Nightingales

By Mary Burchell

Difficulties were meant to be overcome…

Little did Amanda realize the full meaning of Jerome Leydon’s words, although she had taken the famous composer’s advice and sought lessons from the gifted Dr. Lewis Elsworth. Lewis had been patiently training her voice for several years.

But Jerome wanted instant success for Amanda-a course Lewis had firmly forbidden. And Amanda needed money desperately.

Should she forsake talent for money-follow her mind or her heart?

Mary Burchell was the pen name of Ida Cook (1904-1986). With her eldest sister Mary Louise Cook, she attended the Duchess’ School in Alnwick. Together, the sisters helped 29 Jews to escape from the Nazis, funded mainly by Ida’s writing. In 1965, the Cook sisters were honoured as Righteous Gentiles by the Yad Vashem Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Authority in Israel. Mary Burchell published more than 125 romance novels in total and helped found the Romantic Novelists’ Association, standing as its president from 1966 until her death.