Showing titles in 20th Century

London, 1940. Winnie Berry is at the heart of the community in her pub, The Battersea Tavern. Her door is always open to those in need of a cup of tea and sympathy. Winnie's abusive husband has left, and she finds herself foolishly falling in love with black-market trader Harry Hampton. But Harry is married, and Winnie soon finds herself tied up in his web of secrets. Meanwhile Winnie's son is back in London—not to visit his own child, but to charm the latest barmaid at the Battersea Tavern, which will lead to devastating consequences for the family.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER · SOUTHERN INDIE BESTSELLER · A BRENDA NOVAK BOOK GROUP PICK · GLOSS BOOK CLUB PICK · THE GIRLFRIEND BOOK CLUB PICK · A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2025 (SheReads) · Margaret never really meant to start a book club . . . or a feminist revolution, for that matter in this...

Secrets from the past, unravelling in the present… 'A deeply satisfying read – gripping plot, loveable characters, and sumptuous locations, it draws you in and holds your attention until the last word. I loved it.’ SANTA MONTEFIORE 'An intriguing and heart-warming story. I couldn’t put...

Bristol 1938. A shadowy presence overshadows Coronation Close, watching and waiting. Jenny Crawford is the first to notice the stranger and wonders why his attention is fixed on Thelma Dawson’s house. When challenged he makes a hasty retreat. Meanwhile Thelma is having trouble with her precocious daughter Mary who is about to leave school and start work. Mary considers herself an adult but to Thelma she’s still a little girl; an attitude resented by her daughter.

Violet Nash has grown up in the shadows of her father Charlie's shattered dreams. It's been years since he walked away from the battlefields of France, a WWI hero but his heart in tatters, only to see it broken all over again in the worst way possible. In search of a new beginning, they set sail for Tasmania, Australia, to fulfill his dream of setting up a whisky distillery. Violet shows a rare talent for the fine art of distilling and blending and plans to follow in his footsteps.

Midsommer meets All Quiet on the Western Front in this masterful blend of mystery, adventure, and folk-horror. In the midst of the First World War, a handful of allied POWs escape the torments of Germany’s most brutal internment camp only to find themselves stranded deep in the merciless wilderness of the Alps. The locals there are odd, and their traditions ancient. With hushed voices they whisper of a beast that roams the frozen mountains. They call it... The Sarvàn.

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 that 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.

It hides a family secret that could change the course of the war. Italy, 1930s. Tina lives in the crumbling castle of Montesecco with only her strict father and their maid, Allegra, for company. She’s never been allowed to ask questions about her mother, who died in childbirth. But the day Tina discovers a hidden, crumbling door, everything changes. Inside is an overgrown garden. Ivy and roses adorn the stone walls. Fresh water springs from a fountain and the scent of wild herbs fills the air. How did she never know this beautiful place existed?

Pam Talbot dedicates her life to keeping those who live and work at Blackberry Farm fed, safe and sound as Artie holds the fort whilst brothers Tom and John are away on national service. Still reeling from the death of her beloved husband Arthur, Pam makes a rash decision in Arties’s favour which backfires causing him to neglect his duty on the Farm. Now Artie is struggling to run two farms and to add to his woes a new land girl sets her sights on him and won’t take no for an answer.

May 1943. The tide of war has turned at last, with an Allied victory looking increasingly certain, but all is not well for the residents of Silverdale. Newlyweds Bobby and Charlie find themselves back in civilian life after Charlie is given a medical discharge from the RAF. But the village of Silverdale has been forever changed, and the memories of their lost young men cast a long shadow.

Malta, 1943. The war in the air above Malta is over, but the battle for Europe is about to begin. Margarita, a young singer in a Valletta nightclub, has not seen her former lover Henry Dunn since breaking off their affair. His wife Vera, an enigmatic archaeologist, arrives at the club to tell her that Henry has disappeared, presumed dead. While investigating, Margarita stumbles upon the hunt for a notorious and dangerous spy: Nero. As an unlikely bond develops between the two women, and strange secrets emerge, an urgent quest to unmask Nero starts.

1940. With the Germans about to enter Paris, Claire Bouchard flees France for England. Two years later she is recruited by the Special Operations Executive and sent back into occupied France to work alongside the Resistance. Working undercover as a teacher in Brittany, Claire accidentally befriends the wife of the German Commandant of Rennes, and the blossoming friendship is about to become a dangerous mission. Claire begins a double life as a Gestapo Commandant’s mistress to retrieve information, but ghosts from her past make the deception more painful than she could have imagined.

Set during WW2, Saffron Skies and New Beginnings is a story of overcoming betrayal and learning to love once more. From Rita Bradshaw, author of A Woman of Courage. Bella McFadyen has led a privileged life but, from a young age, she has not been afraid to kick against the restrictive...

As the Allied troops draw closer to victory, life at Beach View Boarding House is still full of uncertainty. Rosie’s plans for her wedding to Ron Reilly are plagued with misunderstandings. And when Ron takes on a secret assignment just days before they are due to say their vows, it seems their plans for a future together may be doomed. Meanwhile, Peggy Reilly embraces her new managerial role at the uniform factory. It’s a welcome distraction while her husband, Jim, is still away fighting in the Far East.

"La carte postale est arrivée dans notre boîte aux lettres au milieu des traditionnelles cartes de vœux. Elle n'était pas signée, l'auteur avait voulu rester anonyme. Il y avait l'opéra Garnier d'un côté, et de l'autre, les prénoms des grands-parents de ma mère, de sa tante et son oncle, morts à Auschwitz en 1942. Vingt ans plus tard, j'ai décidé de savoir qui nous avait envoyé cette carte postale, en explorant toutes les hypothèses qui s'ouvraient à moi.

""As dazzling as a Dior gown! With a gorgeous blend of fashion, heartbreak, heroism, and love this book will transport you to France...” —Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Secret Two sisters join the Paris Resistance in this page-turning new novel inspired by the...

All is not well at Castle's Café. Since the fatal shooting, customers have been staying away, and now Nellie finds herself in debt to the sinister Terence Carter. But when a deadly attack strikes close to home, these troubles pale into insignificance. Meanwhile, Jimmy Castle's relationship with family friend Reenie Turner has deepened, and in the aftermath of the attack that could so easily have killed them, they decide to get married. But the return of an old friend threatens to expose a long-held secret, leaving the wedding teetering on the brink of disaster.

Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body - but her mind is alive with memories. London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice.

Paris, 1944. Stepping under the dim glow of the streetlamp, Jewish orphan Josette tightens her coat and adjusts her leather satchel. For months, she has been slipping unnoticed past the enemy, carrying important messages for the Resistance inside hollowed-out textbooks. Paul's beloved little sister, Suzanne, has been captured by the Nazis and accused of treason. Fear gripping her, Josette knows that if she and Paul can find a way into the prison by morning, they might be able to save her – but it may cost them everything.

Born into privilege to one of the last Ottoman pashas, beautiful, spirited Selva is the brightest jewel in her father’s household - until she falls in love with Rafael Alfandari. Though Turkey has long been a safe haven for Jews, marriage between a high-ranking Muslim girl and a Jewish boy is strictly forbidden. Yet young love will not be denied, and Selva and Rafael defy their parents and marry, fleeing to Paris in hopes of a better life - only to find themselves trapped in the path of the invading Nazis.