Time to Live

Vanessa de Haan is a freelance journalist and editor. She has worked in-house for various media companies and spent most of her career at The Spectator magazine.In 2005 Vanessa moved temporarily from London to Devon to concentrate on her own writing and never left. She completed the MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and was a columnist on the Western Morning News for almost three years. When not writing, Vanessa is a proofreader and copy editor. She still lives in Devon, now with a husband, three children and various animals.

‘An absorbing, meaty saga’ THE TIMES‘For fans of Downton Abbey and Howards End, de Haan paints a vivid picture of seismic social changes between the wars on the idyllic Coombe Hall estate’ Kate Lord Brown‘Rich detail of time and place, of social mores, of political events … an authentic world [and] a wonderful cast of characters’Tim Pears‘Touching on the political questions of the day, this is a story of dignity and desperation, hope and expectations’ PlatinumPraise for Vanessa de Haan:‘A rich and skilful novel dramatizing how the war changed so many lives’ Elizabeth Buchan‘The sure-footedness of a pro, an amazing debut’ Jeffrey Archer‘…a sweeping feel [that rolls] forward through the months and years with tremendous confidence and ease…. a wonderful cast [building] towards a series of emotional climaxes that really earn their power… so many scenes were really moving.‘This is a story about class changing conventions, as much as it is a war story . . . De Haan writes with depth and compassion’ The Times‘The second world war brings three people's lives crashing together in this nuanced debut . . . Carefully researched and sensitively written, this is an emotional and memorable read’ Woman’s Own‘A beautifully layered, expressive novel’ Historical Novel Society‘Packs a powerful emotional punch . . . a wonderfully engaging new voice' Toronto Star