Probably the most intelligent noir ever written...The situation is surreal, the psychologizing profound, and the eerie inwardness trapped in Bowen's distinctive prose resonates inside a peculiar silence that fills the reader's heart with dread

One of three quintessential London 'war' novels, the others being Patrick Hamilton's Hangover Square and Graham Greene's The End of the Affair. No other novel conjures the spooky solemnity of the Blitz so adroitly

A tensely charged story of betrayal

Marvellously witty, poetic and socially perceptive novels... she is bang on form with The Heat of the Day

This world reminds you of both Henry James and Graham Greene...a world both placid and violently fractured...Bowen's prose is crisp and precise, but also suggestive and haunting...She combines moral refinement and pitiless but compasionate understanding

A haunting novel of bad faith and betrayal

Brilliant descriptions of London during the Blitz

[Bowen] startles us by sheer originality of mind and boldness of sensibility into seeking our world afresh. . . . Out of the plainest things--the drawing of a curtain--she can make something electric and urgent

Dense as a poem with symbol and suggestion. . . The work of a writer [of] rich and winning gifts

Imagine a Graham Greene thriller projected through the sensibility of Virginia Woolf

a book of signal wit and beauty that shows many ways of being a woman under intolerable strain... The electrifying ubiquity of danger - the novel is set in London under the Blitz - summons tenderness and the appetite for life. London itself breathes, turns and glows throughout

A raw novel about the war in Afghanistan . . . the book smells completely authentic

A must-read debut

This is without doubt the best and most readable account of a modern combat soldier's life that I have read. The unique relationship between officer and soldier is brilliantly explored, as is the impact of war on loved ones left behind. Then there's the raw fear, the shock of the real thing, the loss of comrades and the sense of absolute mutual commitment that carries the day. I cannot commend it too much. A modern classic

Darkly funny yet moving debut.

A “serious” novel that is genuinely and frequently funny.

This debut novel from Jesse Armstrong…is every bit as funny and cringe-inducing as the sitcoms he made his name writing.

one of the year’s funniest books.

brilliantly funny… the dialogue and the characters are fantastic.

It’s hard for me to believe that this amazing, touching book is a debut novel. Absolutely recommend and already on the run for a spot in my top 10.

It is a powerful read; you can almost see the endless mud of the trenches, and sense the fear of those young men.

Anna Hope wove her spell and managed to conjure up an intriguing tale, quite rich with emotion that held me entranced until the last page. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Wake is a brilliant debut novel, deeply moving, well-plotted and engrossing.

This is such a brilliant book; one that is both beautifully written and emotionally involving, with a fascinating plot and wonderful characters who pluck at your heartstrings on every page.

I have no doubt that Wake is going to be included in my Top Ten books of 2014, I know that it's only January, but this is a book that has had a huge effect on me.

The only regret I have is that I didn’t read this book sooner. WAKE is luxury. Pure luxury.

She manages to capture every single detail, every emotion and every sound.

Wake is that rare and beautiful thing: a first novel that sings with such power and grace that it lifts itself effortlessly from the pack. Powerful, passionate, compassionate, it marks the rising of a new star in the literary firmament. Anna Hope is here to stay.

Intricately researched and beautifully written, with the kind of restrained yet emotional prose one expects from a seasoned author. Its characters, too, have a depth and quiet tragedy one rarely finds in debut fiction. In this centenary year commemorating the outbreak of war, there've been many novels about the conflict:Wake is without doubt one of the best.

A masterclass in historical fiction

Impressive ... A heart-breaking tale of grief and guilt