by Lulu Taylor
When an eccentric band of newcomers arrive, led by the charismatic Archer, Kate realises that the past she’s so desperate to escape is about to catch up with her. And inside the house, history is beginning to repeat itself . . .
Praise for Lulu Taylor
‘Pure indulgence and perfect reading for a dull January evening’
SUN
THE WINTER CHILDREN
Behind a selfless act of kindness lie dark intentions
Olivia and Dan Felbeck’s dreams of a family are finally fulfilled on the birth of their twins. The longed-for babies mark a new and happy stage in their lives.
Soon after, Dan’s oldest friend, Francesca, offers them the chance to live at Renniston Hall, an Elizabethan house she is renovating. They can stay rent-free in a small part of the unmodernised house, which was once a girls’ boarding school.
The couple accept, and just as they are enjoying the family life that they have craved for so long, Francesca arrives at the Hall and doesn’t seem to want to leave. What exactly happened between Dan and Francesca years ago at Cambridge? As Olivia wonders how well she knows her husband, she starts to suspect that her perfect life could be built on a lie.
Meanwhile, Renniston Hall holds dark mysteries of its own, and slowly the old house starts to surrender its long-held secrets . . .
Praise for Lulu Taylor
‘I raced through this gripping tale about secrets and lies and long-buried emotions bubbling explosively to the surface’
DAILY MAIL
Praise for Lulu Taylor
‘Pure indulgence and perfect reading for a dull January evening’
Sun
‘[This] engrossing romantic saga is a hugely enjoyable, escapist treat’
Sunday Mirror
‘Utterly compelling. A really excellent winter’s story’
Lucy Diamond
‘Taylor is at the top of the chick-lit tree with her beautifully written, emotionally compelling stories, and this is perfectly timed for Christmas’
Daily Mail
‘Wonderfully written . . . this indulgent read is totally irresistible’
Closer
‘A creepy story of obsession and deception. Very chilling’
Irish Sunday Mirror
‘A gripping psychological thriller’
Essentials Magazine
‘This is a fantastic, all-consuming read’
Heat
‘[A] gripping story’
Hello!
‘The cold, snowy cover and winter setting make this a great stocking filler for your mum or sister’
thelittlewildwoodkitchen.com
‘The book is full of mystery and intrigue, successfully keeping me guessing until the very end . . . An evocative read, full of dramatic secrets that will make the reader gasp’
www.novelicious.com
‘A poignant, sophisticated and romantic love story’
www.handwrittengirl.com
THE
WINTER
SECRET
Lulu Taylor’s first novel, Heiresses, was nominated for the RNA Reader’s Choice award, and she has gone on to write many more well-received books. With The Winter Children, The Snow Rose and Her Frozen Heart, she became a Sunday Times top ten bestseller. After many years in London, she now lives in Dorset with her husband and two children.
www.lulutaylor.co.uk
@misslulutaylor
By Lulu Taylor
Heiresses
Midnight Girls
Beautiful Creatures
Outrageous Fortune
The Winter Folly
The Snow Angel
The Winter Children
The Snow Rose
Her Frozen Heart
The Winter Secret
First published 2018 by Pan Books
This electronic edition published 2018 by Pan Books
an imprint of Pan Macmillan
20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Associated companies throughout the world
www.panmacmillan.com
ISBN 978-1-5098-4074-8
Copyright © Lulu Taylor 2018
Cover design © Neil Lang, Pan Macmillan Art Department
Cover scene: background © Shutterstock, woman and steps © Stuart Brill/Millennium Images, UK
The right of Lulu Taylor to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Pan Macmillan does not have any control over, or any responsibility for, any author or third-party websites referred to in or on this book.
You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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