I'd had this book lying around for some time and finally decided I'd better read it! I'm glad I did. This is a wonderfully written, moving book about the American crew of a B17 bomber based in Norfolk during World War 2. It starts with carnage as one pilot loses his whole crew while another crew loses their pilot. You can guess that they are teamed up. The damage and post-traumatic stress they all suffer is movingly captured by Radcliffe, as is their growing sense of camaraderie as they rack up mission after mission on their way to that elusive number 25, which means they can go home.

Radcliffe's descriptions of the missions are tense and accurate, conveying some sense of the claustrophobia and sheer terror these men experienced as they flew missions deep into enemy territory. But the book doesn't just focus on the Americans. It also touches on the lives of some of the people from the village near the airbase, especially a young evacuee, Billy Street, who's obssessed with the bomber crews, and Heather, a teacher who's husband is a prisoner of war in a Japanese prison camp and who finds a soulmate in the damaged pilot Hooper.

There's a nice twist at the end too which I won't spoil, but this is a great book which manages to be both exciting and believable, while paying tribute to the brave souls who fought and died in the skies above Europe during those fateful years.
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Before picking up this book I had not heard of the author but am a fan of history based books and throughout I could not resist comparisons with Sebastian Faulk's Birdsong albeit in a different theatre of War not to mention different War but it had the same poignancy about it. This was perhaps a little harsh if true.

The book is set around a USAF Bomber base near the Suffolk village of Bedenham and in particular the crew of Misbehavin' Martha and it's pilot Hoops as he tries to help them to complete their tour of 25 sorties before they are released from their obligations and can return home to the US. The story takes place as the US 8th Airforce are taking terrible losses and the chances of surviving 25 sorties are very slim. The detail of the flying sorties are realistic and I felt that I was living with them but the story is not about macho aviators but rather a tale of wasted young lives and sacrifice. I found the scenes of the village life in Bedenham an interesting counterpoint to the main story, as it shows how war touches everyone whether serviceman or civilian and how not everyone appreciated the sacrifices that these young men made.

I won't ruin the ending other than that the chapters about the crews 25th mission was very touching and I willed them on all the way. Once again I saw familiarities in Faulk's Birdsong as there were parallels to the first day at the Somme in that particular book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book it built up nicely in pace throughout it's 430 pages. I felt that the characters were well portrayed even the civilian ones and the flying action descriptions realistic without being too technical. Perhaps not as good as Birdsong but a good read nonetheless and I will certainly look out for any more books by this author ( )

I loved this marvellous, touching, real novel set in Suffolk during WWII. it was enthralling, romantic, with wonderful descriptions of flying a B17 Flying Fortress. Couldn't put this down.

Back Cover Blurb:
The Second World War has England struggling for its survival, but in Suffolk, in the summer of 1943 beautiful weather and bumper harvests almost distract the locals from the build-up to one of the most crucial battles of the war. At dawn, the hosts of bomber bases constructed among East Anglia's quiet hamlets dispatch American airmen for daring daylight assaults against Germany's industrial war engine. At the village of Bedenham, a dusk watch records those few lucky enough to return - and the many who do not. The villagers live in fear and apprehension, but for one inhabitant, things are splendid. 14-year-old Billy Street is a canny London evacuee, and he is happy to take advantage of the opportunities sent to him, thriving in the acceptance he is now receiving. Billy's teacher Heather Garrett is waiting in anguish for news of the husband who has been missing for nearly two years, while US pilot Lt John Hooper is struggling with the trauma that is destroying him: he is trying to come to terms with the death of his entire crew and his own shameful survival. His friendship with Heather brings hostility from the village, and salvation for both seems a distant hope. ( )

An interesting and enjoyable (if often sad) book about American pilots stationed in England during World War II. It gives a real sense of being there at that time. I agree totally with other reviewers jayne_charles and trishtrash. I shall read this again ( )

I think it would be true to say that halfway through this book I still didn't fully understand what was going on. I think it probably helps to know a bit about aviation, and a bit about the battle for air supremacy in World War II. Maybe. I'm not too well up on either. I stuck with it, though, and the book seemed to miraculously come together, I got my head round the myriad characters (and promptly re-read chapter 1). The story picked up, I really started to care about the characters, and I added to my knowledge of history along the way.

The relationship between Eldon and Claire was skilfully written, as was the very emotional ending. I love it when books go into that 'where are they now' routine. All in all a good book that I am sure would be even better the second time around. ( )