Hi there, guys and dolls! One of my favorite days is here. Why, that would be Raves n Faves Thursday, of course. This week I’ve got some great reads by one of the best 20th century authors, Mary Stewart. Now all of Mary’s books are fantabulous; she wrote some great Arthurian Legends and mystical, magical stuff, but I’m going to focus on five of her delightfully fun romantic suspense, because that’s the kind of gal I am. Just click on the cover image or the title link to be taken to the Amazon copies of physical book, kindle and/or audiobook copies. Although the books are not a series, I love to read books in the order that they were published so I ‘m sharing that order with you. Yes, just one of yours truly’s truly wonderful quirks…

1. MADAM, WILL YOU TALK? – It sounds idyllic: a leisurely drive through the sun-drenched landscape of Provence. But Charity’s dream holiday turns into a nightmare when she becomes embroiled in a sinister plot to kidnap a young boy. She soon finds herself in a deadly pursuit and must uncover who to trust . . . and who to fall for. (First published in 1954.)

2. WILDFIRE AT MIDNIGHT – Following a heart-breaking divorce, Gianetta retreats to the Isle of Skye hoping to find tranquillity in the island’s savage beauty. But shortly before her arrival a girl’s body is found on the craggy slopes of the looming Blue Mountain, and with the murderer still on the loose, there’s nothing to stop him from setting his sights on Gianetta next . . (First published in 1956.)

3. THUNDER ON THE RIGHT – High in the rugged Pyrenees lies the Valley of the Storms, where a tiny convent clings to the beautiful but lonely mountainside. Jenny Silver arrives seeking her missing cousin, and is devastated when she learns of Gillian’s death following a terrible car accident. But Jenny’s suspicions are aroused when she’s told the blue flowers ornamenting her cousin’s grave were Gillian’s favourite. Jenny knows Gillian was colour-blind – and so starts her mission to uncover what really happened to her. (First published in 1957.)

4. NINE COACHES WAITING – Linda Martin understands what is to be lonely: her parents died when she was young, and she was raised in an orphanage. When she is hired as a governess to the orphaned young Philippe, Comte de Valmy, Linda finds a kindred spirit in the lonely little boy. But Philippe is the heir to a vast estate in Savoy, and his dangerously handsome uncle may be willing to kill to ensure that Philippe never inherits it . . . (First published in 1958.)

5. MY BROTHER MICHAEL – ‘Nothing ever happens to me…’ So begins Camilla Haven’s letter home during her quiet holiday in Athens. But when a stranger begs her to drive a car to Delphi, swearing that it is a matter of life and death, Camilla impulsively takes the opportunity she’s been offered. Before long she is caught up in a whirlwind of intrigue, deceit and murder as she spins along the dusty Greek roads in a race against time to solve a fourteen-year-old mystery. (First published in 1959.)

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more posts. And don’t forget to give my Poppy Cove Mysteries a try if you haven’t already. 

Toodles, Barbara Jean