A Songbird in Wartime

Written by Karen Dickson

Narrated by Jess Nesling

A wartime family saga, perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Val Wood
 
Shaftesbury, 1936.
 
Mansfield House Hotel has been a refuge for Emily ever since she was orphaned at the age of 16. Not only did they give her employment as a chambermaid, but it’s also where she met her fiancé Tom.

When theatre agent Roland stays at the hotel and hears Emily singing, he is determined to take her away to Bristol and make her a star. But knowing she'd never leave her fiancé, he hatches a plan to get Emily away from Tom. 

Six years later, Emily has made a name for herself as 'The Bristol Songbird'. Her love for Tom is still as strong as ever, but she's not heard from him since that fateful night so long ago. And with the world enveloped in a war, it seems unlikely the two will ever meet again.
 
Will Emily and Tom ever find their way back to one another? Or will the war – and Roland – succeed in keeping them apart?
 
Praise for Karen Dickson:
 
‘A compelling saga that will hold you fast from the first page to the last. Loved it’ VAL WOOD, author of The Lonely Wife
 
'This rollercoaster of a novel draws you in from the first page… I devoured this in one sitting and look forward to more from this author. In short a gem of a read' FIONA FORD, author of Wartime at Liberty's
 
'A delight to read... Lily Hayter is a wonderful heroine whose resilience and integrity shine through as she struggles to claim a life of her choosing and find a family. At the heart of the story is a warmth and humanity that makes it a truly uplifting read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sorry when I reached the end because I wanted to linger in Dickson’s world. I eagerly await more from Karen Dickson' VICKI BEEBY, author of The Ops Room Girls

‘An exciting, fresh and talented new voice – a five-star read!’ CAROL RIVERS, author of Molly’s Christmas Orphans

'The characters in this novel are so believable that I cared deeply about them from the first chapter. A heartfelt, hopeful account of one young woman’s fight to keep her child safe when all the odds are against her. Atmospheric and beautifully written' JAN CASEY, author of The Women of Waterloo Bridge

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio UK
• Release date: Dec 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781398515994

Karen Dickson

Karen Dickson lives in Dorset and used to work at her local branch of WHSmith, where she was fondly known as The Book Lady. 

Reviews for A Songbird in Wartime

[Barry Lehman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent story but the narrative was bad. So many pauses where there shouldn’t have been any. I almost gave up on it.

[Mariel McEwan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the best novels about WWII in Burma, which I believe is not as well known by today’s readers as European battles. Especially as the story is linked with the entertainment forces that performed for the Allie troops in both Europe and Asia. Well done!

[Dena Royal · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved the story, but the computerized (?) pauses between every sentence of the narration were VERY distracting. Otherwise, I would have given it more stars.