Alexandra (Shackleford and Daughters Book 1)

In 1891 Paignton, England, twenty-two-year-old Alexandra Shackleford lives with her five sisters and outspoken Aunt Charlotte at Cliff House after her father, Chief Inspector Henry Shackleford, is forced into early retirement from the police force. Alex has accepted spinsterhood until Baron Tavistock—Lieutenant Rhys Gould, who captured her heart three years earlier before disappearing—returns seeking help. His mother has become a victim of blackmail, and what appears to be a fraud case quickly becomes far more dangerous. As the Shackleford family investigates, dark truths about the past emerge. Alex must uncover why Rhys has kept her at a distance while navigating the perils of their investigation alongside her father's skills, her aunt's unconventional methods, and her own determination. Set in Victorian England, the novel combines romance, mystery, and family loyalty, featuring characters including the sharp-witted Charlotte and young Billy. This opening book in the Shackleford and Daughters series explores courage, redemption, and love against rigid social conventions. The novel contains some intimate scenes but is not closed-door romance.