Product Description

Alison Read, orphaned at two years old, is brought up by her guardian Paul Aylmer, an antique dealer whom she works for. When he asks her to value the contents of Beacon Ride, matters do not proceed as expected, leading to a chain of events that reveal a secret Paul has concealed for years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108947 in Books
• Published on: 1998-11-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 250 pages

From the Back Cover
Alison Read, orphaned at the age of two, had for some years lived and worked with Paul Aylmer, her appointed guardian. Paul, an experienced antiques dealer whose business thrived in the south-coast town of Sealock, had come to rely on Alison, who had quickly learned the trade.

But when he asked her to value the contents of Beacon Ride, a chain of events was set off that led to the exposure of a secret he had for years managed to conceal. As a result, Alison's relationship with Paul came under threat and she knew that only by confronting the situation head-on would her ambitions be realised.

Part mystery, part love story, The Lady on my Left displays yet another facet of Catherine Cookson's remarkable talent.

About the Author
Catherine Cookson
Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, whom she believed to be her older sister. She 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 of contemporary women novelists. After receiving an OBE in 1985, Catherine Cookson was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993. She was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997. For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne. She died shortly before her ninety-second birthday, in June 1998.

Customer Reviews

A good read and page turner
An unusual relationship between girl Alison Read and guardian Paul Almyer which turns into love, is set in the background of the antique world, around the time of the 50s or 60s although the book is not clear on this. One could tell it is pre 70s because pounds, shillings and pence are mentioned and that the period is post war.

Into their cosy set up, a woman from Paul's past threatens what they have setting off a chain of events.

Even though Alison sees the 'other side' of Paul who nearly knocks her around for 'spying' on him, she is still determined to marry him?

But Catherine Cookson was always a more a complex writer than a straightforward romantic writer. I've read her other books by her about heroines who still married the men they loved, even when they returned from the war disfigured or crippled which I find moving and she seems to point out that love conquers all. But is she likewise protraying that love conquers all when the heroine decides to make a go of it with a man who was nearly violent to her, even though there was no mention of an apology from the his side? - there is no guarantee that he may not be violent towards her in the future either. But then it was in the days when women were expected to put up with a lot from their men and still love them.

Apart from the relationship between Alison and Paul, the mystery keeps you in suspence until the end so in a way, this book is different from her other books.

A Good Read!
I'm not a huge fan of Catherine Cookson's other novels but I enjoyed reading this book. In this book, Ms.Cookson will keep you turning the pages as well as touch your heart. Clearly Catherine Cookson has surpassed herself with this novel!