Riley

By Catherine Cookson

1998

First Published

3.82

Average Rating

492

Number of Pages

15H01M

Audio Length

With a harsh childhood behind him, Riley left school with little in the way of knowledge but brimful of optimism, and secure in the understanding that one of his teachers, Fred Beardsley, had faith in his future. While on his honeymoon in Paris, Fred ran into Riley, who said he had been offered a "position" at The Little Palace Theatre in Fellburn. Fred was amazed when it became clear that Riley had actually been appointed assistant stage-manager. Then he formed a close relationship with the leading lady, thirty something Nyrene Forbes-Mason. However, the outcome of this relationship was not quite as Riley had planned.

Avg Rating

3.82

Number of Ratings

315

5 STARS

29%

4 STARS

36%

3 STARS

25%

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

Catherine Cookson

Author · 111 books

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master. Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997. For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.