Dericott Tales

From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a reimagining of the Wild Swans-the first book in a new series of fairy-tale retellings set in medieval England! Delia lives a quiet life as the daughter of an earl in late 14th-century England, but that peace is shattered when her seven brothers are betrayed by their father and falsely arrested. Meanwhile, with the Peasants' Revolt threatening the peace of the kingdom, the king is executing anyone who had anything to do with the uprising. Delia is terrified her brothers will be next, the youngest of whom is only ten years old. Delia infiltrates the palace as a lady-in-waiting for the new queen so she can be near her brothers in the Tower of London and help them escape. When she runs into Sir Henry, the guard captain who arrested her brothers, she hates him-until she discovers he has been secretly carrying food to her brothers in their prison cell. Trapped into obeying the orders of his king, Sir Henry is the oldest son of an earl whose estate has been seized by the king and his treacherous advisers. His first mission as captain was to arrest seven brothers for treason, but he had no idea that the brothers were so young or that their sister would be so feisty and beautiful. In a court where everyone is eager to backstab anyone else to get what they want, how will Henry right this wrong and help Delia and her brothers-especially when Delia hates him? And how will he keep them both from losing their heads to this execution-prone king?

From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a reimagining of the beloved Ugly Duckling tale! Audrey is a viscount's daughter who has suffered her sister Maris's cruel, jealous behavior all her life. An act of malice led their father to send Maris to a convent, but Audrey was still left with scars. Three years later, Audrey's father is determined to marry off his damaged daughter, and Maris is returning. Desperate, Audrey sneaks away. However, life outside her home is dangerous, and she soon finds herself attacked, injured, and in dire straits. She is taken in at Dericott Castle to be nursed back to health. While there, she decides to keep her identity a secret and work as a servant in the castle. But she doesn't count on falling in love with the young and handsome Lord Dericott, who lost his arm several months earlier. Meanwhile, Edwin-Lord Dericott-is curious about the new, well-educated servant's identity. When the man Audrey's father wanted her to marry comes looking for her, each must make a life-changing decision about what to believe and whether or not love is truly worth trusting. In this Ugly Duckling retelling, New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson brilliantly crafts a high-stakes, encouraging tale about the power of love.

She's hounded from every side by treacherous elements and foes, but her greatest enemy lies within. In the mountains near France, the medieval Princess Elyse is being forced to marry, thus forming an alliance that will enrich her father but enslave her kingdom. Instead, she chooses to feign her death and flee to Prague to beg King Wenceslaus to help save her people. In England, the young knight Sir Gerard has a vision from God instructing him to help Elyse on her quest. When he arrives to find she has been near death for days, he manages to revive her. However, thinking the stranger was trying to kiss her, the princess immediately distrusts him. But her desperate situation forces her to accept his aid. Pursued by her enemy's guards over mountainous terrain, they must also battle the deadly winter elements. Her greatest challenge may be to overcome the voices of disapproval and accusation from her childhood. Will her emotions lead her into her true identity, or will they undermine her ability to work with Gerard and to save her people, who desperately need her help? In this dazzling and romantic story, New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson takes the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale to satisfying new heights.

Mazy dreams of independence. Sir Berenger longs to play the hero. But in each other, they may find the secret to happily ever after. Mazelina of Wexcombe has always dreamed of traveling with her father to lands beyond the confining walls of their castle. But his sudden death deprives her of the future she imagined. Abandoned by her eldest brother, Mazy is soon forced to seek help from her beloved brother Sir John at the great estate of Strachleigh. Her visit leads to a friendship with the dashing and noble Sir Berenger of Dericott. He has notions of rescuing a damsel in distress. But Mazy is brave enough to defend herself-and has proven that her skills in archery and knife throwing rival that of a knight's. So when he is called away to Prussian lands, Sir Berenger looks to distinguish himself in battle. When Sir Berenger returns, he and Mazy meet again on the streets of London, where she is making a living selling goods in the market. Meanwhile, he has been summoned by the king to receive a reward for his service. But the recognition comes with a price: He must marry a wealthy, titled widow to please the king. But when Mazy begins to suspect treachery, she embarks on a journey to the fortress of snow to warn the brave knight-and secure her own fairy-tale ending. In this fourth novel set in the Dericott universe, Melanie Dickerson weaves an exciting reimagining of the Snow Queen tale.

In this exciting retelling of the classic Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, Melanie Dickerson sweeps readers away into a thrilling adventure and a charming romance. Violet, so named because of the unusual color of her eyes, knows almost nothing about her birth mother. She has formed a close bond with her grandmother, who fills her heart with dreams of true love. When Violet has a chance meeting with Sir Merek, a guard working for the villainous Baron Dunham, she immediately dislikes him. As she works to help her people and speaks out against the baron, Dunham sends a guard to bring her to the castle, and that guard is none other than Sir Merek himself. Dunham threatens her grandmother to ensure that he can use Violet as a pawn in his power games, attempting to force her into a marriage of his choosing. Despite Merek's assurances that he is on her side and working to help her, Violet sees no reason to trust him. But as the baron continues to search for any disloyal subjects, Merek finds himself in danger of his own. Violet and Merek will have to work together to stop Violet's betrothal, keep her grandmother safe, and convince the king of the baron's treachery. Along the way, they must decide if they can also trust one another with their hearts. • A medieval retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood" • Part of the Dericott Tale series of stand-alone fairy tales • Includes discussion questions for book clubs

A "Jack and the Beanstalk" retelling set in medieval England in which a young maiden undergoes a journey to save her sister and herself. Will the chivalrous knight, Sir Charles, help her find the treasure she seeks before her uncle can marry her off? She's a young woman determined to save herself and her sister from her immoral uncle's clutches. He's a knight set on helping those that need it the most. When the two meet on the road, their paths merge in a daring quest to find treasure... and love. England, 1388. All her life, Louisa's dreamed of finding the rumored "Viking's Treasure," a collection of ancient, lost riches said to be hidden on a mountaintop in Yorkshire. It's a story her father used to tell her, and when he dies and she and her younger sister have to go live with their shiftless, greedy uncle, Louisa is determined to find that treasure. It's the hope that has kept her defying her uncle's efforts to marry her off to the highest bidder. After her uncle starts to parade Louisa's twelve-year-old sister, Margaret, in front of potential husbands, Louisa realizes she has no time to waste. She disguises herself as a boy and takes off for the Yorkshire highlands. But the road is a harsher place than she'd imagined, and she is relieved to find a friend in the knight, Sir Charles, who goes along with her on her journey. Charles is intrigued by this young woman who claims her name is "Jack" and is set on carving out her own future. He goes along, pretending to believe she is a boy, in order to make sure nothing bad happens to her. As they meet new friends along the road, and as Louisa comes clean about her identity, the pair find themselves falling in love. But what will happen when they reach the mountains? Will they find their independence and the freedom to marry in the form of a buried treasure, or will the monster from Louisa's own past keep the young couple apart? She's a young woman determined to save herself and her sister from her immoral uncle's clutches. He's a knight set on helping those that need it the most. When the two meet on the road, their paths merge in a daring quest to find treasure... and love. England, 1388. All her life, Louisa's dreamed of finding the rumored "Viking's Treasure," a collection of ancient, lost riches said to be hidden on a mountaintop in Yorkshire. It's a story her father used to tell her, and when he dies and she and her younger sister have to go live with their shiftless, greedy uncle, Louisa is determined to find that treasure. It's the hope that has kept her defying her uncle's efforts to marry her off to the highest bidder. After her uncle starts to parade Louisa's twelve-year-old sister, Margaret, in front of potential husbands, Louisa realizes she has no time to waste. She disguises herself as a boy and takes off for the Yorkshire highlands. But the road is a harsher place than she'd imagined, and she is relieved to find a friend in the knight, Sir Charles, who goes along with her on her journey. Charles is intrigued by this young woman who claims her name is "Jack" and is set on carving out her own future. He goes along, pretending to believe she is a boy, in order to make sure nothing bad happens to her. As they meet new friends along the road, and as Louisa comes clean about her identity, the pair find themselves falling in love. But what will happen when they reach the mountains? Will they find their independence and the freedom to marry in the form of a buried treasure, or will the monster from Louisa's own past keep the young couple apart?