-
Access Our
Best Book Club
Books of 2025!
Summary | Discuss | Reviews | More Information | More Books
A World War 2 Novel
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Calamity of Souls comes David Baldacci's newest novel, set in London in 1944, about a bereaved book shop owner and two teenagers scarred by the second world war, and the healing and hope they find in one another.
Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters is up to no good, but for a very good reason. Without parents, peerage, or merit, ducking school but barred from actual work, he steals what he needs, living day-to-day until he's old enough to enlist to fight the Germans. After barely surviving the Blitz, Charlie knows there's no telling when a falling bomb might end his life.
Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield has just returned to a nearly unrecognizable London. One of millions of people to have been evacuated to the countryside via "Operation Pied Piper," Molly has been away from her parents—from her home—for nearly five years. Her return, however, is not the homecoming she'd hoped for as she's confronted by a devastating reality: neither of her parents are there, only her old nanny, Mrs. Pride.
Without guardians and stability, Charlie and Molly find an unexpected ally and protector in Ignatius Oliver, and solace at his book shop, The Book Keep, where A book a day keeps the bombs away. Mourning the recent loss of his wife, Ignatius forms a kinship with both children, and in each other—over the course of the greatest armed conflict the world had ever seen—they rediscover the spirit of family each has lost.
But Charlie's escapades in the city have not gone unnoticed, and someone's been following Molly since she returned to London. And Ignatius is reeling from a secret Imogen long kept from him while she was alive—something so shocking it resulted in her death, and his life being turned upside down.
As bombs continue to bear down on the city, Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius learn that while the perils of war rage on, their coming together and trusting one another may be the only way for them to survive.
What are you reading this week? (04/24/2025)
"Strangers in Time" by David Baldacci. I've not had much time to devote to it; hoping to really get through it this weekend. Certainly not his usual fare but I like it (so far) but I'm a sucker for WW II English Home Front books.
-Carol_Ann_Robb
What are you reading this week? (4/17/2025)
I'm working on The Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes–a good historical novel set in Montana between WW I & WW II–so I can crack open David Baldacci's latest, Strangers in Time.
-Carol_Ann_Robb
"Hope, excitement, and tragedy will keep rapt readers reaching for their tissues." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Though the novel is marred by an unnecessary and far-fetched plot twist near the end, Baldacci's strong character work highlights the trio's courage and tenacity, as do the wrenching depictions of London's wartime devastation. It's a touching tale of a found family." —Publishers Weekly
"A totally engrossing novel about war, friendship and the resilience of youth. A book that will stay with you." ―Ann Cleeves, New York Times bestselling author
"If Dickens had written a novel set in the WW2 London Blitz, he could not have bettered this. Captivating, tender, brutal and brilliant." ―Peter James, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author
This information about Strangers in Time was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996. A major motion picture adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 32 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries; over 110 million copies are in print worldwide. David has also published five novels for younger readers.
A lifelong Virginian, David received his Bachelor's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law in Washington, D.C.
While David is involved with several philanthropic organizations, ...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to David Baldacci's Website
Ginseng Roots
by Craig Thompson
A new graphic memoir from the author of Blankets and Habibi about class, childhood labor, and Wisconsin’s ginseng industry.
Awake in the Floating City
by Susanna Kwan
A debut novel about an artist and a 130-year-old woman bound by love and memory in a future, flooded San Francisco.
The Original Daughter
by Jemimah Wei
A dazzling debut by Jemimah Wei about ambition, sisterhood, and family bonds in turn-of-the-millennium Singapore.
Serial Killer Games
by Kate Posey
A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life—and love—can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry).
People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
