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Chasing Rachel
An urgent call brings Rachel Falconer, naturalist and TV presenter, from her Yorkshire home to manage Kestrel House, her father Paul's botanical research institute on Dartmoor. There she meets Michael, her old rival at grammar school and now a respected archaeologist; the hostile Daniel, once her colleague and lover; the truculent forester, Colin; and Leo, computer wizard and Don Juan. As Rachel puts Kestrel House back on its feet, and she and Michael begin a new, adult, loving relationship, her past returns to haunt her. One phone call, made several years before in Brazil, has set off a devastating chain of events. On Dartmoor an unknown enemy is closing in--someone who knows her secrets, a bitter adversary skilled in deceit and armed with an intimate knowledge of fire.
294 pages, Paperback
Published August 3, 2010
5 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Townsend
81 books61 followersLindsay Townsend is an English novelist with a passion for writing historical romance. Her books are published by Kensington Books, Bookstrand, Prairie Rose Publications, Audible, Ulverscroft Large Print and MuseItUp. Her earlier historical romances and romantic suspense novels are reissued through Kindle Direct.
Lindsay lives in Yorkshire, in the north of England, with her husband, Alan, and also has family in Devon. She loves singing, music, walking, reading and cooking - especially trying out old recipes.
She has been writing stories since the age of six, and has been a professional novelist for many years. Her previous books are romantic thrillers.
Lindsay lives in Yorkshire, in the north of England, with her husband, Alan, and also has family in Devon. She loves singing, music, walking, reading and cooking - especially trying out old recipes.
She has been writing stories since the age of six, and has been a professional novelist for many years. Her previous books are romantic thrillers.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 7, 2025
Chasing Rachel is a well written romantic suspense novel and although not a genre I usually read, the intriguing story held my interest throughout.
At the request of her father, Paul, who is convinced that someone is trying to sabotage his work on a lifesaving cure for malaria, ethnobotanist Rachel returns to Devon to run his research institute, Falconer Laboratories, also known as Kestrel House. Knowing her work as head of the institute won’t be easy, especially with the possibility of a saboteur at large, once she has introduced herself to the team, some of whom she already knows, Rachel sets about her work. Life is further complicated by the bumpy, developing relationship between Rachel and Michael, a her former school rival who now works at the institute. Then there is another in her team, a man who was once her lover but now has become someone she cannot trust.
The story moves along quickly as further incidents occur at the institute, and Rachel feels certain that someone on her father’s team is the saboteur, perhaps someone from her own past. At which point the story takes an interesting journey back to Rachel’s work in the Amazon Rainforest and finding a plant that yields a cure for malaria – a cure worth millions of pounds to rival companies.
Whether or not Rachel’s work in Brazil is linked to the developing mystery at Kestrel House, and the identity of the saboteur/s is/are revealed, will become clear as the story plays out. As will the outcome of Rachel and her old school rival’s bumpy romance.
This is an engaging and well-plotted story with well-drawn characters which will appeal to anyone who enjoys a good mystery combined with a sweet romance.
At the request of her father, Paul, who is convinced that someone is trying to sabotage his work on a lifesaving cure for malaria, ethnobotanist Rachel returns to Devon to run his research institute, Falconer Laboratories, also known as Kestrel House. Knowing her work as head of the institute won’t be easy, especially with the possibility of a saboteur at large, once she has introduced herself to the team, some of whom she already knows, Rachel sets about her work. Life is further complicated by the bumpy, developing relationship between Rachel and Michael, a her former school rival who now works at the institute. Then there is another in her team, a man who was once her lover but now has become someone she cannot trust.
The story moves along quickly as further incidents occur at the institute, and Rachel feels certain that someone on her father’s team is the saboteur, perhaps someone from her own past. At which point the story takes an interesting journey back to Rachel’s work in the Amazon Rainforest and finding a plant that yields a cure for malaria – a cure worth millions of pounds to rival companies.
Whether or not Rachel’s work in Brazil is linked to the developing mystery at Kestrel House, and the identity of the saboteur/s is/are revealed, will become clear as the story plays out. As will the outcome of Rachel and her old school rival’s bumpy romance.
This is an engaging and well-plotted story with well-drawn characters which will appeal to anyone who enjoys a good mystery combined with a sweet romance.
August 2, 2018
This romantic suspense novel by Ms Townsend with many twists and turns in the plot intrigued me from the first page to the last.
Rachel’s father needs her help. He asks her to run Falconer Laboratories an institute in Devon known as Kestrel House while he takes a year’s sabbatical. She suspects problems started when her ex-partner Daniel arrived but is mistaken as they began a month ago.
“Rachel thought of the tors and stunted woods of Dartmoor, the cold streams, heather and rugged ponies. She knew what she could make of the post of Directress in her fight to preserve wild places.” A fight she had lost when she and Daniel were in Brazil.
Her father is working on a lifesaving cure, a fully effective vaccine. As an ethnobotanist she knows the effects of malaria in Brazil. A cure would be worth millions. She accepts the post.
Michael, who Rachel knew when she was fourteen, is now an environmental archaeologist working at the institute.
Someone is tampering with her father’s work and setting a life-threatening trap.
Chasing Rachel has all the ingredients for an enjoyable, thought provocative read in which a powerful, greedy drug company plays a part and the past casts long shadows on the present.
Rachel’s father needs her help. He asks her to run Falconer Laboratories an institute in Devon known as Kestrel House while he takes a year’s sabbatical. She suspects problems started when her ex-partner Daniel arrived but is mistaken as they began a month ago.
“Rachel thought of the tors and stunted woods of Dartmoor, the cold streams, heather and rugged ponies. She knew what she could make of the post of Directress in her fight to preserve wild places.” A fight she had lost when she and Daniel were in Brazil.
Her father is working on a lifesaving cure, a fully effective vaccine. As an ethnobotanist she knows the effects of malaria in Brazil. A cure would be worth millions. She accepts the post.
Michael, who Rachel knew when she was fourteen, is now an environmental archaeologist working at the institute.
Someone is tampering with her father’s work and setting a life-threatening trap.
Chasing Rachel has all the ingredients for an enjoyable, thought provocative read in which a powerful, greedy drug company plays a part and the past casts long shadows on the present.
April 2, 2013
This story was a weave of great plot, well defined characters,and a love story that made me just want to throttle the pair of love birds, to tell them to bloody get a move on. What is it with these characters that they just can't see that they are perfect for each other?
An urgent call brings Rachel, naturalist and TV presenter, from her home in Yorkshire to manage Kestrel House, her father''s botanical research institute on Dartmoor. But people and events from her past return to haunt her, not least of which is the delicious Michael Horton, an environmental archaeologist working in the area.
This is such a well researched and intricate story, spanning continents, cultures and past friendships and affairs. Lindsay Townsend brings such richness to her stories, leaving no stone unturned and each scene has its own story to tell. The descriptions of the scenery and the area in which the book is set is spell binding and gives the reader a vivid picture of what it is like to be there.
I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of Lindsay's books.
An urgent call brings Rachel, naturalist and TV presenter, from her home in Yorkshire to manage Kestrel House, her father''s botanical research institute on Dartmoor. But people and events from her past return to haunt her, not least of which is the delicious Michael Horton, an environmental archaeologist working in the area.
This is such a well researched and intricate story, spanning continents, cultures and past friendships and affairs. Lindsay Townsend brings such richness to her stories, leaving no stone unturned and each scene has its own story to tell. The descriptions of the scenery and the area in which the book is set is spell binding and gives the reader a vivid picture of what it is like to be there.
I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of Lindsay's books.
July 26, 2014
Enjoyable mystery story about an ethnobotanist.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews