Rigby’s grandfather, Gilbert, has wandered from home and is roaming the Yorkshire countryside in distress. Finding an old map in his grandfather’s home, peculiarly annotated and marked by his grandfather, Rigby begins to realise that it duplicates Normandy: the marked sites mirror places in another place and other time – the days following the Normandy landings in 1944.
He is drawn down an elusive trail into the past, hunting old memories and new truths to the heart of his grandfather’s youth in the raw days of the War. It shakes the very foundations of Rigby’s own young life, and as he discovers the secret about another soldier – the quest becomes an inner journey for Rigby. He learns of the feelings of young men caught in the terrors and misery of the battlefield, and the impact of their lives on generations to come.
He is drawn down an elusive trail into the past, hunting old memories and new truths to the heart of his grandfather’s youth in the raw days of the War. It shakes the very foundations of Rigby’s own young life, and as he discovers the secret about another soldier – the quest becomes an inner journey for Rigby. He learns of the feelings of young men caught in the terrors and misery of the battlefield, and the impact of their lives on generations to come.
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Reviews
Skilfully interweaving past and present ... The narrative unfolds like a film, enhanced by the beautifully evoked Yorkshire setting
UNDERCURRENTS:
'Impressive powers of description and insightful portrayal of character ... Oldham is a thrilling writer. Her prose is uncluttered, poised, precise and evocative'
The power of Oldham's language and imagery will remain indelibly in readers' memories
SMOKE TRAIL:
'Oldham weaves a gripping narrative with evocative, lyrical prose'
exceptionally moving and extensively researched World War II story. The narrative unfolds like a film, enhanced by the beautifully evoked Yorkshire setting and raw recreation of the terrifying reality of the battlefield ... a memorable and thought-provoking read ...
an intriguing story of war and its impact on the people who lived through it, seen and told through the eyes of a new, innocent generation.