Plot:
Shirley Smith, a new pupil at Redcliffe Towers Boarding School, discovers that Petra Barnes has a hold over everyone to get her own way at everything. Even the headmistress is in Petra’s grip, so Petra can arrange to have girls expelled for crossing her, and several pupils go this way. Shirley is determined to find out what gives Petra her power over Redcliffe Towers.
Plot:
When maidservant Emily Carter is wrongly accused of theft, she runs away in a terrible state and drowns. Emily’s sister Rosie goes into service in the household to unmask the real thief and clear Emily’s name. But the thief rumbles Rosie and starts sending her death threats.
The Simple family are delighted to inherit a cottage and small-holding. Unfortunately the place is located in a snobbish suburb, so their neighbours, Mr and Mrs Grimsdyke, do not welcome them. Nonetheless they settle down to a life of self-sufficiency and foil the Grimsdykes’ schemes to drive them out, with help from their ally, the Grimsdykes’ son Corin.
Anita Murray inherits a ghostly butler named Mareton. Only she can see or hear him, unless he wills it otherwise.
Other Appearances:
Wendy Parkinson has found a wishbone that can grant wishes whenever it is rubbed. But its magic only works if it is used for unselfish reasons.
Welfare worker Fiona Granger inherits a derelict farm, and she persuades her superiors to move in with three problem girls to develop the farm in the hope of reforming them. Two of the girls, Gillian and Marilyn accept the idea. But the third, Joyce, is causing problems.
Carole Bradshaw had been the most popular girl at Aylesbourne Academy until her father, a bank manager, is imprisoned for dishonesty. Now nobody speaks to Carole except Jackie Higgins, whose father is also in prison.
Penny Lane is on the run from Ida and Harry Hermanos, who exploited her in their fake mind-reading act. Penny does in fact have real powers and her spirit guide is directing her to a house in the west of England. But the Hermanoses have set the police on her, and Penny has put herself in the limelight by helping people with her powers.
Plot:
When the pleasure steamer Storm founders, the only survivors are a handful of wealthy children and a maidservant called Tweenie (who had sneaked aboard). The children are taken in by fishing folk who exploit them and are out to profit from the fund that is being set up for “The Orphans of the Storm” as the press have dubbed them.
Plot:
Cathy Carr is known at school for non-stop talking. But then she has to stop talking when she damages her throat in a freak accident and must stay silent for eight weeks, which leads to difficulties.
