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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > War fiction > Second World War fiction
Available in English for the first time, Joaquim Amat-Piniella's searing Catalan novel, "K.L. Reich," is a central work of testimonial literature of the Nazi concentration camps. Begun immediately after Amat-Piniella's liberation in 1945, the book is based on his own four-year internment at Mauthausen. "When the war is over, remember all this. Remember me," implores one of the book's characters on his deathbed, and it is this call to bear witness that Amat-Piniella takes up in his account of the Spanish Republican fighters who were exiled in France at the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939 and soon swept up into the German concentration camp system. As an already organized anti-fascist army, they played an important role as a nucleus of resistance within the camps, and their story is little known to English-language readers. Because of the length of his internment, his decision to write his book as fiction, and his staggering powers of observation and recollection, Amat-Piniella's portrayal of life in the camps is unmatched in scope and detail. It is also a compelling study of three powerful ideological movements at work at the time: anarchism, communism, and fascism, all within the desperate and brutal world of the camps. "My book does not seek to deepen wounds or differences, but to unite people before cruelty," said Amat-Piniella. This is an essential text as we ponder the twentieth century and its meaning to us today. This edition includes a new introduction, annotations, and a translators' note.
It is 1943, and a month into their service as Land Girls, Bee, Anne and Pauline are dispatched to a remote farm in rural Scotland. Here they are introduced to the realities of 'lending a hand on the land', as back-breaking work and inhospitable weather mean they struggle to keep their spirits high. Soon one of the girls falters, and Bee and Pauline receive a new posting to a Northumberland dairy farm. Detailing their friendship, daily struggles and romantic intrigues with a lightness of touch, Barbara Whitton's autobiographical novel paints a sometimes funny, sometimes bleak picture of time spent in the Women's Land Army during the Second World War.
'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.
'Historical fiction of a high order' The Times 1937. Flying for the infamous Condor Legion over the battlefields of Spain's civil war, Merz has been able to unleash the fearsome potential of the Luftwaffe's newest weapon against his opponents. In Dieter's hands, the Messerschmitt Bf-109 is as graceful as a matador's killing strike: la estocada. Scotsman and ex-marine Tam Moncrieff is recruited by a nameless intelligence agency in London to go to Germany and sound out Hitler's resolve. Does he really intend to invade Czechoslovakia? Do his generals support him? Can the march to war be stopped? As duty collides with conscience, fate will bring both men together. In a world wedded to violence and ambition, desperate steps must be taken. To avoid war a killing strike is needed. The question is, who is the matador, who is the bull? Estocada 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.
The gripping new thriller from Graham Hurley, KYIV is set against the backdrop of Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's all-consuming invasion of the Soviet Union. 'Historical fiction of a high order' The Times 'Original and compelling... The fear enveloping Kyiv as the Soviets flee radiates from every page' Financial Times On Sunday 22nd June 1941 at 03.05, three-and-a-half million Axis troops burst into the Soviet Union along a 1,800-mile front to launch Operation Barbarossa. The southern thrust of the attack was aimed at the Caucasus and the oil fields beyond. Kyiv was the biggest city to stand in their way. Within six weeks, the city was under siege. Surrounded by Panzers, bombed and shelled day and night, Soviet Commissar Nikita Khrushchev was amongst the senior Soviet officials co-ordinating the defence. Amid his cadre of trusted personnel is British defector Bella Menzies, once with MI5, now with the NKVD, the Soviet secret police. With the fall of the city inevitable, the Soviets plan a bloody war of terror that will extort a higher toll on the city's inhabitants than the invaders. As the noose tightens, Bella finds herself trapped, hunted by both the Russians and the Germans. As the local saying has it: life is dangerous - no one survives it. Kyiv 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. 'You could read a lot of books before you found a tale better told' The Times 'This is a masterful novel: a war narrative, a spy thriller, and a historical fiction steeped in meticulously-researched factual detail' Dr Christine Berberich, University of Portsmouth
'Brilliantly written . . . I loved it.' Rosie Goodwin The first book in a brand-new World War II saga series. Perfect for readers of Ellie Dean, Annie Groves and for fans of the Home Fires series. Dover, 1939 At the heart of Market Square lies Castle's Cafe, run by the formidable Nellie Castle and her six children. Since the scandalous birth of her son ten years ago, Marianne, Nellie's eldest daughter, has preferred to stay in the kitchen, hidden away from the scrutiny of the town gossips. Overcome with shame, she has never revealed the identity of Donny's father - not even to her own mother. But with World War II just around the corner, soon Marianne's past catches up with her. And suddenly the lives of the Castle family become a lot more complicated. Will the secrets from her past destroy their future? Don't miss the next exciting instalment in the Dover Cafe Series, The Dover Cafe on the Front Line. Available in ebook now and paperback September 2021. And the third book, The Dover Cafe Under Fire is available to pre-order now. - - - - - Readers love The Dover Cafe at War: 'A brilliant evocation of a family and community pulling together in wartime. Full of drama, laughter, and nail biting cliff hangers. A triumph!' Annie Clarke, author of The Factory Girls series 'Well-researched and expertly written . . . Perfect for those days when all you want is a book to lose yourself in.' Fiona Ford, author of The Liberty Girls 'A joyous read, the sort of book to read in one sitting.' Kitty Danton, author of A Wartime Christmas 'A rattling good novel that gives the reader a front seat at the Dover cafe during World War 2 . . . a really good start to what looks to be a fascinating saga.' Shirley Mann, author of Lily's War 'Brilliantly researched, written with warmth and insight, brimming with emotion and drama, and starring a cast of superbly drawn characters who are guaranteed to touch the hearts of readers everywhere.' Lancashire Post 'What a brilliant book . . . can't wait to read the next one.' Netgalley reviewer 'This book is such a joy to read.' Netgalley reviewer 'This was a wonderful read. Looking forward to the next in the series.' Netgalley reviewer
In 1945, Hannah Weiss, a Jewish-Austrian scientist, is removed from her laboratory at the Los Alamos National Lab and taken to Leavenworth Prison for interrogation. Major Jack Delaney, a rising star in the shadowy world of military intelligence, is convinced that someone in the United States has been sharing information with the Nazi party. The captivating, raven-haired, female scientist in New Mexico is his primary suspect. Across the globe, countries are racing to perfect the atomic bomb--a weapon powerful enough to stop WWII, and, perhaps, all future wars. But for Hannah, who has been sending mysterious postcards to a contact still in Germany, the trouble is just beginning. As Jack questions Hannah about her involvement with the infamous Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin ten years earlier, and her apparently friendly relationships with high-ranking members of the Nazi party, he slowly becomes seduced by her intelligence and quiet confidence. Is Hannah a Nazi spy, or is she protecting a far more personal and dark secret of her own? When Jack finally uncovers the truth about her life in Berlin before the war, Hannah must compromise her political allegiance, and choose between two lovers, and two versions of history. A vivid, page-turning, and inspiring re-imagination of the final months of World War II, and the brilliant researchers behind the first atomic bomb, Hannah's War is an unforgettable love story about an exceptional woman, and the dangerous power of her greatest discovery.
Soon to be a major television event from Pascal Pictures, starring Tom Holland. Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, the USA Today and #1 Amazon Charts bestseller Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man's incredible courage and resilience during one of history's darkest hours. Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He's a normal Italian teenager-obsessed with music, food, and girls-but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior. In an attempt to protect him, Pino's parents force him to enlist as a German soldier-a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler's left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich's most mysterious and powerful commanders. Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. Fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE SUMMER BY POPSUGAR, FROLIC, PARADE, TRAVEL & LEISURE, SHE KNOWS, and SHE READS! NAMED A REAL SIMPLE BEST BOOK OF 2020 (SO FAR). "Fast Girls is a compelling, thrilling look at what it takes to be a female Olympian in pre-war America...Brava to Elise Hooper for bringing these inspiring heroines to the wide audience they so richly deserve."-Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics and The House Girl Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of female athletes, members of the first integrated women's Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Berlin, Nazi Germany. Perfect for readers who love untold stories of amazing women, such as The Only Woman in the Room, Hidden Figures, and The Lost Girls of Paris. In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago's Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women's delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America's Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything. Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team. From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life. These three athletes will join with others to defy society's expectations of what women can achieve. As tensions bring the United States and Europe closer and closer to the brink of war, Betty, Louise, and Helen must fight for the chance to compete as the fastest women in the world amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
North Yorkshire, September 1940. It's a year since war was first announced and the dangers are becoming all too real for Rosina Calvert-Lazenby and her courageous daughters. When Raven Hall is requisitioned by the army, Rosina must do all she can to protect her family home from the rowdy troops. After Rosina's burgeoning relationship with young sergeant Harry is interrupted as he's posted abroad, the arrival of an older officer who takes a keen interest in her could also spell trouble... Meanwhile, Rosina's fearless second daughter, twenty-year-old Evelyn Calvert-Lazenby, decides to join the Auxiliary Fire Service. Determined to help with the Blitz effort in London, she faces extreme danger. Two kind professional firemen, the Bailey brothers, take her under their wing to help protect and guide her. But with the bombings getting worse, there can be no guarantees... Who will be safe? How can Rosina protect all those she loves? And is love still possible with such high stakes? Praise for Mollie Walton: 'A Journey. Compelling. Addictive' Val Wood 'Beautiful and poignant' Tania Crosse 'Feisty female characters, an atmospheric setting ... A phenomenal read' Cathy Bramley 'Great characters who will stay with me for a long time' Beth Miller 'Evocative, dramatic and hugely compelling. I loved it' Miranda Dickinson
'A searing portrait of the Nazi elite as the war turns against them. Raw, shocking and meticulously researched' TIM SEBASTIANBerlin, 1942. For four years, the men in field grey have helped themselves to country after country across Western Europe. For Werner Nehmann, a journalist at the Promi - the Ministry of Propaganda - this dizzying series of victories has felt like a party without end. But now the Reich's attention has turned towards the East, and as winter sets in, the mood is turning. Werner's boss, Joseph Goebbels, can sense it. A small man with a powerful voice and coal-black eyes, Goebbels has a deep understanding the dark arts of manipulation. His words, his newsreels, have shaken Germany awake, propelling it towards its greater destiny and he won't let - he can't let - morale falter now. But the Minister of Propaganda is uneasy and in his discomfort has pulled Werner into his close confidence. And here, amid the power struggle between the Nazi Chieftains, Werner will make his mistake and begin his descent into the hell of Stalingrad...
'A book like a blade of light, searching out and illuminating the darkest corners of history . . . It's vivid, unputdownable, alive, and written with unerring artfulness and subtlety.' Neel Mukherjee Gunnar Kampen grows up in Reykjavik during the Second World War in a household fiercely opposed to Hitler and Nazism. A caring brother and son, at nineteen he seems set to lead a conventional life. Yet in the spring of 1958, he founds a covert, anti-Semitic nationalist party with ties to a burgeoning international network of neo-Nazis - a cause that will take him on a clandestine mission to England from which he never returns. In this striking novel, inspired by one of the ringleaders of an Icelandic neo-Nazi group formed in the late 1950s, Sjon masterfully constructs the portrait of an ordinary young man who becomes a right-wing zealot. Exposing the roots of the far-right movements of today, Red Milk is a timely reminder that the seeds of extremism can be hard to detect and the allure of fascism remains dangerously potent.
EVERY MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE IS ABOUT TO COME TRUE...Based on a gripping and moving true story, The Stolen Baby is the new Second World War novel from bestselling author Diney Costeloe. Plymouth, 1941. As sirens blare all around, the Shawbrook family take refuge in a packed shelter. Bombs have already begun to fall through the night sky when they realise their infant son, Freddie, has been forgotten in the rush, left to sleep in his crib. Terrified, Vera, his young mother races to find him and bring him to safety. The next morning, police officer David Shawbrook returns from his watch to find the shelter pulverised, and his family seemingly all dead. Dirty footprints inside their home betray the looters who have rifled through the house. Meanwhile, Maggie waits alone for her husband. Since the death of her infant son, she passes her days at home with neither joy nor aim. But not this morning. For this morning her husband has brought home a child, found abandoned in the aftermath of the terrible raid - a child she is sure is the one she held in her arms so many months before. Praise for Diney Costeloe 'Truly captivating' Woman & Home 'This is a truly captivating read that brings together vibrant characters and a historical setting' Woman's Own 'A gripping saga' My Weekly 'A treat from the very first page. I could not put it down' Historical Novel Society
The New York Times bestselling authors of The Glass Ocean and The Forgotten Room return with a glorious historical adventure that moves from the dark days of two World Wars to the turbulent years of the 1960s, in which three women with bruised hearts find refuge at Paris' legendary Ritz hotel. The heiress . . . The Resistance fighter . . . The widow . . . Three women whose fates are joined by one splendid hotel France, 1914. As war breaks out, Aurelie becomes trapped on the wrong side of the front with her father, Comte Sigismund de Courcelles. When the Germans move into their family's ancestral estate, using it as their headquarters, Aurelie discovers she knows the German Major's aide de camp, Maximilian Von Sternburg. She and the dashing young officer first met during Aurelie's debutante days in Paris. Despite their conflicting loyalties, Aurelie and Max's friendship soon deepens into love, but betrayal will shatter them both, driving Aurelie back to Paris and the Ritz- the home of her estranged American heiress mother, with unexpected consequences. France, 1942. Raised by her indomitable, free-spirited American grandmother in the glamorous Hotel Ritz, Marguerite "Daisy" Villon remains in Paris with her daughter and husband, a Nazi collaborator, after France falls to Hitler. At first reluctant to put herself and her family at risk to assist her grandmother's Resistance efforts, Daisy agrees to act as a courier for a skilled English forger known only as Legrand, who creates identity papers for Resistance members and Jewish refugees. But as Daisy is drawn ever deeper into Legrand's underground network, committing increasingly audacious acts of resistance for the sake of the country-and the man-she holds dear, she uncovers a devastating secret . . . one that will force her to commit the ultimate betrayal, and to confront at last the shocking circumstances of her own family history. France, 1964. For Barbara "Babs" Langford, her husband, Kit, was the love of her life. Yet their marriage was haunted by a mysterious woman known only as La Fleur. On Kit's death, American lawyer Andrew "Drew" Bowdoin appears at her door. Hired to find a Resistance fighter turned traitor known as "La Fleur," the investigation has led to Kit Langford. Curious to know more about the enigmatic La Fleur, Babs joins Drew in his search, a journey of discovery that that takes them to Paris and the Ritz-and to unexpected places of the heart. . . .
Biggles has a cold war.November 1939. The Winter War between the Finns and the Soviets has begun, and Finland has called for international support. Biggles, Algy and Ginger have volunteered to help, and fly reconnaissance missions over the country on the lookout for Soviet troops and aircraft. Quite by chance on one such flight, Biggles spots a lone figure at death's door in the snow, and lands to investigate. The man is Petolski, a Polish scientist. His plane crashed on the Finland-Russia border while he was trying to escape Occupied Poland with seven years' worth of experimental aircraft research. Rather than let it fall into enemy hands, he has hidden it somewhere near the downed plane. The research cannot fall into enemy hands, and Biggles is ordered to retrieve it at all costs. But the Russians have found out about the research as well, and a party led by Biggles' nemesis, Erich von Stalhein, is already looking for it. The race is on! Strap in for a classic Biggles cat-and-mouse chase in the ice and snow of Finland. Perfect for fans of Derek Robinson and Max Hennessy.
Venice, 1943: Under the Nazi occupation, life is increasingly perilous for Italian Jews. Antonina Mazin has but one hope to survive - to leave her beloved parents and hide in the countryside, posing as the bride of a man she has only just met. Nico Gerardi was studying for the priesthood until circumstances forced him to return home to run his family's farm. A moral and just man, he refuses to remain a bystander to Nazi and fascist atrocities. The only way to keep Nina safe - and protect secrets of his own - is to convince prying eyes that their sudden marriage is a love match. But farm life is not easy for a cultured city girl who dreams of becoming a doctor like her father, and Nico's provincial neighbours are wary of this soft, educated stranger. Even worse, their distrust is shared by a local Nazi official with a vendetta against Nico. As Nina and Nico come to know each other, their relationship deepens, transforming into much more than a charade. Yet both fear that every passing day brings them closer to being torn apart...
In the late summer of 1944 France is liberated, and the hunt for Nazi collaborators begins. The young American officer, Johnny Phillips finds his moral outlook severely tested by the pressures of spy hunting, and Therese Bouilard finds herself accused of spying for the Germans.
1940, France. In the middle of a devastating war, how many lives can you save? Varian Fry, a young American journalist, arrives in Marseille armed only with three thousand dollars and a list of writers, thinkers and artists he hopes to rescue - so long as the Nazis don't get to them first. With borders closing around him, Varian tries to track down those on his list; renowned artists like Marc Chagall, who cannot believe that he will ever be unsafe in the country he loves. He smuggles them over the Pyrenees mountains and across the sea hidden in boats, but every day hundreds of ordinary Jewish refugees beg him for help. Does Varian have the right to choose who to save? At home in New York, making a list seemed hard, but in the middle of humanity's darkest hour, Varian must do all he can to help. And as the Nazis begin to get word of Varian's secret operation, he must dig deep and find the courage to rescue as many innocents as he can. Even though his own life may be in terrible danger. An incredibly compelling and heart-wrenching historical novel, inspired by a powerful true story, about the extraordinary courage and friendships forged during humanity's darkest hour. If you loved Schindler's List, All the Light We Cannot See or The Tattooist of Auschwitz, you'll adore The Flight Portfolio. What readers are saying about The Flight Portfolio: 'Oh - it's FABULOUS!... The best historical novel I've read in a long time.' Goodreads Reviewer 'I love this book so much I can barely breathe.' Goodreads Reviewer 'Such a wonderful novel!!... Please do yourself a favour and read it!!' Goodreads Reviewer 'Couldn't put this down. Beautiful writing and a riveting plot make this book an absolute page-turner!' Goodreads Reviewer 'I did not want this book to end... Riveting. I loved it.' Goodreads Reviewer 'An outstanding book for anyone who likes historical fiction, a gripping story, lyrical writing, or all three. It is one of those books that you never want to end.' Goodreads Reviewer 'I can't begin to believe that I will read another book this year that will even come close to reaching the heights of The Flight Portfolio.' Goodreads Reviewer
A breathtaking and tumultuous love story of the secrets, hidden passions and loyalties that bind us together. THE SECRETS BETWEEN US is the latest mesmerising tale of drama and intrigue from Judith Lennox, the author of HIDDEN LIVES and THE JEWELLER'S WIFE. Not to be missed by readers of Rachel Hore and Kate Morton. 'I have fallen completely in love with Judith Lennox's writing - she's a fantastic storyteller!' Jill Mansell It is Christmas 1937 when sisters Rowan and Thea travel from London to Scotland to visit their dying father. Having lost their mother in a tragic sailing accident when they were young, the two women are accustomed to grief. But they have no idea that their father's death will expose a terrible deception... For back in London is his wife Sophie and their two sons. Neither family knows of the other's existence, and when news reaches Sophie of Hugh's death her whole world is turned upside down. Meanwhile, Rowan's marriage is crumbling, and Thea reluctantly finds herself acting as a go-between for her sister and her lover. But, with the onslaught of World War II, the lives of all three women will change for ever. And they must confront the secrets between them before they can seize their chance of happiness...
'Intriguing, comforting and endearingly familiar' Katie Fforde 'The BBC's most downloaded radio show' The Guardian 'Incredible legacy' The BBC 'Longest running drama in the world' The i News 'a gripping plot full of love affairs, deceit, loss and more' Radio Times In celebration of the 70th anniversary of The Archers hitting the radio waves. It's 1940 and war has broken out. It is midnight at the turn of the year, and Walter Gabriel speaks the same line that opened the very first radio episode - 'And a Happy New Year to you all!' For Ambridge, a village in the heart of the English countryside, this year will bring change in ways no one was expecting. From the Pargetters at Lower Loxley to the loving, hard-working Archer family at Brookfield Farm, the war will be hard for all of them. And the New Year brings the arrival of evacuees to Ambridge, shaking things up in the close-knit rural community. As the villagers embrace wartime spirit, the families that listeners have known and loved for generations face an uphill battle to keep their secrets hidden. Especially as someone is intent on revealing those secrets to the whole village . . . Beautifully produced, with stunning endpapers, this is the perfect read for all Archers fans.
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