Meadowlands

"Fans of Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs will be captivated" by this novel of an aristocratic family at the dawn of the First World War (Booklist, starred review).

August, 1914: The silver wedding celebrations of Sir George Barsham, MP, and his wife, Lady Adelaide, have been overshadowed by the declaration of war with Germany. Over the following months, as the male estate workers head for the front and the maids disappear to work in the newly opened munitions factory, the Barsham family's comfortable, aristocratic lifestyle is set to change forever.

Determined to do his bit for King and country, James Barsham enlists as an officer and heads for Flanders, leaving Lady Adelaide's maid, Polly, devastated. To Lady Adelaide's dismay, her younger daughter, Millie, learns to drive an ambulance: a most unladylike skill. Meanwhile, Millie's sister finds fulfilment in helping the local wives and children left destitute while their husbands are away fighting.

During the course of the war, as devastating losses mount, the strength of character of the four Barsham siblings will be tested as never before. They will encounter hardship, danger, heartache—and unexpected love—in a saga filled with "compelling characters, interesting historical facts, realistic situations, and wonderfully sharp attention to detail" (Booklist, starred review).