Author:Daisy Styles
**A heart-warming and inspiring story of incredible women on the home-front during World War II from the author of The Bomb Girls**
Can four girls protect a whole country?
It's 1941 and the country has been turned upside down. For the aristocratic Walsingham family this means being pushed unceremoniously upstairs while their grand home is taken over by the Army. But for newcomers Ava and Maudie this is a chance to get something more from life. They are at Walsingham Hall to become code girls and break German encryptions.
So being sent downstairs to work in the kitchens isn't exactly what they had in mind. But they do their duty, make new friends and soon even romance looks to be on the horizon. Though life is tough, it has never been more exciting.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Lord Walsingham is hiding something. And Maudie and the girls realize that the safety of their country might actually be in their hands after all . . .
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Praise for The Code Girls
Feisty young women, a country house in wartime and a scheming aristocrat - all ingredients for a cracking story with truly endearing characters - Annie Murray, bestselling author of, Now The War Is Over
Praise for Daisy Styles
'A great read that I think will appeal to fans of wartime sagas and authors like Donna Douglas . . . From dances to disasters, encounters with handsome Yanks, rationing and relationships, The Bomb Girls has all the ingredients of an excellent wartime drama and I thoroughly enjoyed it!' Onemorepage.com
'The story is full of drama, love, heartbreak, friendship and in some part some comedy . . . It's full of twist and turns and is a real page turner' Laurahbookblog
Here's what the early readers are saying . . .
'Loved, loved, loved it! ... Cannot wait to read more by this author'
'This story tells the story of four very different young girls and how they come together to help the war effect in their own way . . . would highly recommend to others'
'A beautifully written book ... An excellent read, from the relationships, the cooking, the love interests and the way war affected everyone's lives. A must read!'
'This book had me gripped from the first page and I had it read in one sitting'
'I really loved these characters, they were feisty and believable. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who enjoys wartime stories. This is one of the best'
'I really enjoyed Daisy Styles The Bomb Girls so was overjoyed to find she had written another set in the same era ... a really good story with interesting likable characters'
'The storyline was exciting, the characters so interesting and the era well descripted. I would definitely recommend this book'
'Fab book!'
'Fantastic ... This was full of twists, turns, ups and downs; a real rollercoaster. Loved the plot and loved all the characters. Highly recommended'
'I absolutely love these type of books and this one certainly was a great read.. Actually no it wasn't just great it was fantastic'
Praise for Daisy Styles
—— -A great read that I think will appeal to fans of wartime sagas and authors like Donna Douglas . . . From dances to disasters, encounters with handsome Yanks, rationing and relationships, The Bomb Girls has all the ingredients of an excellent wartime drama and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
—— Onemorepage.comThe story is full of drama, love, heartbreak, friendship and in some part some comedy . . . It's full of twist and turns and is a real page turner
—— LaurahbookblogFeisty young women, a country house in wartime and a scheming aristocrat - all ingredients for a cracking story with truly endearing characters
—— Annie Murray, bestselling author of , Now The War Is OverTake time out for a page-turner about family mysteries and betrayal
—— Take-a-BreakA compelling saga . . . with a surprising and emotional ending which weaves together the storylines in a most satisfying way. Strongly recommended and a great read on a Cornish holiday
—— cjbrownecrimewriter.comA captivating and emotional novel about a strong woman struggling to find her own way in the world when others wish to see her fail
—— Winstone BooksI couldn't put it down and found myself finishing it in no time at all. . . The story was full of twists and turns from the onset and throughout . . . I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend that you give it a read
—— LaurahbookblogIt was full of drama, friendship, excitement and was truly a magical story. . . I definitely will be reading more in the near future
—— LaurahbookblogA pulsating saga delivered with the sweep and power of a Norse war axe
—— TIM SEVERINI loved this. It’s for people who like their historical fiction high-octane . . .a superb, brutal story that pulls no punches
—— ROBERT FABBRIGlorious . . . one of the finest historical novels of the year
—— FOR WINTER NIGHTSBrilliant prose, vivid descriptions and compelling characters . . . a must read. If you are a fan of the series, The Vikings, then this book is for you
—— HISTORICAL NOVEL REVIEWHaunting tale of friendship, betrayal and sadness… What Tremain omits, or merely hints at, is as vital as every word. This is a novel full of melancholy, but so is Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, which is beautifully threaded through the story. We listen to its beauty as it transcends its tragedy. And, for much the same reasons, we read Tremain’s exquisite prose.
—— Anne Cunnigham , Irish Independent*****…This is also a book about friendship and longing, unsentimentally told and bleakly precise… Tremain draws a conclusion that is simultaneously straightforward and sweetly transformative. Like so much else in this compassionate and musical novel, it hits a perfect note
—— Tim Martin , TelegraphThe Gustav Sonata is beautifully rendered, and magnificent in its scope. It glows with mastery
—— Ian McEwanThe Gustav Sonata is a work of extreme and painful beauty, the story of one profound love amid many failed relationships, and of the conflict between passion and self-control. Rose Tremain is one of the very finest British novelists
—— Salman RushdieFierce, elegant ... superb
—— Mail on SundayGustav is beautifully drawn, as is Anton… Tremain’s handling of their relationship and struggle for happiness is superb.
—— Eithne Farry , Mail on SundayGripping
—— Charlotte Heathcote , Daily ExpressI love Rose Tremain’s writing and a new novel is always something to savour
—— The BooksellerHeartbreaking
—— Good HousekeepingPowerful... Fine sentences contain big, surprising thoughts.
—— The Sunday TimesA clever book. Its structure mirrors its theme… And the plotting is a play on neutrality, reusing twists or revelations. Emotional power lies instead in harnessed passions.
—— Lucy Atkins , Sunday TimesHeartbreaking…Her capacity for empathy is staggering. The result is another exquisite, beautifully orchestrated book.
—— Winq MagazineA confident and restrained depiction of friendship… A memorable novel.
—— Daily ExpressA moving study of human emotions which will make you cry without being even slightly sentimental.
—— Jackie Kingsley , UK Press SyndicationBeautifully written, this is a book to savour.
—— Choice MagazineTender yet sharp, this beautifully composed narrative explores the themes of unrequited love… Tremain has crafted a stunning and wise book that sustains its brilliance right to the end.
—— AttitudeCaptivating novel… Illuminated throughout by Tremain’s own empathy, this beautiful book holds the reader effortlessly in its thrall.
—— Stephanie Cross , LadyWhat I love about Rose Tremain is her dark elegance.
—— Kerry Fowler , Sainsbury's MagazineThe awfulness of childhood has rarely been so beautifully caught… A deep compassion for the suffering of her characters…makes this novel a beautiful and moving work of art.
—— Jonathan Steinberg , SpectatorTender new novel… Tremain details the physical toll of heartbreak and this is laced with sadness as happiness eludes. But we feel for Gustav, we want him to break free, to attain it. Crucially, through Tremain’s crafting, we have hope for him, all is not lost.
—— Sophie Gorman , Irish IndependentTremain is a consummate storyteller… There are few great dramas here, just a moving study of human emotions that’s full of compassion for even its most unappealing characters’
—— Jackie Kingsley , Eastern Daily PressTurns the unpromising complexities of Swiss neutrality into something more captivating… Tremain plays clever variations on the ideas of distancing and self-denial.
—— Tim Martin , Daily TelegraphA perceptive and beautifully realized novel of unrequited and misplaced love… A vivid book, alive with different kinds of passion… Written with immense tenderness, and is often extremely funny.
—— Lynn Roberts , Tablet[A] perfect gem of a novel.
—— Mail on SundayPowerfully subtle look at love and rejection in the shadow of war.
—— Sunday TimesAssured and skilfully executed - I loved it
—— Woman & HomeA chilling tale.
—— Country & Town HouseThis is a perfect novel about life’s imperfection… The narrative skill and subtlety are exemplary… Writing at the height of her inimitable powers. Without giving away the ending, she has the most merciful, believable and uplifting surprise in store.
—— Kate kellaway , ObserverElegant
—— Daily MailTremain is a writer of exemplary vision and particularity. The fictional world is rendered with extraordinary vividness.
—— GuardianHer novels combine insight, elegance and sensuality – and this latest is no exception… It’s enthralling and at times exquisitely sad.
—— Stephanie Cross , Daily Mail[A] superb new novel… She has the writerly gift of conveying tenderness by what she leaves unsaid. A composition spanning 1939 to 2002, The Gustav Sonata will surely move you to melancholy - as, indeed, does all great music’
—— Madeleine Kingsley , Jewish ChronicleA shrewd study of neutrality, political and personal.
—— Peter Kemp , Sunday Times, Book of the YearI loved Rose Tremain’s The Gustav Sonata… The layers of story are engrossing and beautifully put together. A novel to savour and reread.
—— Helen Dunmore , Observer, Book of the YearI find her writing very evocative and lacking in the self-indulgence that many successful novelists tend to develop… Absorbing and compelling.
—— Max Blackston , Birmingham Jewish RecorderTremain was on top form with her nuanced analysis of emotional and political neutrality, The Gustav Sonata.
—— Ali Smith , Guardian, Book of Year[A] moving and finely crafted novel about youth and friendship.
—— Alex Preston , Observer, Book of the YearA compelling read.
—— Guardian, Book of the YearI feel these characters will remain with me for a long time.
—— Guardian, Book of the YearTremain’s finest work yet.
—— Irish Independent, Book of the YearTremain’s sympathetic and perceptive treatment of her characters probes the essence of human relationships.
—— Simon Shaw , Mail on SundayThe Gustav Sonata is a powerful, profound and unexpected love story about the enduring damage of unrequited love. It is a masterful, meditative novel.
—— Hannah Beckerman , GuardianIt is a story of betrayal… A moving, human and memorable novel.
—— John Koski , MailThe novel powerfully explores the implications of a country’s quest for neutrality as well as an individual’s quest for self-mastery, touching upon the difficulties and social tensions that may arise.
—— Harriet Cunningham , PalatinateCaptivating.
—— WeekI was totally engrossed by this beautiful novel about life’s imperfection
—— Michael Etherton , Jewish Telegraph