Audiobooks narrated by Alison Dowling

Brought to you by Penguin. 'There was hardly a household in the land', writes Lyn Macdonald, 'there was no trade, occupation, profession or community, which was not represented in the thousands of innocent enthusiasts who made up the ranks of Kitchener's Army before the Battle of the Somme...' The year 1916 was one of the great turning-points in British history: as the youthful hopes of a generation were crushed in a desperate struggle to survive, and traditional attitudes to authority were destroyed for ever. On paper, few battles have ever been so meticulously planned. Yet while there were good political reasons to launch a joint offensive with a French Army demoralized by huge casualties at Verdun, the raw troops on the ground knew nothing of that. A hundred and fifty thousand were killed in the punishing shellfire, the endless ordeal of attack and counter-attack; twice that number were left maimed or wounded. Here, almost for the first time, Lyn Macdonald lets the men who were there give their own testimony. Their stories are vivid, harrowing, sometimes terrifying - yet shot through with humour, immense courage and an astonishing spirit of resilience. 'What the reader will longest remember are the words - heartbroken, blunt, angry - of the men who lived through the bloodbath...a worthy addition to the literature of the Great War...'Daily Mail Over the past twenty years Lyn Macdonald has established a popular reputation as an author and historian of the First World War. Her books are based on the accounts of eyewitnesses and survivors, told in their own words, and cast a unique light on the First World War. Most are published by Penguin. © Lyn MacDonald 1983 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Lyn Macdonald (Author), Alison Dowling (Narrator)

Audiobook

Passchendaele: The Story of the Third Battle of Ypres 1917

Brought to you by Penguin. 'Four years of war turned Ypres into a ghost town. Not a leaf grew on a tree. Scarcely one stone stood upon another. From the battered ramparts the eye swept clean across a field of rubble to the swamp-lands beyond . . .' The Third Battle of Ypres, ending in a desperate struggle for the ridge and little village of Passchendaele, was one of the most appalling campaigns in the history of warfare. A million Tommies, Canadians and Anzacs assembled at the Ypres Salient in summer of 1917, mostly raw young troops keen to do their bit for King and Country. This book tells their tale of mounting disillusion amid mud, terror and increasingly desperate attacks, yet it is also a story of immense courage, comradeship, high spirits and hope. In Passchendaele, Lyn Macdonald lets over 600 soldiers speak for themselves. In doing so, she portrays events from the only point of view that really matters. © Lyn MacDonald 2013 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Lyn Macdonald (Author), Alison Dowling (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Roses of No Man's Land

Brought to you by Penguin THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BBC DRAMA THE CRIMSON FIELD 'On the face of it,' writes Lyn Macdonald, 'no one could have been less equipped for the job than these gently nurtured girls who walked straight out of Edwardian drawing rooms into the manifest horrors of the First World War ...' Yet the volunteer nurses rose magnificently to the occasion. In leaking tents and draughty huts they fought another war, a war against agony and death, as men lay suffering from the pain of unimaginable wounds or diseases we can now cure almost instantly. It was here that young doctors frantically forged new medical techniques - of blood transfusion, dentistry, psychiatry and plastic surgery - in the attempt to save soldiers shattered in body or spirit. And it was here that women achieved a quiet but permanent revolution, by proving beyond question they could do anything. All this is superbly captured in The Roses of No Man's Land, a panorama of hardship, disillusion and despair, yet also of endurance and supreme courage. 'Lyn Macdonald writes splendidly and touchingly of the work of the nurses and doctors who fought their humanitarian battle on the Western Front' Sunday Telegraph Over the past twenty years Lyn Macdonald has established a popular reputation as an author and historian of the First World War. Her books are based on the accounts of eyewitnesses and survivors, told in their own words, and cast a unique light on the First World War. Most are published by Penguin. © Lyn MacDonald 1980 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Lyn Macdonald (Author), Alison Dowling (Narrator)

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The Silent Treatment: A BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick

‘A remarkable debut’ JOJO MOYES ‘It’s beautiful, so moving and clever. I truly adored it.’ JOSIE SILVER, author of One Day in December A lifetime of love. Six months of silence. One last chance. Frank hasn't spoken to his wife Maggie for six months. For weeks they have lived under the same roof, slept in the same bed and eaten at the same table – all without words. Maggie has plenty of ideas as to why her husband has gone quiet, but it will take another heartbreaking turn of events before Frank finally starts to unravel the secrets that have silenced him. Is this where their story ends? Or is it where it begins? With characters that will capture your heart, THE SILENT TREATMENT celebrates the phenomenal power of love and the importance of leaving nothing unsaid. ‘An original and moving debut from a talented new voice.’ SANTA MONTEFIORE 'This is an extraordinarily tense yet tender portrait of a marriage ... written with assurance and agonising insight, and the characters of Maggie and Frank will stay with me for a long time' Daily Mail 'Beautifully written in Greaves’s unique voice... Poignant, heart-breaking and insightful.' Woman & Home ‘Heart-breaking secrets tenderly evoked with intelligence and depth. Maggie and Frank are unforgettable characters’ RACHEL HORE, author of The Memory Garden 'Empathetic, beautifully written ... will resonate with fans of Jojo Moyes, David Nicholls and Gail Honeyman.' Daily Express 'I adored this powerful, heart-breaking tale' The Sun ‘Such stunning prose, and such insight for a debut author… I was bowled over by Abbie’s writing.’ CLARE MACKINTOSH 'A beautifully written and compelling novel that enthralled us from beginning to end. Frank and Maggie feel so real, and their moving story is simple, but powerfully told.' Heat When a debut is praised by the likes of Jojo Moyes, you know it's worth reading … You won't be able to put down this tender and heartbreaking read.' Cosmopolitan ‘An unforgettable love story with a mystery that had me captivated until the last, heart-wrenching page. It deserves to be huge’ CATHERINE ISAAC, author of You Me Everything 'Greaves’s insightful account of a long marriage kept us gripped till the very last page' Independent 'Beautifully written... Poignant, heart-breaking and insightful.' Woman 'A tender, heartfelt portrayal of a long marriage with all its secrets. Cleverly structured and beautifully written, this novel celebrates love, hope - and the importance of finding the right words.' LUCY DIAMOND ‘In her tremendously moving debut, a novel that pulses with emotional tension, Abbie Greaves masterfully unpicks a history of ordinary lives facing extraordinary challenges. I found it impossible to look away from the relationship at the heart of this novel.’ GILLY MACMILLAN, author of The Nanny

Abbie Greaves (Author), Adrian Rawlins, Alison Dowling, Olivia Darnley (Narrator)

Audiobook

Survivor

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Survivor, Lesley Pearse's stunning new novel in the bestselling and enthralling Belle series. read by the actress Alison Dowling. London, 1939 Eighteen-year-old Mari is defiant, strong-willed and selfish. She has craved independence her entire life and now, with the World on the brink of war, Mari has finally escaped the sleepy fishing village of her childhood in New Zealand. After passionately falling for Morgan, the cockney steward aboard ship on her voyage to England, she hastily dismisses him in favour of being taken out by handsome young pilots in the glamorous West end. But, without warning, the Blitz blows her new life apart. Now Mari has the chance to make a difference but can she learn from her mistakes in time?

Lesley Pearse (Author), Alison Dowling (Narrator)

Audiobook

Forgive Me

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Forgive Me, a compelling story of a daughter uncovering her mother's secret past from the No. 1 bestselling author, Lesley Pearse. Read by the actress Alison Dowling. Cheltenham, 1991 When Eva Patterson returns home from work one day, a devastating scene awaits her. Her mother, Flora, lies dead in the bath. Beside her is a note saying only: 'Forgive Me'. Eva is shocked to find out that her mother was once a successful artist back in the 1960s. When she visits her mother's old studio, she finds a collection of Flora's paintings and diaries. Searching for answers, Eva encounters a psychic who mysteriously warns her to beware of a 'sleeping serpent', which she soon discovers refers to a shocking crime in Flora's past. Will discovering the truth destroy Eva's belief in everything she holds dear?

Lesley Pearse (Author), Alison Dowling (Narrator)

Audiobook

Music and Silence

The award-winning Music & Silence is one of Tremain's most popular works. Set in the court of Christian IV of Denmark during the seventeenth century, it is a beautiful and enduring tale of love, intrigue and betrayal. Part history, part imagination, Music & Silence lyrically evokes the rich tapestry of court life. The obsessions and secret woes of a host of memorable characters are brilliantly realised by Tremain, who deftly weaves together the numerous sub-plots. We encounter a King, tormented by his quest for perfection; the raucous and spoilt Kirsten, raging against the constraints of her queenly situation; and the silently grieving Emilia.

Rose Tremain (Author), Alison Dowling, Clare Wille, Michael Praed (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Alison Dowling