A Breath of Old Smoke

About the Book

Warning: this is not a religious book!

A Breath of Old Smoke, the sixth book in the Brothers Series and the second in the Shamrocks Saga, continues the story begun in Shamrocks in the Heather with the ongoing adventures of Martin Boland Quigley, youngest of the Quigley clan.

The story begins as Martin arrives in London to begin his new job as a reporter on the London Post Express. Although disappointed in the size of the publication, Martin meets the love of his life. Anne Bentleigh-Woolcott is an aristocrat with definite democratic leanings and Martin’s attraction to her proves mutual. The book follows their life as they marry and become “spies” for a secret government organization. In Europe, the mysterious relic known as the Spear of Destiny suddenly looms large in not only their future but the future of the world. The couple encounters leaders of the nascent Nazi party along with their demonic assistants as they struggle to reach the Spear and learn why it should play such an important part in their own lives and that of the entire world. During their sojourn, they encounter many dangers and, with the help of their hard-working Guardian Angels, manage to overcome them.

Once returned to England, the couple settle into married life. They buy their first home little knowing it, too, holds secrets important to them. In Castlemere, they learn of previously unknown relations in Australia and are reunited with this branch of the family. Soon, their son, Roarke, is born and Martin agrees to return to Germany to assess the growing power of the Nazi party. There, he is dismayed to see signs of the impending war becoming clearer by the day. He returns to his family depressed and frustrated at his inability to head off the upcoming disaster.

Anne learns she is expecting twins and, to Martin’s horror, becomes a target of diabolical forces wishing to destroy the unborn babies. A resourceful Roarke--now four-years-old--shows his courage and inventiveness by diverting an attack and routing her assailant. At the end of the story Anne gives birth to twins--two girls who are destined to give Lucifer a run for his money--the irrepressible Theodora and Theodosia Quigley.

This is not a religious book nor meant to endorse or promote any type of belief. It is intended to provide a verbal roller-coaster ride. Plus, I’ve grown to quite like The Old Man. Enjoy!

About the Author

The author was born in Buffalo, New York. Her first published book, Echoes of a Haunting (published in 1999) is non-fiction. In the fiction field, she has written Brothers (2001), Once a Demon (2002), Birds of a Feather (2002). Cirque Diabolique (2003), Shamrocks in the Heather (2003), A Breath of Old Smoke (2004) and Daughters of Gemini all in the BROTHERS Series. In 1975, she moved out West, first to California and then north to Oregon. She currently resides in the coastal town of Florence, Oregon with her mother, their dog, “Dear” Abby and a cat named Miss Kitty.