The Poacher's Daughter

by Margaret Dickinson

‘I’m going to live in that house, Dad. One day I’ll be mistress of Thornsby Manor . . .’

It is 1910 in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Young Rosie Waterhouse lives with her father, Sam, well known as the local poacher, in a cottage on the Thornsby estate. The land is owned by William Ramsey, a harsh and heartless man who is determined his only son, Byron, should marry well and produce an heir.

Rosie is quick to learn the tricks of her father’s trade and it’s when she’s poaching fish from the estate’s stream that she meets Byron. They continue to meet in secret over the coming months and, as their friendship blossoms, they recognize that, despite their vastly different backgrounds, they are destined to be together. When William learns of their bond, he stops at nothing to ensure that they never meet again.

As the years pass and the threat of war becomes a reality, Sam is involved in a tragic incident that will affect both his and Rosie’s lives more than they could ever have imagined. Life will never be the same in Thornsby, but will Rosie find the happiness she yearns for?

Genres: Historical

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 11, 2023

About the author

Born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, Margaret Dickinson moved to the coast at the age of seven and so began her love for the sea and the Lincolnshire landscape. Her ambition to be a writer began early and she had her first novel published at the age of twenty-five. This was followed by many further titles including Plough the Furrow, Sow the Seed and Reap the Harvest, which make up her Lincolnshire Fleethaven Trilogy. She is also the author of Fairfield Hall, Jenny's War and The Clippie Girls. Margaret is a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller.

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good old fashioned easy to read story with few surprises or mysteries. The plot is simple,an evil squire with a handsome son who falls in love with a girl from the village. Of course not all goes well with the background of the first World War and the Lincolnshire countryside.

[Diane Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart racing

Absolutely fabulous reading as always well done margaret, had me on the edge of my seat more than once, couldn't put the book down, 4 lots of tears, a must for any reader

[Carol Shanahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book, especially coming from that area. It took me back home!

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. A good story and I loved all the characters. They were made for this book. I love reading books in this era.

[Carole Cairns · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great new story!

A wonderful tale of one young woman's battles against adversity. Another great story from my favourite author! Great characters and twists and turns that will keep you guessing.

[Cherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, War, and Breaking Barriers — A deeply moving and historically rich saga.

[The Historical Backdrop]
Set under the dark, looming shadow of the First World War, this book delivers a really strong, compelling storyline. A massive highlight was the inclusion of the famous Christmas Day Truce between the English and German soldiers; while lightly touched upon, seeing this legendary moment woven into fiction was incredibly moving. The epilogue was equally brilliant, thoughtfully explaining how women carved out independent careers for themselves post-war, leading directly to the monumental Matrimonial Causes Act 1923 which finally allowed women to petition for divorce.

[The Standout Characters]
The cast is fantastic, but Grace was the absolute star of the show. Her quiet bravery in defying her husband to work in the hospital helping injured soldiers, alongside her fierce, protective love for Rosie, was beautiful to witness. The book also beautifully explores the theme of breaking through the rigid class barriers and forced status marriages of the early 1900s, perfectly played out through Byron and Rosie.

[The Emotional Core]
At its heart, the bond between Rosie and her father, Sam, is the emotional anchor of the book. It is incredibly poignant how his love and foresight manage to save his daughter even after he has passed away.

[The Verdict: A Few Extra Pages]
The short chapters make it an easy, engaging read, though my only minor critique is that the story felt a little dragged out in places toward the end. Overall, however, it is a thoroughly enjoyable, empowering, and historically fascinating read.

[Pat Stearman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually enjoyed this ( nothing not to like) - typical family saga where you sort of know nothing really bad is going to happen to a major character & I'll all work out in the end.
Lincolnshire isn't a county I know much about but life in a rural village anywhere in England would be much the same in the early years of last century.
Nicely drawn simple characters, interesting situations ( particularly the hospital & the poaching).
An easy resd.

[Shirley Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I highly recommend to all readers who enjoy good stories set during WW1. This is definitely one of those page-turners which portrays life in a small village amid the conflict and harsh realities of wartime. All the characters were believable and the storyline was realistic - no ridiculous coincidences here! A great one from Margaret Dickinson.

[Mrs Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a lovely story!!

I totally enjoyed reading The Poacher's daughter it is yet another of Margaret's lovely stories!! Thank you, Margaret. Since my mum brought me your trilogy of Plough the furrow, Sow the seed and Reap the harvest I have been hooked.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a brilliant read I couldn't put this book down to find out if Bryon and Rosie get together as they have obvious attraction as far back as really young even though Bryon's Father disapproves and forces a loveless marriage upon him

[Sue Sykes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book and so well written. Really enjoyed it

[Sharon Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Margaret Dickinson writes a good novel

[kathleen kirtley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

The author is so good couldn't put book down
Enjoying all her books and will try to read them all

[Alison Lingard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Yet another great story . Will be reading yet more of her books. Ive read about 20 of them so far

[janet cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read loved every word

[gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner!

Loved this book so much I could not put it down. Excellent storyline, the characters really came to life. Highly recommend!

[Trudie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this about Rosie, the local poachers daughter. It starts just before ww1 and also includes life during ww1 and after too.

[Justine Hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Margaret Dickinson books and this one was written like you were watching a film. They are just lovely feel good books.

[Laura Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely read, lots of great characters.

[Rachael Early · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book, easy to read classic story with a few surprises along the way. A story of a young girls struggles in a bygone time with some great characters and a good plot.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and a typical story telling from MD. Have read them all now, what will I do?

[John Milliner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story

[Pat Fairbairn · Rating 5 out of 5]

gripping

I loved this story about Rosie and the hardship that she suffered but all ended well for her and she was able to find true happiness

[josephine Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very good story.

A story that held my interest from the start. It is nice when a story has a good ending and satisfying ending.

[Mary Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love story with heartache and tragedy what a book enjoyed it immensely

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had strong and resourceful characters, especially Rose, Nell & Grace. Although sad at times, it's a really wonderful story.