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When I Come Home Again

'A page-turning literary gem' THE TIMES, BEST BOOKS OF 2020

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When I Come Home Again

By: Caroline Scott
Narrated by: Chris Harper
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About this listen

 From the highly acclaimed author of The Photographer of the Lost, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick

They need him to remember. He wants to forget.

1918. In the last week of the First World War, a uniformed soldier is arrested in Durham Cathedral. When questioned, it becomes clear that he has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there.

The soldier is given the name Adam and transferred to a rehabilitation home. His doctor James is determined to recover who this man once was. But Adam doesn’t want to remember. Unwilling to relive the trauma of war, Adam has locked his memory away, seemingly for good.

When a newspaper publishes a feature about Adam, three women come forward, each claiming that he is someone she lost in the war. But does he believe any of these women? Or is there another family out there waiting for him to come home?

Based on true events, When I Come Home Again is a deeply moving and powerful story of a nation’s outpouring of grief, and the search for hope in the aftermath of war. 20th Century Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Military World War I Solider War

Critic reviews

‘A superb and quietly devastating novel about grief, hope and the horrific aftershocks of war’ (Antonia Senior)
‘When I Come Home Again is a heartbreaking read which reveals the far-reaching tragedies of war. My heart ached for the three women and for Adam… I highly recommend it – and I very much look forward to Caroline Scott’s next novel’ (Anita Frank, author of The Lost Ones)
‘Caroline Scott’s quietly devastating second novel insightfully explores the impact of the Great War on returning soldiers and their families… Scott skillfully unspools their heartbreaking stories while uncovering Adam’s secrets and the source of his fear’
‘A powerful story that’s achingly moving and most beautifully written. Readers of Maggie O’Farrell and Helen Dunmore are likely to enjoy When I Come Home Again’ (Rachel Hore, author of The Love Child)
‘When a WWI soldier with complete memory loss is discovered in Durham cathedral, more than one woman steps forward to claim him as her own. But the past is a place he has shut away, and in this powerful psychological novel, Scott explores the mental health of everyone involved in the soldier’s life. A carefully, nuanced, complex story’
'I absolutely loved it. It was page turning, mysterious, engrossing and compelling. I thought so many times I had it all figured out and I was wrong every time. I couldn’t get to the end fast enough and finished it at 1 am feeling bereft' (Lorna Cook, author of The Forbidden Promise)
'Wonderful and evocative . . . it was immediately intriguing and had the ring of truth. But what I realised . . . is that it is so much more subtle and complex than being just the journey to discover who Adam really is. It is not only about memory and identity, it's about the repercussions and tragedy of war, reaching out across vast swathes of society'
(Suzanne Goldring, author of Burning Island)
'Captivating, heart-breaking and uplifting. This beautiful and moving book drew me in from the first line and held me enthralled until the very end' (Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker's Gift)
‘A haunting novel with loss at its heart - the loss of self, loved ones and the lives that should have been. Caroline Scott evokes the damage and desolation of the Great War with aching authenticity, and her writing is exquisite' (Iona Grey, author of The Glittering Hour)
‘When I Come Home Again is a compulsive, heart-wrenching read, beautifully and painfully evoking the toxic mix of grief and guilt suffered by survivors and the bereaved following WWI. When a man arrives who cannot remember who he is, three bereaved women genuinely believe him to be their own lost loved one, with devastating consequences’ (Liz Trenow, author of Under a Wartime Sky)
‘A beautifully written novel – immersive, poignant, intricately woven’
(Judith Kinghorn, author of The Echo of Twilight)
All stars
Most relevant
While the ending had some sense of resolution I found much of this story understandably very sad. Like James I wanted to fit the pieces together tidily but life often doesn’t work that way.
The characters felt very real and I will miss them.

A sad reality of post war experience

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A tale of heart wrenching sorrow, hopeful future and remembered past. Beautifully written and narrated, I was sad to reach the end.

A beautiful tale of forgotten past's!

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