of what it means to be a Poor Clare. It is an interesting read, but lacks the personal touch, humor, and character descriptions that made "A Right to be Merry" so delightful. Readers will certainly get a sense of a community that is willing to grow and change with the call of God. A good book for the history of the Poor Clares in the 20th century.

I read this book as part of a research project I was doing about the design of college campuses. I found it to be extremely helpful in my project and I plan on refering to it in the future; I am pursuing a Master's of Landscape Architecture. What I liked about this book is two-fold:

1. Each chapter is a self-contained guide to designing a plaza, park, campus, or playground with people in mind. This important to me becuase I try to focus my designs around the people who will be using them. Each chapter gives useful design tips and helps about the given topic.

2. This book was academic while remaining readable. The authors refer to studies relevent to the topic at hand, but do not become bogged down in theoretical nonsense.

I recommend buying it to anyone who would like a well-organized general design reference book. I would not recommend it to anyone who needs in depth information on any specific topic covered in the book. Check it out from the library if that is your intent.

Sue Spears the owner of The Candle Shop in convent Garden London is the collater of this book, she has put together a lovely visual book , but with no really new ideas . And some of the material suggestions as a bit silly , a nice coffee table book on candles, not really informative for the candlemaker.

This is a terrific book for the beginning candlemaker. The author gives a great introduction to candlemaking with nice explanations on materials needed, basic techniques, types of candles, etc. Also, the information is easy to understand. Great for someone getting started. The ideas in the book are new and refreshing. Each project has easy to follow directions and wonderful full-color pictures to help you along. My husband has been making candles since the late 60's and he loved the book. We checked it out of our local library and now we are definitely going to purchase this book!

I have been fascinated by Clare Francis after following her round the world sailing feat and subsequent battle with chronic fatigue syndrome. I thoroughly enjoyed her first book Night Sky but found Red Crystal to be far fetched and hard to generate any empathy for the characters. Am currently reading Deceit and find this very slow going. I wish she would go back to writing about sailing.