One Dark Night

The Dark Moon #1

by Anna Faversham

Readers' Favorite 5* Review and Bronze Award
It is 1821 and smuggling is rife on the English coast. Lucy Yorton, dragged away from her privileged early life, must slave, friendless, on a bleak, run-down farm. Those around her suspect she is a spy and treat her accordingly. Her problems increase when two men enter her life.

Lieutenant Karl Thorsen, sworn to avenge the murder of his father, is a King's man. He is determined to stop the violent smugglers, hang them, and hang and gibbet one in particular. Daniel Tynton has smuggling in his blood. Undaunted by Thorsen's threats, he is respected and feared, and adored by his trusty dog. The choices we make determine our futures and Lucy is torn between two determined men as the secrets and lies undermining her life are exposed. How can she find a way to love and trust again?
‘What a cracking good read.’ Paul Ellard, UK reviewer
Reviews from Goodreads : 'Have added Anna Faversham to my favorite authors’ list! Great plot, interesting characters and an inspirational story. Looking forward to the next book.'
'Rich with historical descriptions, this story of a girl's tough life really drew me in. Great uplifting story.'
'Very exciting and a good book.'
'A great read and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.'
‘I fell in love with Daniel from the very start.’

Also includes Twenty Questions for Book Clubs

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Romance, Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Regency

262 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 2014

About the author

I have lived most of my life in Kent, England but I’ve also lived in New Zealand and central Africa. Both had a lasting influence. Africa dragged my love of writing to the surface. Living some forty miles from the nearest tarmac road and seventy from anything pretending to be a bookshop, I soon ran out of bedtime stories for the children. Scribbling began.

On returning to England, fiction had to take a back seat as real life took over, you know the sort of thing - a proper job to keep feeding the mortgage and the growing family, and chores, chores and more chores. But a love of writing finally erupted into regular tap-tapping. I've written and read for the BBC and published short stories.

Finally, a little more time was found, seven novels have been completed, and more are in the pipeline. I like to include interesting facts in my writing and it is often the case that fact is stranger than fiction, as you probably know. The first book to be published was Hide in Time, a time travel romance. The second book was inspired by the smugglers’ caves I visited as a child, and the third is a sequel set in the ‘diamond isle’ – the Isle of Wight. My website tells more about the inspiration for the books.

And what do people say about the books?

“A clever mixture of suspense, romance and time travel” - Hide in Time
“Dark romantic mystery on a knife edge throughout” - One Dark Night.

www.annafaversham.uk

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Yorton had enjoyed a privileged upbringing alongside Dougie, son of the owner of the manor. When her mother, who was the housekeeper, abruptly left their home with only Lucy in tow, their circumstances changed dramatically. Lucy was only eleven years old and working as a scullery maid to support her mother – but she was a hard worker and well-liked by the woman she worked for.

As the years went by, Lucy was aware of the smuggling which was in the area – but it didn’t touch her; she was a naïve young woman in many ways with no love for her cruel and vindictive mother, but continued to work hard. It was Daniel, son of the farmer who first took her eye; the other man to enter her life was Lieutenant Karl Thorsen, a King’s man who was determined to stop the smuggling whilst avenging the death of his father.

What would happen to Lucy as her loyalties were torn between the two men? Was Lucy herself in danger? And who could she trust?

One Dark Night by Anna Faversham is an excellent historical novel set in the 1820s on the coast of England where the difference between the poor and the privileged was vast. Lucy is an excellent character; a strong and determined young woman whom I liked very much. I thoroughly enjoyed One Dark Night and highly recommend it.

[Carol, She's so Novel ꧁꧂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★

I had high hopes for this one - but it didn't quite measure up.

The time period for this historical was the the tail end of the Regency, but it wasn't a copy cat of my beloved Georgette Heyer and this wasn't set in her world - which usually means a cut & paste of some of GH's dialogue and characters behaving like it is the 21st century - only wearing long dresses or pantaloons! But this was the hard and terrifying world of smugglers - and the start had quite a few threads going.

I had a few quibbles about the beginning, but they were later resolved to my satisfaction. But after these were resolved was about the time the story started to sag. It never recovered for me, sadly.

I still think Anna is a fresh new voice in historical romance and I'm happy to give her time to develop her gifts.

Thanks for the review copy, Anna. I do appreciate it.

https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...

[Carole P. Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and atmospheric trip back in time to the 19th century Kentish coast where smuggling is a way of life. Lucy Yorkton has lead a rather privileged life despite the fact that she is the illegitimate child of the housekeeper. Against her mother's wishes, she has been educated with her playmate Douglas, the Baronet's son. The master of the house refuses to minimize Lucy and relegate her to the servants quarters. In a fit of pique, her mother takes her and relocates to a mean farm exposing Lucy to a much rougher life. Her life will change forever. Faversham's writing takes the reader to another world where the day to day existence was cruel, yet manners and social mores ruled the world. Well-written and with a great eye to detail, this was a fine historical read with a lovely romance.

[Heather Burnside · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy a good tale of triumph over adversity especially within a historical setting. The author did a good job of depicting the difficulties that the protagonist faces as well as illustrating the lives of smugglers at that time. While reading the book I found myself rooting for the protagonist and hoping that things would come right for her.

The book slowed down a little towards the end but overall it was still an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to other fans of this genre.

[Allison Kohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good I had even dreamed about it after I forced myself to put if down and go to bed. Anna Faversham not only has a wonderful magical imagination, she does her research well. Her descriptions are so vivid I felt like I was there watching and listening the the voices, the sea, and the flute. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of history or romance. The romance is more than just the love story.

[Gail Meath · Rating 5 out of 5]

One (beautifully written) Dark Night...
As a lover of historical fiction and romance, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fascinating novel that takes place during the aftermath of the Napoleon wars in southern England. Everything about it pulled me into the story. Amazing, well-developed characters that you fall in love with, both main and minor. A compelling plot with an obviously well-researched and detailed setting, giving the reader a pictorial view without slowing down the pace or distracting from it. (The only thing that distracted me was trying to read it over the holidays – I couldn’t wait to get back to the next chapter!) I’ve read plenty about the Napoleon wars, yet I never knew about England’s struggles following it. And good historical novel should educate the reader along the way, without seeming educational. But, of course, at least for me, it's about the characters and storyline and this book was absorbing. I highly recommend One Dark Night and look forward to reading the second book in the series, Under A Dark Star.

[Tori Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have the imagination for things past, so I'm not a fan of historical fiction and never will be. But I don't mind stepping out of my comfort zone on occasion, so long as the book is well-written. This was. It's credit to Anna Faversham that she kept me entertained for a lot longer than one dark night through this historical fiction/romance book. Meticulously researched, with attention to detail. Tightly written, and a clever plot which was well realised by the end.

[Aslaug Gørbitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this author’s first book, Hide in Time.

One Dark Night is a very well written second novel. It has a great story line, solid characters and plenty of suspense and romance. The writing in this novel, I am not sure exactly how, but it reminds me slightly of Phyllis A. Whitney. This story is better, more engaging, at least for me.

I fell in love with Daniel from the very start. Lucy is very believable and a likeable character. The secondary characters are also very believable and well developed. There is absolutely nothing negative to say. The writing is solid and I found no editing mistakes; granted I was quite invested in the story and therefore I read it more for content than for proofreading.

I highly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of age, as it does not have anything offensive.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet historical romance set in the 1820s in a village on the Yorkshire coast where smuggling was rife. Lucy, a naive young woman working on a run down farm, doesn't realise she is in the midst of smuggling operations until she is removed by Lt Karl Thorsen, the King's Revenue officer charged with hunting out the smugglers, and given a housekeeper's job in his household. In the meantime she's fallen for Daniel, the son of the leader of the smugglers and finds it hard to believe he could be as bad as his father.

Although I found the plot a bit jerky to start with, all soon became clear and made for an entertaining tale. I didn't really warm to any of the main characters (Lucy, Daniel and Karl), but I did enjoy some of the minor characters, particularly Martha, Parson Raffles and Josh the dog. The reasons why smuggling was so rife after the Napoleonic wars which cost Britain so much and led to poverty and excessive taxes on luxury goods were interesting, as were Karl's plan to enter parliament to campaign to reduce taxes and Daniel's plans to improve education and employment in the village.

[Abigail Bok · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the early nineteenth century in a remote corner of Kent, young Lucy Yorton has grown up in a socially ambiguous position. As a child, she is the playmate of the son of her mother’s employer, Sir William Harper; but after her mother leaves her housekeeper’s post, Lucy is made to work as a menial laborer on a farm. Lucy is an odd combination—part lady, part servant, she stands out for being different in ways she doesn’t fully understand.

During the economic depression that followed the end of war with France, the southern coast of England was plagued by smuggling gangs and lawlessness, and Lucy’s world is full of hidden tensions. She leaves the farm labor and gets easier employment working for a Revenue officer, but finds she has forfeited liberty in exchange; she is attracted to the son of her former employer but fears he is an outlaw.

The beautifully constructed plot of One Dark Night propels you through the pages without lagging; there was never a dull moment for me. The descriptions of the time and place were vivid but did not slow down the story, and the research was very solid but never hit you over the head. I liked how integral the political, social, and even spiritual elements were to the story; they enriched the drama and romance instead of feeling pasted on, as they do in so many historical fictions. The heroine was unconventional in her situation but not anachronistic in her thinking.

Toward the end, there were some departures from the canons of decorum, but as they occurred in the name of romance, it’s hard to complain. I felt the characters had earned their improprieties! (For those who care about such things, the story is clean.) My one quibble might be about the incursions of modern language into the narrative and even, occasionally, into the dialogue—something I always find a bit jarring. But in this case, the pleasures in the reading far outweighed such minor concerns.

I would highly recommended this novel for those who enjoyed The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen, and even those who enjoy the historical fiction of Geraldine Brooks.

[Samantha Henthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great historical fiction with all the elements of a classic, but written now! I was interested in this book because I do like to read a historical domestic novel every now and then. I was curious about how people became so rich by smuggling in those days. (It doesn't sound too bad does it? Ripping off the taxman). Anna Faversham has done a grand job with this setting. On a par with treason, smuggling was one of the most life-threatening organised crimes of the day. Seemingly, everyone is caught up in it. Apart from our innocent heroine, Lucy. This is the mystery/thriller part of the narrative.

Lucy is the victim of social etiquette of the day. Her widowed mother is cold and manipulative and her father is a question for later on in the book. The townsfolk won't speak to her because they think she's a spy, and her counterparts think she is an embarrassment. Living in a world where she doesn't belong, things start to change for Lucy when Lieutenant Karl Thorsen employs her as a maid-of-all-works, here, Lucy has some choices to make - especially as the other man in her life, Daniel is in with the smugglers.

Anna Faversham's writing is a delight. the chapter titles are charming, and the supporting characters are reminiscent of nineteenth-century whimsey. I loved Martha the cook with her 'Fumbleduck and dragonpoop' and one simile especially tickled me 'He was as careful of protecting his secrets as a squirrel hiding his nuts'.

[Kath Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy is brought up in a wealthy household with the owner’s son, Dougie. Her mother is housekeeper and her father the butler. Once the young people reach their teens, they are separated and her mother takes Lucy to live away from her roots. Their cottage is by the coast and there is smuggling in the area, attracting the attention of the revenue men. Two men with very different backgrounds and intentions fall for Lucy as she grown from a shy child into a young woman.

The story is quite fast moving and we are not given the ‘romantic’ view of smugglers here but see the deaths resulting from their activities and their run-ins with the authorities. We also see the devastating effects upon their families left without a breadwinner. Lucy attains her true destiny and chooses between her two suitors. The writing is good and nicely paced but I felt, for me, the book could have ended at 90%. The last 10% tied off the ends and finished the individual characters’ stories but I never mind a few loose ends. I can use my imagination then! In spite of that little whinge, this is an enjoyable book.

[Kathy Bialkoski · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Dark Night

I have been venturing to read books that are a little out of my normal genre. Piracy, smuggling, the sea, and England in the very early 1800s are all not in the least bit enticing to me. However, it was brought to light that some smuggling was for the benefit of the struggling poor and needy before it turned violent.
This story has a cast of wonderful characters. Some are comical, some are unbelievably wicked, some are extremely kind. There is enchanted romance. And a wonderful dog. Just when I thought the book was winding down and ending with the lovers getting together, suddenly the most unexpected thing happened and I was horrified! But then that turned out to have me slapping my knee and hooting. Oh, it was good!

[Kevin Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Dark Night, another beautifully written book by Anna Faversham.
I really enjoyed experiencing the plot, going on a journey with the characters who soon became my friends. I really wanted to know what happened next so found it difficult to put this book down. As A Man of Kent, I appreciated the references to places in the area where the book was set. One Dark Night is a lovely story which comes well recommended.
Pick up a copy now, find a comfortable chair and enjoy.

[Stephanie Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exquisite writing. The story is beautifully told, the characters are charming and the writing is just lovely. I can't wait for more!

[Tony Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark romantic mystery on a knife's edge.

On dark nights in Regency England, the smugglers operate their business on the North East Kent coast. Meanwhile, Customs & Excise try to thwart their plans, confiscate the brandy, silk and other luxuries, and hang or exile the culprits to the other side of the world.

In the midst of this world, 19-year-old Lucy Yorton struggles, as a farm servant, to earn a living wage to support herself and her mother. Until seven years earlier, her father was butler and her mother housekeeper in service to a generous Baronet. Lucy had benefited from an education as companion to Dougie, the son and heir of the wealthy landowner. Lucy and Dougie accidentally overhear the Baronet and her mother discuss the growing impropriety of the arrangement. Lucy realises that she will soon be separated from her childhood friend.

At dead of night, Lucy and her mother, Annie, sneak away from her father and comfort of Faefersham Court, to a mean cottage near Merrygate on the tip of the Estuary and the Channel. Annie pretends to be a widow and Lucy is warned not to divulge any of their past. Lucy secures a farm servant’s position at a tiny coastal farm that can barely scrape a living.

This is an enjoyable and thoroughly recommended read, a romantic thriller mystery that maintains its knife edge tension through to the last page. There is action, violence, danger and threats to Lucy's life. It is impossible to trust anyone and Lucy seems powerless to influence the events which threaten to ruin her future. As the story unfolds, an interesting cast of entertaining characters emerge, like Martha, Bodger, the Vicar, even pets like Scat the ratter cat and the faithful dog Josh, none of whom disappoint.

Anna Faversham captures the flavour of the period perfectly, making it easy for the reader to become fully immersed in the period. It is a time of hardship, the long series of wars against the French long over but the return of ex-soldiers and sailors has depressed wages, parishes cannot raise sufficient local taxes to support the old, crippled and underemployed, the Workhouses filled to capacity. Miscreants are dealt with harshly, with offenders exiled, now that the American Colonies are no longer available as sink pits for the unfortunate or antisocial. Begging, petty theft, smuggling and deliberate wrecking are rife on the north Kent/Thames Estuary coast where "One Dark Night" is set. The black economy depends on smuggling and Kent's proximity to the Continent increases its profile in this regard. Charged with stopping this tax evasion, Revenue Officers step up their efforts to close down the smugglers' increasingly violent operations, led by the darkly vengeful Lieutenant Karl Thorsen.

The main mystery is that Lucy is penniless, outgrowing her old clothes to the point of shame, while her mother lives in relative comfort. Why did they have to swap their comfortable arrangements for this? Clearly well-educated and soft-handed despite dressed in rags, Lucy is regarded suspiciously as a revenue spy by locals, including her employers. Now the farmer's son Daniel Tynton, who has a reputation for romancing local wenches and apparently betrothed to another, returns to visit after several years' absence, determined to add Lucy to his list of conquests.

As well as hiding her origins, Lucy has other secrets, knowing where her employer and a mysterious naval man have buried what is possibly a body, on the beach. She's also witness to a murder, but has no idea how she can use her knowledge of either without risking her life.

On the day Farmer Tynton fires Lucy, Lt Thorsen appoints her as his housekeeper in the Customs watch tower, where she meets the delightful Martha, the cook. Although her circumstances have improved by this change, the naive and self-effacing Lucy is bewildered by the mixed messages she is receiving from the men in her life, as well as the intrigues of Excise men, smugglers, pirates, even the rector and his wife exerting their influences on her. She has to make up her mind which of her suitors to give her heart to, while uncertain whether such commitment will lead to love, convenience or misery. At every turn of events, she is confused about where her own heart lies.

Soon, the smugglers and revenue men have their day of reckoning and Lucy is caught up in the midst of it and her life in danger. Great story, complex, interesting, with engaging characters, well worth reading.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know anything about this period in history before I started this book. I know quite a bit now.

The story starts out as Lucy as a child on a wealthy estate and her mother,Annie, and the land owner are arguing about her. I didn't realize just how awful her mother was yet. She just seemed bitchy.

From there the story goes to Lucy's mom leaving with Lucy and making her live in poverty, and Lucy being the one who has to go find work, while she does nothing. It is on the farm where she finds work that she meets Daniel. It is also where she becomes aware of smuggling. Daniel's father,Sydney, is as bad as Lucy's mother.

Daniel's father is called "The magician" and is the leader of the New Kent gang of smuggling. Lieutenant Thorson is out to have Sydney hung , not only for smuggling but for the murder of his father. He also wants to catch Daniel in the act so he can hang him as well. This is because he has fallen in love with Lucy and he knows Daniel is his rival.

Because I knew nothing about this time period, I researched it online so that I understood more clearly what was going on. It was nice to see a lot of what I read play out.

This story has a lot of really wonderful characters. It even has a hero dog. All of the characters have such depth to them, that I felt like I was listening to a story about my friends.

[Anna Faversham]

Not my review - but one from Readers' Favorite - 5* review and Bronze Award 2022

One Dark Night by Anna Faversham is a very good book offering romance, danger, adventure, mystery, excitement and so much more and I found it was very hard to put down. I really was rooting for Lucy to end up with a good life for all the grief she had endured and was hoping she would pick the man I liked best. I also hoped that all the bad people would get what they deserved. Anna Faversham did a perfect job of combining all the elements into one winning story and I highly recommend One Dark Night be added to your reading list.

[Rita Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written historical romance set in Cornwall in the days of smugglers. Poverty drove ordinary people to smuggle, women had limited opportunities and very few rights, justice was swift and brutal. A great read and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice story, great ending. Danny and Lucy.

[Julia Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Ms Faversham's first novel Hide in Time and enjoyed it very much, but I think One Dark Night is a well-deserved five stars. Beautifully written, the story is populated by interesting characters that I grew to love. Even Lieutenant Karl Thorsen, who was seeking revenge for the death of his father, still portrayed good qualities that lifted him out of the evil villein category.
Lucy and Daniel are the love interest and their growing affection for each other is sweet. Lucy has an endearing nature that made me like her immediately. Daniel is a good/bad hero and at the beginning I wasn't sure which way he would turn. This made the story intriguing.
But besides the main characters, One Dark Night is populated with the most amazing minor characters. Parson Raffles is hilarious and his outlook on life and words of wisdom brought a tear to my eye. Martha, Karl's cook, was wonderful and made me chuckle throughout the story, her mixed-up words bringing a light note to a story that could have been sinister with the theme of smuggling in Kent.
I recommend One Dark Night for all historical romance lovers.

[CB Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story - rich with historical descriptions, this story of a girl's tough life really drew me in. The story is a mystery of sorts following Lucy's departure from a rich household as a child. She had a good life, but her mother wanted her to have the life of a servant, that which she was born to. Lucy has grown into a kind woman who falls in love with a man she's too poor to marry. When her mother disappears, Lucy is thrust into a life of uncertainty and adventure as the mystery of her past unfolds. This author really put me in the time period with the descriptions and dialogue. This story is really well-written and beautiful as Lucy faces rough times yet manages to keep a positive attitude. Great uplifting story.

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Regency Mommie Dearest 💔

Regency era Romance💕 and Thriller.🔫🔪
It's the time of high taxation in England and this creates the smuggling and piracy that goes on among the coastal peoples. They're just trying to make a living. Along with the smuggling comes gangs, violence, and power struggles. The common people are struggling to survive.

In this 🌎world is a local Baronet, a widower, his son, and his housekeeper's daughter, as well as a violent smuggler🔪 and his son. The different paths they are set upon makes this a wonderful book. Lots of tidbits and historical facts about common life back then bring the book a richness in story that most books of this genre lack.
Great book!

[Sharon Dubuque · Rating 5 out of 5]

So darn good!!!

I thought this was such a good story. It has so much happening at a time, you have to keep your mind alert. But, it is a loving and down to earth story, I just love it.

[Enid L. Lapham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery Redemption and Romance

I enjoyed this book immensely! There are twists and turns, rescues and kisses. An amazing dog to top off the characters. From smuggling to entrepreneurship, Daniel is redeemed.

[Elaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I bought this book because it was cheap and I liked the cover and was happy to find that it was a very enjoyable read. I pictured everything perfectly and I liked the characters and the setting. Well written, would recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

[Carole Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical read!

Have added Anna Faversham to my favorite authors list!
Great plot, interesting characters and an inspirational story.
Looking forward to the next book.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well done book with mystery, two lovers interested in the H, Lucy, and smuggling on the English coast. Very exciting and a good book.

[Eugenia Chu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story filled with adventure, smugglers, violence, love, choices and right vs wrong. Beautifully written book that I couldn’t put down!