Ack-Ack Macaque


Book Description

In 1944, as waves of German ninjas parachute into Kent, Britain’s best hopes for victory lie with a Spitfire pilot codenamed ‘Ack-Ack Macaque.’ The trouble is, Ack-Ack Macaque is a cynical, one-eyed, cigar-chomping monkey, and he’s starting to doubt everything, including his own existence. A century later, in a world where France and Great Britain merged in the late 1950s and nuclear-powered Zeppelins circle the globe, ex-journalist Victoria Valois finds herself drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the man who butchered her husband and stole her electronic soul. Meanwhile, in Paris, after taking part in an illegal break-in at a research laboratory, the heir to the British throne goes on the run. And all the while, the doomsday clock ticks towards Armageddon.




Ack-Ack Macaque: The Complete Trilogy


Book Description

ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES A MONKEY Life is good for Ack-Ack Macaque. Every day the cynical, cigar-chomping, hard-drinking monkey climbs into his Spitfire to do battle with the waves of German ninjas parachuting over the gentle fields of Kent. But life is not all the joyous rattle of machine guns and the roar of the engine, as Ack-Ack is about to find out… Because it is not 1944. It is the 21st century, in a world where France and Germany merged in the late 1950s, where nuclear-powered Zeppelins circle the globe, where technology is rapidly changing humanity, and Ack-Ack has lived his whole life in a videogame. Ex-journalist Victoria Valois finds herself drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the man who butchered her husband and stole his electronic soul. The heir to the British throne is on the run after an illegal break-in at a research laboratory, and Ack-Ack has been rudely awakened from his game world to find the doomsday clock ticking towards Armageddon… Two unlikely heroes and one mightily pissed-off monkey come together in a sci-fi trilogy full of action, adventure, bananas and bottles of rum. Includes the original Ack-Ack Macaque short story and a brand new epilogue, The Last Macaque.




The Land Girl's Letters


Book Description

'Truly unforgettable' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A truth buried for over forty years. A love that lasted a lifetime. Rose Pepper has kept her wartime past a secret for decades. Forty years ago, she fled communist Prague and left behind the love of her life. Now in her sixties and with two daughters, Rose discovers a bundle of unopened letters sent to her by her lost love. Confronted with the possibility of facing up to her past, she decides it’s finally time to go back to where her story began and uncover the truth that has been buried for so long... From the bombed-out rubble of Plymouth, to the windswept cliffs of Cornwall and then the dangers of post-war Prague, a heartbreaking story of love and hope, secrets and lies. Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes and Leah Fleming. * * * * 'It was so well written, so poignant, I could barely it down. The crushing tragedy of WWII is portrayed so realistically, I cried often throughout the book.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review 'a beautiful, intricate story of love, loss, confusion, pain and longing' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review 'A wonderfully moving story that will say with you alongside some skilfully drawn characters.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review 'What an incredibly emotive journey this book has taken me on. It is a beautifully poignant tale of love and loss that has left an imprint on me; truly unforgettable.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review 'definitely a book I couldn't put down!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review 'A beautiful moving story and I was gripped. I loved it.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review Previously published as The Secret Letters




Daily Life of Women [3 volumes]


Book Description

Indispensable for the student or researcher studying women's history, this book draws upon a wide array of cultural settings and time periods in which women displayed agency by carrying out their daily economic, familial, artistic, and religious obligations. Since record keeping began, history has been written by a relatively few elite men. Insights into women's history are left to be gleaned by scholars who undertake careful readings of ancient literature, examine archaeological artifacts, and study popular culture, such as folktales, musical traditions, and art. For some historical periods and geographic regions, this is the only way to develop some sense of what daily life might have been like for women in a particular time and place. This reference explores the daily life of women across civilizations. The work is organized in sections on different civilizations from around the world, arranged chronologically. Within each society, the encyclopedia highlights the roles of women within five broad thematic categories: the arts, economics and work, family and community life, recreation and social customs, and religious life. Included are numerous sidebars containing additional information, document excerpts, images, and suggestions for further reading.




Secrets of the Chocolate Girls


Book Description

From Annie Murray, the bestselling author of The Chocolate Girls and The Bells of Bournville Green, comes another gritty family saga about love, war and chocolate . . . September 1940, Birmingham. While her husband and daughter work at the Cadbury's Bournville factory, Ann Gilby has her hands full at home with her youngest Martin and other daughter, Sheila newly returned home with baby Elaine. With Sheila's husband away doing his bit in the RAF, Ann knows she should be grateful to have all her children safe under one roof. But she can't help but fear for their uncertain future as bombs fall ever closer to her Birmingham home. Part of her yearns for the carefree days of her youth when she also worked the line at Cadburys, filling trays of chocolate shells. But mostly Ann tries not to think of the past at all since that would mean she would have to confront her oldest secret, one she's kept since the last war and the one that could easily rip her family apart . . .




A Christmas Wish for the Land Girls


Book Description

**Don't miss Jenny Holmes's latest wartime series, The Air Raid Girls. Part 3 - The Air Raid Girls: Wartime Brides - is available for pre-order now!** --------------------------------------------- A heart-warming, romantic story of friendship, camaraderie and triumph over adversity that fans of Donna Douglas, Daisy Styles and Call the Midwife will adore. Winter, 1942. Brenda and Joyce are just two of the girls who have joined the Women's Land Army and are doing their bit for the war effort. But after months working on farms in the Yorkshire Dales, they're looking for a fresh challenge. Despite the bitter cold of their new billets high in the remote fells, their fear for those away fighting, and concern for family and friends, there is warmth to be found in faces old and new, and plans for a jolly Christmas are afoot. But when a child evacuee goes missing in the snow and tragedy strikes close to home, can their dearest wish - that all their loved ones stay safe this Christmas - possibly come true? --------------------------------------------- Readers love Jenny Holmes: 'There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book' 5 star review 'I couldn't put this book down' 5 star review 'Loved the whole story' 5 star review 'This is a totally absorbing book' 5 star review 'An excellent read put together in fine style' 5 star review




The Doughty Women: Katherine - What Lies Behind Us (Book 1)


Book Description

This is a three book series. No cliff hangers! This is the story of three sisters living in Maryland as the disaster at Pearl Harbor looms, and their own participation during World War II. The Doughty Women: With Valor Above All What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ~ Oliver Wendall Holmes Book 1: The Doughty Women: Katherine What Lies Behind Us Katherine “Kit” becomes a war correspondent Book 2: The Doughty Women: Susan What Lies Before Us Susan is a “Government Girl” who joins a million other women working in Washington, D.C. “for the duration” until the men return. Book 3: The Doughty Women: Lillian What Lies Within Us Lillian is a Registered Nurse who joins the Navy Nurse Corps Book 1 blurb: While European governments were falling, one by one, to the war machine of the German Reich, Katherine Doughty served ably and well in her assignment as TranSignal News overseas correspondent. Now she has been transferred to the London Bureau, just in time to endure the privation and terror of the Blitzkreig bombs. Dedication to her craft can’t prevent Kit from feeling a twinge of envy for her friend, Hallie Vernon, an ATS member who falls in love semi-regularly every few weeks or so. Kit, too, would like to fall in love. However, she has finally met someone: a mystery man from the London tunnels, encountered one night when the wail of the air raid sirens sent citizens scrambling for safety. He’s a Texas charmer, this Lew McAllister, and it seems that he’s as interested in her as she is in him. But, after spending time together, he disappears without a word of apology or explanation. It’s wartime, after all; and the life of each human being has been disrupted. In all the confusion, people are here, there, and everywhere, and it’s difficult keeping track even of one’s nearest and dearest. Whatever has happened to Lew, whatever kind of mystery he’s gotten himself involved in, whatever sort of character flaws he might be dealing with, Kit can only feel suspicion and doubt. Yet she can’t help wondering if she will ever see him again.




Gunner Girls And Fighter Boys


Book Description

An incredible story of ordinary women living extraordinary lives, from the bestselling author of Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts. London, 1939. As the Blitz hits London, two sisters from Bermondsey find their lives changed beyond all recognition. May is known to her family as the homing pigeon because of her uncanny sense of direction. She will need it when a bombing raid destroys nearly everything she holds dear. With her home in ruins, she joins the ATS and becomes a gunner girl. Here she finds dangerous work, new friends and rivals – and painful choices in love. May's elder sister, Peggy, is trapped in a stifling marriage to a small-time crook. Amid the chaos of war, a route to freedom suddenly beckons and, along with it, new and passionate love. From the melting pot of war will come hardship and tragedy, as well as new, unexpected friendships and love affairs. PRAISE FOR GUNNER GIRLS AND FIGHTER BOYS: 'I learned so much, as the history of the Second World War was brought alive through vivid writing and wonderful storytelling. From the bomb sites of London to the countryside of Surrey, to the Middle East this is one book which will take you on a journey like no other book ever written' Petra, Amazon reviewer. 'A poignant saga of an East End of London family; their lives, loves, and losses during World War 2' Barbara Bee, Amazon reviewer. 'She makes Blitz time Bermondsey come to life' Abbie Scanlon, Amazon reviewer. 'Transported me back in time with a truly wonderful story. Lots of twists and turns and I absolutely loved the way it captures all the spirit and nostalgia from those times. Love love loved it!' Jojo's, Amazon reviewer. 'Gripping to the end. Wartime heartbreak, sadness, short lived happiness and love, you can taste the debris of war and share the odd moments of emotions' Sue Thornton, Amazon reviewer.




Women Warriors in History


Book Description

History paints war out to be a man's business, but there is an army of women warriors who stand between the lines of history books, waiting to be seen. This biographical dictionary tells the story of the females who armed themselves against threats to self, family, home and country. Spanning 17 periods of world history, it compiles the daring deeds of 1,622 female fighters, from Bronze Age archers and Viking raiders, to helicopter pilots and commanders of aircraft carriers. Entries summarize heroes such as the Old Testament judge Deborah, Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I, Aisha, Mary Spencer-Churchill, Calamity Jane, Cleopatra VII, Molly Pitcher, Aung San Suu Kyi and-- surprisingly-- Julia Child. Included are the famous stands the unheralded scrappers and risk-takers took up in fierce crises.




Sisters in Arms


Book Description

Shortlisted for the British Army Book of the Year 2021. 'A long overdue assertion on the role of women on the battlefield. This book is going straight on my daughter's bookshelf.' Dan Snow, historian, TV presenter and broadcaster 'Sisters in Arms shows the many faces of women in combat – from the myths of the ancient world to the headline-grabbing conflicts of today – with a scrupulous attention to their different contexts, but a common compassion for their struggles and achievements.' Boyd Tonkin, journalist and author 'Wheelwright not only uncovers neglected female warriors, but she brings their temperaments, talents, fancies, and foibles to life.' Professor Joanna Bourke, Birkbeck, University of London Sisters in Arms charts the evolution of women in combat, from the Scythian warriors who inspired the Amazonian myth, to the passing soldiers and sailors of the eighteenth century, and on to the re-emergence of women as official members of the armed forces in the twentieth century. Author Julie Wheelwright traces our fascination with these forgotten heroines, using their own words, including official documents, diaries, letters and memoirs, to bring their experiences vividly to life. She examines their contemporary legacy and the current role of women in the armed forces, while calling into question the enduring relationship between masculinity and combat.