Carl Ruhen wrote a number of books based on the
Sons and Daughters scripts. In the UK, seven of these
novels were published by Star Books. There is some confusion,
however, over exactly how many were published in Australia (the
publishers there being QB Books) - there were definitely two,
but there may be more. Large Print versions of at least two of
the UK books have also been published in the 'Crescent Large Print
TV Tie-In' range. Versions of the novels were also published in
Belgium.
None of these books is now available in print -
the last 'small print' UK book was published in 1987 - but copies
seem to turn up every now and again in second-hand bookshops,
charity shops, jumble sales, car boot sales etc. This page contains
scans of the front covers of the UK and Australian books and two
of the Large Print books, together with the blurb from the back
covers (the front covers for the Australian books, which just
have quotes from the novel on the backs), and scans of the front
covers of the Belgian books.
Standard UK Books
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Book 1
The stormy saga of a family at war with itself.
John Palmer: young and handsome, every mother's
favourite son, on the run for a murder he didn't commit.
Angie Hamilton: poor little rich girl, she
falls in love with John, till a lie tears them apart.
Patricia Hamilton: bitchy and calculating,
she will stop at nothing in her efforts to manipulate John
and Angie's lives.
Fiona Thompson: John's remarkable aunt, struggling
in vain to conceal the dark secrets of a past that could
destroy them all.
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Book 2
"Would you kiss me?" It was no more
than a whisper. "Please".
No, it wouldn't be right. The easiest path
was to give in and just follow their instincts, but that
wasn't the way, wasn't fair on either of them. But while
he was capable of rationalising in this manner, while he
could tell himself it was wrong, very wrong, his emotions
were letting him down badly. He found his arms around her,
drawing her close against him, and the freshness of her
was having a heady, almost drunken effect on him. As their
lips met and their bodies writhed together, he had to force
himself, fight against it.
Paul, the man who has everything - money,
youth, looks and charm - relentlessly pursues his love for
Angie against the web of family intrigue, passion and treachery
woven between two great cities.
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Book 3
Dee Morrell was dead, but she was still manipulating
them, still making them jump through hoops, and that was
what really rankled. But they had no choice; it was the
way the old woman had planned it.
Now the time had come for her to drop her
bombshell. How often she must have chuckled to herself when
she anticipated the looks on their faces when it came. The
last laugh - a classic case if ever there was one.
The reading of Dee Morrell's will looks set
to be a traumatic time for the whole family as they see
who is to inherit her vast wealth. Has she kept all the
promises she made before her death, or will it be a case
of settling old scores once and for all?
Only one thing's certain - there are more
than a few surprises in store for everyone...
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Book 4
When Luke Carlyle was given a position of
responsibility in Patricia's company he didn't know that
his dotingly possessive father, Roger, had arranged it with
Patricia behind his back. But when he found out, he was
determined that Patricia would pay the price for deceiving
him.
On the day she was to marry David Palmer,
Luke announced that he had siphoned off all the company's
assets - leaving Patricia ruined. Unable to face married
life without her own wealth, she had stood David up at the
altar.
It was then she had gone to plead with Luke
to return the money, and when he refused, she had lashed
out, lacerating his face with her fingernails before being
thrown out of his flat. Later that night Luke was found
dead - and Patricia soon found herself being charged with
his murder.
Now more than ever she needed David at her
side. But would he return to her after the bitter humiliation
of their wedding day?
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Book 5
For Beryl and David Palmer, the birth of their
third child seemed like the new beginning their marriage
so badly needed. After all the heartbreak caused by David's
infatuation with Patricia, followed by his near breakdown
after her death, they were hoping they would now be able
to forget the pain of the past and rebuild their lives together
as a family.
But, just when things seemed to be going right
at last, tragedy struck. Baby Robert disappeared from the
materity ward and soon Beryl found herself listening to
the words every mother dreads hearing: 'We've got your
baby. If you want to see him alive again, you'll do exactly
as I say'.
Who could the kidnapper be? David had his
suspicions, and if they turned out to be right, it would
prove that the past is not so easy to escape...
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Book 6
Trying to forget the senseless murder of his
fiancee in Northern Ireland, Brian O'Donnell flees to Australia.
But as an illegal immigrant, he's on the run, only one step
ahead of the law.
Meeting Jill Taylor in Woombai he finds himself
falling in love with a woman whose resemblance to his dead
fiancée is uncanny. Married, but still fearing entrapment,
Brian runs away.
Then Jill is raped and finds herself pregnant.
Learning that Brian is dead, she agrees to marry the scheming
Wayne Hamilton, who promises to be a father to the baby.
But the real father has other plans for his
misbegotten child. And there is Brian O'Donnell himself
- is he really dead after all?
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Book 7
With the accidental unearthing of a previously
unknown will, Gordon Hamilton is appalled to discover that
he is no longer the owner of Woombai. The new owner is his
long-lost brother, James, who turns up to claim his inheritance.
In the power struggle that then ensues, no
holds are barred and no viciousness is discounted. Wayne
Hamilton and Patricia - now calling herself Alison Carr,
but still wanted for murder - scheme and plot to take advantage
of the situation. In doing so, they unleash a series of
events that are disastrous in their consequences.
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Australian Books
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Book 1
The story of John and Angie's meeting, how the bitchy Patricia
Hamilton manipulates their lives, how Fiona struggles to
conceal the past... and David and Beryl know their son is
wanted for murder.
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Book 2
The first book was a best seller. This new novel about
Australia's top-rated TV series is even hotter. Paul, the
man who has everything... money, looks and charm... relentlessly
pursues his love for Angie against the web of family intrigue,
passion and treachery woven between Sydney and Melbourne.
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Large Print UK Books
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Book 1
John Palmer: young and handsome, every mother's
favourite son, on the run for a murder he didn't commit.
Angie Hamilton: poor little rich girl, she
falls in love with John until a lie tears them apart.
Fiona Thompson: John's remarkable aunt, struggling
in vain to conceal the dark secrets of a past that could
destroy them all.
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Book 2
The second book of the compelling TV series.
Paul Sheppard, the man who has everything
- money, youth, looks and charm - relentlessly pursues his
love for Angie, now Mrs. Rob Keegan, against a web of family
intrigue, passion and treachery.
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Belgian Books
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