Marilyn Harris

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat November 12th, 2011, 12:46 am

OK, time for her to have her own thread for those interested in Harris, especially her Eden series that a couple of friends over at Goodreads discovered. Her style is definitely more suited for those who like to take a walk on the darker side of life - if you must have a sugar coated HEA wrapped up in a bow this is not the author for you. Along with the Eden books she's written one called Warrick that I believe is based in the Oklahoma oil fields with a perfectly dysfunctional rich family (rubs hands in glee). She's also written some horror stories that look quite interesting, and one friend raved over The Bledding Sorrow.

The Eden books begin in the 1790's, and are based on the Eden of Eden Point, very aristocratic old family filthy rich, etc. Locale of the castle is the north Devon Coast. She gives you pretty much the whole kitchen sink in these, murder, madness, mayhem, rape, abductions, evil school mistresses engaged in unspeakable acts against their pupils, opium dens, incest - oh hell, have I left anything out? Top all this off with excellent writing, and liberally sprinkle with historical facts, events and characters (even the Brontes!), it's a recipe for unputdownable reading. I think they're still readily available used (don't wait too long), plus the US libraries seem to have them.

This Other Eden
The Prince of Eden
The Eden Passion
The Women of Eden
Eden Rising
American Eden
Eden and Honor

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Sat November 12th, 2011, 2:48 pm

This series sounds fab. Unfortunately availability in the UK seems a bit erratic; there are a few cheap editions of some of the books on Amazon marketplace, but others are extortionate. Wonder if they'll be re-issued at some point, perhaps we should start a campaign....

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat November 12th, 2011, 3:26 pm

[quote=""Madeleine""]This series sounds fab. Unfortunately availability in the UK seems a bit erratic; there are a few cheap editions of some of the books on Amazon marketplace, but others are extortionate. Wonder if they'll be re-issued at some point, perhaps we should start a campaign....[/quote]

I wish, although some of the content might scare today's publishers away. We're working hard at getting the word out at Goodreads and other places. Those with Kindles please please click on the tell the publisher I'd link to read on Kindle link.

Have you checked Better World Books? I thought they had the shipping included in the price last I heard.

Almost done with book five. Quite a tale of hitting the lowest point and then a struggle back towards love and redemption. She's even worked William Booth into it.

annis · Post by **annis** » Sun November 13th, 2011, 12:59 am

You might be single-handedly driving up the market, Misfit

I've given in - just found a $5.00 copy of This Other Eden on a local auction website. Hope the writing's not too miserably small, though- it's getting to be a problem for me with some of these older books

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sun November 13th, 2011, 1:44 am

[quote=""annis""]You might be single-handedly driving up the market, Misfit

I've given in - just found a $5.00 copy of This Other Eden on a local auction website. Hope the writing's not too miserably small, though- it's getting to be a problem for me with some of these older books

[/quote]

Annis, we mere happy readers would never ever single handedly drive up the used market. Did I ever tell you what happened with the price of used copies of Lily Cigar? After we pimped that all over Goodreads and Amazon prices went from under $1 to over $130. They have since stabilized around $12 (plus shipping of course).

I read the HB from the library and the font was not a problem at all. Can't speak for the PB edition. I know what you mean about font size though, even my younger friends are raising eyebrows at the size of the font in MM Kayes Trade Wind.

PS, finished Eden Rising a short while ago. Actually got a HEA, but she still had me tearing up with it. On now with book six, American Eden, first set in Alabama and we're having some KKK issues.

LoobyG · Post by **LoobyG** » Sun November 13th, 2011, 3:46 pm

*Sighs looking at her impossibly huge, towering, leaning over dangerously TBR pile* Right! I've given in also, I grabbed a copy from ABE for 63p, with £2.50 shipping

SGM · Post by **SGM** » Sun November 13th, 2011, 6:26 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]I wish, although some of the content might scare today's publishers away. We're working hard at getting the word out at Goodreads and other places. Those with Kindles please please click on the tell the publisher I'd link to read on Kindle link.

Have you checked Better World Books? I thought they had the shipping included in the price last I heard.

Almost done with book five. Quite a tale of hitting the lowest point and then a struggle back towards love and redemption. She's even worked William Booth into it.[/quote]

William Booth and some of his family ended up in my neck of the woods:

http://www.victorianweb.org/art/parks/18.html

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sun November 13th, 2011, 7:20 pm

Thanks for that. I really do love books that bring in lesser known bits of history. I was surprised to learn after the fact that one of the characters in This Other Eden was a real oneand the Abbey he was building was a real one.

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Sun November 13th, 2011, 10:17 pm

Yep, that's what I like about Marilyn Harris, besides the nice chewy plot. The real people in it help to shape everything out and make it more believable.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Mon November 14th, 2011, 1:30 am

BTW, I'm well into book six and it's very different from the others. Set in Alabama (and moves to other parts of the US), it doesn't have the darkness and the madness of the others, more just your standard southern romance/adventure. Not bad at all, but not what I was expecting from Harris. Depending on how this finishes and book seven turns out, I might recommend stopping at book five.