Cavendon Hall - Barbara Taylor Bradford Audiobook

Written by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Read by Cavendon Hall
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Cavendon Hall Series, Book 1
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release date: April 1, 2014
Duration: 13:12:12

An epic saga of intrigue and mystique set in Edwardian England.

Cavendon Hall is home to two families, the aristocratic Inghams and the Swanns who serve them. Charles Ingham, the sixth Earl of Mowbray, lives there with his wife Felicity and their six children. Walter Swann, the premier male of the Swann family, is valet to the earl. His wife Alice, a clever seamstress who is in charge of the countess’s wardrobe, also makes clothes for the four daughters.

For centuries, these two families have lived side-by-side, beneath the backdrop of the imposing Yorkshire manor. Lady Daphne, the most beautiful of the Earl’s daughters, is about to be presented at court when a devastating event changes her life and threatens the Ingham name. With World War I looming, both families will find themselves tested in ways they never thought possible. Loyalties will be challenged and betrayals will be set into motion. In this time of uncertainty, one thing is sure: these two families will never be the same again.

“Anna Bentinck’s characterizations bring to life the aristocratic Inghams and their fiercely loyal servants, the Swanns. The most beautiful of the four Ingham daughters is soon to be presented at court when tragedy strikes. The evil quickly fades to the background, however, and this romantic fairy-tale romp, lacking venom and a fully developed villain, becomes saccharine and trite. Nonetheless, Bentinck’s vocal portraits, particularly those of the Inghams’ insipid daughters, draw listeners into Cavendon Hall. This is no “Downton Abbey,” in which a clear distinction exists between upstairs and downstairs. The aristocrats of Cavendon depend on their servants to solve their problems and keep their deepest secrets. M.N.T. © AudioFile 2014