A deserting soldier treks through the torn-up countryside and abandoned villages, trying to distance himself from the atrocities of war. An elderly man sits beneath lime trees, remembering his first sexual encounter one summer night with a female stranger who whispered another man's name. A young woman takes up a job in a care home, spending monotonous days scrubbing floors and yearning to dance at the local nightclub. The artist Franz Marc lives on in an imagined life as a patient at an asylum, before falling victim to Hitler's policy of Gnadentod. Finally, a young Jewish girl, the life she once knew destroyed, holds her memories close as she finds refuge in wreckage of her homeland. And throughout there is the shadowy presence of Viktor - one man or many? A looming figure in Germany's own reckoning with its past. Through these five interconnected stories, Philippe Claudel reflects on Germany's complex history and the experiences of its people, dismantling the idea of "a nation" or "a people" and exploring the malleability of memory.

LINE OF FIRE brings to life a desperate mission of World War II that captures the drama and courage of the men who fought it. Two Marines, reporting on Japanese air activity, are trapped on a small Coastwatcher island. A special rescue team is assembled to save them--under enemy gunsight. It is am exciting and powerful story of real heroism that only W.E.B. Griffin could tell...

'Heartwarming historical fiction ... The perfect stocking filler for fans of Nancy Revell, Daisy Styles and Margaret Dickinson' Eastern Daily Press __________________ The sixth heartwarming, feel-good instalment in the much-loved Railway Girls series! Manchester, 1942. There are surprises in store for the railway girls this festive season... When Cordelia's daughter Emily falls for a young chap who doesn't meet the approval of her father, Cordelia is reminded of her own first love - a love that she has never forgotten. Mabel is determined to get to the bottom of a spate of local burglaries. Her heart is in the right place as she sets out on a quest to clear her friend's name, but there will be unforeseen consequences. It's nothing short of a miracle when Colette returns to Manchester. But it's not going to be easy for her to keep living the life she once knew, and an impossible situation lies ahead. There will be more than one storm for the railway girls to weather but with the friendship and support of one another, there's hope that all will be well by Christmas... Readers LOVE the Railway Girls: 'Make yourself a cuppa and find a comfy spot on the sofa because you are not going to be able to put this down' 'I simply cannot wait for the next one - I am hooked!' 'Gives a vivid picture of women's lives in wartime Manchester' 'Dramatic, intriguing and sprinkled with plenty of wit and heart' 'It's just like catching up with old friends'

As the war approaches its end, Prince once more has to risk everything.Berlin, 1939: A German intelligence officer learns a top agent is quickly moving up the British Army ranks. He bides his time. Arnhem, 1944: British paratroopers have been slaughtered in one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War. A shell shocked officer is convinced: the Germans knew they were coming. But who betrayed them? Back in London, Richard Prince, detective and spy, is approached by MI5 about a counterintelligence operation. Information is leaking and British troops are dying. Prince has to stop it, and crack the suspected spy ring at all costs. But in the world of espionage nothing is as it seems... The latest WWII espionage thriller from Alex Gerlis is perfect for readers of Robert Harris, John le Carre and Alan Furst. Praise for Ring of Spies 'A spy character to rival those of John le Carre, Philip Kerr and Alan Furst' David Young, author of Stasi Child

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER 'Nancy Revell knows how to stir the passions and soothe the heart!' The Northern Echo *********** Sunderland, 1941 With a brief break in air raids providing some much-needed respite from the war, things are looking up for head welder Rosie, who has fallen head over heels for Detective Sergeant Miller. But how long can their romance last in such uncertain times? Life remains full of challenges for Gloria, who must face her abusive ex-husband and confront her own guilty conscience about baby Hope's real father. The secret is tearing her apart but if she admits the truth, she will risk losing everything. Both women are determined that their love and faith will be enough to keep the most difficult of promises, but nothing is as simple as it seems... Praise for The Shipyard Girls series: 'This author is one to watch!' Sun 'A brilliant read' Take a Break 'Well-drawn, believable characters combined with a storyline to keep you turning the pages'Woman

While WW2 rages, Elsie must battle for her familyElsie Weir is trying hard to keep her family together. Living in Kiltie Street tenement in Glasgow with her mother and little sister, Jessie, isn't easy - not least because her mother spends most days in a drunken stupor. But life gets harder still when their mother dies suddenly, leaving Jessie and Elsie broken-hearted. When Elsie's meagre wages won't stretch to supporting them, they're thrown out of their home. The future looks bleak, until their mother's estranged family deigns to take them in. But their relief is short-lived as it becomes clear the Mearns family have taken in the orphan sisters only for appearances, treating them cruelly behind closed doors. When Elsie discovers the devastating secret her mother kept from them, it seems that they may have a lifeline - until that dream too, is cruelly dashed. Now, more than ever, the sisters only have each other. But can Elsie and Jessie find some hope in a life full of heartbreak? A heartwarming and compelling family saga that fans of Rosie Hendry and Annie Murray will love. Praise for Carol MacLean: 'A lovely, lovely story set in WW2. It gripped me from page one... I'd highly recommend it!' Reader Review 'WOW. Loved this book. If you love family saga based in the war, you will love this.' Reader Review 'A great WWII-era historical fiction saga... I truly enjoyed this one... Through this story of love, loss, uncertainty, and finding one's place in life we also get a glimpse of history as well... Beautifully written.' Reader Review

'An epic adventure story set against the most awful war in history. Ridiculously good' Dan Snow 'The black earth was already baking and the sun was just rising when they mounted their horses and rode across the grasslands towards the horizon on fire ...' Imprisoned in the Gulags for a crime he did not commit, Benya Golden joins a penal battalion made up of Cossacks and convicts to fight the Nazis. He enrols in the Russian cavalry, and on a hot summer day in July 1942, he and his band of brothers are sent on a desperate mission behind enemy lines. Switching between Benya's war in the grasslands of Southern Russia, and Stalin's plans in the Kremlin, between Benya's intense affair with an Italian nurse and a romance between Stalin's daughter and a journalist also on the Eastern Front, this is a sweeping story of passion, bravery and human survival where personal betrayal is a constant companion, and death just a heartbeat away. Praise for Red Sky at Noon 'Red Sky at Noon is an epic adventure story set against the backdrop of the most awful war in human history. The master historian shape-shifting into the brilliant novelist. Ridiculously good'. Dan Snow 'Mythic and murderous violence in Russia...there are power-drunk Nazis and Soviet traitors, including a particularly memorable villain ...Written with brio & deep knowledge of its fascinating subject matter... a deeply satisfying pageturner.' - Book of the Month, The Times 'In this third volume of The Moscow Trilogy, the fate of combatants and civilians is often harsh. With his feel for vivid and immediate drama and impressive research, the author evokes the extreme turbulence and violence impacting on individuals. Writing with passion, Montefiore makes the point that, up against the huge forces of war, the struggle for personal resolution can be tragic - but never wasted.' - Daily Mail 'The final instalment of Montefiore's loosely connected Moscow Trilogy: amidst the killing and the chaos, a group of prisoners are offered a chance of redemption on a secret mission behind enemy lines on horseback. Montefiore has a keen sense of place and an eye of unexpected details. Switching between the frontline on the Russian steppes and Stalin in the Kremlin, this is an EXCITING FAST-PACED ADVENTURE AND A LAMENT FOR LOVE IN DARK AND BRUTAL TIMES.' - Mail on Sunday 'I devoured Red Sky at Noon. A heartstopping, heartbreaking, technicolour epic. A grand homage to the Russian masters Babel & Grossman, echoes of Hemingway & Dostoevsky, and a propulsive delight that is entirely Montefiore's own. Gripping storytelling allied with intimate, unsqueamish knowledge of Russian history - a special combination.' - AD Miller, author of Snowdrops 'The gripping final instalment of the Moscow Trilogy tells of a man wrongly imprisoned in the Gulags and his fight for redemption. Love in dark times, meticulously researched... In this searing tale of love and war, most moving is the redemptive relationship between a soldier and a nurse that blooms amid the brutality. An homage to the author's favourite Russian writers and the Western masterpieces of Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy and Elmore Leonard, such influences pervade this atmospheric tale told in the author's distinct own voice.' - Observer