4 out of 5 stars
On Amazon (universal link)On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: I've read Book #1 in this series.
In a Nutshell: A missing girl, domestic troubles, the lure of gambling and the rumblings of war
I read the first in this series, Plagued, earlier this year, and thought it was time I tried another! The series is a continuing saga of the people who live in one area of Southampton between the two World Wars; it is their story, with the events of those tumultuous 21 years forming the ever present and always relevant backdrop. This is Book #5, taking place during the second half of 1937. I have a terrible memory so couldn't remember any of the characters; I can, thus, confirm that the book is a stand-alone as well as being part of a series.
The story centres around a few plot threads: the missing Sophie Morales, the mysterious activities of unsavoury Norm McCartney, and a discovery that tests tram driver Walter's greatest friendship. I had in my mind an idea to write about how convincingly this was dealt with, but I've just re-read the blurb and realised that to do so would be a massive spoiler, so I'll just say that I thought Walter's private thoughts were so well written. Odd sentences absolutely nailed it.
The other main storyline was that of Clara, a 20 year old young woman with an unhappy homelife, already with a broken heart. She unsure of herself, hoping for happy-ever-afters, and so different from her more confident, outspoken best friend Gladys.
Although World War I finished almost twenty years before this story took place, it is still very much a part of all their lives. Older character Percy made a couple of memorable statements:
'All the generals keeping nice and safe behind the lines, sending us infantrymen off to die. They saw it as a game of chess and us as expendable pawns.'
'Anyone who saw the things we did can understand why someone would desert. Those poor sods, just boys, some of them, were shell-shocked and terrified, but they shot them anyway ... How is that right? Those generals issued orders without ever setting foot on the bloody battlefield. If anyone needed shooting at dawn, they did.'
If you like wartime domestic dramas, this will totally hit the spot for you. A very 'easy read', and it's clear how well the author knows her subject!
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