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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > War fiction > Second World War fiction
Originally published in 1949, Storm Below tells the story of a fictional Royal Canadian Navy ship and its crew. The adventure unfolds over six days of an escort run across the Atlantic Ocean to Newfoundland during the Second World War. The ship, the HMCS Riverford, is a composite of the vessels, mostly corvettes, that author Hugh Garner served on during his time in the Canadian navy, and the Canadian sailors whose experiences he relates are masterfully drawn from the crewmen he knew during his months at sea. In his preface to Storm Below, his first novel, Garner says: "It takes all kinds to make a world, and it also takes all kinds to make a war -- or fight one after some of the others make it.... They his characters] are not even 'typical' sailors, if such exist. All I can say to justify them is that they are drawn in the image of hundreds who made up the Royal Canadian Navy. They do not need an apology -- they were out there, and we won."
THE NINTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEAN After the death of her parents in a bombing raid, Mary Jones discovers a secret in the pages of father's diaries. Her search for the truth brings her to Cliffehaven on the south coast. Here, she finds work at the Kodak factory, sifting through the Airgraphs which are being sent from all over the world by the men and women in the armed forces, and by their loved ones. All the while she longs for news of her own sweetheart, fighting in Europe. With the help of Peggy Reilly and her family at Beach View Boarding House Mary starts to build a new life for herself. But events that happened eighteen years before still echo, and should a promise Peggy made then be broken, it will have a devastating affect not only on Mary, but them all... A fabulous, heart-warming Second World War novel in Ellie Dean's bestselling Cliffehaven series (previously called the Beach View Boarding House series).
Liliana's beloved husband has been dead six months when she finds a roll of banknotes in a drawer with a note: "Treat yourself to something nice, love". The same morning, in her local cafe, she spies the headline on La Republica: two men have been shot and injured in Rome and it is suspected that Libya's Colonel Gadaffi is behind it. When she reads the name of one of the victims, Abrama Cattaneo, the last forty years of her life in England - not speaking Italian, never mentioning her Italian family - disappear in an instant. She is transported back to her years in Italy and in Tripoli, and she realises that Cattaneo, a poet, is the nephew she last saw when he was a baby. Immediately she knows what she must do. She boards a place to Rome, where she plans to reclaim the life that she failed to have. Her real life. Moving between past and present, to explore Liliana's years as a young woman in Tripoli under Italian occupation, The Fourth Shore shines a light on a forgotten period of brutal repression and once again shows that the emotionally crippling effects of war linger for decades after the fighting has stopped.
If you like nail-biting tension, all-guns-blazing action and high-octane drama, then this historical adventure novel from multi-million copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman is perfect for you. Fans of Clive Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith will not be disappointed. 'One of our foremost writers of naval fiction' - Sunday Times 'A terrific nautical yarn from one of the best Naval authors' -- ***** Reader review 'Another romping good yarn by my favourite author. The only trouble is when I start reading, its hard to put it down :-)' -- ***** Reader review 'A must read' -- ***** Reader review *********************************************************************************** The Allies are poised for the invasion of Italy. Yet the Germans hold a vital card: a floating dock - the only one in the Adriatic large enough to take a major warship. Moored at a small port near Rimini, it is exposed, vulnerable. It must be destroyed before the Germans can tow it to a safer harbour. Air, surface and conventional submarine attacks are out of the question. Only one team can do the job and still stand a chance of surviving - the crew of HM Midget Submarine XE 51...
In 1944, 21-year-old Private Ewen Morrison joins the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in Sussex and meets his new platoon, including Reggie Johnson, an Indigenous soldier from Ontario's Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve. His new friend supplements the army's training with some of his own, helping to prepare Ewen for scouting missions against the enemy. Landing on Juno Beach, the men confront the brutal reality of war as they advance across northern Europe with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. Reggie's bravery, skill and authority soon earn him a field promotion, but not necessarily the respect of all the men in his platoon. Based on war diaries and official regimental records, The Hawk and the Hare is inspired by the real-life experience of the author's father.
'Haunting and enchanting by turns. This book will stay with me for a long time. Utterly magnificent' Jenni Keer Can the truth about her family's past unlock her future? Normandy, 1937. Sixteen-year-old Elise embarks on a whirlwind romance with a young American man, which transports her from the drudgery of her everyday life caring for her mother. But neither she nor William is prepared for the war that will threaten to tear them apart... Boston, 2009. Lucy has been left reeling by the death of her beloved grandfather. They had always planned to visit France together after her college graduation; now, still aching from his loss, Lucy decides to take the trip alone. As Lucy traces the steps of her grandfather through the French countryside where he once served as a GI, a powerful story of love, loss and destiny emerges - but can the truth about her family's past unlock her future? Or are some scars too deep to heal? Readers love The Time Between Us: 'Poignant, haunting story took my breath away. A simply stunning debut' Clare Marchant 'Emotional story of love and loss, beautifully woven' Liz Fenwick 'Left me breathless. My emotions were crushed and revived and tangled... I cried and felt heartbreak for the characters. Time stood still and supper cooled while I finished living it... Unmissable... I cannot stop thinking about it' Goodreads reviewer, 'Emotional rollercoaster of love and loss... An excellent read which kept my interest right through to the last page' Jo Lambert 'Fabulous, emotional... This is a beautifully written story of war, love and loss... Pulled me in from the first page and I loved the story of Elise' NetGalley Reviewer, 'Emotional and heart-breaking... If you like WWII books then you will love this one' NetGalley reviewer, 'Fantastic... Hooked me and kept me invested... McCarron was able to capture the sights, smells, sounds, touch and tastes to the extent that I felt I was in the soldier's boots. It was phenomenal!... I was emotionally wrung out by the end of the book... This is the best book out there... Spectacular... Magnificently written, five-star historical fiction must be on your radar' NetGalley Reviewer, 'Very beautiful read. I highly recommend this one. I really like the writer's style and look forward to her future books' @IslaRoseReads, 'Heart-breaking dual timeline story of love, loss and the reality of life' NetGalley Reviewer 'Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and this one did not disappoint... I recommend this book if you like to read historical fiction' NetGalley Reviewer 'Poignant and emotionally complex. Loved it' NetGalley Reviewer
A shocking insight into the realities of war, the conditions endured by ordinary soldiers and their unwavering solidarity. It was supposed to be Hitler's glorious conquest of Russia... The 27th Penal Regiment has been ordered to invade the Soviet Union. They are half-starved and ill-equipped. To reach Moscow they must defeat the fearsome Red Army. But instead, they find themselves at the mercy of an even deadlier enemy: the killer cold of the Russian winter. As they advance across the icy wastes, they think only of survival.
1967. In a quiet village in the wild lands of the Scottish borders, disgraced academic Cordelia Hemlock is trying to put her life back together. Grieving the loss of her son, she seeks out the company of the dead, taking comfort amid the ancient headstones and crypts of the local churchyard. When lightning strikes a tumbledown tomb, she glimpses a corpse that doesn't belong among the crumbling bones. But when the storm passes and the body vanishes, the authorities refuse to believe the claims of a hysterical 'outsider'. Teaming up with a reluctant witness, local woman Felicity Goose, Cordelia's enquiries all lead back to a former POW camp that was set up in the village during the Second World War. But not all Gilsland's residents welcome the two young women's interference. There are those who believe the village's secrets should remain buried . whatever the cost.
April 1945. The Third Reich is collapsing. In Berlin, surrounded by Soviet troops, a small aircraft lands under enemy fire. Daring pilot Hanna Reitsch escorts an important officer to Hitler's bunker - and is granted an audience with the Fuhrer, from which she emerges visibly upset. Meanwhile, in a German hospital in the countryside, Max comes to after a long coma. His task remains the same: to kill Hanna. But what new mission has she been given?
Set on an island in the South Pacific during the final days of World War II, when the tide has turned against Japan and the war has unmistakably become one of attrition, "The Breaking Jewel" offers a rare depiction of the Pacific War from the Japanese side and captures the essence of Japan's doomed imperial aims. The novel opens as a small force of Japanese soldiers prepares to defend a tiny and ultimately insignificant island from a full-scale assault by American forces. Its story centers on squad leader Nakamura, who resists the Americans to the end, as he and his comrades grapple with the idea of "gyokusai" (translated as "the breaking jewel" or the "pulverization of the gem"), the patriotic act of mass suicide in defense of the homeland. Well known for his antiestablishment and antiwar sentiments, Makuto Oda gradually and subtly develops a powerful critique of the war and the racialist imperial aims that proved Japan's undoing.
Nellie March and Jill Banford manage an ailing Berkshire farm at the time of the First World War, a task which is made all the more complicated by the frequent rampages of a local fox through their chicken coop. When a young soldier turns up and begins to interfere with the farm and the lives of the two women, they must find ways to react to this new fox in their midst. A compelling study of the question of power, gender and sexuality, as well as a realistic portrayal of wartime rural England, The Fox showcases Lawrence's inimitable gift for psychological observation and dramatic description.
In 1943, sixteen German paratroopers landed in England. In three days, they nearly won the war . . . Discover The Eagle Has Landed, by international bestselling author Jack Higgins, the ultimate WWII pageturner and one of the bestselling thrillers of all time. In the early morning hours of 6 November 1943, SS Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler receives the coded message he has been waiting for: 'The Eagle has landed'. Operation Eagle: Himmler's audacious plan to kidnap Winston Churchill on British soil is underway in a remote corner of Norfolk. There, an elite unit is gathered. Ready to do battle for a nation against the most ruthless task force ever assembled . . . First published in 1975, The Eagle Has Landed is a classic tale of the ultimate act of wartime treachery. This 45th anniversary edition celebrates Jack Higgins' novel as one of the bestselling thrillers of all time. Praise for Jack Higgins: 'A thriller writer in a class of his own' Financial Times 'Higgins is a master of his craft' Daily Telegraph 'A compulsively readable storyteller' Sunday Express '100 per cent proof adventure' New York Times
An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller. A novel of love, courage, and danger unfolds as World War II's brightest heroines-the best of friends-take on the front lines. 1944: Fiona Denning has her entire future planned out. She'll work in city hall, marry her fiance when he returns from the war, and settle down in the Boston suburbs. But when her fiance is reported missing after being shot down in Germany, Fiona's long-held plans are shattered. Determined to learn her fiance's fate, Fiona leaves Boston to volunteer overseas as a Red Cross Clubmobile girl, recruiting her two best friends to come along. There's the outspoken Viviana, who is more than happy to quit her secretarial job for a taste of adventure. Then there's Dottie, a shy music teacher whose melodious talents are sure to bring heart and hope to the boys on the front lines. Chosen for their inner strength and outer charm, the trio isn't prepared for the daunting challenges of war. But through it all come new friendships and romances, unforeseen dangers, and unexpected dreams. As the three friends begin to understand the real reasons they all came to the front, their courage and camaraderie will see them through some of the best and worst times of their lives.
German U-boats are getting through the defences. It's up to the Wrens to stop them.After her fiance died in the sinking of the Royal Oak, Mary finds herself stationed in Orkney, still battling her grief. With Iris and Sally by her side, she is gradually overcoming her loss and is surprised to be helped by the irascible Joe. Joe is a signalman aboard the Kelpie and his cheeky Morse code signals to Mary while she's on shift bring her cheer and exasperation in equal measure. With Christmas round the corner, Mary is opening herself back up to the festive spirit - and to love. But the Germans keep slipping through Scapa Flow's defences, somehow without triggering any of the Navy's alarms. Could someone on land be guiding them? If so, can Mary, Iris and Sally figure out who and stop them before more lives are lost? A wonderfully heartwarming and gripping saga, perfect for readers of Johanna Bell, Kate Thompson and Daisy Styles. Praise for A Wrens' Wartime Christmas 'This had me enthralled from the very start... Vicki knows how to tell a great story and I can't wait until the next book. I thoroughly recommend this!' Reader review 'Enjoyed this book - was a lovely, easy to read story with really good characters!' Reader review 'Another brilliant story from Vicki Beeby. I do so love reading this genre - you learn so much.' Reader review 'This book kept me awake at night because I couldn't put it down. It was exciting and heartwarming in equal measures... loved it.' Reader review 'Another fantastic book in the series. The girls are all so likeable... The story was easy to read and had plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested.' Reader review 'I loved the festive wartime vibes. Honestly had me smiling from ear to ear and this is another book I can add to the 'adored it' list.' Reader review 'Wow what another brilliant book in The Wren Series. If you love family saga set during the world wars, this is right up your street.' Reader review
In 2008 a faded typescript was discovered in a suitcase in the attic of one of Martin Freud's grandchildren. It was a satirical novel about the Second World War written by Sigmund Freud's son Martin, but never published and apparently forgotten about. Freud and his family had escaped from Nazi-occupied Vienna in 1938, narrowly avoiding losing everything, including their lives. Arriving in England, Martin, formerly an eminent lawyer in Vienna, was interned as an 'enemy alien,' and later ran a shop near the British Museum (his son, Walter, fought for the British in the SOE during the war). It is known that Martin wrote numerous poems and pieces of fiction, but the only books he ever published were a fictionalised account of his experiences during the First World War, Parole d'Honneur, in 1939 and an autobiography, Glory Reflected, in 1957. Now translated into English and published for the first time, Any Survivors? is not only a satirical and dramatic novel about a refugee who returns to Hitler's Germany as a rather inept spy, but also the testament of a man who lived through the most dramatic moments of this period as part of a famous and fascinating family.
One morning, in the dead of winter, three German soldiers head out into the frozen Polish countryside. They have been charged by their commanders to track down and bring back for execution 'one of them' - a Jew. Having flushed out a young man hiding in the woods, they decide to rest in an abandoned house before continuing their journey back to the camp. As they prepare food, they are joined by a passing Pole whose virulent anti-Semitism adds tension to an already charged atmosphere. Before long, the group's sympathies begin to splinter as each man is forced to confont his own conscienence as the moral implications of their murderous mission become clear.
Poland, 1941. After the Jews in their town are rounded up, Róza and her
five-year-old daughter, Shira, spend day and night hidden in a farmer's
barn.
*** PICKED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE MAIL ON SUNDAY *** 'A clever, absorbing thriller that does not shrink from the horror of the war' Times 'Compelling' Good Housekeeping 'This epic novel is simply an incredible read' Sun 'A thrilling rollercoaster of a read' Dinah Jefferies, author of R&J pick The Sapphire Widow 'My best read of the year' Lesley Pearse Discover a brilliant story of love, danger, courage and betrayal, from the internationally bestselling author of The Betrayal. 'Directly I saw him, I knew he had to die.' Germany, 1945. Klara Janowska and her daughter Alicja have walked for weeks to get to Graufeld Displaced Persons camp. In the cramped, dirty, dangerous conditions they, along with 3,200 others, are the lucky ones. They have survived and will do anything to find a way back home. But when Klara recognises a man in the camp from her past, a deadly game of cat and mouse begins. He knows exactly what she did during the war to save her daughter. She knows his real identity. What will be the price of silence? And will either make it out of the camp alive? 'A compelling, edge-of-your-seat story set in a refugee camp immediately after World War II, where a woman will do anything to protect her child. Full of twists and turns' Julie Cohen, bestselling author of Together 'A superb read; brilliantly crafted, exciting, very moving and researched meticulously. Fantastic, my best read of the year' Lesley Pearse, Sunday Times bestselling author 'This gripped me from the start. What a story! Kate Furnivall treads where others have not thought to go. Beware of anyone who comes between a mother and daughter - especially Klara and Alicja' Jane Corry, Sunday Times bestselling author of Blood Sisters and The Dead Ex 'Meticulously researched, searingly honest and beautifully written' Lancashire Post 'Emotional and engaging with a thrilling tale of love and courage at its core' Culturefly 'An epic novel that will leave you breathless until the very end' Mrs B's Book Reviews 'THE SURVIVORS blends imagination with historical fact to absolute perfection' Sharon's Book Blog 'It is impossible to stop once you start reading this book' Sissi Reads Further praise for Kate Furnivall 'Gripping. Tense. Mysterious. Kate Furnivall has a talent for creating places and characters who stay with you long after you've read the final word' Jane Corry 'Exquisitely heart-wrenching & utterly engrossing' Penny Parkes 'A thrilling, compelling read. Wonderful!' Lesley Pearse 'Wonderful . . . hugely ambitious and atmospheric' Kate Mosse 'A thrilling plot ... Fast-paced with a sinister edge' Times 'Truly captivating' Elle 'Perfect escapist reading' Marie Claire
************** THE EIGHTEENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEAN Peace has finally been declared in the Far East, but for those living at Beach View Boarding House, the news brings mixed emotions. Peggy Reilly is devastated that her husband Jim will not be coming home for Christmas. And Sarah and Jane, who have lived at Beach View throughout much of the conflict, dread what they will find when they go back to Singapore. Life in Cliffehaven is in a whirlwind of change as the men return from the war and Peggy's evacuee chicks begin to spread their wings and start new lives in different corners of the world. Peggy and Jim have longed to be together after so many years apart, but war has left them profoundly changed. Can they rekindle the loving, close relationship they'd shared before?
OUT NOW: the second volume in the bestselling, exhilarating WWII treasure-hunt thriller series for fans of Dan Brown *** RATED 5 STARS BY REAL READERS *** November 1941. Germany is about to win the war. Only one thing still separates the Nazis from a certain victory: they must find the three remaining all-powerful swastikas and reunite them with a fourth that is safely hidden away in Himmler's mountain stronghold. Churchill has no choice but to mobilize his best man, double agent Tristan Marcas, and employ the most risky techniques to beat them to it. It all comes to a showdown at a ball in Venice...
Like Aladdin, but with post-traumatic stress, Charlie Echo is a story about wishes - the last wishes of a dying soldier in Normandy in 1944. Verbal wills of this sort are valid if there are two witnesses and the first men on the scene are radio operator Charlie Goodman and his assistant, Sid Saunders. Unfortunately, in the confusion of events that follow, Charlie fails to ascertain the full identity of the dying officer and is invalided back to Blighty plagued by trauma and remorse. Once he has been demobbed also, it falls to Saunders to break the impasse by getting his comrade to repair a radio telephone, just like the one they were using in France. What he doesn't anticipate is that working on the set will prompt Charlie to not only hear the mystery soldier's voice again, but to see him too. If not quite the genie in the lamp, it seems like there's a ghost in the machine and one that's been transported to his workshop in Leeds. Dismayed to discover that his wishes have not been carried out, the ghost goads Charlie into journeying through post-war Britain in order to fulfil his battlefield promise. Jolting between humour and pathos, it's a journey that transforms reclusive repair man into unlikely pantomime hero and propels Saunders off in pursuit to play his allotted role in the "show".
Bandy is back It's 1940, and the intrepid air ace of WWI is eager to join the fight against Germany. Unfortunately, everyone seems to think Bandy is too old to be flying Spitfires, and should go quietly into retirement to polish his medals and knighthoods. Bandy, however, has other ideas, and uses his friends and/or enemies in high places to manoeuvre himself into the Battle of Britain. Between being mistaken for a Nazi spy, a communist, or a Chelsea pensioner, Bandy has as much trouble on the ground as he has in the air with the Luftwaffe, and when his son arrives on the scene, his troubles only get worse. This edition also includes Donald Jack's novelette "Where Did Rafe Madison Go?" Jack wrote the story just as the fate of the Avro Arrow jet fighter was still up in the air (the first test flight taking place in March '58, and the programme's termination coming only four months after the story was published). In "Where Did Rafe Madison Go?" Jack imagines a future delta-winged descendant of the Arrow, the CF-108, and takes us through the RCAF court martial that is trying to uncover the explanation for the plane's mysterious disappearance, an incident that even the pilot, Rafe Madison, doesn't understand. |
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