The Chiddleigh Saga
No One Must Know
Book 1 of the Chiddleigh Family Saga
SOCIETY CONTROLLED THEM. SECRETS MOULDED THEM. LIES DIVIDED THEM
England 1330: on a remote Devonshire estate.
Young and innocent Joan de Chiddeigh is struggling with her new status as Lady of the Manor.
Lonely and neglected by her ambitious husband, Sir John, she strikes up a forbidden friendship with a kitchen maid called Annie. However, Annie is hiding a terrible dark secret.
As their friendships deepens, Joan finds herself getting more and more entangled in a chain of lies that will divide her and Sir John, threaten the Chiddleigh estate and change lives forever.
The BREW Book Excellance Award
Historical Fiction Winner 2023
Historical Fiction Winner
Category winner award 2023
The Chrysalis BREW Project
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The Readers' Choice Award September 2022
TheChrysalis BREW project
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USA Silver Falchion Book Awards
Finalist 2022
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Book Reviews
No Going Back
Book 2 of the Chiddleigh Family Saga
DUTY BOUND HIM. DREAMS ELUDED HIM. LOVE TORMENTED HIM.
Devonshire, England 1348: the plague is sweeping the land. Young Lord Thomas de Chiddleigh
is sent home from school only to discover that the plague has reached his estate, forcing him to
take on the role of Lord of the Manor.
Desperate to avoid the plague and save the few surviving people, Thomas leads them to a remote farmstead, intending to wait out the plague and return to his studies in the spring.
However, the farmstead is derelict and with few supplies, Thomas and his group face a perilous winter.
Tensions mount as the inexperienced Thomas clashes repeatedly with his workers, some of whom are harbouring dark secrets about his family.
Thomas’s life is further complicated when he meets Rulf, a young man who has levels of confidence Thomas can only dream of. As their friendship deepens, and past secrets are revealed, Thomas has to decide between the duty he hates, his burning passion for knowledge and his forbidden love.
The World's Best Magazine Awards 2025
Historical Fiction Excellance Award
No Going Back
...Also commended is Frances’ fearless exploration of themes seldom broached in historical fiction, including disabilities and sexuality that challenges readers to confront the past with renewed understanding. Amidst a world gripped by fear and isolation, the novel’s relevance in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic strikes a poignant chord and offers solace amidst adversity...
The BREW Chrysalis Project
Readers Choice Award April 2024
No Going Back
...Those seeking a fast-paced action tale may not appreciate the reflective, character-driven nature of No Going Back. However, readers who enjoy historical fiction rich in atmosphere, as well as themes of forbidden love, class tensions, and personal duty, will be captivated. Fans of Ken Follett’s World Without End or Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall will find much to appreciate in Frances’s attention to historical detail and complex character relationships...
Books for Humanity Global
Book of the week January 2025
Photographs
Locations used in books 1 & 2 as seen today
Explore the world of 14th Century English Fiction
Okehampton Town
Sourton Moor
Lydford Gaol entrance
Bridestowe Village
Dartmoor history
Okehampton Castle
Lydford Gaol
Lydford Gaol arrowslit
Burley Wood, Bridestowe
Dartmoor today
Okehampton Ford
Lydford Gaol history
Lydford Gaol staircase
Sourton Moor
Fernworthy Common
My Story
I was born in Surrey, England and wrote stories from an early age. I still have some of them from when I was seven years old and the spellings are lovely! When I was ten years old, I wrote my first full-length book, called Amber. It was the story of a horse - Black Beauty was my favourite book at the time. I sent it to a publisher and months later received my first, albeit vary kind, rejextion letter.
As a child, I was fascinated by my grandfather's tales of our Devon family. Years later, I researched my family and was inspired to write No One Must Know.
I now live in Devon and when I'm not writing I enjoy gardening and walking with my husband and Doouglas our dog.
Susan Frances
