Books with author CLAIRE RAYNER

The Crimean war is raging a world away from London. Martha Lackland, Abel Lackland’s daughter, astonishes her family and friends by announcing her intention to go to the Crimea to work amongst the British soldiers. After the initial shock, her family rally round to help her raise money for food and medicines. Once in Scutari, Martha meets Florence Nightingale. She also meets a surgeon – the dashing Alexander Laurence and love grows between them amidst the devastation of war.

The early 1800's. Jesse Constam, a highly respected spice merchant, lives in fashionable Gower Street. Saved from poverty himself, he rescues two children from the gutter. Jesse's intervention changes their lives forever. The fate of Abel Lackland and Lilith Lucas and their families become inextricably entwined as they are destined for the vastly different worlds of medicine and the theatre.

First Blood, Second Opinion and Third Degree by Claire Rayner - the first three Dr Barnabas Mysteries in one e-book FOR YOUR KINDLEAbout First Blood:Dr Barnabas is the new pathologist at a big inner city hospital. She is also a police surgeon - and the first woman to hold either post. Her first post-mortem is on a well-known author, with all the attendant media circus. But trouble starts when she cannot find a cause of death.About Second Opinion:This is the second in the medical mystery series, featuring Dr Frederica Barnabus, the forensic pathologist and police-surgeon at the Old East Hospital. In this story she is involved in investigating the harrowing case of suspicious deaths of small babies in the Maternity unit.About Third Degree:A severed leg is found, but there is not much the police or their pathologist George Barnabus can do. After two further deaths George's suspicions are aroused, and when her lover, Chief Inspector Gus Hathaway, finds himself in trouble, George begins to unravel a dangerous crime.

In the early years of Queen Victoria's reign Abel Lackland's children are grown up. Two of his sons have followed their father into medicine. The other, Jonah, now married to Lilith's daughter, has achieved his dream of a career on the stage. However, the reality of being an actor is harsher than he ever imagined - it is a daily struggle to provide for his wife and children. Suddenly something comes into their lives that drives a wedge between them.

Abel Lackland, rescued from the gutter as a child, has achieved great success as a surgeon. His eldest son, Jonah refuses to follow in his father's footsteps. He secretly nurtures a desire to act on the stage. Lilith Lucas, saved from destitution at the same time as Abel, has achieved equal success and adoration as an actress. One night, Jonah steals away to watch Lilith, unaware of her thirst for revenge. He meets her after the show and is enchanted by her, as his father was many years before. Lilith sees in Jonah an opportunity to settle old scores ...

In 1851 Lydia Mohun, the daughter of the famous actress, Lilith Lucas, comes to live in Soho Square. She dreams of the same success on the same stage and when Jonah Lackland's daughter Phoebe is introduced to Lydia, an exciting and glittering world is opened up to her. Freddy, her cousin feels very protective towards her and fears that Lydia poses a threat. Jonah, now widowed, anticipates an inevitable tragedy for them all.

Orphans Amy and Fenton arrive in London determined to find fame and fortune on the stage, like their grandmother, the legendary Lilith Lucas. However, Amy also harbours another desire - to discover her family. Her search is destined to rekindle a feud that has smouldered for years. While she cannot fully understand the intricacies of the hostilities, she can not deny her passionate feelings for a man who has a connection with both families.