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The Weardale Sagas #1
The Guardian Angel
1820. Alice Lee, middle-aged and unmarried, takes in a young murderer, Zebediah Bailey, when he's released from Durham gaol. Their acquaintance had begun when Alice's local Methodist minister had asked his congregation if anybody would help the young man, and Alice had volunteered. Alice dutifully writes him every week, sending him sweets from her shop. And when Zeb comes out and has nowhere to go, Alice takes him back to Stanhope in Weardale with her, much to the horror of her neighbours.
A tale of an unlikely friendship set in the atmospheric world of 19th century Durham, this is the first in a new series set in Weardale.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2017
16 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Gill
51 books27 followershttps://www.facebook.com/Elizabeth-Gi...
http://elizabethgill.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth, formerly a journalist and house journal editor, has a daughter Katy and lives in Durham City. She began writing at four and had a poem published at twelve and a short story accepted at age twenty. Her first book was published when she was thirty and subsequently has had a total of 40 novels published.
http://elizabethgill.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth, formerly a journalist and house journal editor, has a daughter Katy and lives in Durham City. She began writing at four and had a poem published at twelve and a short story accepted at age twenty. Her first book was published when she was thirty and subsequently has had a total of 40 novels published.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 1, 2022
Three and a half stars,
The story starts in 1885 in County Durham. Of middle age, Alice Lee is unmarried and it looks like she will never find a husband. When the minister asks for someone from his congregation to write to convicted murderer Zebediah Bailey, people in the town are unforgiving. However, Alice feels compelled to respond. This decision changes her life and ultimately Zeb’s as well.
Alice, who owns a sweet shop, dutifully writes to him regularly, even when not getting a response. After nine, largely brutal, abusive and lonely years in prison, Zeb comes out of jail. But he has nowhere to go. Who will help him? Would Alice dare to? Surely not!
Then when her elderly friend and mentor who taught her about sweet making dies, Alice is faced with another hard choice. How will she respond to Susan, who had cared for Miss Frost?
This is a story about parents who try and impose their wishes on their children, and about abusive men who treat women and children as chattels. It is a story of bitterness, resentment, and wrong decisions, but also of forgiveness. It evoked a lot of emotions in me. Alice is an endearing character and so were a couple of others. An engaging read that had me turning the pages and wanting to keep reading most of the time.
At one stage I thought it would be at least a four and a half star read. But a few decisions by a couple of characters towards the end, I found inexplicable and inconsistent. Until then, I really enjoyed this book. I would still recommend it as being worth reading. It is my first book by this author and I would be interested to read more of her work. She has written quite a number so I will have plenty to choose from.
The story starts in 1885 in County Durham. Of middle age, Alice Lee is unmarried and it looks like she will never find a husband. When the minister asks for someone from his congregation to write to convicted murderer Zebediah Bailey, people in the town are unforgiving. However, Alice feels compelled to respond. This decision changes her life and ultimately Zeb’s as well.
Alice, who owns a sweet shop, dutifully writes to him regularly, even when not getting a response. After nine, largely brutal, abusive and lonely years in prison, Zeb comes out of jail. But he has nowhere to go. Who will help him? Would Alice dare to? Surely not!
Then when her elderly friend and mentor who taught her about sweet making dies, Alice is faced with another hard choice. How will she respond to Susan, who had cared for Miss Frost?
This is a story about parents who try and impose their wishes on their children, and about abusive men who treat women and children as chattels. It is a story of bitterness, resentment, and wrong decisions, but also of forgiveness. It evoked a lot of emotions in me. Alice is an endearing character and so were a couple of others. An engaging read that had me turning the pages and wanting to keep reading most of the time.
At one stage I thought it would be at least a four and a half star read. But a few decisions by a couple of characters towards the end, I found inexplicable and inconsistent. Until then, I really enjoyed this book. I would still recommend it as being worth reading. It is my first book by this author and I would be interested to read more of her work. She has written quite a number so I will have plenty to choose from.
April 25, 2018
What a lovely read. I have read a few of Elizabeth Gill's books and this to date is now my favourite. She writes like a modern day Catherine Cookson. The story was different than many I have read and I loved all the characters - there were enough to keep you interested but not too many to cause confusion. It was full of twists and turns too and a few unexpected happenings. I also loved the fact it was based around a sweet shop Thoroughly recomnend it - a brilliant read.
May 8, 2018
The author, Elizabeth Gill, attended Emma Willard School in Troy, New York, as an exchange student on the English-Speaking Union, and so was a member of my class. We recently reconnected via Facebook and I discovered that she is an author with a substantial backlist. I bought her newest title, but decided to start with an earlier work in the Weardale Saga: hence this review of "The Guardian Angel."
Historical romance is not ordinarily my cup of tea--I am more of a nonfiction reader--but this was charming. The protagonist, Miss Alice Lee, confectioner extraordinaire, is the center of gravity around whose sweet shop the village of Stanhope appears to revolve. A good Methodist, she responds to her minister's prodding of the congregation to reach our and write to the young "murderer," Zebediah Bailey, who was eight or nine years into a ten year sentence for what sounds more like manslaughter. She also sends the lad sweets. So the novel begins as a sort of epistolary work.
Eventually, weathering the disapproval of many of the townsfolk (after all the time frame is mid-19th century), Miss Lee creates an ad-hoc family in the cramped living quarters behind the shop: herself sharing a room with the orphan girl Susan Wilson, whose kindly guardian dies and Zeb Bailey, eventually sharing a room with his estranged father Mr. Bailey. Zeb gets a job at the local quarry where he meets Daniel Wearmouth; Dan's father Josiah, died in the same prison Zeb was in and Zeb had cared for him in a way in the end. The young deacon, Charles Westbrooke, estranged scion of a landed family in the upper dales, and Arabella Almond, beautiful daughter of the quarry owners, complicate things between Dan and Susan. Other characters, townspeople, quarrymen, deceased parents, wander in and out of the story.
The author lives near Durham and her knowledge of the area and deep affection for its landscape and history are evident. She describes the ways that homes are tucked into hillsides to withstand fierce winds and how a water seeps through the front door in a storm, wetting the rugs of a him located in a bottom not far from the river. Small cottages are contrasted to the large homes of the wealthy and the social elites. The changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution are woven into the story in myriad subtle ways.
Liz has a fine style which suffers, in my opinion, from a tendency to provide a few too many small details, a too complete telling of the thoughts cycling though an individual's mind. Most of that enriches the narrative and adds both human and pathos; some of it bogs the action down.
I am, however, looking forward to The Quarryman's Wife," which sits on the shelf waiting for me.
Historical romance is not ordinarily my cup of tea--I am more of a nonfiction reader--but this was charming. The protagonist, Miss Alice Lee, confectioner extraordinaire, is the center of gravity around whose sweet shop the village of Stanhope appears to revolve. A good Methodist, she responds to her minister's prodding of the congregation to reach our and write to the young "murderer," Zebediah Bailey, who was eight or nine years into a ten year sentence for what sounds more like manslaughter. She also sends the lad sweets. So the novel begins as a sort of epistolary work.
Eventually, weathering the disapproval of many of the townsfolk (after all the time frame is mid-19th century), Miss Lee creates an ad-hoc family in the cramped living quarters behind the shop: herself sharing a room with the orphan girl Susan Wilson, whose kindly guardian dies and Zeb Bailey, eventually sharing a room with his estranged father Mr. Bailey. Zeb gets a job at the local quarry where he meets Daniel Wearmouth; Dan's father Josiah, died in the same prison Zeb was in and Zeb had cared for him in a way in the end. The young deacon, Charles Westbrooke, estranged scion of a landed family in the upper dales, and Arabella Almond, beautiful daughter of the quarry owners, complicate things between Dan and Susan. Other characters, townspeople, quarrymen, deceased parents, wander in and out of the story.
The author lives near Durham and her knowledge of the area and deep affection for its landscape and history are evident. She describes the ways that homes are tucked into hillsides to withstand fierce winds and how a water seeps through the front door in a storm, wetting the rugs of a him located in a bottom not far from the river. Small cottages are contrasted to the large homes of the wealthy and the social elites. The changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution are woven into the story in myriad subtle ways.
Liz has a fine style which suffers, in my opinion, from a tendency to provide a few too many small details, a too complete telling of the thoughts cycling though an individual's mind. Most of that enriches the narrative and adds both human and pathos; some of it bogs the action down.
I am, however, looking forward to The Quarryman's Wife," which sits on the shelf waiting for me.
May 17, 2025
Alice Lee is middle aged, owns a sweet shop and is doing ok in life.
Then one day the minister approaches her about writing to a man called Zebediah Bailey.
He is in prison for murder and all the locals just want to forget his crimes.
But the minister believes in second chances and so she tries writing to him to cheer him up.
When he comes out of prison she is willing to take him in, being lonely since her parents died.
Then, over time their friendship evolves and deepens.
Can they both find a new beginning and a happy ever after despite everything.
This is one of my fave books this year and have I have already bought the other companion volume.
Wonderful story.
Then one day the minister approaches her about writing to a man called Zebediah Bailey.
He is in prison for murder and all the locals just want to forget his crimes.
But the minister believes in second chances and so she tries writing to him to cheer him up.
When he comes out of prison she is willing to take him in, being lonely since her parents died.
Then, over time their friendship evolves and deepens.
Can they both find a new beginning and a happy ever after despite everything.
This is one of my fave books this year and have I have already bought the other companion volume.
Wonderful story.
August 29, 2017
absolutely loved this book.it was one of those books that you never want to end.I do think that theres a possibility though that there could be a follow up because not all loose ends were tied up.would highly recommend this book.
June 1, 2017
Fantastic writer very gripping story
Very good story kept you wanting to read more would suggest you read it if you like a good story
Very good story kept you wanting to read more would suggest you read it if you like a good story
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews