Village fortunes - Rebecca Shaw

With her sparkling humour and unrivalled storytelling, Rebecca Shaw weaves a heart-warming tale of loyalty, betrayal and family values.

Things are heating up in the village of Turnham Malpas. Now comfortably settled in the Big House, Johnny and Alice Templeton are over the moon at the arrival of their second son. But Johnny's roguish younger brother, Chris Templeton, is visiting from Brazil and causing not a little trouble in the village.

For Ford and Mercedes Barclay, returning to the village after all these years - and after Ford's shameful imprisonment - is a big step. Will they be welcomed back or shunned? And will Ford be able to convince people he's a changed man? While most of the villagers greet the pair with open arms, there are those who still have their doubts.

Meanwhile, poor Fran Charter-Plackett has some important decisions to make about her future. With all her siblings having flown the nest, the pressure is on to decide what to do with her life. And when her parents discover Fran's shocking secret, things really start to get messy.