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Liz Harris
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The Dark Horizon: A sweeping saga set between the wars (The Linford Series) Kindle Edition

by Liz Harris (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 388 ratings

From the award-winning author of The Road Back comes the first in a sweeping saga set between the wars, which introduces the Linfords, a family simmering with secrets, schemes and lies.

Oxfordshire, 1919

The instant that Lily Brown and Robert Linford set eyes on each other, they fall in love. The instant that Robert’s father, Joseph, chairman of the family’s successful building company, sets eyes on Lily, he feels a deep distrust of her.

Convinced that his new daughter-in-law is a gold-digger, and that Robert’s feelings are a youthful infatuation he’d come to regret, Joseph resolves to do whatever it takes to rid his family of Lily. And he doesn’t care what that is.

As the young couple are torn apart, the Linford family is told a lie that will have devastating consequences for years to come.

The Dark Horizon is perfect for readers of The Thorn Birds and the Cazalet Chronicles, and the novels of Fiona Valpy and Santa Montefiore.

What readers are saying about The Dark Horizon, The Linford Series Book 1

B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. (Book Readers Appreciation Group).

Spanning the post-WWI period through the Great Depression in England and America, Harris delivers an addictive saga reminiscent of early Barbara Taylor Bradford. Historical Novel Society Review.

I absolutely LOVED this novel and I am looking forward to reading the second part of the trilogy. Heidi Gallacher (Goodreads)

Motivation, a characteristic of excellent storytelling, comes over as a particular strength in this novel. Carol McGrath (Amazon)

This page-turning family drama has been carefully researched and brought to life by the details that capture the atmosphere and time period. Charlotte Betts (Amazon)

The Dark Horizon is an excellent novel which grips the reader from beginning to end. (Amazon Customer).

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  1. Part of series
    The Linford Series
  2. Print length
    348 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    May 1, 2020
  6. File size
    1.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 4 books in this series.
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in London, Liz Harris graduated from university with a Law degree, and then moved to California, where she led a varied life, from waitressing on Sunset Strip to working as secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company. Six years later, she returned to London and completed a degree in English, after which she taught secondary school pupils, first in Berkshire, and then in Cheshire. Liz now lives in South Oxfordshire. In addition to the six novels she's had published, she's had several short stories published in anthologies and magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Historical Novel Society. Her interests are travel; the theatre; reading; cryptic crosswords. To find out more about Liz, visit her website at: www.lizharrisauthor.com

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08739WHJ1
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Heywood Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 1, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 348 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913687014
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ The Linford Series
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 388 ratings

About the author

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Liz Harris

Liz Harris

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After graduating in Law in the UK, Liz moved to California where she led a varied life - from cocktail waitressing on Sunset Strip to secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company. Upon returning to England, she completed a degree in English and then taught for a number of years before developing her writing career.

Her debut novel, THE ROAD BACK, was voted Book of the Year 2012 by US Coffee Time & Romance, and in the following year, A BARGAIN STRUCK was shortlisted for the RoNA for Best Romantic Historical. These and THE LOST GIRL, EVIE UNDERCOVER, THE ART OF DECEPTION, the last two being contemporary novels set in Italy, were shortlisted in their respective categories by the Festival of Romantic Fiction. A WESTERN HEART, a novella set in Wyoming 1880, was published digitally and as an audio book.

THE DARK HORIZON introduced readers to The Linford Series, a sweeping saga set between the wars. It was followed by THE FLAME WITHIN and THE LENGTHENING SHADOW. Each of three books can be read as a standalone, and they are now available in a box set, THE LINFORD COLLECTION.

Her most recent novels, DARJEELING INHERITANCE, COCHIN FALL, HANOI SPRING and SIMLA MIST comprise THE COLONIALS. Each is a standalone set in a different location, with different characters, in different years.

EINE ERBSCHAFT IN DARJEELING, the translation into German of DARJEELING INHERITANCE, was published in July 2022, and was followed by LIEBE UND VERRAT IN COCHIN (the German version of COCHIN FALL) in October 2022.

AM TAGESENDE (THE DARK HORIZON) was published in February, 2023, and will be followed later in the year by DIE WIEDERKEHR (THE FLAME WITHIN) and IM DÄMMERLICHT (THE LENGTHENING SHADOW). All of Liz's German translations are by Ingrid Price-Gschlössl.

A second edition of THE ROAD BACK was published in August 2022, and this was followed by the publication in November 2022 of IN A FAR PLACE, which tells the story of one of the characters in THE ROAD BACK, the missionaries' son, Peter Henderson.

Liz's latest series is a trilogy, THREE SISTERS, each of which tells the story of one of the daughters of John Hammond, owner of several haberdashery stores. THE LOOSE THREAD, published in 2024, will be followed in September 2024 by THE

SILKEN KNOT. THE WOVEN LIE will be published early in 2025.

Liz now lives in Windsor, Berkshire. She's a member of The Romantic Novelists’ Association, The Historical Novel Society, and The Society of Authors. She gives talks and workshops at literary festivals and conferences. Her hobbies are theatre, cinema, reading and cryptic crosswords.

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4.2 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Pauline
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Award Winning Read
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2020
    The Dark Horizon by Liz Harris has received a Chill with a Book Readers' Award.
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    Pauline
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    An Award Winning Read

    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2020
    The Dark Horizon by Liz Harris has received a Chill with a Book Readers' Award.
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  • Jeannie Zelos
    4.0 out of 5 stars a great read, very real but the ending was that little bit too neat for a five.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2020
    The Dark Horizon, (Linford 1), Liz Harris

    Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

    Genre: Historical romance

    I like to dip back in time every now and then in my reading, and this proved to be an easy, fun read.
    I loved Lily right from the start, she'd had a tough beginning but every opportunity she has she works hard and turns it to her advantage. I did feel she could have tried a little harder with Roberts family, the MIL and SILs could have been won over. Possibly ;-)

    So Robert and Lily fall in love, and ever the optimist 18 yr old Robert is convinced his family will like her. TBH even today wealthy families still have that air that some folk just aren't good enough, and back in the 1920s he was hoping for a miracle really. His father is the most die-hard snob, and wants spouses who not only have the right background but also have money to bring to the family business. And Lily doesn't. Never the less, once she's pregnant and Joseph knows Robert will marry her anyway when he's 21 he gives in.
    I so felt for poor Lily, she adores Robert, but she's on her own in a family who see her as a gold digger, taking advantage of Robert. I did think Robert could have been a little more sympathetic, but these are different times and I guess his expectations were those of the day. You married into a family and made the best of it. Sucked up the nasty and moved forward anyway, hoping things would get better.

    Joseph, is irredeemably awful, once of those patriarchs who are convinced they know best for everyone, he's determined that Robert won't ruin his life, and he does something irredeemably awful. I don't want to spoil it but lets just say I was gutted, totally gutted, and though that action would be harder now with IDs, CCTV, phones etc back then its plausible things could happen that way.
    I loved the American part, felt very true to time, and I enjoyed reading about everyday life there, and the people we met.

    Where the book falls down for me is the end. I loved the drama of what happened, how it worked out, and was looking forward to the time when Joseph and the others were discovered. I enjoyed that the drama section lasted a good chunk of the book, that I could really feel for Lily, admire her determination. I liked that once back she wanted her just desserts, so to speak, in denouncing, those responsible but then tries to soften things because of Robert and James.
    What I didn't like was everything worked out a little too slickly, too easily, I wanted Joseph et al to suffer, but everyone seemed t take the view he meat well so that's all that mattered. To me it wasn't. His actions mattered, not just his intention.
    I did feel too that Marian, who was innocent of everything, was the one who really paid the price. I hope somehow a future book has a happy ending for her.

    Stars: Four, a great read, very real but the ending was that little bit too neat for me.

    Arc via author
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  • Energy Rae
    4.0 out of 5 stars Rich and Dramatic
    Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2020
    Even though they come from different backgrounds, Lily and Robert are in love. Against his father Joseph’s wishes, Roberty marries Lily, and with their son James, their love is stronger than ever. But Joseph will stop at nothing to put Robert on the path to the future he envisions. The fallout could be disastrous.

    While a huge fan of Historical Fiction, I don’t read a lot of historical romance, so The Dark Horizon was a change of pace for me. The book had a bit of a slow start with a ton of conversation, which at times felt like filler. When I got past the first third, I was drawn into the story and the drama that Joseph created. I liked the back and forth between Lily and Robert as their lives progressed in different directions.

    I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and that it summed up a bit too neatly, too quickly. I would have liked to see some of the filler used at the front, put into a resolution that wasn’t so swift. Otherwise, I enjoyed this read. There were strong characters, with plenty of drama. The descriptions are richly vivid and suit the novel’s period in time well. Overall, nicely done.
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  • Joni Johnson
    1.0 out of 5 stars Not interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    It was just not interesting
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  • Lois Simenson
    5.0 out of 5 stars This story captures your heart!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2020
    This is a wonderfully written book and I enjoyed it immensely. Every family has its quirks and biases and the Linford family is no exception. Lily and Robert are in love and I love the nod to Romeo and Juliet with the sad tale of parental disapproval of the chosen mate. It is also a sad reminder of the measures some will stoop to to break up a couple very much in love. This time period between the two wars had certain expectations of people and families and social and class was not exempt. This story had a somewhat Downton Abbey feel that we over here across the pond absolutely love. I loved the growth arc of Lily into a strong, determined woman, molded by her circumstances. Liz Harris did an extraordinary job in researching and bringing to life for us this time period. I highly recommend this book as you will want to find out what happens to these engaging characters.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kata
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I'm still always astonished how this author does such thorough research to make her otherwise personal story telling really interesting, relevant of the times and to a degree history teaching. She weaved the progress from telephone exchange to private phones, the property rent to people buying their own properties and the emergence of mortgages for all. The story line itself is gripping only to be made even more interesting with the historical, political and economic back ground. I just loved it.
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  • j. s.
    4.0 out of 5 stars a suitable title
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The Dark Horizon is well-named. The Linford family live in the privileged and sunlit worlds of Hampstead and leafy Oxfordshire. it is the 1920s that most frivolous and stylish decade. The horrors of the war are over. A rosy future beckons the Linford brothers. The effortless ease of their lives is conveyed by the elegant flow of the author's writing.
    Look out from this comfortable circle and there are storm clouds in the sky: a callous crime and an unspeakable dilemma that will keep your attention to the last page.
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  • Minskip
    5.0 out of 5 stars A VIVID PAGE-TURNER
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Dark Horizons by Liz Harris was a compelling read, with well-drawn characters and an absorbing storyline. Robert and Lily’s deep love for each other is tangible, but so is this young girl’s timidity at marrying into the wealthy and influential Linford family. With the birth of her beloved son, James, Lily struggles to fit in. But she could have had no idea of how much Joseph, her father-in-law hates her. Convinced that Robert will face a life of unhappiness he devises a cruel plot to get rid of her.

    Life in America for a poor immigrant at that time was meticulously researched and described, and the reader sees Lily’s confidence and maturity change her into a beautiful young woman. But within her is not only a burning desire to regain her child and disappointment that Robert hadn’t tried to find her, but a simmering ambition for revenge on Joseph. But for that she had to return to England.
    An absorbing and hugely enjoyable read.
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  • Wheezie
    3.0 out of 5 stars Too short
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Such a good book that just seemed to get going and it ended. It was really shocked that was it. Wish it had been longer.
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  • Margaret Pelling
    5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping first instalment in the Linford family series
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Just how far will Joseph Linford go to shipwreck the marriage of his son Robert with Lily, this book’s protagonist? The Dark Horizon Is a real page turner as we read on to find out who gets the upper hand, Joseph or Lily? Along the way we meet an engaging and interesting collection of characters, many with stories of their own. Readers will warm to Thomas, the grumpy but kindhearted brother of Joseph, who was wounded in World War I, and equally to the family of Russian Jewish immigrants who befriend Lily during an interlude when she finds herself having to survive in the Lower East side of New York. Liz Harris evokes the colour and bustle of Delancey and Orchard streets beautifully. This is the first novel in a series, and it certainly makes you want to read on to find out what happens next .
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