The Chamber And The Cross - Softcover

THE CHAMBER AND THE CROSS is a contemporary thriller wrapped around a medieval romance. It was a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards. News of her mother's mysterious death brings Laura back to England, and to Bannock Manor, a crumbling, stately home in the Cotswolds. The house and all its problems now belong to her. As Laura struggles to save Bannock Manor, she is pulled back into the lives, and loves, of the home's past inhabitants. Unfortunately, time is running out, not only for the preservation of the house, but for those who now live there. Centuries before, Lorraine Bonville, a young French girl, was forced to flee her chateau and cross the English Channel. Her fate was tied to Lord Bannock, a man twenty-five years her senior, and to the beautiful manor house he built for her. From castles in their full glory to the ruins of war, this novel weaves a beautiful tapestry of history, the struggle to rebuild life and love, and the desire to protect a very special home.

Deborah Reed has always been fascinated by historical homes and is a frequent visitor to Europe where she can soak up history, architecture and art. She lives in San Diego, CA with her family. She has also been a real estate broker for more than 29 years. While writing THE CHAMBER AND THE CROSS Deborah talked with British solicitors, stayed in medieval manors, and interviewed the owners of those historically designated homes. Lisa Shapiro is an Assistant Professor of Business at San Diego Mesa College. She holds degrees in management and literature, and has also taught composition and creative writing. Her published work include three novels by Naiad Press. Deborah and Lisa traveled throughout Great Britain, dedicating more years than they care to admit to reading, writing and researching THE CHAMBER AND THE CROSS. They walked historic battlegrounds, combed through castle ruins, and studied the procedures for exhuming human remains.