Dr. Harold Merton, a general practitioner (GP) from a rural village in the Shropshire Hills, arrives in London in 1959. He is on a quest to search for a young junior doctor he can mentor and who will eventually take over his practice. Enlisting the help of his old friend and classmate, Dr. Basil Applegate, Director of Junior Doctors at Mother of Mercy Hospital, Harold hatches a plan to find his young associate. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty! A chance encounter with a young woman proves to be the catalyst for three days that changes the young woman’s destiny and provides Dr. Harold Merton with lifelong memories. Can an act of kindness change a life? The answer is found in this heart-warming tale of The Doctor of Bellechester.
What they are saying:
"A delightfully cozy story, perfect for readers who enjoy medical novels and strong, easy to root for, characters. Highly recommended!" -- The Wishing Shelf
"Women's book clubs will find much food for thought and discussion . . ." -- Diane Donavan, Midwest Book Review
". . . a pleasant read with likeable characters. It is just the book to curl up with on cold winter evenings or to take with on a vacation." -- Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND
Meet the lovable and quirky residents of this idyllic 1959 Shropshire County village as Dr. Mary Elizabeth Senty arrives to join Dr. Harold Merton’s medical practice. Detective Inspector William Donnelly has recently transferred to Bellechester from London’s Metropolitan Police Service to deal with the rash of jewel thefts in the area. When local socialite Lady Beatrice Brantwell is enlisted to throw a gala as a ruse to flush out the thieves, she pairs the newcomers in hopes of kindling a romance. Despite the police’s best efforts, jewels, including Mary Elizabeth’s precious agate pendant, are stolen in an intricately planned heist.
Can William and his officers solve the case and return the jewels to their rightful owners? Does love stand a chance between the career-minded doctor and duty-bound chief inspector? Find out in this gentle, cozy sequel to The Doctor of Bellechester which is sure to keep readers turning the pages.
What they are saying:
"The author does a great job in describing the details as relates to the era (1950's small town life). There is a budding romance, a mystery to solve and questions to ponder. Enjoy a cup of tea and a scone as you visit Bellechester." -- Barb Kraft
"Captivating from the start! . . . The author paints detailed and vibrant pictures of the settings, characters and events that stimulate the readers' imagination and their connection to the characters." -- Dan O'Leary
"We get to know the community of Bellechester while the two new members get to know each other. The mystery keeps the reader guessing until the end." -- Gayle Yanchar Bari
As a viewer to this website, chances are that we have never met. I hope we do get to meet in person some day but until then, here are a few bit of information about myself.
I am a third generation Minnesota American who was born in the middle of the "baby boom". That gives me an "anything is possible if I put my mind to it" kind of attitude towards life. After all, we did land on the moon in my lifetime. Heck, I could even write a book in my retirement!
Unlike most authors I have met, I do not have a degree in English nor have I worked in the publishing field. My background is a B.A. from the College of St. Benedict (Theology major, Psychology minor) and a M.A. from St. John's University (Systematics). What followed was a 13 year career as a Director of Religious Education in several Catholic parishes in the Twin Cities. A lifelong desire to be a librarian led me to the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee where I received my Masters in Library Science and Information Services in 1991. I feel fortunate to have landed my dream job where I could combine theology and library science working for the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis managing their video library.
In early 2005, I was diagnosed with a very rare auto-immune disease which caused an early disability retirement. Through competent doctors and the wonder of modern medicine, my disease is in currently in remission.
In 2010, I made my final oblation as an Oblate of St. Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph, MN.
More personal revelations can be found on my blog
where you will meet my identical twin. Can you tell us apart?
