It is 1940 and twenty-year-old Charlotte Richmond watches from her attic window as enemy planes fly over London. Still grieving her beloved brother who never returned from France,she is working hard to keep her own little life ticking over: holding down a dull typist job at the Ministry of Information,sharing gin and confidences with her best friend Elena,and dodging her difficult father. She has good reason to keep her head down and stay out of trouble. She knows what happens when she makes a nuisance of herself.
On her way to work she often sees the boy who feeds the birds - a source of unexpected joy amidst the rubble of the Blitz. But every day brings new scenes of devastation,and after yet another heartbreaking loss Charlotte has an uncanny sense of foreboding. Someone is stalking the darkness,targeting her friends. And now he is following her.
Riveting and deeply moving,The Midnight News is a tour de force from Sunday Times bestselling author Jo Baker - a breathtaking story of friendship,love and war.
Publisher: Orion Publishing CoISBN: 9781399602242Number of pages: 432Weight: 669 gDimensions: 238 x 164 x 40 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'An intriguing and thrilling read,believable in the tiniest details - I've read half a dozen novels set in the Blitz but this one is the most atmospheric and memorable. It had me by the throat'- Emma Donoghue
'Deep and dark and wonderful: a marvel of storytelling wrested from the black night of the twentieth century. Your heart will be in your mouth as you read'- Francis Spufford
'A riveting and moving novel that masterfully captures the reality of wartime in all its sorrow and uncertainty as well as the light that can still be found in the dark and the beauty of lasting friendship'- Nina Stibbe
'Immediately immersive and utterly enthralling,The Midnight News is full of atmosphere and intrigue and tells a deeply moving story that is as surprising as it is satisfying'- Cathy Rentzenbrink
Gripping,intriguing and evocative,The Midnight News is a darkly atmospheric story about a determined young woman trying to forge a life for herself in wartime London. When bombs start falling,Charlotte's grip on reality starts slipping. But is she losing her mind because people she loves are dying,or is the chaos of the Blitz providing a cover for something more sinister In a city where nothing is safe,who can she trust This clever and accomplished novel is simultaneously a vivid evocation of London life during the Blitz,where secretaries struggle into work after digging bodies out of rubble; a late-night page-turner that will keep you guessing till the end,and a fascinating exploration of identity - and one woman's fight to hang onto her own'- Joanna Quinn
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