Free of the sea, he crawled on his stomach to the bloodied body of a lifeless soldier, as German machine gun bullets kicked up the sand around him. He wrestled the rifle from the dead man’s hands then pushed himself to his feet. He had to get off the beach, he had to escape the killing zone. He began to run, dropping to his knee to return fire.

His mind was sharp, his focus unwavering.

Mickey Jones is alive.

He would not accept death. Not now – not when he had been granted the chance to win Gwen’s love.

As he made his determined charge, he knew this would not be his greatest battle. His greatest battle awaited him at home. It was a battle he was determined to fight. It was a battle he had to win.

He would break his promise

He would return.

Acknowledgements

As ever, I offer huge thanks to my agent David Headley and to my editor Kate Mills, who showed remarkable faith in me when I first provided them with very sketchy details of this project and who have shown great belief in it ever since. Thank you also to my wonderful HQ team – Becky Jamieson, Joe Thomas, Melissa Kelly, Dawn Burnett and Janet Aspey – for continuing to take such good care of me, and to the sterling Emily Glenister at DHH Literary Agency.

There are so many people who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring this book to fruition and who have paved its way into bookshops and the hands of readers everywhere, and I offer each and every one of them my heartfelt gratitude. I also want to offer my sincere thanks to the reviewers, book-bloggers and booksellers who take the time to share their book love. I, for one, appreciate all you do and am enormously grateful for your support.

There are several people who deserve individual thanks for the help they have given me with After the War.

Firstly, my dear dad, Michael Frank, a farmer born and bred, who has patiently shared with me his knowledge of farming and his personal reminiscences of driving Fordson tractors and working reaper-binders, potato riddles and threshing machines. His help has been invaluable, and any mistakes that remain are very much my own.

Thank you also to Mike Ellison for sharing with me his Newcastle knowledge – and his name! He has helped me with various regional predicaments, and I claim dramatic licence for any inaccuracies that now exist.

I am also indebted to Carolyn O’Brien, who directed me to information on the historical legalities of paternity which proved both crucial and inspirational.