Summer 1940: The Battle of France is over; the Battle of Britain is about to begin. If the swastika is not to fly over Buckingham Palace, the RAF must prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over Great Britain. Standing on the front line is No. 606 (Hurricane) Squadron. As the casualties mount, new pilots find a cold reception from the clique of experienced pilots, who resent them taking the place of their dead friends. Meanwhile, despite credible service in France, former RAF aerobatics pilot Robin Priestman finds himself stuck in Training Command -- and falling for a girl from the Salvation Army. On the other side of the Channel, the Luftwaffe is recruiting women as communications specialists -- and naïve Klaudia is about to grow up.
Helena P. Schrader is an established aviation author and expert on the Second World War. She earned a PhD in History from the University of Hamburg with a ground-breaking dissertation on a leading member of the German Resistance to Hitler, which received widespread praise on publication in Germany. Her non-fiction publications include Sisters in Arms: The Women who Flew in WWII, The Blockade Breakers: The Berlin Airlift, and Codename Valkyrie: General Friedrich Olbricht and the Plot against Hitler, an English-language adaptation of her dissertation. She has also published a number of historical novels and earned over twenty literary awards. For more about her publications visit her website at: http://helenapschrader.com
"Its high-octane descriptions of air maneuvers and daring escapes are breathtaking.... Because of its ambitious scope and phenomenal details, down to the last "Mae West" jacket, the novel is compelling, humanizing a historical event ....." Foreword Clarion Reviews
"Scenes exploring the characters inner lives are compelling... [and] Schrader also succeeds in accurately portraying the bombing raids and defense missions.... A painstakingly researched war novel with complex characterizations." Kirkus Reviews
RAF Battle of Britain Ace Wing Commander Bob Doe called it "The best book about the Battle of Britain I have ever seen! It got it smack on the way it was for us fighter pilots. I couldn’t put it down!"
The President of the Battle of Britain Historical Society Paul Davies said it "will become a classic."
Aviation expert Simon Rodwell noted "it is hard to imagine that a new novel could be written that would make the Battle of Britain seem fresh. Yet this is exactly what Helena Schrader has achieved."
USAF General Kencil Heaton noted: "This is a great book that any pilot or would-be-pilot will love. The description of the flying scenes is so accurate, I can easily imagine myself in all of the air-to-air battles."
Feathered Quill Reviews (Amy Lignor) said: “This author struck gold with this story. …The human side of war is intense and the detailed descriptions of the crafts and the fights were so vivid that they pulled me back in time… Quill Says: I cannot recommend this highly enough. Do not miss this memorable, intense, amazing story.”
