


Books in series

#1
Kit's Hill
1979
The first novel in a historical saga you won’t want to miss! For fans of Nadine Dorries, Maeve Binchy, Freda Lightfoot and Dilly Court.
The first touching saga of the Howarths of Garth…
As a genteel woman with an education but no dowry, Dorcas Wilde has resigned herself to a life as the companion of her spinster aunt.
However, when she receives a proposal from Ned Howarth—a kind yeoman farmer—she puts aside her prejudices and agrees to become his wife.
The couple’s family and friends all disapprove of the match. And as the mistress of Ned’s farm, Kit’s Hill, Dorcas feels isolated and unwelcome.
But as she learns more about the land and the household, she begins to find ways to put her shrewdness and education to good use…
Can Dorcas find her place at Kit’s Hill? Will she and Ned find true happiness together?
Or will they come to regret their hasty marriage?
Kit’s Hill is the first book in The Brief Chronicles, a gripping family saga set in rural Lancashire during the Industrial Revolution.
‘A master storyteller’ – Publishers Weekly
‘Skilfully constructed and very strong on period detail’ – TLS
‘She writes so infernally well’ – Daily Telegraph
‘Stylish, witty, poetic and true’ – Spectator
‘A good feeling for place and period … with its roots firmly in the earth’ – Homes & Gardens
THE BRIEF CHRONICLES
BOOK Kit's Hill
BOOK The Ironmaster
BOOK The Vivian Inheritance
BOOK The Northern Correspondent

#2
The Ironmaster
1981
The page-turning Howarth saga continues! For fans of Nadine Dorries, Maeve Binchy, Freda Lightfoot and Dilly Court.
Can each of the Howarth children find their place in the world?
Although they were all raised together at Kit’s Hill, Ned and Dorcas Howarth’s three children prove to have very different callings.
Headstrong Charlotte raises a family in London, while helping to run her husband’s radical press.
Dick ’s love of the land and his childhood home prompts him to follow in his father’s footsteps as an honest yeoman farmer.
And ambitious William, a blacksmith’s apprentice, dreams of becoming master of his own ironworks.
Living in a time of great change and turbulence, all three must keep their nerve to succeed on their chosen paths…
The Ironmaster is the second book in The Brief Chronicles, a gripping family saga set in rural Lancashire during the Industrial Revolution.
‘Powerful … a splendid read and a worthy successor to Kit’s Hill ’ – Yorkshire Post
THE BRIEF CHRONICLES
Book Kit’s Hill
Book The Ironmaster
Book The Vivian Inheritance
Book The Northern Correspondent

#3
The Vivian Inheritance
1982
Another absorbing instalment of the Howarth family saga! For fans of Nadine Dorries, Maeve Binchy, Freda Lightfoot and Dilly Court.
How far will William go to realise his ambitions?
Wealthy and successful, the ironmaster William Howarth wishes to continue expanding his industrial empire across Wyndendale Valley.
To aid his vision, he hires Cornishman Hal Vivian—a young engineer with ambition and talent to rival the ironmaster’s.
Their stormy partnership seems set to transform the lives of William’s family and the inhabitants of the valley.
And there is more than fame and fortune in store for Hal. When the ironmaster’s daughter sets out to win his heart, he must decide where his happiness lies…
The Vivian Inheritance is the third book in The Brief Chronicles, a gripping family saga set in rural Lancashire during the Industrial Revolution.
THE BRIEF CHRONICLES
Book Kit’s Hill
Book The Ironmaster
Book The Vivian Inheritance
Book The Northern Correspondent

#4
The Northern Correspondent
1984
The final instalment of the captivating Howarth family saga! For fans of Nadine Dorries, Maeve Binchy, Freda Lightfoot and Dilly Court. Can Ambrose bring about political reform through his writing? Lancashire, 1831 Having inherited his mother’s fighting spirit, Ambrose Longe uses his independent newspaper, The Clarion, to argue for political and social reform. Sensing an opportunity, his uncle, William Howarth — an aspiring M.P. — offers financial subsidy to The Clarion in return for political support. Despite mounting debts, Ambrose refuses to compromise his principles. But just when his prospects look bleakest, the wise and wealthy Naomi Blüm arrives in Millbridge. Recognising his talent, Naomi offers to invest in a new and improved newspaper with Ambrose at the helm. And so a new tour de force, The Northern Correspondent, is born… The Northern Correspondent is the fourth book in The Brief Chronicles, a gripping family saga set in rural Lancashire during the Industrial Revolution. THE BRIEF CHRONICLES Book Kit’s Hill Book The Ironmaster Book The Vivian Inheritance Book The Northern Correspondent
Author
Jean Stubbs
Author · 13 books
Aka Emma Darby Jean was born in Lancashire and educated in Manchester. She has written many novels and short stories for magazines and collections, several of which have been adapted for radio and television. She has lived for more than twenty years in a cottage in Cornwall, England, with her husband.