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Emma Grady #1

Olycksbarn

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Del 1 av 3. En ödesdiger kväll 1860 i Blackburn dör 16-åriga Emma Gradys far. Hon tas om hand av släktingar som genast roffar åt sig hennes arv och behandlar henne som ett tjänstehjon.

Emma förälskar sig i pråmskepparen Marlow och det dröjer inte länge förrän hon väntar hans barn. Men ödet griper in på det mest fasansfulla sätt …

Speltid: 11 h 9 min

12 pages, Audiobook

First published September 1, 1992

159 people are currently reading
346 people want to read

About the author

Josephine Cox

111 books332 followers
Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at university but was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home. Instead, she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. She is now a No.1 bestselling author with over 40 books to her name.

She wrote dark psychological thrillers under the name Jane Brindle.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
822 (53%)
4 stars
425 (27%)
3 stars
206 (13%)
2 stars
58 (3%)
1 star
28 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
24 reviews
May 20, 2019
I enjoyed this historical story. Set in Blackburn during the demise of the cotton industry. The story about a girl who’s father dies leaving her fate and legacy in the hands of her cruel uncle and aunt.
Profile Image for Kelly Furniss.
1,030 reviews
April 15, 2017
I had this recommended to me. It was an enjoyable book but quite simplistic. I read it quickly and have gone on to read the others in the trilogy.
5 reviews
January 24, 2020
It took me a while to get into this book - it seemed rather slow initially. I did find the love affair which sprang up between Emma and Marlow a bit hard to believe - to fall in love forever at fifteen years old on the basis of only an initial meeting seemed unlikely!

I have read Josephine Cox before, and enjoyed her books, but I have to say that, had I not bought all three books in this series at the same time, I probably wouldn’t have moved on to read more after the first book.
Profile Image for Paul.
26 reviews
March 18, 2015
Too predicatable, too cliched and not descriptive enough of the times. I was also dissapointed that Australia was saved for the second volume, because I'm not going to read that
334 reviews
June 22, 2022
Did not enjoy this book Really struggled with it but did finish reading it right through
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359 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2023
Another wonderful heartbreaking read from the legendary author Josephine Cox.

Thadius Grady realises it's too late that he has made the biggest mistake, that he has put himself and his daughter Emma at the mercy of his sister and her cheating husband Caleb.

Thadius has entrusted to them his entire fortune and the daughter that he loves, with his dying breathe he pleads to see his daughter one last time, but Caleb's does not grand his wish his heart is made of stone .

Worried Caleb is a womaniser and a gambler , and now the inheritance due to Emma is as much in his hands as the beautiful Emma Grady herself , and with many secrets from the past , being kept safely for now .

Emma Falls helplessly in love with Marlow Tanner a young Bargee , it is an Impossible love , and a love made in heaven but which carried them both to hell.

This book is so emotional heartbreaking, and at times hard to read .
By the end of the book , the story finishes abruptly, now it's definitely time to find book 2 and 3 to the series .
219 reviews
July 13, 2023
Outcast - Josephine Cox (Book 1)
A truly sad story of how one person's bad can reach deep into others' lives. This book is a reminder that a series of unfortunate events can happen to anyone and not all those that are tarred with a 'bad' brush should be.

After the 3rd book:
• There was something my eyes were opened to in this series. That in life, most of the time a person will never have, or know, a full story. The beauty of reading books is that we get little bits of information from different people and times, which together give us a full picture of events and timelines. That rarely happens in life.
147 reviews3 followers
July 13, 2018
Heartbreaking

This book really touched me. The story of Emma Grady, her ill father and the terrible relatives who took them in then took advantage of their finances. Emma met and fell in love with a barnamed Marlow, it was first love and they both felt the same, but some things are not meant to be. This is their story, it will pull you in and take you on their journey both good and bad. I would highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Niamh.
278 reviews
November 2, 2024
Awful. Cartoonish, cardboard characters. Not sure how anyone could enjoy this - it's far too unrealistic to believe any of it enough to invest in it emotionally, or in any way. No one goes on like that. It's like a parody of a drama rather than an actual drama. I will avoid this author at all costs in the future.
Profile Image for Claire Tanner.
160 reviews
July 20, 2025
Reading this book made me very frustrated. The historical side was often incorrect and annoying. The storyline was frustrating and often didn't seem to be what the characters would do with their character development. And the ending was very flat compared to the rest of the story.
The most frustrating part was the stating the obvious with characters feelings.
1 review
January 2, 2020
I enjoyed this book very much. It is a very sad tale and this poor girl really has a struggle in her young life. It got to the point where I was on the edge of my seat and such a sad ending.
Is there a follow up book out now?
227 reviews3 followers
July 26, 2020
Family

From the beginning of the story we have read about family. The different ways a family can treat you. I have enjoyed every page and grown to love Emma. Looking forward to the next book.
5 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2021
Thought it might have a bit more substance to it but no, so didn’t finish it. Couldn’t stand the way every character except Emma was constantly referred to with both first name and surname. Eg Caleb Crowther. It got a bit much.
Profile Image for S.
66 reviews1 follower
July 7, 2022
Quite boring, when there was action it was unrealistic and exaggerated. Felt like it was written for children - yet the situations meant it really wasn’t. This girl was made out to be an absolute saint but got all this awful mistreatment? Doesn’t ring true at all.
Profile Image for Lisa Ward .
66 reviews3 followers
August 14, 2018
At first I felt out of my comfort zone with it being set in 1860’s but it’s such a very well written story
Fantastic
58 reviews
September 24, 2019
First of the trilogy

This first book in the take of Emma. It tells the tale of love, betrayal & friendship. I look forward to reading the next book.
4 reviews
September 10, 2020
Excellent

A first class read heartwarming yet emotional both in a good way but also in a sense of fear and hate
6 reviews
February 12, 2021
Great Read

Engrossing from first page to last,cannot wait to read the next book and last, going threw all her books daily
Profile Image for Sue.
360 reviews17 followers
January 12, 2022
Overall enjoyable,if a little slow to begin. Also a few coincides where a little beyond believable. But a good enough read.
Profile Image for Cheryll.
388 reviews4 followers
November 12, 2022
Bit of a boring start but it improved at the end!
18 reviews
November 17, 2022
Great read

Loved this book keeps you interested from start to finish. Brilliant writing cannot wait to start the next one well done
Profile Image for Tracey.
8 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2023
I enjoyed the book but quite frustrated to learn the ending, you have to read 2 more books to get to the end.
Profile Image for ♡ amina ♡.
191 reviews15 followers
March 16, 2023
I listened to the audiobook. It was an alright read but it definitely could have been shorter . I didn’t understand the point in that ending either
16 reviews
June 18, 2023
Gave it a try. Characters and events are too predictable for my taste. Had to drop it.
86 reviews
June 24, 2025
Över förväntan efter att ha läst kommentarer här. Ser fram emot fortsättningen
493 reviews1 follower
Read
July 9, 2025
The start of the Emma Grady trilogy, following from England to being transported to Australia.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews

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