Liz Trenow

After an unexpected event, Lily Verner is forced to remember a disastrous decision she made decades earlier on the 1940s British countryside.

The Last Telegram

With the end of the First World War, Rose is looking forward to welcoming home her beloved husband, Alfie, from the battlefields. But his return is not what Rose had expected. Traumatised by what he has seen, the Alfie who comes home is a different man to the one Rose married. As he struggles to cope with life in peacetime, Rose wrestles with temptation as the man she fell in love with seems lost forever. Many years later, Jess returns from her final tour of Afghanistan. Haunted by nightmares from her time at the front, her longed-for homecoming is a disaster and she wonders if her life will ever be the same again. Can comfort come through her great-grandmother Rose's diaries? For Jess and Rose, the realities of war have terrible consequences. Can the Poppy Factory, set up to help injured soldiers, rescue them both from the heartache of war?

The Poppy Factory

It is 1914 and Maria, a shy teenager, is appointed to Buckingham Palace as a seamstress for the royal family. She is lucky enough to meet the Prince of Wales and is captivated by his glamour and intensity. It is to be a doomed love affair and soon Maria's life takes a tragic turn. Torn between passion and integrity, she makes a choice that has devastating consequences. Can a beautiful quilt, discovered many years later reveal the truth behind what happened to Maria?

The Forgotten Seamstress

Three women, once enemies. Their secrets will unite them.July, 1919. The First World War is over. The war-torn area of Flanders near Ypres is no longer home to trenches or troops, but groups of tourists. Controversial battlefield tourism now drives bus-loads of people to witness first-hand where loved ones fell and died. At the Hotel de la Paix in the small village of Poperinghe, three women have come to the battlefields to find a trace of men they have loved and lost. Ruby is just 21, a shy Englishwoman looking for the grave of her husband. Alice is only a little older but brimming with confidence; she has travelled all the way from America, convinced her brother is in fact still alive and still in France. Then there's Martha and her son Otto, who are not all they seem to be...The three women in Liz Trenow's In Love and War may have very different backgrounds, but they are united in their search for reconciliation: to reconcile themselves to what the war took from them, but also to what life might still promise for the future . . .

In Love and War

The Hidden Thread is a breathtaking novel about the intricate craft of silk and the heartbreak of forbidden love. When Anna Butterfield's mother dies, she's sent to live with her uncle, a silk merchant in London, to make a good match and provide for her father and sister. There, she meets Henri, a French immigrant and apprentice hoping to become a master weaver. But Henri, born into a lower class, becomes embroiled in the silk riots that break out as weavers protest for a fair wage. New York Times bestselling author Liz Trenow weaves a luminous tale of class struggle and star-crossed love.

A Novel

The Hidden Thread

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a remarkable novel of three women whose lives have been torn apart by war. For fans of The Nightingale, Wives of War and Lilac Girls, The Lost Soldiers reveals the strength, love and courage found even in the darkest of times, and the ultimate triumph of hope. In the summer of 1919, British Ruby is mourning her beloved husband Bertie, missing since 1916. His grief-stricken parents ask one last task of her: travel to the Belgian battlefields to find Bertie's grave, and with it the peace that will come with knowing his final resting place. Alice, an American, knows in her heart that her brother Sam is alive - but after he signed up under a false name, no news has been heard from him since he arrived in Belgium. Leaving her life and her fianc behind in Washington, Alice sets sail for Europe, promising herself that she will not rest until she finds her brother. Martha has risked everything to travel to Belgium. A German, she knows she will be met with neither sympathy nor understanding. But her son lies somewhere in Belgian soil, and her husband's dying wish was for his grandfather's bravery medal to be passed down to his son. It is a promise Martha will do anything to keep. When the lives of these three women collide, they begin to question whether that which unites them could be greater than their differences. As an unlikely friendship blossoms, their story reveals their untiring determination to find out what happened to the men they love, no matter how painful the truth. Previously published as In Love and War.

A Gripping Historical Novel of Love, Secrets and Sisterhood

The Lost Soldiers

La ragazza che cuciva lettere d'amore

Dressmaker of Draper's Lane

Dall'autrice del bestseller Il mercante di seta 1936. La minaccia di una nuova guerra incombe sull’Europa. Churchill ha appena riunito le menti più brillanti di tutto il Regno Unito in una grande casa nel Suffolk – nota come Bawdsey Manor –, determinato a stabilire una linea d’azione che porti gli alleati in vantaggio. Vincolati da un giuramento di massima segretezza, gli ospiti di Bawdsey Manor dovranno lavorare insieme a un’invenzione che potrebbe cambiare le sorti della guerra. Tra loro c’è Vic, un fisico tanto geniale quanto timido che, per la prima volta nella sua vita, sente di avere finalmente uno scopo e di contribuire a qualcosa di importante. Anche la giovane Kathleen, che lavora nella locanda poco distante, è decisa a fare la sua parte: non intende limitarsi a servire tè con i biscotti mentre il Paese attraversa l’ora più buia. E così, quando il team Bawdsey inizia a reclutare donne per far funzionare l’elaborato sistema top secret che gli scienziati stanno mettendo a punto, si offre volontaria. Non ci vuole molto perché Kath e Vic scoprano una complicità inaspettata, proprio quando le bombe cominciano a precipitare dal cielo, minacciando di distruggere ogni speranza di felicità. Un romanzo indimenticabile ispirato a una vicenda reale Una storia d'amore più forte del suo stesso destino Un segreto che ha cambiato il corso della storia «I personaggi di questa autrice sono fantastici.» Dinah Jefferies «È stato quasi un dolore mettere via questo libro dopo aver letto l’ultima, meravigliosa pagina.» Gill Paul «Un romanzo meraviglioso: Liz Trenow è in grado di dar vita ai suoi personaggi in modo magistrale.» Woman Liz Trenow Ha lavorato come giornalista per la radio e la TV, tra gli altri anche per la BBC. È autrice di otto romanzi, tradotti in diversi Paesi. Canta in due cori musicali, prediligendo il repertorio classico. La Newton Compton ha pubblicato Il mercante di seta, Un amore perduto e La casa dei segreti.

La casa dei segreti

The richest silk hides the deepest secrets . . . The Dressmaker of Draper’s Lane revisits the opulence and extravagance of the London silk trade in the mid-eighteenth century which Liz Trenow wrote about in her previous bestselling novel, The Silk Weaver. 1768, London. As a foundling who rose from poverty and now runs her own successful dressmaking business in the heart of society London, Miss Charlotte is a remarkable woman, admired by many. She has no need, nor desire, to marry. The people she values most are her friend Anna, her recently-found sister Louisa and nephew Peter. She feels herself fortunate, and should be content with what she has. But something is missing. A small piece of rare silk discovered in a bundle of scraps at auction triggers a curious sense of familiarity, and prompts her to unpick a past filled with extraordinary secrets and revelations . . .

An Evocative Historical Novel From the Author of The Silk Weaver

The Dressmaker of Draper's Lane

From the New York Times bestselling author comes an enthralling historical story inspired by true events - a brilliant, lonely young man and the ordinary English girl who changes his world forever - for readers who loved The Ragged Edge of Night, All the Light We Cannot See and The Nightingale. I'm getting desperate not hearing from you. Your letters are a lifeline and there is something I need to tell you. Please write, please, please. 1937, England. Kathleen Motts, with her flame-red curls and gift for geometry, grew up just across the water from the secretive RAF base, Bawdsey Manor, on the bleak and beautiful east coast. When the stars overhead turn red as warplanes surge towards her home, Kath is desperate to do her bit, enlisting as one of the first female radar operators, helping to keep the brave pilots safe in troubled skies. Vikram Mackensie is quiet, exceptional at maths and music, and always the outsider. When he's recruited for a top-secret war project at Bawdsey Manor, Vic's chance to belong has arrived at last. He may only be half-British, but he vows to help the country he loves. From their first meeting on windy cliffs above a rocky beach, Kath arrives like a blaze of warmth into Vic's grey life and turns the colour back on. As the war intensifies, so do Kath and Vic's feelings for each other. They may have grown up on different sides of the world - but if the war can't keep them apart, nothing will. But fate intervenes when Vic is posted to America, and Kath is left heartbroken and alone. As the silence between them grows, so does the secret that Kath is holding... As the sky falls around Kath, will she ever have more than one last letter? A heartbreaking and gripping novel, Our Last Letter shows that even in humanity's darkest moments, light and love will find a way.

Our Last Letter: Absolutely Gripping, Epic and Heartbreaking World War 2 Historical Fiction

Mhairi McFarlane

Julia Williams

Miranda Dickinson

Carroll

Heart-warming short stories for cold winter nights...

The Perfect Treat: Heart-warming Short Stories for Winter Nights

The queue is long, but that barely matters. She is used to waiting. For the midnight knock at the door, for her number to be called, for the next meal of watery soup, the sound of a gunshot... Sustaining her through every moment of waiting, there has remained the tiniest flicker of hope: her daughter Rosa's face, eyes bright and expectant, arms outstretched. Germany 1945: Miriam has travelled for over two weeks to reach safety. Exhausted and hungry, she knows she is still one of the fortunate ones. One of the few to survive the camps. Having lost her darling husband and son, the only thing that has kept her walking was the promise of finding her daughter, Rosa. As she arrives at the checkpoint, she is told it is closed for the day. But in her mind Miriam can hear her daughter's voice: Be strong, stand up to them. Don't let anyone bully you, Mum. Standing tall, she comes face to face with the guard and refuses to leave until they help her. When Miriam is introduced to an English officer named Jack, she describes how, fearing the Nazis, she and her husband sent Rosa to England to marry. It was not a marriage of love but of survival. Now, Miriam needs the officer's help: if she is to be reunited with her beloved daughter, he will need to help her travel to England. But as Miriam begins to describe Rosa, there is a look of recognition in Jack's eyes. As he listens to her story, he is transported back to an unforgettable English summer, to secret picnics in the long grass, and to a love that shaped the man he became. Will Jack now risk everything help Miriam make the biggest journey of all, back to her daughter and her freedom? An utterly gripping and emotional novel about bravery, enduring love and keeping hope alive in the darkest of times. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, Beneath a Scarlet Sky and The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Readers love Liz Trenow: 'Had me gripped from the first paragraph... A fabulous read.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I wish I could give this a 10 star rating... An exceptional story... You have to read this book.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I was totally hooked on this... I was touched by how honest and enlightening it was. An absolutely brilliant read.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'A book which takes me in, rips parts of my heart and soul and then keeps me hooked and has a hold on me forever.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'An incredibly touching story where hope was never lost. I was riveted... The conclusion brought tears of joy to me.' Robin Loves Reading ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Loved it!... This book is beautifully written, and the story is absolutely captivating. It makes you not want to put it down and stop reading, even long after the book is over.' Goodreads Reviewer 'Absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down... Highly recommend this book.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Searching for My Daughter: Absolutely Heartbreaking and Totally Unputdownable WW2 Historical Fiction

Roman

Die vergessenen Worte

Londra, 1910. Sembra una favola, l’amore nato tra Maria, che lavora come ricamatrice a Buckingham Palace, e David, il futuro principe di Galles. Una favola in cui un bacio è più forte di qualsiasi convenzione sociale, in cui una carezza è più importante dell’abisso che separa un umile ragazza del popolo e un membro della famiglia reale. Una favola troppo bella perché possa durare. E infatti Maria si ritrova ben presto sola, lungo una strada lastricata di dolore e di rimpianti... Londra, oggi La vita di Caroline non ha proprio nulla della favola: improvvisamente disoccupata, tristemente single, la giovane donna ha un disperato bisogno di qualcosa che le dia un po’ di speranza. E, un giorno, mentre sta riordinando le cianfrusaglie di famiglia, trova in un vecchio baule una straordinaria trapunta, composta da stoffe diverse e da motivi tanto raffinati quanto insoliti. In breve, Caroline scopre che quella trapunta risale all’inizio del XX secolo e che è stata cucita nella Sartoria Reale. Ma soprattutto che, nei suoi ricami, si nasconde un messaggio toccante e misterioso: «In questa trapunta ho cucito il mio amore. Anche se te ne sei andato, io devo continuare a vivere, e questa mi terrà vicino a te...» Intrecciando i fili del passato e del presente, Liz Trenow crea un tessuto di emozioni indimenticabili, rivelandoci come, nella vita di ogni donna, ci siano segreti che soltanto altre donne possono capire, cogliendone tutte quelle sfumature che la rendono unica.

Three women, once enemies. Their secrets will unite them. July, 1919. The First World War is over. The war-torn area of Flanders near Ypres is no longer home to trenches or troops, but groups of tourists. Controversial battlefield tourism now drives bus-loads of people to witness first-hand where loved ones fell and died. At the Hotel de la Paix in the small village of Poperinghe, three women have come to the battlefields to find a trace of men they have loved and lost. Ruby is just 21, a shy Englishwoman looking for the grave of her husband. Alice is only a little older but brimming with confidence; she has travelled all the way from America, convinced her brother is in fact still alive and still in France. Then there’s Martha and her son Otto, who are not all they seem to be... The three women in Liz Trenow's In Love and War may have very different backgrounds, but they are united in their search for reconciliation: to reconcile themselves to what the war took from them, but also to what life might still promise for the future . . .

'Masterful storytelling, immersive locations, and characters that inhabit your heart from the first page' Gill Paul The Secrets of the Lake is a gripping wartime novel, by the author of The Silk Weaver, Liz Trenow. The war may be over, but for Molly life is still in turmoil. Uprooted from London after the death of her mother, Molly, her father and younger brother Jimmy are starting again in a quiet village in the countryside of Colchester. As summer sets in, the heat is almost as oppressive as the village gossip. Molly dreams of becoming a journalist, finding a voice in the world, but most of the time must act as Jimmy’s carer. At just ten years old he is Molly’s shadow, following her around the village as she falls under the spell of local boy Kit. Kit is clever, funny and a natural-born rebel. Rowing on the waters of the lake with him becomes Molly’s escape from domestic duty. But there is something Kit is not telling Molly. As the village gossip starts building up with whispers against Molly’s father over missing church funds, everything Molly thought she knew is turned upside down. And on one stormy night, when she sneaks out of the house to try to put things right, Jimmy vanishes. Never to be seen again. Decades later, Molly is an elderly woman in sheltered housing, still haunted by the disappearance of her brother. When two police officers arrive to say that the remains of a body have been found at the bottom of the lake, it seems like Molly will at long last have her answer . . .

The Secrets of the Lake

1936: The dark clouds of war are gathering across Europe and the brightest minds in Britain have been brought together in a grand manor on the Suffolk coast. These select few have been tasked by Churchill to develop, in utmost secrecy, an invention that will help win the war and alter the course of history. In this tense atmosphere, an unlikely friendship develops between Vic, a brilliant but shy physicist, and Kathleen, a cheerful local girl helping her mother in the kitchens.

Under a Wartime Sky

De meeslepende roman ‘De verloren soldaten’ van Liz Trenow neemt je mee naar de tijd net na de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Ieper, 1919. De oorlog is afgelopen, maar honderdduizenden mannen zijn nooit thuisgekomen. Van vele verloren soldaten is niets bekend over wat hen is overkomen. Drie vrouwen reizen naar België, in de hoop het lot van hun geliefden te achterhalen. Ruby is haar man verloren, Alice zoekt haar broer, over Martha’s oudste zoon is niets bekend. Ieder van hen heeft haar eigen redenen om de tocht te maken, ieder van hen draagt een geheim met zich mee. Maar alle drie moeten ze in het reine komen met het verleden voor ze kunnen beginnen aan hun toekomst. ‘Liz Trenow heeft een verfijnde en trefzekere schrijfstijl.’ Lucinda Riley, auteur van ‘De zeven zussen’ ‘De nasleep van een oorlog kan net zo heftig en ingrijpend zijn als de oorlog zelf. Dit warme en diepzinnige verhaal brengt de mooie momenten van een prille vrede voor het voetlicht zonder de verwoesting en het verdriet te ontkennen.’ Daily Mail

De verloren soldaten

Under a Wartime Sky is an enthralling historical novel by Liz Trenow, based on real-life events at a top-secret wartime research station. Telling the story of the heroes behind the discovery of radar, it's perfect for readers of Kate Furnivall and Rachel Hore. Bawdsey Manor holds a secret. 1936: the threat of war hangs over Europe. Churchill gathers the brightest minds in Britain at a grand house in Suffolk. Bound to complete secrecy, they work together on an invention that could mean victory for the Allies. Among them is Vic, a gifted but shy physicist who, for the first time, feels like he belongs. Local girl Kathleen wants to do more than serving tea and biscuits to 'do her bit'. So when the Bawdsey team begin to recruit women to operate their top secret system, she dedicates herself to this life-or-death work. Kath and Vic form an unlikely friendship as the skies over Britain fill with German bombers. Little does Kath know just whose life she will change forever, one fateful night . . . Based on the real history of Bawdsey Manor, Under a Wartime Sky is a novel about courage, belonging and hope. Praise for Liz Trenow 'The characters shine . . . Fabulous' - Dinah Jefferies 'It was a wrench to put the book down after the last beautifully written page' - Gill Paul 'Trenow's exquisite novel puts a real focus on the characters' journeys' - Woman

Liz Trenow

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