Edinburgh 1896. At Alardyce House, the family are gathered to celebrate the engagement of the heir to the estate, Robert, to his childhood sweetheart. But what should be a precious memory for his
mother Amy, is marred by darkness. For Robert’s biological father was a demon and a criminal, and now Robert is coming-of-age, disturbing reports are beginning to emerge about his behaviour.
Amy is torn between her love and loyalty to her son, her hope that she can save his soul, and her growing sense of dread that the streets of Edinburgh aren’t safe when Robert is in town. Meanwhile the increasing distance between Robert and his stepfather Henry threatens the peace of her loving marriage.
The Alardyce family is riven by secrets and scandal, but will this most cursed heir of all, be the one to ruin their reputation forever, or can the power of a mother’s love save them all?
If you love Emily Organ, Kate Saunders and Ann Granger, you’ll love The Cursed Heir. Discover bestselling author Heather Atkinson and you’ll never look back…
Please note this book was previously published as Corruption of the Son.
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Heather Atkinson is the author of over fifty books – predominantly in the crime fiction genre.
Although Lancashire born and bred she now lives with her family, including twin teenage daughters, on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. Her gangland series for Boldwood, set on the fictional Gallowburn estate in Glasgow begins with the title Blood Brothers.
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My thoughts: terrified her son has inherited the dark traits of his biological father Matthew and her cousin Edward, both rapists and murderers, Amy Alardyce and her husband Sir Henry will do anything to stop Robert from marrying sweet, innocent Jane, and keep him from harming any more maidservants. But nothing seems to be able to stop Robert from his path.
Amy is haunted by her past (The Lost Girls of Alardyce House, currently 99p for the ebook, tells her story) and especially by the terrible Matthew. Henry is desperate to save his wife and stepson from the past that threatens to destroy the family they’ve built.
Robert is a repulsive creature, beating servants, raping women and carousing and whoring with his friends. Violence flows through him. Jane, completely unaware of who he really is and refusing to hear her family’s concerns, is basically an idiot. Nothing penetrates her romantic imaginings and since Robert is sweetness and light to her, she never will.
The lengths his parents go to to stop him are extreme – from sending him to stern Uncle Abel and hiring his own huge minder, to cutting him off. But he just won’t listen. Which culminates in a chase to Gretna Green – where you can still elope to and get married over an old anvil (I saw it on a travel show!).
Poor deluded Jane has a terrible time ahead of her if Amy and Esther’s experiences are anything to go by. Amy and Henry can do nothing more. And Robert’s super creepy pal Andrew is still loitering around too. I can’t imagine the horrors those two will get up to in the next book.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 