Bibliography

HEARTBREAKER

(as by Katherine Winston)

(1978)

Set in Hollywood in 1934, Heartbreaker is based around the exploits of fifteen year old Bella whose girlhood ended one summer night - when she was abused by her own father - and womanhood began. Life is a constant struggle for Bella on the shabby side of town where she becomes involved with one bad character after another, each after the same thing, until at last, she finds someone who has suffered as much as she has.

RICH

(1979)

Masterton's first, and perhaps most compelling saga, in which he retells the story of several real life oil tycoons. Rich is an 800-page novel about Johann Cornelius, a man who created a life for himself from humble beginnings, without losing sight of his poverty stricken past. With strong characterisation, a believable plot and passionate writing, Rich is a must for all fans of historical fiction - and even those new to the genre.

RAILROAD

(1981)

Like his first saga, Masterton based this explosive novel on a real life character (Collis P. Huntington) using the transcontinental rail service as his theme. Collis Edmonds' ambition is to blast a railroad through the heart of America - especially after seeing his family made bankrupt by investing in a similar but worthless scheme. Edmonds is portrayed as a gambler, drinker, chauvinist and arrogant womaniser; the plot is well crafted, paying meticulous attention to detail. An epic read.

SOLITAIRE

(1982)

Solitaire is set in the cut-throat hell of the South African diamond rush in the late 1860s and emphasises the relationship between two brothers, Barney and Joel Blitz. Masterton takes his reader through a series of emotions - jealousy, anger, and sorrow - allowing the novel to centre on the strengths and weaknesses of human beings. The book is well plotted and the writing as economical as ever. The author even gives us a taste of the grass roots of his horror writing (in a scene capable of bringing tears to the eyes) by showing the length to which someone will go in order to hide a diamond. Ouch!

CORROBOREE

(1984)

In his ever increasing search to give the reader something different, Graham Masterton wrote this powerful and blistering novel set in the Australian Outback. The book traces Eyre Walker's journey across an unpredictable and often challenging continent. From a research point of view the novel features some excruciating Aborigine rituals and initiation ceremonies; one in particular sees Eyre having his penis sliced the complete length of the bottom edge so that his urine exits in a spray. Yes, it's Masterton all right!

MAIDEN VOYAGE

(1984)

Described as a saga of the greatest ocean liner of them all, the SS Arcadia, sets sail in 1924, just twelve years after the Titanic disaster. The book appears to have been based on the ship and even carries a Cunard advertisement at the front. The author manages to capture all the splendour and glamour of a bygone era, a time when ocean going liners created a buzz of excitement unmatched by any other form of transport. It tells the story of Catriona Keys, a young girl transformed overnight from a party animal to the head of a shipping line. As usual, deceit isn't far away in the shape of her business manager.

LADY OF FORTUNE

(1984)

The story of the Watson family, in particular, Effie Watson. With Lady of Fortune Masterton defied audience expectations by making his lead character female. Effie is born in turn of the century Glasgow. As soon as she's old enough she moves to London to join the family business. With her two brothers to guide her Effie has to work hard - as well as develop a ruthless streak - in order to succeed. Lady of Fortune is a superb, character-driven saga covering seven decades of passion, struggle and heartbreak.

HEADLINES

(1986)

A saga set in 1949 in the Chicago newspaper industry. With Headlines the reader enters the world of the psychopathic killer, a theme Masterton has covered before. Headlines is a powerful character-driven saga which shares a common interest with Lady of Fortune in that it also has a beautiful, headstrong leading character, namely, Morgana Croft. A fast moving, economically written book which keeps the reader on the edge of his seat.

SILVER

(1987)

In Silver the author takes his reader back to the colourful era of the Golden West in a tale of betrayal and revenge. Masterton's main character, Henry T. Roberts is similar to Collis Edmonds in Railroad. Women had always loved Roberts, but only one of them was determined enough to follow him across the American continent. As Roberts chases his fortune he becomes aware of the temptations and guilt that threaten to destroy him. He is faced with a tough decision: being disloyal to a dedicated woman, or becoming many times richer than he deserves. A well written book which beautifully captures the magic of a different era.

LORDS OF THE AIR

(1988)

A dynamic saga recreating the era of racing sea-planes and giant flying boats, based around famous aviation characters such as Geoffrey de-Haviland. The story follows the lives of Herbert Lord and his three sons, who become furiously divided after their father's suicide. The book is made more interesting by having the sons operating from different parts of the globe - America, Britain and Australia.
Lords of the Air is an addictive page turner featuring all the expected traits - family rivalry, determined ambition and colourful characters.

EMPRESS

(1990)

Set in Curzon's India, Empress was the last in a long line of well crafted sagas. The plot is based around Henry Carson, aristocrat and MP who accepts the most coveted position in the British Empire, Viceroy of India. But Jamie Cullen knows his guilty secret and is planning a terrible revenge, having been thwarted by Lucy Darling, who is loved by both. The book traces the lives of the three characters from Kansas to New York, London and finally India, where blackmail, murder, deep-rooted conspiracies, scandal and political intrigue threaten to destroy the Raj.