Wives at War

By Jessica Stirling

Book Overview

As Glasgow waits for enemy bombers to reach Clydeside and the German invasion to begin, Lizzie Conway's daughters throw themselves wholeheartedly into the war effort and eagerly accept their roles as working wives in Jessica Stirling's enthralling new novel set in the darkest days of the Second World War. With her husband in the army, mother-of-four Babs sends three of her darlings to the country and goes back to work long hours in an office. Her comfortable routine is disrupted, however, when a charming American news photographer insinuates himself into her life, an American who may not be all that he seems. Rosie's job as a skilled factory worker is marred by the taunts of her cruel and snobbish coworkers. Eager to start a family but fearful that she might pass her deafness to her children, she blames her ambitious policeman husband for her desperate unhappiness and risks not only her marriage but her future because of it. Wealthy and self assured, Polly continues to manage her husband's shady empire, trying to forget that her children have been stolen from her and now live with their father in New York. But Dominic explodes back into her life with a plot that involves the Italian resistance, the OSS, and spiriting a fortune out of Scotland. When the bombs begin to fall, Polly is forced to choose between loyalty and betrayal, and to face up to what truly matters.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312340249
• ISBN13: 9780312340247
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.6" x 1.4" x 6.2"

Customer Reviews

terrific war story

In 1940, the German bombers seem everywhere, softening England and Scotland for what looks like the next Blitzkrieg invasion. Still in spite of the fears and the anticipation of the worst, most citizens remain loyal to the crown and try to whatever they can to support the war effort. The Conway sisters are typical Scotswomen trying to help their country battle Hitler. While her spouse fights as a soldier, Babs evacuates her three oldest from Glasgow keeping only the youngest with her as she works as an office assistant in the Ministry of Labor. She detests "Johnny Foreigners" ever since her former employer Dominick deserted her sister Polly to flee for America with their children in tow. Polly manages her estranged husband's business while he stays safe in New York. The third sister Rosie, though deaf, works at a factory where she is verbally abused due to her handicap. The trio's loyalty to country and husbands is tested when Dominic returns with an American and a plot that forces each sister to choose. Few writers bring out the fear and courage of those who stayed behind on the home front doing what they could to support England the way Jessica Stirling does. Her latest war tale (see SISTERS THREE) is a strong character driven tale starring three siblings who though fearing for loved ones feel they must help Scotland in the Battle of Britain. As usual, the key players, particularly the three sisters, contain different personalities as they react in varying ways to the situations they confront. Dominick's plot adds tension and suspense, but WIVES AT WAR pays homage to women who stayed home to work in support of the war. Harriet Klausner