The House of Pearls

A photograph of three young sisters. A forgotten pearl necklace that sends her tumbling through time…

Present day: single mother Elsa Dean is shocked when she inherits a sprawling three-storey house from her estranged uncle. Elsa hasn’t seen the golden stone façade in over a decade. Then an antique pearl necklace and a black and white photograph hidden behind a secret door in the attic sends her hurtling back into the past. Elsa sees her aunts, the three Merriwell sisters, each make their own terrible choice that will change their family forever…

1959: When sixteen-year-old Edie Merriwell finds herself pregnant just as her beloved mother dies suddenly, she has no-one to turn to. All she has left is her mother’s last gift: a tiny seed pearl on a delicate silver chain. She never takes it off. Her sisters could never understand. And her father is courting a new wife suspiciously quickly. Within a year, gossip about the Merriwell family will reach fever pitch, and none of the sisters will ever live in the beautiful house again.

History repeats itself at this house of pearls and lies. What really happened to Edie and her baby? Elsa has been keeping her own secrets too. Will she be brave enough to confront her tangled history and lay the ghosts of the house to rest for good?

An utterly gripping and heartbreaking tale of betrayal and a family secret that echoes down the generations. Perfect for fans of Louise Douglas, Eve Chase and Rachel Burton.

What readers are saying about Ali Mercer:

‘Powerful, heartbreaking… Totally captivating… Kept me hooked until the end. I was not prepared for such an emotional rollercoaster… I just wanted to jump into the book… Broke my heart in a million places… Beautiful, have tissues on hand… Gut-wrenching.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Absolutely gripping and emotional… Had more family drama than a prime-time soap opera!!… I was yelling at my e-reader… Ali Mercer is an incredible storyteller!… This instantly hooks you.’ Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking book. I was gripped from the start.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh my goodness… A brilliant read and brilliant, brilliant storytelling, I was hooked from the very first page and couldn’t stop reading… Excellent.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wonderful… I stayed up till 3 a.m. to finish it!… Twists you don’t expect.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartbreaking and heart-warming… filled with emotion and secrets… A captivating story that kept me hooked until the end.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gosh, this one pulls at the heartstrings! There were so many things that touched me in this book… My heart broke… had me tearing up at the end… I loved it.’ Suze Reviews

‘Absolutely fantastic… Will make you smile, yell out in frustration and gasp in disbelief… Spectacular… A must-read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Just beautiful. A stunning, astounding story that will stay with me. Written with heart. Wow. A book to savour. Just wonderful.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heart-warming and heartbreaking all in one swoop… Made me cry and made my heart pause in places.’ The Fiction Cafe Book Club