Master of his fate - Barbara Taylor Bradford

From Victorian London to the vibrant port cities of England and France, from gracious stately homes in Gloucestershire to the decadence of Paris, Master of his Fate launches an unforgettable new historical series.

London 1884: Queen Victoria is Empress of India and Britain is at its peak of worldwide power.

James Falconer works as a barrow boy in a flourishing London market owned by Henry Malvern. But James hungers for more. Turning away from family tradition, he dreams of building an empire of stores like Fortnum and Mason's and believes that Henry, along with his daughter and heir Alexis, could offer him a way to climb beyond his beginnings.

But tragedy and betrayal threaten the dreams of both James and Alexis - and jeopardise everything they hold dear

Barbara Taylor Bradford was born and raised in Leeds, and worked as a journalist in London. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, is one of the bestelling novels of all time and Barbara's books have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide. In 2007, Barbara was appointed an OBE by the Queen for her services to literature. Ten miniseries and television movies have been made of her books. She currently lives in New York City.

'This splendid new historical family saga takes you from the stately homes of England to the decadence of Paris as barrowboy James Falconer pursues his dream of building an empire of department stores' My Weekly

'The first in a new series set in Victorian London, braiding the fates of a self-made charmer with a serious-minded heiress.' Daily Mail

'A tale of fortunes lost, betrayal, revenge and, of course, love' Sun

Acclaim for Barbara Taylor Bradford:
'A stately home, a dangerous secret and two families whose fates have been intertwined for generations…a gripping period piece set on the brink of the Great War. Exquisite escapism of the highest order.' The Lady

'A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you've been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you' Daily Mail