The Heir, Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Heir, Barbara Taylor Bradford
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The Heir
A Novel

Author: Barbara Taylor Bradford

Narrator: John Lee

Unabridged: 16 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/30/2007


Synopsis

At the age of thirty-three, Edward Deravenel, having survived harrowing years of betrayal, threats from ruthless enemies, countless lovers, and a war that ravaged his country, is finally king of his company. It's 1918, an influenza pandemic is sweeping the country, and Edward has a family and a business to protect. He must thread his way between his loyal brother, Richard, and his treacherous middle brother, George, an alcoholic bent on self-destruction . . . but not before he tries to ruin Edward and his good name. Meanwhile, the wrath of his ever-jealous wife, Elizabeth, is reaching a boiling point as suspicions about Edward's relationships with other women arise.

Politics of inheritance are intense, and different family factions vie for honor over the years. An heir is needed to keep the Deravenel name alive, but tragedy and death remain obstacles at every turn. The choices include a loyal caretaker, a jealous rumormonger, a charming young woman, a sickly boy, and the scion of the family Edward ousted from power years before.

Barbara Taylor Bradford triumphs once again with a novel about passion, treachery, marriage, and family, and the compromises we're forced to make for power and love.

About Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford, OBE, is one of the world's best loved storytellers. Her 1979 debut novel, A Woman of Substance, ranks as one of the top-ten bestselling books of all-time, with more than 30 million copies in print. All her novels to date have been major worldwide bestsellers.Barbara was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the only child of Freda and Winston Taylor. She grew up in the Leeds suburb of Armley and left school at 15 for the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post. At 16 she was a reporter, and at 18 she became the paper’s first woman’s page editor. By the time she was 20, she had moved to London where she became a fashion editor and columnist on Fleet Street. Barbara started writing fiction when she was just seven, and sold her first short story to a magazine for seven shillings and sixpence when she was ten years old.Barbara’s books have sold more than 91 million copies worldwide in more than 90 countries and 40 languages. Ten of her books were made into Emmy-nominated miniseries and television movies by her late husband, the film producer Robert Bradford.In 2007, Barbara was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for her contributions to literature. A passionate supporter of literacy, she is an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust; in 2019 she was made an ambassador for Women in Journalism and in the same year she was presented with The Leeds Award, which recognised her loyalty to, and depiction of, her Yorkshire roots. Her original manuscripts are archived at the Brotherton Library at Leeds University, alongside the works of the Brontë sisters. She lives in New York City.Her official website is: www.barbarataylorbradford.com

About John Lee

John Lee has read more than 100 audiobooks.  His work has garnered multiple Earphones Awards and won AudioFile's Best Voice in Fiction & Classics in both 2008 and 2009.  Lee narrated the audiobook for A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin, volume four of A Song of Ice and Fire. He has also read for Jack London, John Banville, Charles Dickens, and Barbara Taylor Bradford.  In addition, Lee narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays.  He is also an accomplished stage actor and has written and co-produced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit.  He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Miranda on June 01, 2022

The Heir, what an interesting read to say the least. Was a good read, just not quite what I expected. I feel as if the author used too much foreshadowing, and in a dramatic way too nearly at the end of every chapter there seemed to be a foreshadowing of something is about to go terribly wrong again......more

Goodreads review by Deborah on January 05, 2008

Don't read the review unless you have already read the book or don't mind being "spoiled." ----- I love Bradford, and "A Woman of Substance" and its early follow-ups remain some of my favorite books ever. Yet... with "The Heir" Bradford takes what could have been a 2-3 additional books and condenses pl......more

Goodreads review by Takia on November 17, 2020

Horrible rambling, not true to plot of previous book, and jumping from storyline to the other without concluding that plot.......more

Goodreads review by Shweta on July 19, 2022

First half was good but the second half was a combination of princes in the tower and Henry VIII story , a 90s take on historical incidents......more

Goodreads review by Janet R. Cox on September 11, 2024

Great story but could have had a better ending.......more