Master of His Fate

Barbara Taylor Bradford was born and raised in Leeds. She left school at 15 for the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post.

At 16, she became a reporter on the paper and, at 18, its first Woman’s Editor. Aged 20, she moved to London and became a columnist and editor on Fleet Street.

Her first novel,A Woman of Substance, is one of the bestselling novels of all time and Barbara’s books have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide. In 2007, Barbara was appointed an OBE by the Queen for her services to literature.

Barbara was married to her beloved husband, television and film producer Robert Bradford, for 55 years until he died in 2019. She continued to live in New York and write novels, her last entitledThe Wonder of It All,until she died in November 2024.

‘This splendid new historical family saga takes you from the stately homes of England to the decadence of Paris as barrowboy James Falconer pursues his dream of building an empire of department stores’ My Weekly -

‘The first in a new series set in Victorian London, braiding the fates of a self-made charmer with a serious-minded heiress.’ Daily Mail -

‘A tale of fortunes lost, betrayal, revenge and, of course, love’ Sun -

‘A stately home, a dangerous secret and two families whose fates have been intertwined for generations…a gripping period piece set on the brink of the Great War. Exquisite escapism of the highest order.’ The Lady -

‘A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily MailA classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily Mail -