
OK
It was only more recently she developed a passion for writing.
Her first series, The Ambition & Destiny Series, arose out of Val's interest in her family's history. After many years it was developed into an epic family saga based on the lives of her Victorian-era ancestors.
From start to finish, the short story prequel and the five full-length novels took over seven years to write and publish. By the time they were finished, writing was such a big part of Val's life she decided to carry on and added a standalone novel to the series.
In addition, Val also has a second series available: Eliza Thomson Investigates. This is currently a series of six standalone murder mysteries set in the early 20th century. Eliza is a fictional amateur sleuth who makes the most of her position being married to the village doctor. Along with her her best friend Connie and occasionally her son, Henry, Eliza likes to help the police with their murder enquiries - whether they want her to or not!
Val lives in Cheshire with her husband and cat, Lia. In addition to family history, her interests include rock music and Premier League Football.
For further details or to sign up for FREE copies of the introductory short stories to either series, visit: https://vlmcbeath.com
Customers Also Bought Items By
Are you an author?
Author Updates
Tensions are rising but Harriet refuses to backdown…
As Mr Wetherby’s wealth and power increase, he won’t tolerate interference in his affairs...
From anyone.
But Harriet isn’t ‘just anyone’ and when she sees him involved in a serious incident, she stores the information away. Maybe one day she can use it to get the future she wants for her family. A future that Mr Wetherby is intent on denying them.
Biding her time, she finally gets her chance. But facing the wrath of Mr Wetherby, she soon discovers she has more to worry about than her own ambitions…
Inspired by a true story, When Time Runs Out continues the epic saga of one family’s trials, tragedies, and triumphs as they seek their fortune in Victorian-era England.
If you like intricate family sagas, then you’ll love the third book in this captivating series.
Get it now.
GOLD Quality Mark “This is a beautifully written and edited book ... a continuation of a series that has been a delight throughout.” BooksGoSocial
Please Note: The Ambition & Destiny Series consists of 5 books that form one story. Each ends with a cliffhanger, and it is recommended that the series is read in sequential order. The books are written in UK English.
A woman’s place is in the home…
That’s what she’s always been told.
But Harriet has other ideas...
In 1860’s England, it’s a man’s world and women aren’t expected … or allowed … to upset the status quo.
Living with her domineering uncle, Harriet is desperate to break free. Could the charming young man who has come to stay with them be her way out? Or will he be just like the rest?
Happy to keep her in her place…
Not prepared to sit around while her dreams die, Harriet risks everything to stand her ground.
But she underestimates how far some will go to silence her.
Inspired by a true story, Less Than Equals continues the epic saga of one family’s trials, tragedies, and triumphs as they seek their fortune in Victorian-era England.
If you like heroines who are ahead of their time, then you’ll love Part Two of this engaging series.
Get your copy today!
GOLD Quality Mark “This is an excellent book, well written and with impeccable timing. The ending is sure to make readers eager for the next book in the series.” BooksGoSocial
Please Note: The Ambition & Destiny Series consists of 5 books that form one story. Each ends with a cliffhanger, and it is recommended that the series is read in sequential order. The books are written in UK English.
To start again, Mary must leave the past behind...
With no husband and two small children to care for, survival is Mary’s only concern.
She needs money … and can’t be too choosy about the job.
Mr Wetherby doesn’t need any more workers for his expanding business, but as a favour to an old acquaintance, he’ll make an exception ... for Mary.
Dear sweet Mary.
He wants her.
She needs him.
Can they build the foundations of a happy life together? Or will a web of lies and deceit be their undoing?
Inspired by a true story, Hooks & Eyes begins an epic saga of one family’s trials, tragedies, and triumphs as they seek their fortune in Victorian-era England.
If you like tales of women striving to protect their families, then you'll love the first instalment in this engaging series.
Get it now.
GOLD Quality Mark "Well constructed with strong characters and an interesting storyline and is deserving of a gold standard.” BooksGoSocial
Please Note: The Ambition & Destiny Series consists of 5 books that form one story. Each ends with a cliffhanger, and it is recommended that the series is read in sequential order. The books are written in UK English.
After a bitter family breakdown…
…William-Wetherby seeks a new life far from home.
But being rid of Mr Wetherby isn’t as simple as it seems…
Setting off in search of his brother, William-Wetherby heads to Liverpool. Since they were last together his world has changed and with no one to turn to, he needs a friend.
When he rents a room with a local family, he refuses to tell his landlady or her daughter, Bella, anything about his past
But their curiosity is piqued…
And Bella needs to know.
As their friendship develops and he learns to trust her, Bella hopes he’ll settle down … but a final surprise from Mr Wetherby reignites past grievances...
...and this time William-Wetherby is ready for a fight.
Inspired by a true story, Different World is the final book in The Ambition & Destiny Series, a five part family saga set in Victorian-era England.
If you like generation-spanning epics then you’ll love this captivating series.
Get your copy today!
GOLD Quality Mark “An excellent book and well deserving of gold status.” BooksGoSocial
Please Note: The Ambition & Destiny Series consists of 5 books that form one story. Each ends with a cliffhanger, and it is recommended that the series is read in sequential order. The books are written in UK English.
June 1900: Eliza Thomson is back in Moreton after nearly thirty years away. Her best friend Connie is eager to introduce her to the villagers, but their excitement vanishes when they bump into the ill-tempered Mrs Milwood.
Days later, when Mrs Milwood is found dead, the evidence confirms she was murdered ... and there are no shortage of suspects.
With the finger of suspicion pointing at a childhood friend, Eliza is keen to clear her name. But an inspector from New Scotland Yard has other ideas. He won't have her interfering with the investigation.
Refusing to sit by and do nothing, Eliza and Connie make it their business to unravel the secrets of this sleepy English village ... but will the police accept their evidence and bring the right person to justice?
This is the second standalone story in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series. If you like Miss Marple-style murder mysteries, and historical heroines with attitude, you’ll love this step-back-in-time cozy series.
Get your copy today!
Books in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series:
• A Deadly Tonic
• Murder in Moreton
• Death of an Honourable Gent
• Dying for a Garden Party
• A Scottish Fling
• A Christmas Murder
• The Palace Murder
NB. This series is written in UK English
A family divided…
…with no signs of reconciliation.
Will Lydia rue the day she ever met them?
Keen to get away from her abusive father, Lydia happily accepts the post of housekeeper at the Jackson family home.
But when William senses romance in the air between Lydia and his son William-Wetherby, he is determined to put an end to it.
For good.
As a feud erupts between father and son, Mr Wetherby is still furious about Harriet’s betrayal.
And he’s going to make sure someone pays…
Inspired by a true story, Only One Winner continues the epic saga of one family’s trials, tragedies, and triumphs as they seek their fortune in Victorian-era England.
If you like generation-spanning epics, then you’ll love the fourth instalment of this riveting series.
Get your copy today!
GOLD Quality Mark “Once again the author has produced an excellent book.” “Well done on an excellent piece of writing.” BooksGoSocial
Please Note: The Ambition & Destiny Series consists of 5 books that form one story. Each ends with a cliffhanger, and it is recommended that the series is read in sequential order. The books are written in UK English.
Inspired by the compelling family history of author V L McBeath, The Young Widow is a standalone story in The Ambition & Destiny Series. Set in Georgian-era London, forty years before the start of this historical family saga, The Young Widow adds another dimension to this epic series.
Get your copy today.
Please Note: The Young Widow is written in UK English.
Other books in The Ambition & Destiny Series:
Prequel: Condemned by Fate
Part 1: Hooks & Eyes
Part 2: Less Than Equals
Part 3: When Time Runs Out
Part 4: Only One Winner
Part 5: Different World
March 1900: Eliza Thomson loves solving murder investigations from the comfort of her drawing room. But things become real when a stranger turns up on her doorstep, mumbles a few cryptic words, and promptly drops dead!
What did he mean?
And who wrote the mysterious note they find in his pocket?
Determined to find answers, Eliza has no time to waste. Working with the police, and with the help of her friend Connie, she travels London in search of answers. But can she identify the killer before they strike again?
This is the first story in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series. If you like murder mysteries and historical heroines with attitude, you’ll love this introductory novella.
Get your copy today!
Books in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series:
• A Deadly Tonic
• Murder in Moreton
• Death of an Honourable Gent
• Dying for a Garden Party
• A Scottish Fling
• A Christmas Murder
• The Palace Murder
NB. This series is written in UK English
July 1903: The villagers of Moreton-on-Thames are on their annual day out. And Connie is excited. It will be the first time she officially walks out with Sergeant Cooper … and she wants it to be perfect.
The plan is simple. Visit the gardens first before going to the palace. But when they find the body of a man lying in the centre of the maze, a knife wound in his back, no one can deny its murder.
As Sergeant Cooper takes charge of the early investigation, Eliza and Connie are left to begin their own search for the killer. But with the identity of the victim a mystery, their task looks impossible.
With witnesses and suspects determined to mislead, they soon find they have more questions than answers. And with the killer determined to keep his secret, can they track him down before anyone else gets hurt?
This is the seventh standalone story in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series. If you like Miss Marple-style murder mysteries, and historical heroines with attitude, you’ll love this step-back-in-time cozy series.
Get your copy today!
Books in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series:
• A Deadly Tonic
• Murder in Moreton
• Death of an Honourable Gent
• Dying for a Garden Party
• A Scottish Fling
• A Christmas Murder
• The Palace Murder
NB. This series is written in UK English
The conclusion of this epic family saga…
Mr Wetherby has the upper hand. Will he extend an olive branch to William … or will Harriet’s actions be the downfall of them all?
Part 4: Only One Winner
A family divided … with no signs of reconciliation.
Will Lydia rue the day she ever met them?
Keen to get away from her abusive father, Lydia accepts the post of housekeeper at the Jackson family home.
But when William senses romance in the air between Lydia and his son William-Wetherby, he is determined to put an end to it.
For good.
As a feud erupts between father and son, Mr Wetherby is still furious about Harriet’s betrayal.
And he’s going to make sure someone pays…
Part 5: Different World
After a bitter family breakdown … William-Wetherby seeks a new life far from home.
But being rid of Mr Wetherby isn’t as simple as it seems…
Blackmailed into leaving his hometown, William-Wetherby sets off in search of his brother.
Since they were last together their world has changed … and he needs a friend.
Forced to rent a room in the back streets of Liverpool, William-Wetherby falls for his landlady’s daughter, Bella … but will a final surprise from Mr Wetherby threaten their future happiness?
Standalone Novel: The Young Widow
She has the money to live like a lady … but there are plenty who want to take it from her.When an enigmatic stranger steals her heart, can she know he wants her for the right reasons?
London 1808: Widowed at the age of twenty, Ann has no optimism for the future. At the beck and call of her domineering mother she longs to make a new life for herself with the legacy left by her late husband. But it's not that easy. Not when it means leaving her sisters behind. Her world is turned upside down when a curious gentleman stops to speak to her. Chas is new to the area, but he seems to know a lot about her … and he certainly looks well-to-do. Could he be her saviour?With newfound hope Ann dares to dream again, but Chas has a secret. Something he refuses to share.As their friendship grows, there are those who want to keep them apart … but when Ann stumbles upon Chas’s past, she realises that only she can decide what their future holds.Inspired by a true story, Only One Winner and Different World conclude The Ambition & Destiny Series; a five part family saga set in Victorian-era England.
The Young Widow is a standalone story in the same series.Set in Georgian-era London, forty years before the start of this historical family saga, this standalone novel adds another dimension to this epic series.If you like generation-spanning historical fiction with accurate depictions of life in the 19th and early 20th centuries, you’ll love the final books in VL McBeath’s captivating series.
August 1902. A family trip to Scotland to visit her in-laws had been Eliza’s idea. But now they were here, she wondered what she’d been thinking of. Archie’s parents were less than pleased to see her but at least she had best friend Connie to keep her company.
On their second evening in the village, Eliza and Connie spot an unidentifiable shape on the beach, but with the light fading and high tide approaching, they are warned to stay away.
When the shape is confirmed to be the dead body of an elderly ex-resident, there are questions to answer.
Why was she in St Giles? And who knew she was visiting?
With no apparent reason for her death, Eliza struggles to uncover a motive for murder. But when past indiscretions surface, it’s clear that long held secrets refuse to stay hidden...
This is the fifth standalone story in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series. If you like Miss Marple-style murder mysteries, and historical heroines with attitude, you’ll love this step-back-in-time cozy series.
Get your copy today!
Books in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series:
• A Deadly Tonic
• Murder in Moreton
• Death of an Honourable Gent
• Dying for a Garden Party
• A Scottish Fling
• A Christmas Murder
• The Palace Murder
NB. This series is written in UK English
August 1901: Oak House was once Eliza’s home. It was a place of memories, some good … some not so good.Revisiting the place had never occurred to her … until the invitation to the party arrived. And then she couldn’t keep away.Being told to stay in the garden wasn’t going to stop Eliza and Connie from finding their way indoors. But when the master of the house is found with a bullet wound in his head, they have questions to answer…The victim's family have their own ideas about the murder. But who had the most to gain from Mr Hartley’s death?In a world where secrets and lies are the norm, someone is playing games. Unfortunately for them, they haven’t bargained on Eliza’s past.Can she use her childhood knowledge of the village to identify the killer before they strike again?
Set in a quintessential, English village, Dying for a Garden Party is the fourth standalone story in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series. If you like Miss Marple-style, historical murder mysteries, and amateur sleuths with attitude, you’ll love this step-back-in-time cozy series. Get your copy today!
Books in the Eliza Thomson Investigates series:
• A Deadly Tonic
• Murder in Moreton
• Death of an Honourable Gent
• Dying for a Garden Party
• A Scottish Fling
• A Christmas Murder
• The Palace Murder
NB. This series is written in UK English
- ←Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- Next Page→