A heartland World War II family drama centring around the Castell family from acclaimed WW2 historian James Holland

'A beautiful, evocative novel that captures the fear and mood of the early days of the war' Dermot O'Leary 'The depth and breadth of Holland's knowledge is evident in the vivid portrayal of all the varied theatres of conflict' The Times

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A Times 2024 Best Summer Read

The village of Alvesdon has been home to the Castells for generations. But the year is 1939 and the peace and tranquillity there is about to be shattered once more by the stormclouds of war in Europe. As three generations of the family gather, they must all face the prospect of their lives being transformed beyond recognition the moment Britain declares war on Germany.

When the inevitable happens and Britain finds itself at war, the younger members of the family and farm workers are called up to fight and those who remain must battle to keep the home fires burning and the farm afloat. The gentle certainties of rural life are replaced by the urgent clamour of war, in the air, at sea and on land, where events unfold with dizzying rapidity and unexpected consequences.

Stretching from the glorious summer of 1939 to the Battle of Britain the following year, acclaimed historian James Holland paints a compelling and immersive fictional portrait of how the war changed everything. For one family and for a community, their way of life can never really be the same again...