Night Fire

By Richard Strachan

In the skies above war-torn Europe, Stanley Wake and his fellow aircrew at Bomber Command risk their lives on missions that are incredibly dangerous and highly pressured. As the strains of their work press on him, Stan is beginning to suspect that either their plane is haunted or Stan himself may be haunted by his part in bringing about death and destruction to so many.

On the ground in Lincoln, Abby Sallow is desperately trying to keep her own ghosts at bay. Working in a factory dismantling wrecked aircraft, Abby struggles to escape the nightly visions of her only son, who was killed at the very outset of war. While Stan longs to live, Abby seems intent on bringing about her own death.

And for intensely superstitious Harry Culpepper, one of Stan’s crewmates, it is only the Fates can keep him alive. He has crafted a talisman – a bird skull – that he is convinced will guarantee his safety.

But as the bombing intensifies and the crew count down towards 30 flights completed – the point at which they will be given a reprieve from their deadly work – all three characters will discover whether they can find a chance of peace amongst the devastation of war, and whether the ghosts that haunt them can ever truly be laid to rest.

Moving, evocative and beautifully written, Night Fire establishes Richard Strachan as a major new name in historical fiction.

Reviews of Night Fire

'Night Fire is both a riveting story of wartime jeopardy and a luminous exploration of intertwining lives. The writing is astonishing, showing a world on the brink of collapse and the struggle of its characters to hold on. It is full of beauty, hope, wisdom. Every page, every sentence bears a remarkable intelligence, curiosity and sympathy. There will be few better books published this year' – Martin MacInnes, author of Booker-longlisted In Ascension

'In Night Fire, Strachan perfectly captures the ominous superstition that thrives in the extremity and mundanity of war. The pages – and characters – are seared with guilt and the search for redemption is heartfelt and thrilling' – Lyndsey May, author of Weak Teeth

'Exquisitely written, a haunting fable of grief and intersecting lives wrought and shaped by war that burns with fierce compassion' – Lucy Ribchester, author of Murder Ballad, The Hourglass Factory and The Amber Shadows

'A rich, lyrical and captivating tale of ghosts, memory and the power of the imagination to both renew and destroy' – Mary Paulson-Ellis