{"title":"Deborah Challinor","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our collection featuring the esteemed author \u003cstrong\u003eDeborah Challinor\u003c\/strong\u003e, renowned for her captivating storytelling and richly detailed historical narratives. With her unique talent for weaving historical facts with compelling fiction, Challinor's works have earned her a cherished place in the hearts of readers who crave stories with depth and authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChallinor's historical fiction novels, such as \u003cem\u003eBlack Silk and Buried Secrets\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBlack Silk and Sympathy\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eBlack Velvet and Vengeance\u003c\/em\u003e, transport readers back in time, offering a glimpse into past eras with vivid detail and emotional resonance. These stories masterfully blend intrigue, romance, and history, making them a must-read for fans of the genre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer general fiction works, including \u003cem\u003eBlue Smoke\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eFrom the Ashes\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eThe Jacaranda House\u003c\/em\u003e, showcase her versatility as an author. These novels offer thought-provoking narratives that explore themes of family, resilience, and the human spirit, rooted in a deep understanding of New Zealand and Australian culture and history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to novels for adults, Deborah Challinor has also written for younger audiences. \u003cem\u003eVietnam (My Australian Story)\u003c\/em\u003e is part of a beloved series that brings historical events to life for children, allowing them to explore history through engaging and accessible storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover the captivating worlds created by Deborah Challinor, where history and fiction merge to create unforgettable stories that both educate and enthral. Each of her books offers a doorway to a different time and place, inviting readers to embark on a journey through the pages of history.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"black-silk-and-sympathy-by-deborah-challinor-9781460763667","title":"Black Silk and Sympathy","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dazzling new series from bestselling historical fiction author Deborah Challinor explores the fascinating world of Victorian funeral customs and features Sydney's first female undertaker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Men have been undertakers for hundreds of years. Not women, men. You don't belong.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSydney, 1865. Seventeen-year-old Tatiana Caldwell travels from London to make a new life. Her path leads her to Crowe Funeral Services, where she apprentices under the tutelage of Titus Crowe, the enigmatic owner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTatty finds herself drawn to the fascinating conventions of the funeral trade - plumed horses and processions, mutes and mortuary trains, flowers and finery - as well as the more visceral new practice of embalming. Soon she marries, and after the sudden death of her husband, Titus, she becomes Sydney's first female undertaker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer hard-won stability is shattered when Elias Nuttall, a ruthless rival in the funeral trade, accuses Tatty of murdering her husband. Facing public scorn and legal peril, Tatty gathers an unlikely band of allies in a battle to clear her name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlack Silk and Sympathy\u003c\/em\u003e is a riveting and realistic journey through the front parlours and dark alleys of 1860s Sydney, from the Botanic Gardens in the morning to the cemetery at midnight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'In this expertly crafted novel, Challinor delivers a captivating tale of resilience, reinvention and determination ... [with] a thrilling twist' \u003cem\u003eBooks+Publishing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePraise for Deborah Challinor:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A master storyteller' Better Reading\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Perfectly blends fact and fiction' \u003cem\u003eNZ Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45979509227756,"sku":"9781460763667","price":29.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781460763667.jpg?v=1733874190"},{"product_id":"black-silk-and-buried-secrets-by-deborah-challinor-9781775542582","title":"Black Silk and Buried Secrets","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second captivating novel featuring intrepid heroine Tatty Crowe and the fascinating world of Sydney's Victorian funeral business, from bestselling historical fiction author Deborah Challinor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSydney, 1871. Twenty-five-year-old widow Tatty Crowe is the owner of a busy undertaking firm, Crowe Funerals. Life and business are good until Tatty notices how many women are dying after unlawful abortions. After a terrible tragedy strikes close to home, she vows to expose the culprit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThen there are the whispered rumours of baby farming. Once again, Tatty sets out to investigate the crisis and finds herself immersed in the dark and sometimes heartless world of paid foster care and adoption. Along the way, she encounters an old foe and clashes with a new adversary who, it transpires, is far more dangerous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the grim slums of Chippendale and Newtown to the grand houses of Woolloomooloo to Sydney's rowdy Criminal Court, comes the next chapter in the story of the compassionate and clever—but headstrong—Tatty Crowe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eBlack Silk and Sympathy\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'In this expertly crafted novel, Challinor delivers a captivating tale of resilience, reinvention, and determination ... [with] a thrilling twist' \u003cem\u003eBooks+Publishing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46158690779372,"sku":"9781775542582","price":29.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781775542582.jpg?v=1738889902"},{"product_id":"blue-smoke-by-deborah-challinor-9781869507770","title":"Blue Smoke","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 3 February 1931, Napier is devastated by a powerful earthquake, and Tamar Murdoch, beloved matriarch of Kenmore, is seriously injured. As she recovers, Tamar is preoccupied with the ongoing effects of the Great Depression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen her grandson threatens to leave for Spain to join the International Brigade, she feels a familiar dread—once again her family is threatened by war and heartbreak, as Hitler's armies march.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this final volume of the \u003cem\u003eChildren of War\u003c\/em\u003e trilogy, the story of the feisty Cornish seamstress who became a brothelkeeper and landowner is brought to a stirring and memorable conclusion in \u003cem\u003eBlue Smoke\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46543182364908,"sku":"9781869507770","price":23.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/17118833482853.jpg?v=1749737011"},{"product_id":"from-the-ashes-by-deborah-challinor-9781460754139","title":"From the Ashes","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\nA captivating story of family and friendship through one decade of incredible change, from NZ's no.1 bestselling author.  \n\nIn 1950s Auckland, things are changing - and fast. Women are joining the workforce in numbers, whitegoods are readily available, and the age of rock 'n' roll has arrived.  \n\nAllie Manaia works the Elizabeth Arden counter at Smith and Caughey's. It's been two years since the Dunbar and Jones fire, where some of her friends perished, but she still has nightmares.  \n\nKathleen Lawson - rich, lonely, and bored - is one of Allie's customers. Kathleen takes a shine to Allie, but when Kathleen discovers Allie's husband is Māori, her attitude changes. Is she trying to make friends or poison the relationship between Sonny and Allie?  \n\nMeanwhile, Sonny's beautiful younger sister, Polly, is embracing the more relaxed moral standards of the era, living a vibrant but wayward life as a waitress-model-goodtime girl while leaving her young daughter to be raised by her mother.  \n\nAs each woman navigates the shifting social and cultural landscape of the 1950s, she is faced with new possibilities and decisions - with freedom comes joy, but also fear and, occasionally, mistakes.  \n\nTold in Deborah Challinor's trademark style - equal parts heart and humour - \u003cem\u003eFrom the Ashes\u003c\/em\u003e follows the fortunes of the women of three families through one decade of incredible change.  \n\nPraise for Deborah Challinor:  \n\n'Challinor is a good storyteller ... seamlessly joining fact and fiction and creating a convincing, atmospheric yarn' - Bookseller + Publisher  \n\n'The perfect blend of fact and fiction' - New Zealand Herald\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46544522248428,"sku":"9781460754139","price":25.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2022073482708.jpg?v=1749777516"},{"product_id":"the-jacaranda-house-by-deborah-challinor-9781775541943","title":"The Jacaranda House","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBestselling author Deborah Challinor returns with a spellbinding novel about a woman living in Sydney's notorious King's Cross in 1964.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePolly Manaia is living in Sydney's notorious Kings Cross, working as an exotic dancer. She's desperate to bring her young daughter to live with her, but beneath her brash confidence lie dark secrets which threaten to drag her under.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGina is excited to live with her mum again. She's mature for an eleven-year-old, but can this young girl cope with Polly's demons?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRhoda and Star, transgender performers and Polly's flatmates, bring stability to Polly and Gina's lives. Yet this unlikely little family will find themselves threatened in more ways than one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Jacaranda House\u003c\/em\u003e is a fascinating portrayal of a shifting society and a beautiful portrait of motherhood and identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Australia's answer to Philippa Gregory' \u003cem\u003eBrisbane Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A meticulously researched and compellingly readable story injected with heart and humour, \u003cem\u003eFrom the Ashes\u003c\/em\u003e is perfect for fans of Fiona McIntosh and Kate Furnivall. A five-star read' \u003cem\u003eBetter Reading\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46672089841900,"sku":"9781775541943","price":25.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/4291633482820.jpg?v=1752834973"},{"product_id":"vietnam-my-australian-story-by-deborah-challinor-9781742769578","title":"Vietnam (My Australian Story)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's 1969. The sixties are still swinging, man is headed for the moon and surfing-mad Davey is out to win the inaugural Newcastle Under-14 Surf Championship. But when his older brother Tom is drafted to fight in the army, the far-away war in Vietnam creates waves very close to home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eVietnam (My Australian Story)\u003c\/em\u003e by Deborah Challinor captures the essence of an era marked by change and uncertainty. This story beautifully intertwines personal ambition with the broader political landscape, offering a compelling narrative that resonates with readers both young and old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46803339247852,"sku":"9781742769578","price":20.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13597463482808.jpg?v=1757389939"},{"product_id":"black-velvet-and-vengeance-by-deborah-challinor-9781775542605","title":"Black Velvet and Vengeance","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe page-turning third novel featuring intrepid heroine Tatty Crowe and the fascinating world of Sydney's Victorian funeral business, from bestselling historical fiction author Deborah Challinor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSometimes death is just the beginning ...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLate 1872. When twenty-five-year-old Sydney undertaker Tatiana Crowe travels to Auckland to embalm the body of Evan Hunter's father, events go horribly wrong, leaving Tatty stricken.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBack at home, Tatty has some enormous decisions to make, but finds herself facing challenges both personal and professional. When bodies start to go missing, seemingly snatched from the funeral train en route to the cemetery, it looks like someone is targeting Tatty's business and everything she holds dear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWho has a vendetta against Tatty, and why? With the aid of the family she has made for herself among the misfits of Sydney, she must fend off extortion demands, an irate grieving mother, Darlinghurst Gaol tittle-tattlers, and the threat of ruin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing a fiercely intrepid heroine, \u003cem\u003eBlack Velvet and Vengeance\u003c\/em\u003e vividly and unforgettably shines a light on a fascinating period of Sydney's history—life, death, and everything in between.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePraise for Deborah Challinor:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Australia's answer to Philippa Gregory' \u003cem\u003eBrisbane Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Expertly crafted novel, \u003cem\u003eBlack Silk and Sympathy\u003c\/em\u003e is a captivating tale of resilience, reinvention, and determination ... [with] a thrilling twist' \u003cem\u003eBooks+Publishing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46951141605612,"sku":"9781775542605","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781775542605.jpg?v=1762318185"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/deborah-challinor.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}