The Shock of the Light (Trade Paperback)
PRE-ORDER NOW! The estimated release date is 6 April 2026. Please note your complete order will only ship once the Pre-Order item becomes available.
'A powerful story, beautifully told' M.L. STEDMAN
'Truly compelling' WILLIAM BOYD
‘Exquisitely written and deeply human’ CHRIS CLEAVE
'Far-reaching, but also intimate and intensely personal' FLORENCE KNAPP
‘Alluring in its twists and turns’ SONIA PURNELL
A dazzling literary achievement that brings to life the shattering emotional impact of World War Two on ordinary people
Cambridge, 1942
Twins Tessa and Theo had always shared everything – until the summer Tessa spent studying in France. She hasn’t been the same since. But before Theo can find out why, he is recruited by the RAF and disappears into the skies.
Determined to carve her own path, Tessa joins the clandestine Special Operations Executive, slipping into the shadows of occupied France. It will be dangerous work, but France is the home of her greatest love – and her darkest secret. Tessa has many reasons for wanting to return.
Two years later, only one of them comes home.