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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > War fiction > First World War fiction
The International prize-winning bestseller and Simon Mayo bookclub
pick 'Powerful and humane' SADIE JONES, bestselling author of The
Snakes ____________ Remembrance Day 1920: A wartime secret connects
three women's lives: Hettie whose wounded brother won't speak.
Evelyn who still grieves for her lost lover. And Ada, who has never
received an official letter about her son's death, and is still
waiting for him to come home. As the mystery that binds them begins
to unravel, far away, in the fields of France, the Unknown Soldier
embarks on his journey home. The mood of the nation is turning
towards the future - but can these three women ever let go of the
past? ___________________ Readers' love WAKE by Anna Hope:
'Beautifully, written, compelling, very moving' 4 **** 'Engrossing
and illuminating' 5 ***** ' If you like a relationships novel with
war backdrop, hard to find better' 4 **** 'An amazing achievment' 5
*****
In 1914, Britain faces a new kind of war. For Edward and Beatrice
Hunter, their children, servants and neighbours, life will never be
the same again. Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and Barbara
Taylor-Bradford. For David, the eldest, war means a chance to do
something noble; but enlisting will break his mother's heart. His
sister Diana, nineteen and beautiful, longs for marriage. She has
her heart set on Charles Wroughton, son of Earl Wroughton, but
Charles will never be allowed to marry a banker's daughter. Below
stairs, Cook and Ada, the head housemaid, grow more terrified of
German invasion with every newspaper atrocity story. Ethel, under
housemaid, can't help herself when it comes to men and now soldiers
add to the temptation; yet there's more to this flighty girl than
meets the eye. The once-tranquil village of Northcote reels under
an influx of khaki volunteers, wounded soldiers and Belgian
refugees. The war is becoming more dangerous and everyone must find
a way to adapt to this rapidly changing world. Goodbye Piccadilly
is the first book in the War at Home series by Cynthia
Harrod-Eagles, author of the much-loved Morland Dynasty novels. Set
against the real events of 1914, Goodbye Piccadilly is
extraordinary in scope and imagination and is a compelling
introduction to the Hunter family.
The unputdownable historical novel by the acclaimed and bestselling
author of WAKE and EXPECTATION: a devastating story of love and
madness at the brink of the Great War. 'Absolutely heart-breaking.
One of the best books I've ever read' DINAH JEFFERIES, author of
The Tea-Planter's Wife 'Compelling, elegant, insightful' OBSERVER
1911: Inside an asylum at the edge of the Yorkshire moors, where
men and women are kept apart by high walls and barred windows,
there is a ballroom vast and beautiful. For one bright evening
every week they come together and dance. When John and Ella meet it
is a dance that will change two lives forever. Set over the
heatwave summer of 1911, the end of the Edwardian era, THE BALLROOM
tells a rivetting tale of dangerous obsession, of madness and
sanity, and of who gets to decide which is which. It is a love
story like no other. *****************************************
Praise for Anna Hope's The Ballroom: 'Beautifully wrought, tender,
heartbreaking' Sunday Express 5/5 'Moving, fascinating' Times 'A
tender and absorbing love story' Daily Mail 'Unsentimental and
affecting' Sunday Times 'Exquisitely good' Metro 'Absolutely
fantastic . . . I'm in real awe of her writing' ELIZABETH MACNEAL,
author of The Doll Factory ______________
The final book in Cynthia's War at Home series - Pack Up Your
Troubles - is available to pre-order now. 'Always a
stay-up-all-night read with Cynthia Harrod-Eagles! ***** 'Fabulous
series of books, this author never disappoints' ***** 'I love
Cynthia Harrold-Eagles' historical novels' ***** In 1918 the Great
War has taken so much from so many and it threatens to take even
more still from the Hunters, their friends and their servants.
Edward, in a bid to run away from problems at home, decides not to
resist conscription and ends up at the Front. Sadie's hopes for
love are unrequited, and Laura has to flee Artemis House when it is
shelled and she finds herself in London driving an ambulance.
Ethel, the nursery maid, masks her own pain by caring for other
people's children but she must take care not to get too attached.
The government has to bring in rationing, and manpower shortages
means the conscription age is extended. The Russians have fallen
out of the war and a series of terrifying all-out attacks drive the
Allies back almost to the Channel, and for the first time England
faces the real prospect of defeat. No one can see an end to the war
and yet, a small glimmer of hope remains . . . When the Boys Come
Home is the fifth book in the War at Home series by Cynthia
Harrod-Eagles, author of the much-loved Morland Dynasty novels. Set
against the real events of 1918, at home and on the front, this is
a vivid and rich family drama featuring the Hunter family and their
servants.
This engrossing and edge-of-your-seat saga from multi-million copy
bestselling author Douglas Reeman is perfect for fans of Clive
Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith. The third novel in the
Blackwood saga, spanning 150 years in the history of a great
seafaring family, this captivating naval adventure at its very
best! 'One of our foremost writers of naval fiction' -- Sunday
Times 'Mr Reeman writes with great knowledge about the sea and
those who sail on it' --The Times 'Another romping good yarn by my
favourite author' -- ***** Reader review 'A real page-turner' --
***** Reader review 'Magnificent!' -- ***** Reader review 'I was
engrossed from start to finish' -- ***** Reader review 'Had me
hooked' -- ***** Reader review
******************************************************************************
1914-1918: for three generations, members of the Blackwood family
have served the Royal Marines with distinction. With the outbreak
of World War I, at last comes Jonathan Blackwood's turn to carry
the family name into battle. But as the young marines embark for
the Dardanelles, and a new kind of warfare, it dawns on them that
the days of scarlet coats and an unchanging tradition of honour and
glory have gone forever. First in Gallipoli, and two years later at
Flanders, comes their horrifying initiation into a wholesale
slaughter for which no training could ever have prepared them.
Caught up in the savagery of a conflict beyond any officer's
control, Blackwood's future rests on the 'horizon' - the dark lip
of the trench which was the last fateful sight for so many.
A daughter visits the island of Guernsey to unearth horrifying
family truths and solve a decades-old mystery surrounding her
mother, in this historical page-turner. 1958. Esme, a novelist,
finds a potential new literary project. A housemaid named Clara was
convicted of murder, perhaps unjustly, amid the ending of World War
II and the liberation of Guernsey from Nazi occupation. Esme's trip
to Guernsey is an opportunity not only to research the case, but to
learn more about her mother's family-as well as to heal from the
heartbreak inflicted on her by the man she loved . . . 1915. A
teenager marries her childhood sweetheart before he heads off to
fight in the Great War. But he doesn't come back, and Jane,
presumed a widow, flees Guernsey-devastated by her loss. In London,
Jane finds a new life and a new husband-but her past isn't done
with her yet. This absorbing novel follows the parallel paths of
two generations of women, and as each is faced with painful
decisions and shocking discoveries, a question emerges: Can a lie
be forgiven when the truth seems too much to bear?
'A gripping story of love and loss, rich in period detail. I loved
it!' Clare Marchant 'I beg of you this one thing - that if I should
perish here, in this foreign land, that you will look after her.'
March, 1914. When talented artist Isobel embarks on a journey to
Egypt, it's to reunite her best friend Alice with her husband,
Wilfred - and to use the stunning sights of Cairo as inspiration
for her own paintings. A whirlwind romance was the last thing she
expected, but when Isobel meets Wilfred's handsome brother, Edward,
neither can deny the strong connection between them - especially
when unexpected tragedy strikes, leaving them all reeling. Just as
they get to grips with their grief, WW1 erupts, and the lovers are
forced to separate. They promise to meet again in London. But when
Edward is listed as 'missing - presumed dead' only weeks after
landing in France, Isobel is devastated, unmarried and on the brink
of ruin. She has only one way to save her honour... but it means
betraying the love she holds so dear. A heartrending and thrilling
WW1 romance, In This Foreign Land is the stunning new debut from
Suzie Hull, for fans of Kate Hewitt, Shirley Dickson and Kate
Eastham. Readers are loving In this Foreign Land 'Vivid, vibrant
and beautiful!' 5* 'A heartwrenchingly good read' 5* 'What a
gorgeous debut!' 5* 'Beautiful love story' 5* ' A really enjoyable
and engaging book with a storyline full of twists and turns' 5*
'Breathtaking' 5* 'Love love loved it!' 5* 'What a great read and
my favourite era too ... an evocative tale of love and loss. And
the settings - just wonderful. More please!' 5*
'Echoes of Daphne Du Maurier . . . an intriguing, elegantly
constructed gothic mystery' Sunday Times 'The Key in the Lock
demands to be devoured whole' Stacey Halls, author of Mrs England A
captivating story of burning secrets and buried shame, and of the
loyalty and love that rises from the ashes. -------------- 'I still
dream, every night, of Polneath on fire...' By day, Ivy Boscawen
mourns the loss of her son Tim in the Great War. But by night she
mourns another boy - one whose death decades ago haunts her still.
For Ivy is sure that there is more to what happened all those years
ago: the fire at the Great House, and the terrible events that came
after. A truth she must uncover, if she is ever to be free. A
SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION PICK -------------- 'Intriguing,
beguiling and surprising until the very end - I was transfixed'
Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground 'Absorbing, beautifully
written . . . Everything I enjoy in a gothic mystery' Rosie
Andrews, author of The Leviathan 'The Key in the Lock is an
absolute triumph! Dark, clever and utterly enthralling, this is
historical fiction - and storytelling - at its absolute best'
Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory and Circus of Wonders
'A beautifully observed novel. Intriguing, beguiling and surprising
until the very end - I was transfixed and moved by Underdown's
storytelling' Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground
'Brilliantly twisty, dripping with mystery and utterly
heartbreaking' Emily Koch, author of Keep Him Close 'A gothic
mystery of the highest order. Chilling, sad, beautiful, and so
elegantly conjured' Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters 'The
perfect gothic novel' Stuart Turton 'Deliciously intriguing from
the very first sentence' Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of
Frannie Langton 'Captivating and elegant and undoubtedly a future
classic' Lucie McKnight Hardy, author of Water Shall Refuse Them 'A
masterclass in atmosphere... haunting, vivid and urgent. The Key in
the Lock demands to be devoured whole' Stacey Halls, author of Mrs
England 'Atmospheric and rich with evocative detail, I found myself
in tears by the end' Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange 'A
Cornish landscape evocative of Daphne du Maurier . . . brilliantly
plotted' Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City 'I was captivated
by the characters, the story and the sinuous, seamless plotting'
Sarah Hilary, author of Fragile 'This is a novel of true elegance,
deftly and satisfyingly plotted' Imogen Hermes Gowar, author of The
Mermaid and Mr Hancock 'An ingenious page-turner' The Times 'A
compelling gothic mystery' - Good Housekeeping 'An evocative,
emotional and compelling gothic read' - CultureFly, Books to Look
Forward to Reading in 2022 'With echoes of Daphne du Maurier from
its very first, Underdown's second novel is an intriguing,
elegantly constructed gothic mystery' Sunday Times 'A captivating
and atmospheric read' My Weekly 'Packed full of secrets, eerily
atmospheric, this is a darkly gothic tale' Daily Mail 'The
gloriously Gothic second novel from Beth Underdown tells a story of
smouldering secrets, lingering guilt and hidden love' Daily Express
'A clever, chilling and emotionally charged journey makes The Key
In The Lock the perfect novel for a winter's night' Buzz Magazine
In 1917 the Great War rages on, and for the Hunters, their friends
and their servants the war is where they live now. David has
returned from the Front a shadow of his former self; his sister
Diana, newly married, copes with pregnancy alone, her husband at
the Front. Aunt Laura, eager for challenge, goes to France with an
ambulance; while Beattie struggles to manage war work and
household, while racked with her secret guilt and a new threat of
exposure. U-boat attacks face Britain with starvation, and with the
worsening privation comes a new horror as Germany begins a lethal
bombing campaign. But even in the darkest hours of war, new life
and new hope can burgeon, with the promise that the future might
still hold happiness for them all. The Long, Long Trail is the
fourth book in the War at Home series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles,
author of the much-loved Morland Dynasty novels. Set against the
real events of 1917, at home and on the front, this is a vivid and
rich family drama featuring the Hunter family and their servants.
No.1 New York Times bestseller Justin Scott's gripping thriller
follows an undercover spy, battling in the frozen wastes of Russia
to protect his country and confront his past The Russian Empire,
1916: at war with Germany, racked with dissent. King George V sends
Kenneth Ash, a naval officer, on a secret mission into this deadly
world of violence and intrigue. Undercover in the frozen wastes of
Russia, Ash must kidnap the King's cousin, Tzar Nicholas II, before
the Bolsheviks take control. Soon he's drawn into a dangerous race
across the globe - through London, Berlin and the deadly trenches
of the First World War - to protect his country and confront his
past.
Dublin, 1914. As Ireland stands on the brink of political crisis,
Europe plunges headlong into war. Among the thousands of Irishmen
who volunteer to fight for the British Army is Stephen Ryan, a
gifted young maths scholar whose working class background has
marked him out as a misfit among his wealthy fellow students. Sent
to fight in Turkey, he looks forward to the great adventure,
unaware of the growing unrest back home in Ireland. His romantic
notions of war are soon shattered and he is forced to wonder where
his loyalties lie, on his return to a Dublin poised for rebellion
in 1916 and a brother fighting for the rebels. Everything has
changed utterly, and in a world gone mad his only hope is his
growing friendship with the brilliant and enigmatic Lillian Bryce.
The Soldier's Song is a poignant and deeply moving novel, a tribute
to the durability of the human soul.
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