First World War fiction

Book SynopsisKen Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales. Barred from watching films and television by his parents, he developed an early interest in reading thanks to a local library. After studying philosophy at University College London, he became involved in centre-left politics, entering into journalism soon after. His first thriller, the wartime spy drama Eye of the Needle, became an international bestseller and has sold over 10 million copies. He then astonished everyone with his first historical novel, The Pillars of the Earth, the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, which went on to become one of the most beloved books of the twentieth century. One of the most popular authors in the world, his many books including the Kingsbridge series and the Century trilogy - a body of work which together chronicles over a thousand years of history - and his latest novel Never - which envisages how World War III could happen - have sold more than 188 million copies. A father and husband, Ken lives with his wife in England and enjoys travelling the world when he can.

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Book SynopsisThe Man From St Petersburg is a dark tale of family secrets and political consequences. Ken Follett's masterful storytelling brings to life the danger of a world on the brink of war.A Secret Negotiation1914. Tensions are rising as Europe finds itself caught in a web of alliances and dangerous warmongering. To help tip the balance in their favour, Britain aims to draw Russia into an alliance with them instead of Germany. Czar Nicholas’s nephew, Prince Aleksei, is sent to London for secret naval talks with Lord Walden. A Play for PowerWalden has a personal connection to Aleksei; his wife is Aleksei’s aunt. And they are not the only ones interested in the Russian's arrival; so too are Walden’s wilful, idealistic daughter, the head of Special Branch, and a ruthless Russian anarchist. A World at WarWith the British desperately needing a signed treaty and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the destinies of these individuals become inextricably linked, as tragedy threatens to shatter the Waldens’ complacency . . .Trade ReviewKen Follett has done it once more . . . goes down with the ease and impact of a well-prepared martini * The New York Times Book Review *Eerily plausible . . . one of Follett's finest * Time *

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Book SynopsisErnest''s Hemingway''s powerful autobiographical story of war.''I don''t live at all when I''m not with you''In 1918 Ernest Hemingway went to war. He volunteered for ambulance service in Italy, was wounded and twice decorated. Out of his experience came A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway''s unforgettable war novel.Recreating the fear, the comradeship, the courage of his young American volunteer, and the men and women he meets in Italy, this is a story of war told with simplicity and immediacy. It is also a love story of immense drama and uncompromising passion.''A novel of great power'' Times Literary Supplement''In these troubled times Hemingway''s clarity, spirituality and sense of hard reality in the midst of confusion is very helpful'' Sunday TelegraphTrade ReviewFlawless... such mastery of narrative, imagery and feeling, the prerequisites for great prose * Guardian *It seems such simple and straightforward language, but it isn't. The first chapter of A Farewell to Arms is only two and a bit pages but there is almost every variety of sentence structure. It is incredibly artful writing, and part of the art is disguising that it is artful * Guardian *There is something so complete in Mr. Hemingway's achievement in A Farewell to Arms that one is left speculating as to whether another novel will follow in this manner, and whether it does not complete both a period and a phase...crisply natural and convincing * Guardian, 1929 *A novel of great power * Times Literary Supplement *Essential Hemingway...a gripping account of the life of an American volunteer in the Italian army and a poignant love story * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisDISCOVER AND CHERISH THIS BEAUTIFUL HARDBACK 40th ANNIVERSARY ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE BELOVED MODERN CLASSIC, WAR HORSE.Before the Steven Spielberg film, before the National Theatre production, there was the classic and nation's favourite children's novelIn the deadly chaos of the First World War, one horse witnesses the reality of battle from both sides of the trenches. Bombarded by artillery, with bullets knocking riders from his back, Joey tells a powerful story of the truest friendships surviving in terrible times.One horse has the seen the best and the worst of humanity. The power of war and the beauty of peace. This is his story.With a stunning new cover from fine arts photographer, Nine Francois and chapter illustrations from award-winning war artist, George Butler.National treasure, Michael Moropurgo's, War Horse was adapted by Steven Spielberg as a major motion picture with Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, and Benedict Cumberbatch. The National Theatre production opened in 2007Trade ReviewPraise for Michael Morpurgo: “Michael Morpurgo writes brilliantly about war and animals, conveying the big emotions without preaching.” Guardian “There are few children’s writers as compelling as Michael Morpurgo.” Daily Express “Morpurgo, as always, is subtle and skillful, and incorporates social and moral issues into his writing without being self-righteous or detracting from the quality of the narrative”Elizabeth Reilly, British Council “The former children's laureate has the happy knack of speaking to both child and adult readers.” Guardian

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Book SynopsisDon’t miss the thrilling new novel from Kate Quinn, The Briar Club, coming July 9th! New York Times and USA Today BestsellerAn NPR''s Best Book of the Year A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick!The 2017 Girly Book Club Book of the Year!A Summer Book Pick from Good Housekeeping, Parade, Library Journal, Goodreads, Liz and Lisa, and BookBubIn this enthralling novel from New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption. 1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being throwTrade Review"This fast-paced story offers courageous heroines, villains you love to hate, and dramatic life-or-death stakes. A compelling blend of historical fiction, mystery, and women's fiction, Quinn's complex story and engaging characters have something to offer just about everyone." -- Library Journal (starred review) "Amazing historical fiction... a must read!" -- Historical Novel Society, Editor's Choice "...Kate Quinn announces herself as one of the best artists of the genre. The plotting is seamless, the pace breathtaking, and the prose is both vivid and laced with just the right amount of details. Fans of historical fiction, spy fiction and thrilling drama will love every moment..." -- BookPage "Lovingly crafted and brimming with details, readers are sure to be held in Quinn's grip watching as the characters evolve. Powerful reading you can't put down!" -- RT Book Reviews (top pick) "Kate Quinn delivers an enthralling tale filled with breath-taking narrative that will make the reader feel as if they're in the back of the roadster, riding along with the raucous Eve and courageous Charlie on their clandestine adventures. Suspenseful and engrossing, THE ALICE NETWORK is a must-read!" -- Heather Webb, Author of Rodin's Lover "Kate Quinn strums the chords of every human emotion with two storylines that race over continents and through decades to converge in one explosive ending." -- Marci Jefferson, author of Enchantress of Paris "The Alice Network... perfectly balances a propulsive plot, faultlessly observed period detail, and a cast of characters so vividly drawn that I half expected to blink and see them standing in front of me. This is historical fiction at its best--thrilling, affecting, revelatory." -- Jennifer Robson, international bestselling author of Moonlight Over Paris "Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!" -- Stephanie Dray, author of America's First Daughter "A powerful story filled with daring and intrigue, The Alice Network will hook readers from the first page and take them on an unforgettable journey." -- Chanel Cleeton, author of Next Year in Havana "Line for line, one of the best books I've read in a long time. Loyal and brave, the women of THE ALICE NETWORK are brilliantly revealed by Kate Quinn's exquisite storytelling and prose. I loved every word! A must read for fans of WWI and WWII fiction." -- Renee Rosen, author of Windy City Blues

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Book SynopsisThe masterful second novel in Pat Barker''s classic ''Regeneration'' trilogy - from the Booker Prize-winning and Women''s Prize-shortlisted author of The Silence of the GirlsWINNER OF THE 1993 GUARDIAN FICTION PRIZE''Spellbinding and startlingly original'' Sunday Telegraph''Gripping, moving, profoundly intelligent'' Independent on Sunday''A new vision of what the First World War did to human beings, male and female, soldiers and civilians'' A. S. Byatt, Daily TelegraphLondon, 1918. Billy Prior is working for Intelligence in the Ministry of Munitions. But his private encounters with women and men - pacifists, objectors, homosexuals - conflict with his duties as a soldier, and it is not long before his sense of himself fragments and breaks down. Forced to consult the man who helped him before - army psychiatrist William Rivers - Prior must confront his inability to be the dutiful soldier his superTrade ReviewGripping, moving, beautifully constrcted and profoundly intelligent Independent on Sunday

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Book SynopsisA young sailor with the weight of the world on his shoulders, a brother in the line of fire, and the greatest naval battle of all time…Jutland, 1916: In the icy waters of the North Sea, the Royal Navy awaits the challenge of the Kaiser’s High Sea Fleet.Sub-lieutenant Nick Everard could never have imagined the terror he would face as his destroyer races to launch its torpedoes into the blazing guns of a horizon obscured by dreadnoughts.But when the steering-gear on HMS Warspite jams, it is up to Nick, along with his brother, Hugh, to save thousands of lives.Dramatic, action-packed and brimming with suspense, The Blooding of the Guns launches the epic career of Nicholas Everard, and is perfect for fans of C. S. Forrester, Max Hennessy and Alan Evans.Praise for Alexander Fullerton‘The most meticulously researched war novels that I have ever read’ Len Deighton‘His action passages are superb and he never puts a period foot wrong’ Observer‘The research is unimpeachable and the scent of battle quite overwhelming’ Sunday Times

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Book Synopsis'An enjoyable page-turning saga with characters that leap off the page!' AnneMarie BrearCan Edie find the courage to choose her own future?June 1914. Edie Moore is a Governess for Lord and Lady Moreland, living in comfort at the grand Downland House in Sussex. But, wanting more from life, she flees in secret to Littlehampton, the place where she spent many idyllic childhood holidays.Desperate for work, Edie begins working as a chambermaid at the prestigious Beach Hotel, even if the menial tasks are a far cry from her previous job.While the days are long and gruelling, Edie works hard and soon is in favour with Helen Bygrove, the manager’s wife, who sees that Edie is destined for bigger things – which leads to tension with some of the other chambermaids.But as she navigates her new life and finds friendship with fellow maid Lili Probert, she also grows closer to charming, cheerful porter, Charlie Cobbett, and finally finds the happiness she has been searching for. However, what none of her new friends know is that Edie is hiding a secret from her past, one that would change the way they view her, forever. When the truth comes out, will Edie be able to keep her new life and remain in the place she loves so much?A captivating, romantic and moving World War 1 saga that fans of Elaine Roberts and Pam Howes won’t be able to put down. Readers are falling in love with A New Start at the Beach Hotel:‘Brilliant storyline, brilliant book. Couldn’t put it down. Family saga at its best’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Well, what a start to a new series! Full of intrigue and subterfuge, no one is who they at first appear. There are many secrets to be uncovered…I loved this book, even when I got to the end as I felt safe in the knowledge that there would be another to follow’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Charming … I was very invested in the story … and this book felt like an escape …The story was heartwarming, and I would like to read the sequel…’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘I loved this enchanting read … could not put it down…’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Having enjoyed this author's previous series, I was looking forward to this new one … the mystery … slowly unravelled to satisfying conclusions. … I look forward to book two.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m pleased to learn that there will be another book later this year… There are some great characters… I’m glad there is more to come from the Beach Hotel…’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

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Book SynopsisBY THE WINNER OF THE 2021 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL FICTION LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 WALTER SCOTT PRIZE ‘Riveting and heartbreaking ... A compelling novel, one that gathers close all those who were meant to be forgotten, and refuses their erasure’ Maaza Mengiste, Guardian ‘A brilliant and important book for our times, by a wondrous writer’ Philippe Sands, New Statesman, Books of the Year _______________ While he was still a little boy, Ilyas was stolen from his parents by the German colonial troops. After years away, fighting in a war against his own people, he returns to his village to find his parents gone, and his sister Afiya given away. Another young man returns at the same time. Hamza was not stolen for the war, but sold into it; he has grown up at the right hand of an officer whose protection has marked him life. With nothing but the clothes on his back, he seeks only work and security – and the love of the beautiful Afiya. As fate knots these young people together, as they live and work and fall in love, the shadow of a new war on another continent lengthens and darkens, ready to snatch them up and carry them away… _______________ ‘One of the world’s most prominent postcolonial writers … He has consistently and with great compassion penetrated the effects of colonialism in East Africa and its effects on the lives of uprooted and migrating individuals’ Anders Olsson, chairman of the Nobel Committee ‘In book after book, he guides us through seismic historic moments and devastating societal ruptures while gently outlining what it is that keeps those families, friendships and loving spaces intact, if not fully whole’ Maaza Mengiste ‘Rarely in a lifetime can you open a book and find that reading it encapsulates the enchanting qualities of a love affair ... One scarcely dares breathe while reading it for fear of breaking the enchantment’ The TimesTrade ReviewAn aural archive of a lost Africa ... alive with the unexpected. In it, an obliterated world is enthrallingly retrieved * Sunday Times *From the first assured pages of Afterlives, a book of quiet beauty and tragedy, it is clear one is in the hands of a master storyteller * Financial Times *A tender account of the extraordinariness of ordinary lives, Afterlives combines entrancing storytelling with writing whose exquisite emotional precision confirms Gurnah’s place among the outstanding stylists of modern English prose. Like its predecessors, this is a novel that demands to be read and reread, for its humour, generosity of spirit and clear-sighted vision of the infinite contradictions of human nature * Evening Standard *Riveting and heartbreaking ... A compelling novel, one that gathers close all those who were meant to be forgotten, and refuses their erasure. -- Maaza Mengiste * Guardian *In clean, measured prose, Gurnah zooms in on individual acts of violence ... and unexpected acts of kindness. Affecting in its ordinariness, Afterlives is a compelling exploration of the urge to find places of sanctuary * Daily Telegraph *A remarkable novel, by a wondrous writer, deeply compelling, a thread that links our humanity with the colonial legacy that lies beneath, in ways that cut deep -- Philippe SandsTo read Afterlives is to be returned to the joy of storytelling as Abdulrazak Gurnah takes us to the place where imagined lives collide with history. In prose as clear and as rhythmic as the waters of the Indian Ocean, the story of Hamza and Afiya is one of simple lives buffeted by colonial ambitions, of the courage it takes to endure, to hold oneself with dignity, and to live with hope in the heart -- Aminatta FornaEffortlessly compelling storytelling ... Gurnah excels at depicting the lives of those made small by cruelty and injustice ... A beautiful, cruel world of bittersweet encounters and pockets of compassion, twists of fate and fluctuating fortunes ... You forget that you are reading fiction, it feels so real -- Leila AboulelaGurnah is a master storyteller -- Aminatta Forna * Financial Times *As beautifully written and pleasurable as anything I've read ... The work of a maestro * Guardian *Rarely in a lifetime can you open a book and find that reading it encapsulates the enchanting qualities of a love affair ... one scarcely dares breathe while reading it for fear of breaking the enchantment * The Times *Many layered, violent, beautiful and strange ... a poetic and vividly conjured book about Africa and the brooding power of the unknown * Independent on Sunday *A powerfully evocative oeuvre that keeps coming back to the same questions, in spare, graceful prose, about the ties that bind and the ties that fray * Daily Telegraph *A vibrant and vivid novel which shows human beings in all their generosity and greed, pettiness and nobility, so that even minor characters seem capable of carrying entire novels all by themselves * Herald *Abdulrazak Gurnah is a master of his craft ... An intricate, delicate novel, vitally necessary * New Internationalist *

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Book Synopsis* TOLKIEN * Now a major motion pictureAcclaimed as the best book about Tolkien', this award-winning biography explores J.R.R. Tolkien's wartime experiences and their impact on his life and his writing of The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings.To be caught in youth by 1914 was no less hideous an experience than in 1939 by 1918 all but one of my close friends were dead.So J.R.R. Tolkien responded to critics who saw The Lord of the Rings as a reaction to the Second World War. Tolkien and the Great War tells for the first time the full story of how he embarked on the creation of Middle-earth in his youth as the world around him was plunged into catastrophe. This biography reveals the horror and heroism that he experienced as a signals officer in the Battle of the Somme and introduces the circle of friends who spurred his mythology to life. It shows how, after two of these brilliant young men were killed, Tolkien pursued the dream they had all shared by launching his epic of good and evil.JoTrade Review"Very much the best book about JRR Tolkien that has yet been written. Even if you are not a Lord of the Rings fan, I commend this book to you. It is all so interesting in itself, and I have rarely read a book which so intelligently graphed the relation between a writer's inner life and his outward circumstances."A.N.Wilson, Evening Standard “A highly intelligent book exploring Tolkien’s personal experience of the First World War… Garth displays impressive skills both as a researcher and writer.” Max Hastings “Garth’s brilliantly argued study convincinly portrays Tolkien in an entirely different leagues from other, more familiar writers on war.” Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisWilliam Somerset Maugham was born in 1874 and lived in Paris until he was ten. He was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and at Heidelberg University. He spent some time at St. Thomas' Hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth, published in 1897, won him over to literature. Of Human Bondage, the first of his masterpieces, came out in 1915, and with the publication in 1919 of The Moon and Sixpence his reputation as a novelist was established. At the same time his fame as a successful playwright and writer was being consolidated with acclaimed productions of various plays and the publication of several short story collections. His other works include travel books, essays, criticism and the autobiographical The Summing Up and A Writer's Notebook. In 1927 Somerset Maugham settled in the South of France and lived there until his death in 1965Trade ReviewThe most persuasive espionage fiction * New York Times *The first spy story written by someone who had been there and done that. A humane and compassionate antidote to two-fisted, square-jawed heroes battling dastardly foreigners. The head of British Intelligence is known only as "R", anticipating James Bond's "M" by a quarter of a century * The Times *Thoughtful spy novels began with Somerset Maugham's Ashenden, featuring a detached hero on a journey to disillusion, a process brought to its apotheosis by le Carre via Greene * Daily Telegraph *A collection of stories so accurate that Churchill ordered the destruction of 14 of them, while Russian intelligence immediately set up a special unit to read British spy novels for clues * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisThe modern classic of contemporary war fiction from Women''s Prize-shortlisted author of The Silence of the Girls, Regeneration is a powerfully moving portrait of the deep legacy of human trauma in the First World War. RECOMMENDED BY RICHARD OSMANCraiglockhart War Hospital, Scotland, 1917, and army psychiatrist William Rivers is treating shell-shocked soldiers. Under his care are the poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, as well as mute Billy Prior, who is only able to communicate by means of pencil and paper. Rivers''s job is to make the men in his charge healthy enough to fight. Yet the closer he gets to mending his patients'' minds the harder becomes every decision to send them back to the horrors of the front. Pat Barker''s Regeneration is the classic exploration of how the traumas of war brutalised a generation of young men.''Brilliant, intense and subtle'' Peter Kemp, Sunday Times''One of the strongest and most interesting novelists of her generation'' Guardian''Unforgettable'' Sunday TelegraphThe Regeneration trilogy:RegenerationThe Eye in the DoorThe Ghost RoadTrade ReviewA brilliant novel. Intense and subtle -- Peter Kemp Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisReissue to follow up publication of Paul Bailey’s new novel Kitty and Virgil. Two of his previous novels ‘Peter Smart’s Confessions’ and ‘Gabriel’s Lament’, were shortlisted for the Booker Prize. First published in 1980, Old Soldiers is Bailey’s most elegantly simple and perhaps most moving novel. The eponymous soldiers are two old men who (as his own father had been) are still haunted by First World War memories. Victor Harker – a survivor from the Somme, dazed with grief after his wife’s recent death – gets entangled with another man, who splits himself into an ‘unholy trinity’ of parts; by turns a military man, a tramp and a poet, he performs each part enthusiastically, with a loving attention to verisimilitude. It’s only at the end that we glimpse the sixty-year-old shame and grief which he has wasted a life time denying.

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Book SynopsisWill Ella ever find what she's looking for?Voluntary nurse Ella is haunted by the soldiers' cries she hears on the battlefields of Dieppe. But that’s not the only thing that haunts her. When her dear friend Jim breaks her trust, Ella is left bruised and heartbroken. Over the years, her friendships have been pulled apart at the seams by the effects of war. Now, more than ever, she feels so alone. At a military hospital in France, Ella befriends Connie and Paddy. Slowly she begins to heal, and finds comfort in the arms of a French officer called Paulo – could he be her salvation?With the end of the war on the horizon, surely things have to get better? Ella grew up not knowing her real family but a clue leads her in their direction. What did happen to Ella’s parents, and why is she so desperate to find out?The Abandoned Daughter by Mary Wood is the second book in The Girls Who Went To War series.Trade ReviewWood is a born storyteller * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisThe Orphanage Girls come back together in The Orphanage Girls Reunited, the second installment of a moving wartime saga set in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Jam Factory Girls, Mary Wood.EllenAbandoned by her father for the second time, left scarred from the orphanage, Ellen finally finds happiness and hope – reunited with her long-lost gran. But it cannot compensate for being torn apart from her beloved friends Ruth and Amy. When a devastating encounter leaves Ellen broken and desperate, she is forced to fight her past demons.Ruth Ruth has found peace, building a new life as an actress and surrounded by new friends. But still she longs to be with Ellen and Amy, after everything they endured together in the orphanage. Amy was shipped to Canada with hundreds of other orphans – what hope have they of finding her?One wish comes true when Ruth’s acting career leads her to Ellen. No sooner than has the dust settled, war is on the horizon. Friendship locked them into each other’s her hearts forever.Will they find Amy? Can the Orphanage Girls ever unite?Trade ReviewWood is a born storyteller * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisFirst published privately in 1929 as The Middle Parts of Fortune, Her Privates We is the novel of the Battle of the Somme told from the perspective of Bourne, an ordinary private. A raw and shockingly honest portrait of men engaged in war, 'that peculiarly human activity', the original edition was subject to 'prunings and excisions' because the bluntness of language was thought to make the book unfit for public distribution. This edition restores them. An undisputed classic of war writing and a lasting tribute to all who participated in the war, Her Privates We was originally published as written by 'Private 19022'. Championed by Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, TS Eliot and TE Lawrence, it has become recognised as a classic in the seventy years since its first publication. Now republished, with an introduction by William Boyd, it will again amaze a new generation of readers with its depiction of the horror, the ordinariness and the humanity of war.Trade Review[I read Her Privates We] every year to remember how things really were so that I will never lie to myself or anyone else about them -- Ernest HemingwayOne of the very best writers we have -- T. S. EliotThe book of books as far as the British army is concerned -- TE LawrenceThe best of our war novels -- E. M. ForsterManning's masterpiece ... incredibly moving and revelatory -- Gabriel Byrne * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisCentral Africa, 1914; Rose Sayer, a thirty-three year-old English woman, is left alone when her missionary brother dies. Her only route out is aboard The African Queen, a steam-powered launch captained by Cockney mechanic, Charlie Alnutt. Determined to do her bit for the war effort and to avenge her brother, Rose persuades Charlie that they should attack the German gunboat, the Königin Luise. And so begins a most unlikely alliance and love affair, as Charlie and Rose venture down the treacherous Ulanga river encountering danger and adventure at every turn.This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The African Queen by C. S. Forester features an introduction by the award-winning author and journalist, Giles Foden.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

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Book SynopsisAn epic, heart-wrenching follow-on from E. Nesbit's Five Children and It stories. The five children have grown up and World War I has begun in earnest. Cyril is off to fight, Anthea is at art college, Robert is a Cambridge scholar and Jane is at high school. The Lamb is the grown up age of 11, and he has a little sister, Edith, in tow. The sand fairy has become a creature of stories ... until, for the first time in 10 years, he suddenly reappears. The siblings are pleased to have something to take their minds off the war, but this time the Psammead is here for a reason, and his magic might have a more serious purpose. Before this last adventure ends, all will be changed, and the two younger children will have seen the Great War from every possible viewpoint - factory-workers, soldiers, nurses and ambulance drivers, and the people left at home, and the war's impact will be felt right at the heart of their family.

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Book SynopsisA country houseA murderA Belgian detectiveAfter the Great War, life can never be the same again.Captain Arthur Hastings is invited to Styles To recuperate from injuries sustained at the Front. It is the last place he expects to encounter murder.Fortunately he knows a former detective, a Belgian refugee, who happens to be staying nearby . . .Here, for the first time, meet Agatha Christie's legendary creation: Hercule PoirotTrade Review‘Almost too ingenious … very clearly and brightly told.’Times Literary Supplement ‘Very well contrived.’Sunday Times ‘Altogether a skilful tale and a talented first book.’Daily News ‘The most ingenious and absorbingly interesting tale of sensations and mystery we have read for a long time.’Bookman ‘Well written, well proportioned, and full of surprises. Lovers of good stories will, without exception, rejoice in this book.’The British Weekly

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Book SynopsisThe Booker Prize-winning final novel in Pat Barker''s classic ''Regeneration'' trilogy - from the acclaimed author of The Silence of the Girls''An extraordinary tour de force. One of the few real masterpieces of late twentieth-century British fiction'' Jonathan Coe''Powerful, deeply moving... A triumph'' Sunday Times''Harrowing, original, unforgettable'' Independent1918, the closing months of the war. Army psychiatrist William Rivers is increasingly concerned for the men who have been in his care - particularly Billy Prior, who is about to return to combat in France with young poet Wilfred Owen. As Rivers tries to make sense of what, if anything, he has done to help these injured men, Prior and Owen await the final battles in a war that has decimated a generation. The Ghost Road is a vivid and unforgettable account of the devastating final months of the First World War.The Regeneration TrilTrade ReviewAn extraordinary tour de force. I'm convinced that the trilogy will win recognition as one of the few real masterpieces of late 20th-century British fiction Jonathan Coe

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Book SynopsisAndrew Knighton was born in Nottingham in 1978 and grew up on the edge of Norwich, a city whose rich medieval heritage fostered his fascination with the past. He studied history at Durham University, with a focus on medieval warfare, before spending a decade working in office jobs and briefly as a teacher. Along the way, he started writing and publishing short stories. In 2013, he quit a life of spreadsheets and meetings to strike out on his own as a freelance writer, with a focus on business writing and ghostwritten books for digital publishers. He's written articles and video scripts on history for resource sites such as History.com and War History Online.Andrew's fiction is a mixture of fantasy, science fiction, and historical settings. His published work includes over seventy short stories, two novellas, and an alternate history military thriller, The Bear's Claws, co-written with Russell Phillips. Andrew's comic career began when he entered Top Cow's 2013 talent hunt. Since then, he's written for Top Cow and Commando, with Commando scripts stretching across a thousand years of history, from the Battle of Hastings to Vietnam and The Falklands War.Mike Dorey worked for DC Thomson and IPC in the 1970s, '80s and '90s. He is an artist with a dark, textured style who pencils, inks, colours and sometimes adds lettering to his illustrations. His first regular strip for DC Thomson was in Diana and after a short while, he was asked to do a story for The Victor. The choice was either The Pillow Champ, Is it Cricket? or Cadman which was his first war story of which he has drawn in excess of 800 pages. Tough of the Track and Morgyn the Mighty followed. In Warlord, Dorey drew Wolverine, Cassidy, Iron Annie, Sergeant Rayker. The Fighting Condor, Kampfgruppe Falken and Codename: Warlord.Dorey also worked on Buddy, Scream, Champ and Bullet, drawing The Wolf of Kabul, A Ghastly Tale, The Sinister World of Mr Pendragon, Fireball, Head-Hunter of the Galaxy, Toro Space Samurai, Mantracker and Striker's Squadron, as well as Hard Mercy from Mandy and numerous strips in Debbie and Diana.Dorey also has worked for DC Thomson's competitors Action and later in Battle / Action comics. In the early years of 2000 AD, Dorey illustrated the Rogue Trooper, Ro-busters, Ro-Jaws, Psi-Testers, ABC Warriors, M.A.C.H. 1, Tharg's Future Shocks, and Time Twisters.In the '90s Mike did a number of covers for Commando and is now enjoying drawing complete stories, some featuring his old friend Cadman.After 30 years in TV and film storyboarding, Mike has now happily returned to working in comics.

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Book SynopsisFrom the Booker Prize-winning and Women''s Prize-shortlisted author of The Silence of the Girls The second novel in Pat Barker''s acclaimed ''Life Class'' trilogy - a dark and compelling examination of desire, friendship and the horror of war, from one of our greatest writers on war and the human heart''Heart-rending... Toby''s Room anatomises a world where extreme emotion shatters the boundaries of identity, behaviour, gender'' Independent''Once again Barker skilfully moves between past and present, seamlessly weaving fact and fiction into a gripping narrative'' Sunday TelegraphWhen Toby is reported ''Missing, Believed Killed'', another secret casts a lengthening shadow over Elinor''s world: how exactly did Toby die - and why? Elinor determines to uncover the truth. Only then can she finally close the door to Toby''s room. Moving from the Slade School of Art to Queen Mary''s Hospital, where surgery and art intersectTrade ReviewPraise for Toby's Room:"Barker...has pursued [World War I] through a remarkable series of novels: the much-admired "Regeneration" trilogy...Life Class and now Toby's Room.... [T]hese novels go far beyond a demonstration of the powers of the historical imagination. Like most good works of fiction, they’re not so much about the events they depict as about the resonance of those events, the way certain actions ripple through people’s lives.... Toby's Room takes large risks. It’s dark, painful and indelibly grotesque, yet it is also tender. It strains its own narrative control to create in the midst of an ordinary life a kind of deformed reality—precisely to illustrate how everything we call ‘ordinary’ is disfigured by war. And it succeeds brilliantly."— John Vernon, New York Times Book Review"[T]he writing is lucid and often beautiful."—Thom Geier, Entertainment Weekly"A tantalizing and moving return to wartime London."—Joanna Scutts, Washington Post"You get a glimpse inside Toby’s room in Pat Barker’s poignant novel of the same name, but what you remember are three real and very different English landmarks — the Slade, London’s prestigious art academy; Cafe Royal, frequented by the likes of Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill and Virginia Woolf; and the Queen’s Hospital, opened in 1917 to serve injured British soldiers in need of facial reconstruction.... No one evokes England in all its stiff-upper-lip gritty wartime privation like Barker. She is as uncompromising as Henry Tonks, as determined to render an honest portrayal of war. She will not allow us to sweep it out of sight.... [She] sets the bar high."—Ellen Kanner, Miami Herald"Haunting and complicated sibling love is at the heart of Pat Barker's Great War novel.... [T]he precision of Ms. Barker's writing shows her again to be one of the finest chroniclers of both the physical and psychological disfigurements exacted by the First World War."—Wall Street Journal"Barker deftly fused fact and fiction in her hugely impressive "Regeneration Trilogy" by turning the war poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen into integral characters. She continues this blending in Toby's Room.... [It] is in many ways Barker's most ambitious novel to date.... As ever, the war scenes, and the accounts of the broken men who inhabit them, are, by turn, gripping and unsettling. However, in with the carnage and the trauma are those expert passages on art as something both reflective and redemptive. This is a powerful book that chronicles in various ingenious ways, and from certain unique perspectives, 'the poignancy of a young life cut short.'"—Malcolm Forbes, San Francisco Chronicle"A Pat Barker novel…is a novel that deals in some way with the horrors of World War One, and it’s a also a novel about art, but mostly it’s a novel about how art attempts to depict the horrors of World War One. And this is how a Pat Barker novel attempts to depict the horrors of World War One: bluntly."—Brock Clark, Boston Globe"[A]lthough Toby’s Room is not billed as a prequel or sequel to Life Class and the reader need not be familiar with that novel in order to get to grips with this... [t]hose who do know Barker’s previous work will be struck by recurrences and continuations in this novel not only of events in Life Class, but in Regeneration, too.... [Barker's] prose remains fresh, humanely business-like, crisp and unsentimental. Images are scrupulously vivid, and the plot has real momentum."—Freya Johnston, Telegraph (London)"A driving storyline and a clear eye, steadily facing the history of our world.... For Barker, the wounded faces of the soldier-victims are realities, and also emblems of what must never be forgotten or evaded about war, and must continue – in her plain, steady, compelling voice – to be turned into art."—Hermione Lee, Guardian (London)Praise for Life Class“Beautiful and evocative . . . A coming-of-age story that transcends the individual and gestures to the fate of a generation.”—People“Life Class possesses organic power and narrative sweep . . . Barker conjures up the hellish terrors of war and its fallout with meticulous precision.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times“Here, as in her best fiction, Barker unveils psychologically rich characters . . . and resists the trappings of a neat love story, reminding us once again that in art and life we remain infinitely mysterious.”—San Francisco ChroniclePraise for the Regeneration Trilogy“A masterwork . . . complex and ambitious.”—The New York Times Book Review“It has been Pat Barker’s accomplishment to enlarge the scope of the contemporary English novel.”—The New Yorker“A literary achievement . . . remarkable.”—San Francisco Chronicle“Some of the most powerful antiwar writing in modern fiction.”— The Boston Globe

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Book SynopsisIn 1918 Ernest Hemingway went to war, to the ''war to end all wars''. He volunteered for ambulance service in Italy, was wounded and twice decorated. Out of his experiences came his early masterpiece, A Farewell to Arms. In an unforgettable depiction of war, Hemingway recreates the fear, the comradeship, the courage of his young American volunteers and the men and women he encounters along the way with conviction and brutal honesty. A love story of immense drama and uncompromising passion, A Farewell to Arms offers a unique and unflinching view of the world and people, by the winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature.Trade ReviewFlawless... such mastery of narrative, imagery and feeling, the prerequisites for great prose * Guardian *It seems such simple and straightforward language, but it isn't. The first chapter of A Farewell to Arms is only two and a bit pages but there is almost every variety of sentence structure. It is incredibly artful writing, and part of the art is disguising that it is artful * Guardian *There is something so complete in Mr. Hemingway's achievement in A Farewell to Arms that one is left speculating as to whether another novel will follow in this manner, and whether it does not complete both a period and a phase...crisply natural and convincing * Guardian, 1929 *A novel of great power * Times Literary Supplement *Essential Hemingway...a gripping account of the life of an American volunteer in the Italian army and a poignant love story * Daily Express *

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Book Synopsis''A thoughtful and subtle historical romance with lots of brains and lots of heart.'' Kate Forsyth1917, Italy. Rebecca Quinn is an unconventional woman. At the height of World War I, she has given up the safety of her Sydney home for the bloody battlefields of Europe, following her journalist husband to the frontline as a war correspondent in Italy.Reporting the horrors of the Italian campaign, Rebecca finds herself thrown together with American-born Italian photographer Alessandro Panucci, and soon discovers another battleground every bit as dangerous and unpredictable: the human heart.Trade ReviewHart has a real talent for writing strong female leads who reflect the nature of their time in such a honest and breathtaking way * The Never Ending Bookshelf *The ending is unexpected, but A Letter from Italy by award-winning author Pamela Hart is sure to please. The narrative flows easily, the descriptions and characters are engaging and the plot has the perfect amount of tension * Starts at Sixty *Pamela Hart makes the details of daily life shimmer and pierces our hearts with a love story that carries the weight of sacrifice * iBooks on The Soldier's Wife *Evokes WWI Sydney to the point where the reader can almost feel the salty wind blowing off the harbour as the troops are shipped out through the Heads * Books+Publishing on The Soldier's Wife *Deeply insightful into the lives of the women left behind in Sydney. We fell in love with the headstrong heroine Ruby. We can almost feel her longing, as well as the frustrating injustice she faces with the social pressures placed on a young woman moving into new times. Hart skilfully builds up suspense in this poignant novel and its dramatic conclusion is breathtaking * Better Reading on The War Bride *A delightful romance that you could really get lost in * 100% Rock Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe Booker-shortlisted Royal Flying Corps classic, reissued for the 50th Anniversary of its first publicationWith an Introduction by James Holland and an Afterword by Mike Petty"Robinson is probably the best novelist ever to write about fighter combat: surprising, hyper-realistic and very, very dark" Spectator World War One pilots were the knights of the sky, and the press and public idolised them as gallant young heroes. At just twenty-three, Major Stanley Woolley is the old man and commanding officer of Goshawk Squadron. He abhors any notion of chivalry in the clouds and is determined to obliterate the decent, gentlemanly outlook of his young, public school-educated pilots - for their own good. But as the war goes on he is forced to throw greener and greener pilots into the meat grinder. Goshawk Squadron finds its gallows humour and black camaraderie no defence against a Spandau bullet to the back of the head.Trade ReviewFit to sit on the same shelf as Waugh and Heller... Robinson's recreation of the exhausted savagery of 1918 is truly shocking... the descriptions of flying are brilliantly vertiginous; nobody puts you in the cockpit like Robinson. -- Mike Petty * Slightly Foxed. *The most readable novel of the year . . . I laughed aloud, several times. And was, in the end, reduced to tears. -- Nina BawdenGoshawk Squadron has the authoritative ring of a little classic on the subject of war. -- Claire TomalinA bleak and savage book, full of the terror of warfare and shot through with grim humour; a sort of First-World-War Catch-22. -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian. *Robinson has a narrative gift that sets up the hackles of involvement. A rare quality. -- Paul Scott

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Book SynopsisThe touching stories in The Eyes of Asia are narrated through a series of imagined letters penned by four Indian Army soldiers in the blood-drenched battlefields of war-torn Europe and Africa, and makeshift hospitals on England''s coastline, to their loved ones back home in the relative peace of rural British India and the North-West Frontier Province. Kipling brings the experiences of these uneducated Sikh, Hindu and Muslim military men to life, weaving the horrors of a foreign war like no other with acts of kindness arising from cultural encounters with French farmers and British military personnel. Through unofficial access to translations of scores of intercepted Indian Army letters, Kipling gained an intimate understanding of the plight and humanity of men neglected in Western literature after the War. To Kipling, they were unsung heroes whose sacrifices had made a decisive impact on the British war effort.

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Book SynopsisKnown above all for his translations of Proust, Charles Scott Moncrieff also had his own poetry, short stories and war serials regularly published in literary periodicals. Here for the first time is a collection of these, put together with an introduction by Jean Findlay, author Chasing Lost Time – the life of CK Scott Moncrieff, Soldier, Spy and Translator (Chatto and Windus 2014, Vintage 2015, Farrar Straus and Giroux 2015)Trade ReviewTimes Literary Supplement June 18th 2015;It is the season of C. K. Scott Moncrieff. It has been a long season beginning last summer with the publication of Chasing Lost Time a biography of Scott Moncrieff by Jean Findlay, his great-great-niece. CKSM was responsible for a great many translations – in 1926 alone, he published four: three novels by Stendhal and one by Pirandello (Shoot!) – but it is for his rendering of Proust into English that he is best known. Supporters like to invoke Conrad’s remark to the translator, that he was `more interested and fascinated by your rendering than by Proust’s creation.’ …In his TLS review of Ms Findlay’s biography (October 31, 2014), A.N. Wilson complimented CKSM in similar style to Conrad, suggesting that he is `more Proustian than Proust himself.’Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Short Stories 5 Evensonge and Morwesong 7 Mortmain 11 Cousin Fanny and Cousin Annie 16 The Victorians 39 Ant 56 Two Tales 66 The Mouse in the Dovecot 78 War Serials 89 Early Poems 125 War Poems 151 Love and Dedicatory Poems 171 Satirical Verse 189

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Book SynopsisThe second heartwarming book in The Royal Station Master's Daughters series. For readers of Maisie Thomas and Daisy Styles. It is 1917 and Maria has adapted well to her new life on the royal Sandringham estate where she works as a maid in the Big House for Queen Alexandra and is in awe of the many treasures around her. It is two years since she turned up at the royal station master's house to escape her secret past, destitute and with nowhere else to turn. Having proven herself to Harry Saward and his daughters, she is now welcomed by them as one of the family. But when Nellie, a mysterious relative turns up, on the run from the law, Maria's new-found happiness could be under threat. Meanwhile, the impact of World War I is felt deeply in the community as the fate of missing men from the Sandringham Company, who fought in Gallipoli, is still unknown. Harry's daughters pull together to support each other and women on the royal estate as they face their sorrows and challenges. Ada's husband, Alfie, is away fighting on the front line while Beatrice is now a VAD nurse at a cottage hospital. Jessie has become a land army girl, proudly doing a man's job, while pining for her sweetheart Jack. In a community torn apart by loss and tragedy, how will the station master's family survive and find the happiness they're all searching for?The Royal Station Master's Daughters at War is the second book in the WWI saga series, inspired by the Saward family, who ran the station at Wolferton in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through this family we get a glimpse into all walks of life - from royalty to the humblest of soldiers.

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Book SynopsisIn the small hours of January 1st, 1919, the cruellest twist of fate changed at a stroke the lives of an entire community. Tormod Morrison was there that terrible night. He was on board HMY Iolaire when it smashed into rocks and sank, killing some 200 servicemen on the very last leg of their long journey home from war. For Tormod – a man unlike others, with artistry in his fingertips – the disaster would mark him indelibly. Two decades later, Alasdair and Rachel are sent to the windswept Isle of Lewis to live with Tormod in his traditional blackhouse home, a world away from the Glasgow of their earliest years. Their grandfather is kind, compassionate, but still deeply affected by the remarkable true story of the Iolaire shipwreck – by the selfless heroism and desperate tragedy he witnessed. A deeply moving novel about passion constrained, coping with loss and a changing world, As the Women Lay Dreaming explores how a single event can so dramatically impact communities, individuals and, indeed, our very souls.Trade Review“Passionate, atmospheric and evocative.”“A haunting, poignant, meticulously researched novel about the 1919 Iolaire ferry disaster and its effect on the local community. An extraordinary piece of storytelling.”“Atmospheric and evocative… masterful writing.”“A beautifully drawn novel. …Achingly well realised.” -- Roger Hutchinson * West Highland Free Press *"A poignant novel." -- Nicola Sturgeon“A searing poetic meditation on stoicism and loss.” -- Mariella Frostrup * BBC Radio 4 Open Book *“A powerful novel… A poignant exploration of love, loss and survivor’s guilt.” -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *“Triumphant… The writing is breath-taking, poignant and takes great pains to immerse the reader in ideas of trauma, suffering and the shared culture of a grieving generation. [A] rich and lyrical writing style.” Lochaber Life, Book of the Month;“Timely, clever, evocative… Murray has said that this novel took him around sixteen years to complete and on the strength of this poignant offering one hopes we will not have to wait so long for his second.”“A classic bildungsroman… It is that rarity: a work of imagination which reads like experienced truth. It’s the kind of book you want to read again as soon as you finish it, because you know there is so much that will be revealed on that second reading: the kind of novel which can enrich your life.” -- Allan Massie * Scotsman, Best Scottish Books of 2018 *“Murray is an evocative painter of landscapes and a deeply sympathetic writer… This diligently researched book exists principally as a space for forgotten voices to sound, bearing witness not just to this tragedy, but to the terrible cost of World War I itself.” -- Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail *“Beautifully and sensitively told, by one of the great lyrical writers of our time, D S Murray ... [A] brutal reminder of how resilient and tangled are the tentacles of tragedy.” -- Cathy MacDonald[A] tightly structured, time-hopping memoir-but-not-a-memoir… A story spanning 74 years whittled meticulously into shape… Murray pulls off the perfect combination of fact and fiction… [His] assured journey through the disruption, trauma, love and loss threaded unspoken through one Lewis family, with barely a word of the shipwreck, is on every page a novel of the Iolaire disaster. “ -- Catriona Black * Herald and National *“A very special book… a poignant tale of family, love and relationships lived out in the hardest of places… Donald S Murray is superb in bringing his characters to life and making the incidents they encounter feel utterly real.”“Gave me an insight into the Iolaire disaster which no history book could manage… a powerful book…which reveals new layers with every reading. It is history brought to life through fiction, and when it is done in a manner as moving and beautiful as this it is invaluable.” -- Alistair Braidwood * Scots Whay Hae *

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Book SynopsisThe dramatic new Ravenscar novel from the international bestselling author of Woman of Substance.Trade Review Praise for Barbara Taylor Bradford: 'Queen of the genre.' Sunday Times ‘Few novelists are as consummate as Barbara Taylor Bradford at keeping the reader turning the page. She is one of the world’s best at spinning yarns.’ Guardian ‘A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily Mail ‘As romantic and thrilling as the rest’ Independent on Sunday ‘Another great yarn from the ultimate storyteller’ The Sun ‘The storyteller of substance.’ The Times

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Book SynopsisFrom Liverpool’s best-loved author comes a superb novel of loss and grief, love and hope, set on Merseyside in 1920.

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Book SynopsisDon't miss this gripping historical novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Girl From Bletchley Park.A country rebellingIt's 1916 and, as war rages in Europe, Gráinne leaves her job in a department store to join Countess Markiewicz's revolutionary efforts. It is a decision which will change her life forever. A rebellion is brewing, and as Dublin's streets become a battleground, Gráinne soon discovers the personal cost of fighting for what you believe inA forgotten sacrificeDecades on, student Nicky is recovering from a break-up when a research project leads her to her great-grandmother's experiences in revolutionary Ireland. When Nicky finds a long-forgotten handkerchief amongst her great-grandmother's things, it leads to the revelation of a heartbreaking story of tragedy and courage, and those who sacrificed everything for their country.Inspired by a heartbreaking true story, this emotional historical novel will sweep you away to the Emerald Isle. Perfect for fans of Jean GTrade ReviewReaders LOVE The Girl with the Emerald Flag! ‘I LOVED this book!… I was totally engrossed… I'd highly recommend it!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An absolute page turner, it had me gripped and in its spell… From the first page I was absolutely hooked on this book.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant book.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An inspiring coming-of-age story, combined with a fascinating Irish history lesson… Five stars from me.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Outstanding… I loved this from start to finish.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Riveting… I loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Beautifully written… A fabulous read with a teary ending.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a great novel!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book SynopsisAdrienne Chinn is at the height of her storytelling powersan immersive, emotional and highly enjoyable historical novel that takes readers all over the world and keeps them turning the pages' Bookish JottingsThree sisters separated by distance but bound by loveThe Fry sisters enter the Roaring Twenties forever changed by their experiences during the Great War. Now, as each of their lives unfold in different corners of the globe, they come to realise that the most important bond is that of family.Desperate to save the man she loves, Etta leaves behind the life she has made for herself in Capri and enters the decadent world of Parisian society with all its secrets and scandals.Celie's new life on the Canadian prairies brings mixed blessings a daughter to adore, but a husband who isn't the man who holds her heart.In Egypt, Jessie's world is forever changed by a devastating loss.And back in London where each of their adventures began their mother Christina watches as the pieces of her cTrade Review“Just stunning, a sublime tale of secrets, strong women and turbulent times. I absolutely adored it” Clare Marchant, author of The Secrets of Saffron Hall “An emotive and engaging read” Rosanna Ley, author of From Venice with Love “Rich, evocative and utterly immersive, this beautifully written book swept me away” Jenny Ashcroft, author of Meet Me in Bombay “An epic tale of family, tragedy & love… I highly recommend this book!!” Books, Wine, Cats 5* “This story is so sensual and so touching… The sense of suspense makes this story a page turner! Highly recommend this book, especially if you’re looking for a WWII era book without all of the historical stuff” To Read is to Breathe, 5* “I couldn’t put it down. It was not your typical historical novel & I think that’s what I loved about it. Great book!” Dabbookclub, 4* “A book that drew me in from the first pages! The characters come alive, they’re so well written. Fans of historic fiction will love this story. An author to follow” Consumer review, 4*

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Book SynopsisGripping, compelling and beautiful.' Emma Cowell, author of The House in the Olive Grove A secret big enough to destroy the Führer's reputation. . .January 1939:When Katja Heinz secures a job as a typist at Doctor Viktor's clinic, she doesn't expect to be copying top secret medical records from a notebook.At the end of the first world war, Doctor Viktor treated soldiers for psychological disorders. One of the patients was none other than Adolf Hitler. . .The notes in his possession declare Hitler unfit for office a secret that could destroy the Führer's reputation, and change the course of the war if exposed. . .With the notebook hidden in her hat box, Katja and Doctor Viktor travel to Paris. Seeking refuge in the Shakespeare and Company bookshop, they hope to find a publisher brave enough to print the controversial script.But Katja is being watched. Nazi spies in Paris have discovered her plan. They will stop at nothing to destroy the notebook and silence those who know of the secret

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Book SynopsisFrom the critically acclaimed author of The Library of Legends comes a vividly rendered novel set in WWI France about two young women—one Chinese, one French—whose lives intersect with unexpected, potentially dangerous consequences.“East meets West in World War I France.Trade Review"I'm so grateful to Janie Chang for bringing to life a side of the Great War — and France! — that one seldom sees: the Chinese laborers who came over to aid the war effort and the members of the Chinese community in Paris who volunteered as translators. Chang creates a fascinating, immersive story of worlds intertwining, a story of friendship, love, found family, and finding one's own place in a rapidly changing world." — Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author of Band of Sisters and Two Wars and a Wedding “Janie Chang’s beautiful writing will transport you to another time and place with characters you will feel in your soul. The Porcelain Moon is incredibly well researched and sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of the Great War with the struggles of Chinese laborers brought to work in France. Once I started this book, I absolutely could not put it down – I cannot recommend it enough!” — Madeleine Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London and The Librarian Spy “Janie Chang is at the top of her game with her latest, a fascinating, beautifully written novel set during the Great War that explores the forgotten role of Chinese laborers. A story of incredible courage, forbidden love, and the questions surrounding cultural identity, The Porcelain Moon is a heart-rending, thought-provoking addition to the canon of world war fiction.” — Heather Webb, bestselling author of The Next Ship Home and Strangers in the Night “The Porcelain Moon is a vivid, riveting story of a Chinese woman bound by tradition, a Frenchwoman trapped in marriage, and a bright young Chinese man emboldened by his dreams of freedom. Set in Paris during WWI, the novel deftly excavates a piece of forgotten history during which thousands of Chinese men left home and toiled as mechanics, trench diggers, and railway repairers to support their European allies, who regarded them as strangers. Chang's masterfully crafted novel challenges our views of the traditional images of the Chinese, our beliefs about identity, and ultimately, the western opinions that have defined the WWI narrative. Profound and precious, The Porcelain Moon is a novel for anyone who believes they know about history.” — Weina Dai Randel, author of The Last Rose of Shanghai and Night Angels “Captivating from the outset, The Porcelain Moon tells a story of found family and forbidden love, while showcasing the lesser-known contribution of Chinese workers to the Allied cause in WWI. This tender and beautifully written story is Janie Chang at her best!” — Bryn Turnbull, bestselling author of The Last Grand Duchess and The Woman Before Wallis “East meets West in World War I France. In The Porcelain Moon, Janie Chang exhibits her signature trademarks – lyrical prose, deftly-drawn characters, and skillful excavation of little-known history – to give us a rare jewel in a sea of wartime fiction!” — Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye “A compelling storyline with many echoes to the present, thought provoking characters, heartfelt love stories and a fascinating and lesser known chapter of Great War history make The Porcelain Moon the perfect book for both historical fiction fans and readers who may want to dip into the genre for the first time.” — The Nerd Daily “What an immersive historical fiction novel! The Porcelain Moon is a transportive novel that takes you directly to France during World War I. I have read my fair share of books about the great wars, so I enjoyed this refreshing new take by Janie Chang.” — Gloss Book Club “The subtitle of the latest by Chang (The Library of Legends, 2020) leaves out the book’s most interesting and unique aspect, its focus on the contributions of Chinese people to the war effort…Refreshingly, the entwined stories have a happy ending. Readers of Jennifer Chiaverini's Switchboard Soldiers (2022) will appreciate Chang's rich historical detail and strong female characters.” — Booklist “A tribute to the sacrifice of the little-known Chinese Labor Corps in France during WWI, The Porcelain Moon is a heartrending tale of secrets, love, and sacrifice. Expertly crafted, gripping the reader from the first page, Janie Chang delivers another stunning work to her impressive collection. Truly a beautiful tapestry of a book.” — Aimie K. Runyan, bestselling author of The School for German Brides “There are many historical novels that begin in China in 1937 when the Japanese invade, but Janie Chang has found a new and fascinating story to tell about the university students and faculty who trekked hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to escape the Japanese while preserving not just China’s best minds, but also China’s most precious books. I was entranced by the magical spirits, immortals, and fox spirits who accompany them. Janie Chang has beautifully melded history and the spirit world to create an adventurous love story for all of us readers who love books and who, in a perfect world, would do anything to save them.” — Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women, on The Library of Legends “Janie Chang’s The Library of Legends is a delicious mix of history, myth, and romance. Chang deftly intertwines Chinese folklore and historical detail to create a magical, heartfelt read.” — Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Translation and Searching for Sylvie Lee “The Library of Legends is a gorgeous, poetic journey threaded with mist and magic about a group from a Chinese university who take to the road to escape the Japanese invasion of 1937—only to discover that danger stalks them from within. Janie Chang pens pure enchantment!” — Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of Diamond Eye “Chang expertly weaves mysticism and historical details, and sets up a cast of memorable characters. This will charm readers from the very first page.” — Publishers Weekly on The Library of Legends “The Library of Legends is a luminous and enthralling story set during a pivotal period in the making of modern China, and highlights the Chinese determination to preserve their culture by saving precious historical treasures at great sacrifice. The exploits of historical characters and ancient mythological beings are interwoven in a blend of wonder, courage, and suspense.” — Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of The Splendor Before the Dark and Elizabeth I

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A sprawling, ambitious story. The good, the bad, and the ugly sides of war on the homefront are highlighted in this uplifting story." — Kirkus Reviews “An eye-opening and detailed novel about remarkable female soldiers. . . Chiaverini weaves the intersecting threads of these brave women’s lives together, highlighting their deep sense of pride and duty.” — Kirkus Reviews on Switchboard Soldiers “Enchanting…Chiaverini brings her singular characters to life, including real historical figures, as they become united in the quest to serve their country. Fans of historical fiction will be captivated.” — Publishers Weekly on Switchboard Soldiers “So much new information is packed into this story that it becomes the best kind of history lesson…Chiaverini makes it easy to identify with and care about these women… The dangers of war are neatly integrated into daily lives and geographic location, and Chiaverini also addresses gender and race inequities and the insidious dangers of the spread of influenza on overseas troop transport.” — Library Journal (starred review) on Switchboard Soldiers “Chiaverini never loses her focus on her four extraordinarily courageous, resourceful, yet relatable narrators. Chiaverini’s many fans and every historical fiction reader who enjoys strong female characters, will find much to love in this revealing WWII novel.” — Booklist on Resistance Women “Chiaverini offers an intimate and historically sound exploration of the years leading up to and through WWII . . . exceptionally insightful, making for a sweeping and memorable WWII novel.” — Publishers Weekly on Resistance Women

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Book SynopsisA gripping and compelling dual timeline novel about three women who joined the Navy during WWI to become yeomanettes and the impact their choices have on one of their descendants in 1968.1918 - America is at war with Germany, and, for the first time in history, the US Navy has allowed women to join up alongside the men.Trade Review"THE GIRLS IN NAVY BLUE had me smiling from first page to last! When the US Navy admits women to the ranks during World War I, three intrepid yeomanettes answer the call: Blanche the dashing suffragette, Marjory the German immigrant, and Vivian the preacher's daughter on the run from the police. Friendship, duty, and the struggle of making their way in a man's world will bind the three together, and their secrets will resound through the next fifty years--until Blanche's great-niece, reeling from losses and desperate for home, will pick up the pieces. Alix Rickloff pens a lovely coming-of-age tale: brave women making waves in a war-torn world." — Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author “The unforgettable story of the very first women allowed to join the US Navy in World War I, and three friends with private reasons of their own for enlisting—reasons that go well beyond duty and patriotism. The Girls in Navy Blue is an enthralling story about sisterhood, and the secrets we leave behind. A delight from the first page to the last!” — Lecia Cornwall, author of The Woman at the Front "The Girls in Navy Blue is a nostalgic and eye-opening journey into the almost forgotten story of the women who served in the U.S. Navy during World War One. Rickloff has written a riveting reminder that the bonds of found family can be stronger than blood." — Kaia Alderson, author of Sisters in Arms "The Girls in Navy Blue shines a light on the wartime experiences of servicewomen known as “the yeomanettes”, the first women to join the United States Navy. In this compelling story of ground-breaking women and the dangerous secrets they keep, Alix Rickloff brings the past vividly to life." — Christine Wells, author of The Wife's Tale "Alix Rickloff’s THE GIRLS IN NAVY BLUE is a thrilling story showcasing the wartime contribution of a forgotten sisterhood of soldiers: the yeomanettes, brave women who answered the call during the First World War and served their country with dignity and resilience. Pulling together the experiences of three yeomanettes and one of their descendants, Rickloff beautifully depicts how secrets and sisterhood can resonate through the years." — Bryn Turnbull, author of The Woman Before Wallis "This extraordinary novel follows the stories of strong women who undertake struggles and become stronger for it." — Library Journal “In this compelling and heartwarming novel, Alix Rickloff shares with us two women, mother and daughter, whose tragic and triumphant lives intertwine through two world wars. The story pulls us into the universal struggle of all women to find their places in their worlds. I was deeply moved by Secrets of Nanreath Hall.” — Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author “Two women and two wars separated by a generation filled with secrets that kept me turning pages to get to the mysterious truth. At the heart, this is a novel about searching for one’s identity. The vivid writing combined with such an intriguing story make Alix Rickloff an exciting voice in historical fiction.” — Renée Rosen, USA Today bestselling author, on Secrets of Nanreath Hall “Alix Rickloff’s debut is a delight—beautifully written with fascinating characters, rich historical detail and an intriguing family mystery that keeps the pages turning.” — Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author, on Secrets of Nanreath Hall “Telling an elegant tale about a mother and daughter trying to find themselves in the midst of two very different world wars, Alix Rickloff establishes herself as an up-and-coming talent in the historical fiction genre.” — Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author, on Secrets of Nanreath Hall “In this engaging and deftly plotted novel, Alix Rickloff introduces us to two heroines who are emblematic of their time yet also manage to transcend its limitations, and who are so memorable and richly portrayed that they all but leap off the page. I loved Secrets of Nanreath Hall, Alix Rickloff’s first foray into historical fiction, and I eagerly await more from this sensitive and gifted novelist.” — Jennifer Robson, international bestselling author “A wonderful blend of smart writing, memorable characters, and World War II imagery all centered on the hunger each one of us has to give love and receive it. A great read for not only devotees of period fiction, but anyone who craves a well-told story.” — Susan Meissner, author of A Bridge Across the Ocean on The Way to London “The Way to London manages to combine a sense of epic sweep with a very intimate look at one woman’s emotional transformation, as the war drives Lucy Stanhope from Singapore to Cornwall to London--and, finally, to the most difficult destination of all: a sense of her own self and the place she belongs. I didn’t want the journey to end!” — Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author on The Way to London “A gripping page-turner about a sisterhood of trailblazing women, the secrets they kept, and sacrifices they made. Rickloff’s compelling characters come to life off the page and make the reader invested in them until the very end. A fantastic read!” — Laura Kamoie, NYT Bestselling author of MY DEAR HAMILTON “Rickloff delivers an engrossing novel of a young woman’s coming of age. Like all of Rickloff’s novels, the heart of the story is her characters, their emotional growth and strength, blended with wonderful storytelling, descriptions and dialogue that compel readers to believe they are a part of the action.” — RT Book Reviews on The Way to London “Alix Rickloff has penned an entertaining novel…Recommended.” — Historical Novels Review on The Way to London “Featuring a strong heroine and an emotional journey, The Way to London is a beautiful story of love, friendship, and the strength of the human spirit set against the backdrop of the tumultuous events of World War II.” — Chanel Cleeton, author of Next Year in Havana on The Way to London “an emotional and fascinating journey into the hearts of many women. [...] Many will find the soap-opera plotline, likable characters, colorful backdrop and the quest for answers to decades-old questions as much fun as a Downtown Abbey episode.” — RT Book Reviews on Secrets of Nanreath Hall

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“AFTER ANNE, Logan Steiner takes up the tale of the story behind the story—the life story of the brilliant and complex woman who gave the world ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. Steiner writes with evident love for her character, an impressive command of the history, and lush language that conjures the gentle sunshine and floral scented breezes of Prince Edward Island. Readers will delight in entering Maud’s world and learning of the heart and mind of this heroine.” — Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of THE MAGNIFICENT LIVES OF MARJORIE POST “AFTER ANNE is imbued with the love of an author for her character — both on and off the page. Logan Steiner made me want to scurry right back to revisit the Anne of Green Gables books, as well as delve into every one of L.M. Montgomery’s journals.” — Sarah Miller, author of MARMEE “After Anne is the never-told story behind one of literature’s most enduring characters. Logan Steiner’s beautifully written tale of the triumphs and tragedies of L. Maud Montgomery is a captivating read for anyone who grew up wishing they could adventure around Avonlea with Anne of Green Gables.” — Sarah James, internationally bestseller author of The Woman with Two Shadows In this outstanding debut, Logan Steiner delivers a moving, richly detailed and nuanced portrayal of a deeply fascinating woman. Steiner, with a loving hand, lifts the veil of L.M. Montgomery to give us a glimpse of Maud, her strength, her struggles, her quiet courage navigating life as both an ambitious author and a loving friend, wife and mother. Steiner’s extensive research is evident not only in the facts but in the complex emotional tapestry she weaves. Anne of Green Gables fans will sure to delight in this book, but so will any fans of interesting, complicated and clever women. — Brianna Labuskes, author of THE LIBRARIAN OF BURNED BOOKS This debut is unexpected in all the best ways. It is a book for everyone. The writing is deep and powerful, charming and moving. I found myself highlighting a sentence on nearly every page, knowing I would go back to reread and apply the words to my own life. Steiner understood Maud’s voice and executed it beautifully. She created a world that intertwined fact and fiction in a way that I believe Lucy Maud Montgomery herself would proud of. — Ali Dean, USA Today bestselling author After Anne is a deeply thoughtful and moving novel about Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author whose imagination and ambition created the unforgettable Anne of Green Gables. With extensive research, compassion and honesty, Steiner paints a nuanced portrait of a woman who triumphed in her professional life despite deeply personal struggles and in a society that expected so much less than she longed to give. A tragic story that also manages to inspire and uplift as we root for Montgomery and celebrate her beloved place in literature. — Melissa Payne, bestselling author of A Light in the Forest An exquisite tribute to Lucy Maud Montgomery, the revered author who gave us so much scope for imagination. After Anne is for fans who long to know the woman behind Anne Shirley's story. Get ready, this book will break your heart in the most splendid ways. — Sarah McCoy, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Marilla of Green Gables

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