As they carried on discussing the idea, Alice picked up a copy of Bomber Command and found herself caught up in a story from one of the returning aircrew members, even though she’d read it before. There was no getting away from the fact that these topical nonfiction titles were compelling; when real life became more dramatic than fiction, it was hardly surprising that people wanted to read these types of books. Her gaze fell across the bookshelf that took up the entire back wall, containing an edition of every one of Partridge’s books that hadn’t been destroyed: the successful crime series, the one-off novels, the how-to’s, the breakthrough successes, and even titles that had been returned. There were hundreds of emotions and thousands of brave words and ideas bound inside those covers, and she needed to show bravery now too.

“Well, what about real lives and real voices?” Alice said hesitantly. “They make better storytelling these days.”

Tommy looked puzzled. “But we’re not in the business of producing propaganda, Alice, which is what these ‘real life’ books are intended for.”

“I know, but I’m talking about civilian stories,” she said, “and they are just as dramatic as any Hollywood film, but they’re real.”

“What do you have in mind?” Ursula asked, leaning forward, resting her chin on her clenched hand.

“Stories from the home front . . . not the soldiers’ point of view but the women behind the scenes. The female wardens and the ambulance drivers, the Wrens and the WAAF—we could show their side of the story and that their experiences count too.”

“But why would we want to tell the same stories that Picture Post and Illustrated do?” Emily said, shaking her head. “And why would people pay sixpence for them?”

“These titles wouldn’t be like the magazines you read once then give away to your next-door neighbor—they would be books to treasure. The first could include stories of what women and children are doing to cope, how they’re helping and being affected.” Alice pushed the book back into the center of the table. “Families will want to keep them for their children, to remember this aspect of how we won the war and understand what was sacrificed for them. It’s about the women and children first.”

“Hear, hear,” George said, clapping, “marvelous!”

Alice wasn’t sure what had come over her, but it had seemed the right moment to share an idea she’d been thinking about for some time. After all, she had nothing to lose now. “They’ll be extraordinary stories of ordinary people,” she said, smiling at the thought.

“It is rather clever,” Tommy said slyly. “We won’t need to pay any advances or royalties.”

“So, what are we going to give them then, Alice?” Emily asked, with a note of skepticism. “What specifically is the first story going to be about?”