This is the third of Marcia Clayton’s Hartford Manor novels I have read, and it is as fresh and captivating as the first – Betsey, which is actually a prequel. The main story this time is a heartrending one of a young girl whose baby is cruelly taken from her and the efforts of Fred Carter to reunite them. As always, there are many other stories interwoven with this one, all given space to develop and hold the reader’s interest, particularly that of Annie Carter, now married to her beloved Robert and struggling to adjust to her new place in society. Through Ms Clayton’s writing, I have come to have a greater understanding of life in the 1800s in Devon from the very different viewpoints of ‘the rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate’. Not only is the story meticulously researched, it is also written with a deft, compassionate hand.
If you are not yet acquainted with Hartford Manor and its denizens, then I strongly recommend that you make this series your summer reading.

This is the second instalment in the Hartford Manor series, and my gosh, what an enjoyable book.
The story continues where The Mazzard Tree ended. The reader is treated to the visual descriptions and sumptuous preparations made for the marriage between Annie Carter, a village girl, and Robert, son of Lord and Lady Fellwood and heir to Hartford Manor. Lord and Lady Fellwood were against the marriage from the beginning and shunned their son, refusing to attend nor acknowledge the ceremony. However, all the village folk were invited, and happiness overflowed on the estate with feasting and dancing. Plans to improve the tied cottages for the estate workers began. The lives of the village folk and estate workers intertwined as new romances blossomed and babies were born. A disturbing story emerges as a young woman loses her baby. A homeless tramp called Sam arrives on the estate. Robert takes pity on the old man and allows him to stay, though unaware that his presence will affect the lives of many people in the village. Intriguing and well-written. Full of drama and family bonds.
A delightful historical story set in North Devon, England, in the 1800’s. Recommended.

The Angel Maker, the second in the series by Marcia Clayton, has its share of romance but also heartbreak. The cruelty and snobbery of various people seem to know no bounds, and yet the love and goodwill of others are lovely to experience as the trials of the families of Hartford, England, merge and expand. Marcia does an excellent job of blending calm and tension as we revel in the wins of the characters we grow to love and cry when some characters are lost to us. In most cases, in the peaceful town of Hartford, England, good normally triumphs over evil, but evil lurks, ready to pounce when the reader is unaware.
You cannot help but enjoy this book and all its entertaining characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this second instalment in the Hartford Manor series. The life, romance, and antics of so many interesting characters kept me turning the pages for more. With all the tension of living with in-laws who despise her, I was happy that Annie found a doting auntie. The author portrays a wonderful feel for the era and the sense of community that kept the common folks going through challenging times. I tried to guess the meaning of the title as I read. Wow! I didn't see that coming!
Cheers to Marcia Clayton for another lovely story. I’ll be watching for book #3.

Oh, I love Aunty Margery. The Angel Maker is the 2nd book in the Hartford Manor Series and follows on from The Mazzard Tree. With Robert and Annie still wanting to marry with or without the acceptance of his family and the Carter family, along with villagers and Sam, the old vagrant, coming together to discover just what is going on at Buzzacott House, this story is one captivating read. Annie really comes into her own in this book when she finds an ally in Robert’s Aunty Margery, and Robert, like in the first book, isn’t afraid to help out the lower class, much to his mother and father’s despair. There’s so much going on in this story it really does keep you on the edge. New relationships, deaths, and a strange, tall woman with a dark side to investigate. Plus, a secret that will definitely throw the Lord and Lady into a tailspin. I thoroughly enjoyed The Angel Maker, and I am looking forward to how the secret, which has just come to light, will impact the lives of the Manor House.
If you love a good Victorian Saga, then this series is a must!

The saga continues in this, the second novel of the Hartford Manor series and a particularly dark story emerges as it progresses. Like the first, this is a gripping story following the lives of several characters and introducing new ones. The divide between the rich and poor, the privileged and those not so, is further explored as Robert Fellwood marries Annie Carter, and so the snobbery of the age it is set in, the 1880s, carries on. There is much to recommend in this book; the author’s obvious knowledge of the times comes across sharply, and the place and setting, North Devon, and the story unfold seamlessly as the author easily gets into the minds of those she writes about.
I am very interested to see how book three develops the storyline further, and I will be reading it soon.