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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > War fiction > Second World War fiction
'Historical fiction of a high order' The Times Germany, October
1944: Dozens of cities lie in ruins. Enemy armies are at the gates.
For the Thousand Year Reich, time is running out. Desperate to
avoid the humiliation of unconditional surrender, German
intelligence launch Operation Finisterre - a last-ditch plan to
enable Hitler to deny the savage logic of a war on two fronts and
bluff his way to the negotiating table. Success depends on two
individuals: Stefan Portisch, a German naval officer washed ashore
on the coast of Spain after the loss of his U-boat, and Hector
Gomez, an ex-FBI detective, planted by Director J. Edgar Hoover in
the middle of the most secret place on earth: the American atomic
bomb complex. Both men will find themselves fighting for survival
as Operation Finisterre plays itself out. Finisterre is part of the
SPOILS OF WAR Collection, a thrilling, beguiling blend of fact and
fiction born of some of the most tragic, suspenseful, and
action-packed events of World War II. From the mind of highly
acclaimed thriller author GRAHAM HURLEY, this blockbuster
non-chronological collection allows the reader to explore Hurley's
masterful storytelling in any order, with compelling recurring
characters whose fragmented lives mirror the war that shattered the
globe.
Bristol 1939 At forty years of age, Mary Anne Randall still turns
heads. With an abusive husband spending most of his wages on beer,
she has resigned herself to be the sole breadwinner to protect her
family and keep the wolves from the door. In order to make ends
meet Mary Anne runs a pawnbroking business from the wash house at
the end of the garden. Following the outbreak of war an opportunity
presents itself to escape her loveless marriage and find true love.
Will she take that chance, or carry on living just for her children
and not for herself? Read the sequal A Wartime Family. Praise for
Lizzie Lane: 'A gripping saga and a storyline that will keep you
hooked' Rosie Goodwin 'The Tobacco Girls is another heartwarming
tale of love and friendship and a must-read for all saga fans.'
Jean Fullerton 'Lizzie Lane opens the door to a past of factory
girls, redolent with life-affirming friendship, drama, and choices
that are as relevant today as they were then.' Catrin Collier 'If
you want an exciting, authentic historical saga then look no
further than Lizzie Lane.' Fenella J Miller
'Historical fiction of a high order' The Times Spring, 1941. The
war in the West is as good as won. Nation after nation has fallen
before the Reich's armies. Only Britain endures, her cities under
nightly bombardment from the Luftwaffe. Berlin would happily call
off the bombers in exchange for a peace treaty. Hitler would like
to persuade Britain to turn her back on Europe, to attend to her
precious Empire instead, to allow Germany a free hand to deal with
the real enemy in the East. Peace, perhaps, but at what cost? For
Churchill the price is too high; but for others within the British
establishment, it is a price worth paying. On both sides of the
channel, advocates of total war or peace-at-all-costs are at each
others' throats - all unaware that Rudolf Hess, Hitler's quiet,
contemplative deputy, has already taken radical steps to change the
fortunes of the war... Raid 42 is part of the SPOILS OF WAR
Collection, a thrilling, beguiling blend of fact and fiction born
of some of the most tragic, suspenseful, and action-packed events
of World War II. From the mind of highly acclaimed thriller author
GRAHAM HURLEY, this blockbuster non-chronological collection allows
the reader to explore Hurley's masterful storytelling in any order,
with compelling recurring characters whose fragmented lives mirror
the war that shattered the globe.
In occupied France, two people sacrificed everything. Now their
granddaughter has come looking for the truth... Ruth's childhood
was a happy one, and her family-on her mother's side-large and
loving. But her father's French origins have always remained a
mystery. Now, with aged relatives beginning to die, Ruth decides to
research her father's family before it's too late. When she
discovers a series of long-lost cassettes, everything she thought
she knew about them shatters. The tapes expose an unimaginable
truth - an epic wartime story of hidden love and sacrifice,
stretching back to occupied France. These long-buried confessions
will rock Ruth's family-and finally piece together the puzzle of
her father's heritage. But are any of them ready for the truth?
'[I was] completely transported . . . so sparely and yet vividly
told. I admired it immensely' Clare Chambers 'Aroa Moreno Duran
writes with a rare sensitivity about the unconsidered consequences
of giving everything up for love' Claire Fuller Winner of the
Premio Ojo Critico Katia has grown up amongst the ruins of the once
mighty Berlin, now shattered by Allied bombs. In their tiny,
freezing flat, Katia's father teaches her of the righteousness of
the new Soviet republic, who will always keep watch over them. As a
young woman, a chance encounter with a man from the west causes
Katia to realise there might be more to life on the other side of
the wall. But blinded by the first blush of love, she fails to
understand that it's not what lies ahead, but what she will leave
behind. Translated from its original Spanish, The Communist's
Daughter is a spare and exquisite novel that depicts twentieth
century Europe through one family's tragic story. 'Beautifully
written, powerfully realised. A novel that touches the heart' Kate
Hamer
Katya never wanted to look after Gretchen. Now she's the young
girl's only hope of survival. 1937. Katya Komarovsky is studying
medicine in Glasgow, living among friends and eager to begin her
career as a doctor. But when her spendthrift parents announce that
they've run out of money and are facing ruin-and that she'll now
have to support them by working as a governess in Vienna-the life
she's dreamed of goes up in smoke. Furiously resentful, Katya rages
at her wealthy employer, Thor, for stealing her future-and saddling
her with twelve-year-old Gretchen, a deeply troubled child who has
only a blazing musical talent to redeem her. Yet as Katya
grudgingly digs into her reserves of compassion, she finds herself
losing her heart to both father and daughter. Storm clouds are
gathering, though, and when Hitler annexes Austria, patriot Thor is
arrested, leaving Katya wholly responsible for saving 'imperfect'
Gretchen from being forced into a Nazi medical research laboratory.
With the terrifying uncertainty of the new world order, can Katya
and Gretchen flee to safety? And dare they dream of ever seeing
Thor again?
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Abigail
(Paperback)
Magda Szabo; Translated by Len Rix
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R443
R418
Discovery Miles 4 180
Save R25 (6%)
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Ships in 18 - 22 working days
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Full of mounting suspense and masterly characterisation, Bates's
popular wartime novel tells the story of three very different men
who, after their aircraft crashes, are forced to trek across the
Burmese wilderness to safety. It is reissued by Methuen along with
"The Jacaranda Tree" and "The Purple Plain" and to coincide with
the re-publication in one volume of Bates' acclaimed
autobiographies - "The Vanished World", "The Blossoming World" and
"World in Ripeness".
One of the Claridge's kitchen porters is found dead - strangled. He
was a recent employee who claimed to be Romanian, but evidence
suggests he may have been German. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg
has to find out exactly who he was, and what he was doing at
Claridge's under a false identity. Once he has established those
facts, he might get an insight into why he was killed, and who by.
Coburg's job is complicated by the fact that so many of the hotel's
residents are exiled European royalty. King George of Greece is
registered as 'Mr Brown' and even the Duke of Windsor is staying,
though without Wallis Simpson. Clandestine affairs, furtive
goings-on and conspiracies against the government: Coburg must
tread very lightly indeed .
A stunning and heartbreaking new novel from Jamila Gavin, the
bestselling and award-winning author of Coram Boy and The Wheel of
Surya. England, 1937. Gwen, Noor, Dodo and Vera are four very
different teenage girls, with something in common. Their parents
are all abroad, leaving them in their English boarding school,
where they soon form an intense friendship. The four friends think
that no matter what, they will always have each other. Then the war
comes. The girls find themselves flung to different corners of the
war, from the flying planes in the Air Transport Auxiliary to going
undercover in the French Resistance. Each journey brings danger and
uncertainty as each of them wonders if they can make it through -
and what will be left of the world. But at the same time, this is
what shows them who they really are - and against this impossible
backdrop, they find new connections and the possibility of love.
Will the four friends ever see each other again? And when the war
is over, who will be left to tell the story? A heartbreaking and
gripping story of hope, fear and unbreakable friendship, for
readers of Code Name Verity and When the World Was Ours.
'Draws you in from the start and doesn't let you go until the end'
Reader Review 'Wonderfully written and oozing wartime spirit.
Couldn't ask for more!' Reader Review The second inspiring novel in
the heartwarming and hopeful Bletchley Park Girls series from the
queen of saga, Molly Green... When Rosie Frost was jilted on her
wedding day, she didn't think life could get any worse. But six
years later in the throes of the Second World War, she is
unceremoniously dismissed from her dream job after they discover
her illegitimate child. Thankfully, top secret war office Bletchley
Park recognises Rosie's talent and recruits her to decipher their
Italian naval signals. Happy to be doing her bit for the war
effort, Rosie settles into her new life. But when she spots a
familiar face at the Park, Rosie's world threatens to come crashing
down once more. Can she put her heartbreak behind her? And will
wedding bells ring out across Bletchley Park before the year is
out? The second in an uplifting wartime series set at Bletchley
Park, perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Donna Douglas. Readers
are LOVING Molly Green's Bletchley Park series: 'A journey for the
reader...tantalizing...interesting...try this one!' Reader Review
'What can I say...I love it! Can't wait to read more' Reader Review
'Outstandingly fabulous' Reader Review 'A lovely story' Reader
Review 'One of those can't-put-down books' Reader Review 'A
cracking good read!' Reader Review 'Moments of being held
spellbound...Kept me on the edge of my seat. Couldn't put it down'
Reader Review 'A fantastic addition to what has been a fantastic
series so far' Reader Review 'Great story. Great characters.
Wonderfully written and oozing wartime spirit. Couldn't ask for
more!' Reader Review
War is declared, and Biggles is ready for action!September 1939.
Britain has declared war on Germany. Major James Bigglesworth,
known to his friends as 'Biggles', is eager to get straight into
the action alongside old friends Algernon 'Algy' Lacey and 'Ginger'
Hebblethwaite. They don't have to wait long. The British government
has covertly acquired a small island in the Baltic, off the north
coast of Germany. The island is unremarkable save for one feature:
a natural sea cave, unknown to the Germans, large enough to house
several aircraft. Biggles' orders: wreak havoc on German forces for
as long as possible without compromising the location of the secret
base. It's a dangerous mission, for the might of the enemy military
machine will be bent on finding them, led by Biggles' old nemesis,
Erich von Stalhein. Take to the skies in a classic Biggles
adventure packed with heroism and feats of derring-do. Perfect for
fans of Derek Robinson and Max Hennessy.
What if everyone you loved was suddenly taken away? Five siblings
struggle to stay together as the tides of war threaten to tear them
apart. When Germany invades France in the Second World War, the
five Laskowski children lose everything: their home, their Jewish
community and most devastatingly their parents who are abducted in
the night. There is no safe place left for them to evade the Nazis,
but they cling together, never certain when the authorities will
come for what is left of them. Inspired by the poignant, true story
of the author's mother, this moving historical novel conveys the
hardship, the uncertainty and the impossible choices the Laskowski
children were forced to make to survive the horrors of the
Holocaust. ***PRAISE FOR THE YOUNG SURVIVORS*** 'A haunting
account... a devastating story of twins separated, of grandparents,
parents and cousins, entire families, disappeared - a story that
had to be told.' Elizabeth Fremantle 'A story that will make you
weep, wonder and remember.' Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah's
Key 'A poignant and gripping debut. Set against the darkest days of
WWII, the novel reminds us that the bonds of family and the power
of love can never be extinguished.' Alyson Richman, bestselling
author of The Lost Wife 'A heartbreaking yet uplifting story of
loss and love told through the eyes of children... gripping and
deeply moving.' James MacManus 'A hugely impressive debut.' Michael
Newman, CEO of The Association of Jewish Refugees 'A novel that is
arrestingly sincere, full of touching moments and informed by
careful research. The beating heart of The Young Survivors is the
author's emotional connection to her characters, which is
unmistakably based on longstanding and deep engagement with her own
family's past.' Dr Toby Simpson, Director of The Wiener Holocaust
Library
September 1940: the height of the Blitz. The Savoy Hotel boasts
London's strongest air raid shelter with all the luxury expected
from one of the capital's most prestigious hotels. It prompts the
arrival of a disgruntled crowd from the East End, demanding they be
allowed entry and respite from the endless bombing raids. They are
given permission to enter and are stunned by the opulence that
greets them. The all-clear sounds the next morning and London comes
slowly back to life, but not everyone can dust themselves down and
carry on. One of the hotel's guests has been discovered dead,
stabbed in the back. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant
Lampson are called in and the finger of suspicion falls firmly upon
the East Londoners, but not everything is as it seems in these
sumptuous surroundings.
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Early Light
(Hardcover)
Osamu Dazai; Translated by Donald Keene, Ralph McCarthy
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R429
Discovery Miles 4 290
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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Early Light offers three very different aspects of Osamu Dazai's
genius: the title story relates his misadventures as a drinker and
a family man in the terrible fire bombings of Tokyo at the end of
WWII. Having lost their own home, he and his wife flee with a new
baby boy and their little girl to relatives in Kofu, only to be
bombed out anew. "Everything's gone," the father explains to his
daughter: "Mr. Rabbit, our shoes, the Ogigari house, the Chino
house, they all burned up," "Yeah, they all burned up," she said,
still smiling. "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji," another
autobiographical tale, is much more comic: Dazai finds himself
unable to escape the famous views, the beauty once immortalized by
Hokusai and now reduced to a cliche. In the end, young girls
torment him by pressing him into taking their photo before the
famous peak: "Goodbye," he hisses through his teeth, "Mount Fuji.
Thanks for everything. Click." And the final story is "Villon's
Wife," a small masterpiece, which relates the awakening to power of
a drunkard's wife. She transforms herself into a woman not to be
defeated by anything, not by her husband being a thief, a
megalomaniacal writer, and a wastrel. Single-handedly, she saves
the day by concluding that "There's nothing wrong with being a
monster, is there? As long as we can stay alive."
The USA Today bestseller 'A compelling and powerful read' Gill
Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of The Child on Platform One
'A powerful and thoughtful novel' Louise Fein, author of Daughter
of the Reich 'A gripping tale of wartime sacrifice and innocence
lost ... in the cause of freedom' Jina Bacarr, author of Her Lost
Love 1942, France. As the war in Europe rages on, Adele Ambeh
dreams of a France that is free from the clutches of the new
regime. The date of her marriage to a ruthless man is drawing
closer, and she only has one choice - she must run. With the help
of her mother, Adele flees to Lyon, seeking refuge at the Sisters
of Notre Dame de la Compassion. From the outside this is a simple
nunnery, but the sisters are secretly aiding the French Resistance,
hiding and supplying the fighters with weapons. While it is not
quite the escape Adele imagined, she is drawn to the nuns and
quickly finds herself part of the resistance. But her new role
means she must return to Vichy, and those she left behind, no
matter the cost. Each day is filled with a different danger and as
she begins to fall for another man, Adele's entire world could come
crashing down around her. Adele must fight for her family, her own
destiny, as well as her country. Praise for The Girl from Vichy: 'A
beautiful story' NetGalley Reviewer 'A great historical read'
NetGalley Reviewer 'This book is a wonderful book' NetGalley
Reviewer 'Andie Newton's realistic, well-researched, and seamlessly
delivered story-writing, immediately engages the reader in The Girl
from Vichy' NetGalley Reviewer 'The Girl from Vichy offers the
reader fully formed characters, a heart-pounding plot, and an
ending that brought a tear to my eye' NetGalley Reviewer Praise for
Andie Newton: 'A powerful debut!' Gill Paul, author of The Secret
Wife 'A captivating story with a twist of romance threaded
throughout' Glynis Peters, author of The Secret Orphan 'A
heart-clenching emotionally evocative debut!' Terry Lynn Thomas,
author of The Silent Woman 'A compelling tale of friendship,
courage and espionage in a frightening and uncertain world'
Charlotte Betts, author of The Dressmaker's Secret 'The Girl I Left
Behind made me cry and left me wanting more, which to me are signs
of a truly wonderful book, one that will stay with me long after
I've finished reading' Lana Kortchik, author of The Story of Us
'Wonderful story where it has you on the edge of your seat but have
the tissues with you!' NetGalley Reviewer 'The author has a gift
for creating a sense of place whether the setting was on a snowy
mountain or the streets of Germany in the early 1940s' NetGalley
Reviewer 'Excellent story. Strong characters' NetGalley Reviewer
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