Welcome
Thank you for popping by, lovely to see you.
You are warmly invited to explore my writing, deeply rooted in a sense of place, the echoes of time, and the mysteries that lie just beneath the surface of seemingly quiet lives.
Captured In Art
A sensory exploration of the secrets we bury and the truths captured in art during the Victorian era.
Out 1 October 2026. *Pre-order now on Amazon*
The Colour of Secrets
A lost memento, hidden secrets, and a strange, wild child in a mid-century English village.
NOTES FROM THE wRITING dESK
Step behind the scenes and discover the inspiration behind my stories and my rekindled passion for the Pre-Raphaelite era.
Accompany me as I walk through period houses, admire exotic gardens, and stand awestruck in front of exquisite paintings.
A beautifully observed book, both childhood and a locality are brought to life so you can live with the characters as you read. It is both nostalgic and relevant, reminding us that children see things differently.
Anyone growing up in the 1950s can relate to this story.
Wonderfully written, I felt that I knew the characters personally.
Wonderfully written, I felt that I knew the characters personally.
A charming, beautifully written novel
A charming novel, showing the other side of what we sometimes consider to have been 'a gentler time'. Very fluent descriptive passages give the reader a perfect sense of the time and place, and where the characters are set. Do read it!
A charming novel, showing the other side of what we sometimes consider to have been 'a gentler time'. Very fluent descriptive passages give the reader a perfect sense of the time and place, and where the characters are set. Do read it!
Gather round, people
A well written novel with delightful story that flows deceptively between the characters and places they inhabit. The author summed it up - "when they were gone, the room was at a loss." Lovely.
A great story, enchantingly told.
An enchanting book. Takes older readers back to an apparently gentler age, where it was always summer. The story progresses over time, revealing a little more of the secrets lurking in the background. A true coming-of-age story, I was very sorry to finish this book; felt as if I knew the main character well.
An enchanting book. Takes older readers back to an apparently gentler age, where it was always summer. The story progresses over time, revealing a little more of the secrets lurking in the background. A true coming-of-age story, I was very sorry to finish this book; felt as if I knew the main character well.
A masterfully structured and deeply moving triumph of historical fiction.
An exquisite immersion into the shadows of Victorian London. Richly atmospheric, deeply romantic, and laced with a compelling artistic mystery that keeps you turning the pages.
A sensory, beautifully written exploration of the secrets we bury and the truths captured in art.
A magnificent blend of art history and suspense. Vanessa weaves a mesmerizing tale of obsession and secrets that feels as vivid and beautifully rendered as a Pre-Raphaelite masterpiece.