The Dukes

Published by Simon & Schuster and Piatkus, 1981
under the pen name Malcolm Ross

Alfred Boyce is a harassed manufacturer of lacquered boxes until, one day in 1849, the lawyers track him down to tell him he is heir to the dukedom of St Ormer. What follows is a three-generational saga that ends on the battlefields of World War One – 70 years during which Alfred does his best to reshape the British aristocracy while the aristocracy does its best to reshape him.

• Carefully plotted and gently humorous at first, like Trollope's Barchester series, [it] becomes progressively more savagely satirical, like [Evelyn] Waugh – St Louis Post-Dispatch
• And what a life it is! There is romance, intimacy with the royal family, excursions to Europe, and a front-row seat for exciting bits of history. It is, in short, an immensely readable and entertaining saga written with a style bound to please anyone who savors a good story – Chattanooga Times
• A serious novel that might have been great – Los Angeles Times
• Why bother [hiding behind a pseudonym]? This book would be marvelous even if it were written by Joseph the Plumber – Asbury Park Press
• Ah yes! The plot is so familiar. [But] when fleshed out out by the pen of a skillful writer it becomes a beguiling and exciting story. In this instance, it is a stunning panorama of England from the mid-19th century to the close of the Great War – Daily Press, Newport News, VA
• Not having any idea who ‘Malcolm Ross’ really is, I hope I don't make myself look stupid by saying he writes in the style of Malcolm Macdonald, only better – Cindy Dommer, News Sentinel Fort Wayne
• A most ebullient English family dynasty novel with a difference, this combines melodrama, romance, sex, both naughty and nice, comedy and just the right number of dollops of British history. Ross treats his subject with an impish tongue-in-cheek air that is infectious – Publishers Weekly
• He is every bit as bad as Dickens – Martin Seymour-Smith

Jacket artist
Peter Morter

Tessa d'Arblay

Published by St Martin's Press and Hodder, 1983

Tessa, the daughter of a mad Anglican clergyman, has a nose for mystery. Her refusal to accept a natural-causes verdict on a friend's death leads her into the pit of horror in London's underworld at the time of the Ripper murders

• A thoughtful, well-done mystery but be warned: the weekend party at a country house near Stonehenge is not like any you've seen on Masterpiece Theater! – Bestsellers
• The ritual and sex scenes may be too much for some but they fit well with the overall sensuality and earthiness. It's a winner – UPI syndicated reviews – summer choice
• A spellbinder – Publishers Weekly
• A strange novel with limited appeal ... cluttered and confusing. While it may appeal to some readers, they will probably prove few in number – Pittsburgh Press
• He is every bit as bad as Dickens – Martin Seymour-Smith

Jacket artist
Wende Caporale

For They Shall Inherit [title in USA]
In Love and War [title in Britain]

Published by St Martin's Press and Hodder, 1984

Rich and charming Clive, poor but energetic Freddy, and Ann, a buxom, weak-willed chambermaid form the triangle of this tale, which moves from England to South Africa, Venezuela, Vienna, Turkey, and the Caribbean as early indiscretions reverberate throughout their lives.

• Macdonald has a grasp of Victorian life from the smallest drawing room niceties to the mechanism of empire-building, so that his period sense is convincing without ever being heavy-handed – Eastern Daily Press
• Macdonald is a good storyteller and the plot moves along at a fine pace, but why must all his characters be so damned nice! – Bradford Telegraph & Argus
• Even though there are dozens of books like this, the excellent writing and use of detail make the book a standout – Atlanta Journal Constitution
• Macdonald orchestrates his wildly disparate themes and settings with consummate control. His characters, all convincingly drawn, harbor a simplified model of proper behavior that has a fascinating way of shattering during crises to reveal dangerous, hidden personae. The heroes' familiar narcotic of imminent and violent death may fade as they and their adventures mature, but our addiction to Macdonald's spellbinding narrative assuredly does not – Washington Post Book World
• A truly unique novel. A long, deep look into the soul of a world gone by – syndicated review
• Delderfield it's not – Denver Rocky Mountain News
• He is very much the heir to the Delderfield kingdom – Athens Observer
• Skilled old-fashioned storytellers who write about human emotions are rare these days. Macdonald gives us characters we care about in real-life situations. It may be [his] Dickensian inheritance – Columba, Mid-West Review of Books
• He is every bit as bad as Dickens – Martin Seymour-Smith

Jacket artist
Gary Aagaard

Jacket artist
not credited