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The Darkest Hour cover art

The Darkest Hour

By: Barbara Erskine
Narrated by: Sandra Duncan
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Publisher's Summary

From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes an epic tale of love, passion and heartbreak.

Love is as uncertain and as untamable as war…

In the summer of 1940, most eyes are focused on the skies above the South of England. The battle for Britain has just begun. But young Evie Lucas has eyes for no-one but a dashing young pilot called Tony. Evie has a glittering career as an artist ahead of her but seems to be wasting her time sketching endless portraits of Tony. She wants his parents to have something to remember him by in case it all goes wrong in the war…

Seventy years later, and recently widowed art historian Lucy is trying to put the pieces of her life back together. And in order to do that, Lucy needs to uncover the mystery surrounding a painting in her home. But as she accidentally ends up stirring up a hornet's nest of history which has been deliberately obliterated, Lucy finds herself in danger from people past and present who have no intention of letting an untold truth ever surface.

©2014 Barbara Erskine (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic Reviews

Praise for Barbara Erskine:

"Her forte is mood, atmosphere and the toe-curling frisson" (Elizabeth Buchan, Sunday Times)
"Barbara Erskine's storytelling talent is undeniable" (The Times)
"Marvellous escapist stuff" (Woman and Home)

What listeners say about The Darkest Hour

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Captivating

I have always loved Barbara Erskines writing.
The way she blends past and present is truly amazing. Each character described so you see them clearly in your mind.
Great story which had me on the edge of my seat many times right to the end.

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Love enduring love , across the heavenly realm !

I loved the voices , I loved the characters ! The male mysogeny is alive and well and is kept flourishing by the subservient position woman were in at the time , 1930 - 1950 . Even women who made their own money were treated no better

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One of her Best

Having read/listened to most of Barbara Erskine’s novels, this is my favourite. Perhaps because it’s ‘recent’ history and I can imagine it more clearly? Not sure, but this writer creates such interesting and believable characters. I found myself wishing I could view Evie’s paintings…until I remember they were fictitious!
The narrator was quite good on the whole, but I did feel that she made Lucy’s character sound a little too passive and apologetic. A minor point though, I loved the story.

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Intriguing

One of Barbara’s best, the time line and charismatic characters and the ghosts of not so long ago, WW2 - I so enjoyed it!

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