Annie Murray - Böcker

Set in the midst of WW2, Soldier Girl follows a woman on her journey of courage, determination, loss, and resilience – the sequel to A Hopscotch Summer from Annie Murray.Molly Fox has grown up in the back streets of Birmingham at the mercy of her cruel grandfather and her drunken mother. Haunted by terrible family secrets, she decides to take her life into her own hands and bravely joins the British Army as an ATS girl. The army, seemingly a disaster at first, surprisingly provides Molly with the direction and affirmation she has yearned for. But war brings tragedy as well as triumph, and when Molly receives news from home, it becomes clear that she can't escape her unforgiving past so easily . . .Escape into a heartrending saga of war, friendship and heartbreak in Soldier Girl. The series continues with the final book, All the Days of Our Lives.Readers love Annie Murray . . .'A book I couldn't put down''Murray is able to take the reader back to wartime Birmingham''Intriguing and well written'

It is 1946 in Birmingham: the Second World War is over and three young women face a new kind of life. But peacetime brings its own pressures . . .Katie O'Neill's childhood has been dominated by her temperamental mother and by frightening secrets that she barely understands. Innocent, yet hungry for love, she is easily taken in by male charm and is left outcast and alone with her young son.Emma Brown has spent the war at home in Birmingham, longing for her husband Norm to return and meet the son he has never seen. But she soon finds that the joy of homecoming only brings a whole new set of problems.And Molly Fox, after a sad and brutal childhood, found a place to belong during the war, in the women's army, the ATS. Now, the women are no longer wanted and Molly finds peacetime a bleak, difficult challenge. Finding work in guesthouses and holiday camps, she keeps running from herself, in search of a place she can call home.All the Days of Our Lives reunites the three girls from A Hopscotch Summer and Soldier Girl who first meet in a 1930s Birmingham classroom. Now adults, each of them faces life with all its joys, sorrows and surprises.Readers love Annie Murray . . .'From childhood to grown women, you follow them all through their trials and tribulations''I am a great fan of Second World War fiction and Annie Murray is among the best of the authors on this subject''A wonderful story of friendship spanning decades'

In 1984 two young mothers meet at a toddler group in Birmingham. As their friendship grows, they share with each other the difficulties and secrets in their lives:Joanne, a sweet, shy girl, is increasingly afraid of her husband. The lively, promising man she married has become hostile and violent and she is too ashamed to tell anyone. When her mother, Margaret is suddenly rushed into hospital, the bewildered family find that there are things about their mother of which they had no idea. Margaret was evacuated from Birmingham as a child and has spent years avoiding the pain of her childhood - but finds that you can't run from the past forever.Sooky, kind and good-natured, has already been through one disastrous marriage and is back at home living with her parents. But being 'disgraced' is not easy. Her mother, Meena, refuses to speak to Sooky. At first her silence seems like a punishment, but Sooky gradually realizes it contains emotions which are far more complicated and that her mother may need her help. Meena has spent twenty years trying to fit in with life in Birmingham, and to deal with the conflicts within her between east and west, old ways and new.My Daughter, My Mother by bestselling saga author Annie Murray, is the story of two young women discovering the heartbreak of their mothers' lives, and of how mothers create daughters - and learn from them.

Shortlisted for Historical Romantic Novel in the Romantic Novelists Association Books Awards.Birmingham, almost a decade after the end of the Great War, and the women of Lilac Street have had more than their fair share of troubles . . .Rose Southgate is trapped in a loveless marriage. Shy and isolated, she makes the best of life, until she meets a man who changes everything.Jen Green is struggling to make ends meet, with a sick husband and five children to support. Aggie, her eldest daughter, is twelve years old and longs for excitement. But prying into the adult world shows her more than she had bargained for.And Phyllis Taylor is a widow who has managed to put a dark and traumatic past behind her. But the return of her daughter Dolly threatens all that . . .These women find strength in friendship, as they discover that the best way to solve their problems is to face them together, in Annie Murray's compelling The Women of Lilac Street.

As the pressures of rationing, bombing raids and sleepless nights grow, two sisters must decide what they really want from life – and if they're brave enough to fight for it. Meet Me Under the Clock is a beautiful wartime story from Annie Murray.Growing up in Birmingham, Sylvia and Audrey Whitehouse have always been like chalk and cheese. When the Second World War breaks out, Sylvia is still dreaming of her forthcoming marriage to fiancé Ian – while Audrey jumps at the career opportunities the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) throws her way.Audrey joins the ranks at RAF Cardington but soon finds that her new freedom also brings temptation. When she goes too far, the consequences ripple through the Whitehouse family. Meanwhile, Sylvia is doing her bit as a railway porter, much to her fiancé’s dismay. He thinks the job is unfeminine - unlike Sylvia's new friend Kitty, who is as sweet and pretty as can be. But Kitty's innocent nature hides a dark secret . . .A heartbreaking yet inspiring wartime set novel, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn.

'A heart-warming and affecting tale.' - Woman's Weekly1946: The war might be over but, for the Gilby family, there are still battles to be fought at home . . .For both the city of Birmingham and the Gilby family, the war years have been a time of great change. With her husband, Len, having left her for another woman, Ann Gilby is finally free to follow her heart. While the neighbours may be scandalised by having a divorcee in their midst, Ann is determined to rise above the local gossip and make a happy home with her former sweetheart, Tom – the father of her youngest child.Meanwhile, daughters Joy and Sheila are lucky enough to have their menfolk back home. But Joy's husband, Alan, has returned home a broken man from his experiences in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. And Sheila's husband, Kenneth, is finding his wartime adventures and travels have made Birmingham feel small by comparison.And then there's Ann's youngest child, Martin, who is still coming to terms with learning who his real father is – as well as having secrets of his own . . .From Annie Murray, the bestselling author of Secrets of the Chocolate Girls and Wartime for the Chocolate Girls: Homecoming for the Chocolate Girls is the heartfelt and dramatic conclusion to this gritty family saga about love, war and chocolate . . .'A portrait of four generations of a Birmingham family as they struggle to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of World War Two. With intimately drawn characters grappling with emotional dramas, this is a writer at the top of her game.' - Joanna Toye, author of The Shop Girls

'A heart-warming and affecting tale' – Woman's WeeklyHomecoming for the Chocolate Girls is the heartfelt and dramatic conclusion to this gritty family saga about love, war and chocolate.1946: The war might be over, but for the Gilby family there are still battles to be fought at home . . .For Birmingham and the Gilby family the war years have been a time of great change. With husband Len having left her for another woman, Ann Gilby is finally free to follow her heart. While the neighbours may be scandalized by having a divorcee in their midst, Ann is determined to rise above the local gossip and make a happy home with her former sweetheart, the father of Ann’s youngest child.Daughters Joy and Sheila are lucky enough to have their menfolk back home, but Joy’s husband has returned a broken man from his experiences in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. And Sheila’s husband is finding his wartime adventures and travels have made Birmingham feel small by comparison.Then there’s Anne’s youngest child, Martin, who is still coming to terms with learning who his real father is, as well as having secrets of his own . . .From Annie Murray, the bestselling author of Chocolate Girls, The Bells of Bournville Green, Secrets of the Chocolate Girls and Wartime for the Chocolate Girls.'[A] dramatic historical tale. Told with enormous skill and sensitive insight, Homecoming for the Chocolate Girls is an emotional story that captivates completely' – The People's Friend'A portrait of four generations of a Birmingham family as they struggle to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of World War Two. With intimately drawn characters grappling with emotional dramas, this is a writer at the top of her game' – Joanna Toye, author of The Shop Girls

'This heartfelt story is perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn' - Candis'Gritty and moving story-telling' - Peterborough TelegraphAnnie Murray's The Pearl Button Girl is book one in the Children of Birmingham series, starting in Victorian Birmingham and following the trials and triumphs of the Fletcher family.Working at the local pearl button factory, Ada Fletcher is doing her best to make ends meet in trying times.When tragedy strikes and her siblings are taken to a workhouse orphanage, Ada is saved from a similar fate by her neighbour, Sarah Connell.But the roof over Ada’s head doesn’t come without a price: the Connells have too many children and not enough money, and Sarah’s reliance on drink means that it isn’t long before Ada needs to escape.Determined to be more than just a factory girl, Ada embarks on a journey to reunite with her siblings. But in a teeming industrial city, will she be able to find long-lost family as well as a home and life to call her own?

'This heartfelt story is perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn' - Candis'Gritty and moving story-telling' - Peterborough TelegraphAnnie Murray's The Pearl Button Girl is book one in the Children of Birmingham series, starting in Victorian Birmingham and following the trials and triumphs of the Fletcher family.Working at the local pearl button factory, Ada Fletcher is doing her best to make ends meet in trying times.When tragedy strikes and her siblings are taken to a workhouse orphanage, Ada is saved from a similar fate by her neighbour, Sarah Connell.But the roof over Ada’s head doesn’t come without a price: the Connells have too many children, not enough money, and Sarah’s reliance on drink means that it isn’t long before Ada needs to escape.Determined to be more than just a factory girl, Ada embarks on a journey to reunite with her siblings. But in a teeming industrial city, will she be able to find long-lost family as well as a home and life to call her own?Readers love The Pearl Button Girl:'A fantastic read''Couldn't put it down''Annie Murray really amazed me with this''Another gripping and emotional read''I flew through this as I was so invested in Ada’s journey, she's such a likeable character'

Birmingham, 1858. Dora, a spirited young maid with a vivid imagination, finds solace in the library of the esteemed family she works for. But when a forbidden love leads to a secret that could ruin her, Dora has no choice but to leave the only place that has ever offered her security and kindness.Alone in Birmingham’s teeming industrial streets, Dora reinvents herself as a washerwoman – each stitch and scrub a testament to her fierce determination to protect her daughter, Rose.But, snatching any free moment in her exhausting days, Dora begins to write her own stories, dreaming that one day, she will see her words in print.As fate reunites Dora with long-lost family, she must face fresh challenges and personal heartache. Can this woman, armed with grit, love and a pen, defy her past and write her own destiny?Dora's Dream is a gritty and heartfelt saga from beloved author, Annie Murray and is the second book in the Children of Birmingham series after The Pearl Button Girl.The Birmingham Rose by Annie Murray was a Sunday Times bestseller in Feb 1995.

Birmingham, 1858. Dora, a spirited young maid with a vivid imagination, finds solace in the library of the esteemed family she works for. But when a forbidden love leads to a secret that could ruin her, Dora has no choice but to leave the only place that has ever offered her security and kindness.Alone in Birmingham’s teeming industrial streets, Dora reinvents herself as a washerwoman – each stitch and scrub a testament to her fierce determination to protect her daughter, Rose.But, snatching any free moment in her exhausting days, Dora begins to write her own stories, dreaming that one day, she will see her words in print.As fate reunites Dora with long-lost family, she must face fresh challenges and personal heartache. Can this woman, armed with grit, love and a pen, defy her past and write her own destiny?Dora's Dream is a gritty and heartfelt saga from beloved author, Annie Murray and is the second book in the original Children of Birmingham series after The Pearl Button Girl.The Birmingham Rose by Annie Murray was a Sunday Times bestseller in Feb 1995.

Continuing the saga begun in Annie Murray's Chocolate Girls, and set in 1960s Birmingham, The Bells of Bournville Green is a story of families whose lives are entwined, of belonging and loss . . . and of a young woman's search for transforming love.Pretty seventeen-year-old Greta has never known a stable family life. With no father, and loathing her mother's latest boyfriend, Greta finds life hard at home and is happiest at work with her friends at the Cadbury factory.Greta soon decides that her only way out is marriage, but all too soon she discovers that life with her old class mate Trevor is not a ticket to freedom and happiness. She finds herself on the streets, pregnant and homeless.She is taken in by her mother's old friends, but the love and security of this haven is soon shattered by appalling tragedy, which affects all the chocolate girls and their children and changes life forever . . .Continue the gritty family saga with Secrets of the Chocolate Girls.

An astounding novel from the author of the bestselling Birmingham sagas, Chocolate Girls and Water Gypsies

In 1930s Birmingham, in the impoverished district of Nechells, a young girl bravely endeavours to hold her family together in trying times. A Hopscotch Summer is an emotional journey of determination and resilience from Annie Murray.Emma Brown is a young girl whose usual cheerful spirit is challenged when her household welcomes a new baby. Her mother, Cynthia, is losing herself. Her father, Bob, takes solace in alcohol.Experiencing the hard slap of reality early in life, Emma tries to maintain the household and keep everyone's spirits up. But soon it seems that the only thing to do is for Cynthia to go and stay with her tyrannical older sister across the city.Life gets even tougher for Emma with her mother away, so Emma travels across town to bring back her mother – all on her own. However, the mother she finds is barely recognizable . . .A Hopscotch Summer explores life's harsh realities, the spirit of survival, and the hope for better days. This tale of triumph over adversity will stir your heart and stay with you long after you've turned the last page. The series continues in Soldier Girl and All the Days of Our Lives.Readers love Annie Murray . . .'If you like novels set before, during and just after WW2, I am sure you will enjoy these books by Annie Murray.''I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was so atmospheric'

Rachel Booker has a difficult start in life. When her father dies, deep in gambling debt, her mother must harden herself to make ends meet, but becomes so hard she has little room left for affection or warmth. Mother and daughter work at the open market in Birmingham, selling second-hand clothes or whatever they can find just to put a little food on the table.But the market has a silver lining: it's there that Rachel makes her first childhood friend, Danny. As they grow older, the friendship grows into something more and their innocent romance gives Rachel the care and comfort she's always craved. But at just sixteen, as World War II breaks out, Rachel falls pregnant. They marry in haste but it isn't long before Danny is called up. Left on the home front with a new baby and little else, Rachel must scrape by with the other residents of Sparkbrook. But if Danny ever makes it home, will he be the same boy she loved so fiercely? And if Rachel can sustain the family until then, will she end up as hard-hearted as her own mother? Annie Murray's War Babies is a moving and insightful novel about hardships on the home front and how the war changed everybody it touched . . .

The Narrowboat Girl by Annie Murray is the story of a young woman's search for freedom and happiness.Young Maryann Nelson is devastated at the loss of her beloved father. But worse is to come when her mother, Flo, sees an opportunity to better herself and her family in a marriage to the local undertaker, Norman Griffin. Though on the surface a caring family man, Norman is not at all what he seems, as Maryann and her sister Sal soon discover.Unable to turn to their unsympathetic mother for support, the girls are left alone with their harrowing secret. But for Sal it is too much to bear . . . The chance of a new life opens up for Maryann when she befriends Joel Bartholomew. Aboard his narrowboat, the Esther Jane, she finds herself falling in love with life on the canal as she is swept away from Birmingham and all her worries. Until Joel's feelings for Maryann begin to change, awakening all the old nightmares that she had thought were long buried, and in panic and confusion she takes flight . . . The Narrowboat Girl is followed by sequel, Water Gypsies.

It is 1942, and after a childhood of suffering in Birmingham, Maryann Bartholomew has built a life of happiness and safety with her husband Joel and their children, working the canals on his narrowboat, the Esther Jane. But the back-breaking work and constant childbearing take their toll on Maryann, and the tragic loss of her old friend Nancy, followed by a further pregnancy lead her to a desperate act which nearly costs her her life.The walls of her security are broken down when Joel suffers an accident, and to keep the boats working, Maryann is forced to allow Sylvia and Dot, two wartime volunteers, into the privacy of their life. And when she discovers that someone keeps calling for her at Birmingham's Tyseley Wharf, the dark memories of her past begin to overwhelm her life. For that someone, who seems to be watching her every move, is becoming more dangerous that even she could imagine . . . Sequel to The Narrowboat Girl, Water Gypsies by Annie Murray is the gripping story of life on the Birmingham canals.

Christmas Fireside Stories is a delightful festive collection of short stories that includes delicious Christmas recipes recommended by the authors as well as extracts from your favourite saga novels.Christmas at Briar Farm by Diane AllenChristmas preparations are in full swing at Briar farm as the Bainbridge family get ready for a traditional 1960s Christmas – with all the trimmings.Kate's Miracle by Rita BradshawIt's Christmas 1919 and things are looking bleak for Kate and her two small children in the north of England. That is until Kate discovers the strength of friendship and community at Christmas time . . .The Gift by Margaret DickinsonChristmas Eve, 1914. A moment of hope unites soldiers on both sides of the firing line as the spirit of Christmas crosses even the divides of war, and an act of generosity changes one man's life forever.Christmas at Thalstead Halt by Annie MurrayAt Thalstead Halt, the station master has the unexpected task of sheltering snow bound passengers in the run up to Christmas 1886. And the eclectic mix of travellers bring more than one surprise with them . . .You'll Never Know Just How Much I Love You by Pam WeaverChristmas, 1943. The post office at Goring-on-Sea is surrounded by a heavy blanket of winter snow but nothing can stop the last post, or the power of true love at Christmas time.A Wounded Christmas by Mary WoodCan friendship, humour and a Boxing Day party help to ease the sorrows of 1942? A heart-warming story featuring characters from the saga novel Proud of You.

A tale of hardship and survival, set between Birmingham and Canada across the 1950s, 60s and 70s, The Doorstep Child is a heart-rending story from the bestselling author of the Chocolate Girls series, Annie Murray.From a tender age little Evie struggled . . .Evie spent her early years left outside on the step. With a drunk for a father and a neglectful mother, all little Evie has ever craved is a safe home and a normal existence.Her young eyes had seen so much, but this never tainted her spirit. If it wasn't for her best friend Gary, and friendly dog called Whisky, Evie might never have made it to the sixteenth birthday.At sixteen she meets Ken, a sweet brown-eyed boy, not much older than she is. Perhaps her fortunes have changed? But no sooner does she give over her heart, she is betrayed, not for the first time in her young life . . .Will Evie ever find the love and warmth she's always craved?Praise for Annie Murray:'Annie Murray’s superbly drawn characters will live with you long after you have finished reading' – Margaret Dickinson, author of Secrets at Bletchley Park'An emotional story that captivates completely' – The People's Friend'A gripping read, full of drama, love and compassion' – Take a Break

Now the War is Over is a moving story of post-war hardship and the struggles of a reunited family, featuring characters from Annie Murray's bestselling War Babies.The Second World War has finally come to a close. Birmingham is welcoming home its menfolk, and a new chapter is beginning in Rachel Booker's life. Her husband has returned, and the family that struggled for survival throughout the uncertain war years is now together. But family life settles into a routine and Rachel, unsatisfied, starts to yearn for more'Melly, Rachel's eldest daughter, is a child of the war. She grew up in the bombed-out streets of Birmingham and has never known anything other than the hungry ration years and supporting her mother and younger brother Tommy. But times are changing and Melly now has a fresh future ahead of her. She's determined to make the most of life and her greatest wish is to become a nurse.As the gloom of the 1940s passes by and the promise of the 1950s dawns, a whole new world of opportunity opens up to Rachel and Melly - but with this come new challenges and tough choices. They will each have to decide whether their loyalties still lie with the family and friends they clung to throughout the war years or if it's time to move on . . .

A heartfelt Birmingham saga, Birmingham Rose is Annie Murray's debut novel and was a Sunday Times bestseller.Life is bleak for Rose Lucas, a spirited, intelligent girl, born into a large family in the slums of pre-war Birmingham. But her friendship with Diana, daughter of a vicar from middle-class Moseley, gives her hope. She learns to aspire to a different kind of existence, vowing never to become a child-bearing drudge like her mother.Life, however, never follows the way of dreams. After a childhood marked by tragedy, Rose eventually finds and loses the love for which she has striven so hard. From Italy, where she has travelled during the Second World War, she is forced to return to Birmingham and an unhappy marriage, her hopes and illusions shattered. But Rose will not be defeated and she, too, is determined to rise once again above the devastation of her life . . .

1950 - Seven year old Carol Martin lies encased in an iron lung, struck down by the killer disease, polio. Distraught at her side, her mother, Violet, wonders if this is her punishment - for Carol is the love child who should not have been born . . .Family of Women is the story of three generations of women:Bessie: scarred by a childhood of poverty in the slums of Victorian Birmingham and left a young widow with four children, is a hard, bullying woman who will go to disturbing lengths to keep her family under her thumb.Violet: one of Bessie's four children, marries young to escape, into the arms of a man whose life will be broken by war.Linda: grows up on a large housing estate in the 1950s with older sister Joyce and her beloved young sister Carol. Intelligent and energetic, she craves education and something more than the life she sees around her. Torn from her longed for place at the grammar school, she gives up hoping for anything better. It takes a tragic love affair to make her question the limitations of her life and the secrets which haunt her family.Spanning more than half of the last century, Family of Women by Annie Murray is a story of one family - and of the joys, struggles and changes in women's lives.

A remarkable, stirring novel, Birmingham Friends perfectly captures the complicated intimacy of female relationships.Anna has always been exceptionally close to her mother, Kate and as a child, was captivated by the stories her mother would tell of her childhood in Birmingham with her best friend, Olivia. Olivia and Kate seemed to have a magical friendship.But when Kate dies, she leaves her daughter a final story, one that this time tells the whole truth of her life with Olivia Kemp. As Anna reads, she is shocked to discover how little she really knew about the mother she felt so close to. With Kate's words of caution ringing in her head, she goes in search of the one woman who can answer urgent questions about her mother's life, and about her own . . .*Birmingham Friends was originally published as Kate and Olivia*