Barbara Taylor Bradford, The Ravenscar Dynasty

The Ravenscar Dynasty

Barbara Taylor Bradford

St. Martin's, December 26 2006, $25.95

ISBN: 0312354606

In 1904, Richard Deravenel, his seventeen year old son Edmund, his brother Rick and his nephew Tom die in an inferno at a hotel in Carrarra, Italy. Another cousin Neville Watkins informs Richard's wife Cecily and their other offspring eighteen-year-old son Edward of the death of his relatives. Neville hides his suspicion from his Aunt Cecily, but tells his cousin Edward that he thinks they were murdered while looking into a business problem involving marble quarries. Edward and Neville forge a partnership to uncover the truth, and also agree to take control of the Dervavenel business interests before vultures like their cousin Henry Grant, who they suspect is behind the tragedy, usurp control like his grandfather did six decades ago.

Over the next few years, Edward eventually marries widow Elizabeth Wyland, but also keeps a mistress Jane Shaw. Elizabeth nags her spouse to take full control of the family business, but also turns irate when she thinks of Jane. However, as war on the continent seems imminent, with England probably sucked in due to its alliances, a traitor from within the family taking advantage of a disaster jeopardizes the business.

For fans of the author and anyone who appreciates a pre WWI English family saga, THE RAVENSCAR DYNASTY is a fine historical tale. Though the tale spins into a soap opera at times due to Elizabeth's rants and rages, the key cast is fully developed, especially the male rivals from the Yorkshire and Lancaster branches (though the former appears much more frequently), as they compete for control of the dynasty. Readers looking for early twentieth century dynastic epics will appreciate this fine entry, though it contains no Harts.