Inspired by fascinating, true, yet little-known events during World War II, The Long Flight Home is a testament to the power of courage in our darkest hours—a moving, masterfully written story of love and sacrifice. It is September 1940—a year into the war—and as German bombs fall on Britain, fears grow of an impending invasion. Enemy fighter planes blacken the sky around the Epping Forest home … sky around the Epping Forest home of Susan Shepherd and her grandfather, Bertie. After losing her parents to influenza as a child, Susan found comfort in raising homing pigeons with Bertie. All her birds are extraordinary to Susan—loyal, intelligent, beautiful—but none more so than Duchess. Hatched from an egg that Susan incubated in a bowl under her grandfather’s desk lamp, Duchess shares a special bond with Susan and an unusual curiosity about the human world.
Thousands of miles away in Buxton, Maine, a young crop-duster pilot named Ollie Evans has decided to travel to Britain to join the Royal Air Force. His quest brings him to Epping and to the National Pigeon Service, where Susan is involved in a new, covert assignment. Codenamed Source Columba, the mission aims to air-drop hundreds of homing pigeons in German-occupied France. Many will not survive. Those that do make the journey home to England can convey crucial information on German troop movements—and help reclaim the skies from the Luftwaffe.
The friendship between Ollie and Susan deepens as the mission date draws near. When Ollie’s plane is downed behind enemy lines, both know how remote the chances of reunion must be. Yet Duchess’s devotion and her singular sense of duty will become an unexpected lifeline, relaying messages between Susan and Ollie as war rages on—and proving, at last, that hope is never truly lost.
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Excellent book. Well written. Different subject re how homing pigeons were used during WW2 with unforgettable characters.
Really enjoyed this book. Endings different than I would have liked.
A good read and interesting material.
Read this book. You won’t be dissapointed.
Interesting history details that made another contribution by unknown heroes to WWII Allies’ success very personal and illuminating. Both pigeon’s & people’s stories very heart warming.
This book was a wonderful story. I loved that one of the main characters was a pigeon. I learned so much about pigeons and their use during the war.
Loved this story and learned so much about the use of pigeons during world war 2
One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Great period book about World War II and the things that people in Europe had to endure on a daily basis. Also informative about the use of pigeons during the war. Great characters and greatly woven story lines. Enjoyed it and didn’t want it to end. I definitely recommend this book if you are interested in reading about this time in history.
Fantastic. .I love WWll novels based on true events..easy reading kept me glued to the end. Loved it.
Exciting story of war and lasting love. A must read.
I’m loving this book. Have sent it to my three 14-year-old grandsons. Having just finished two new books about Churchill and Clementine, I found this a nice complement to the story of Britain’s hardships during WWII, to say nothing about how homing pigeons helped defeat Germany. Well worth reading and appropriate for all ages.
This book is historical fiction, but it is so much more! It is a romance with a story within a story. There is the tale of Ollie, an American crop duster who wants to help fly planes for the RAF in Great Britain. Then, there is the story of Susan, a young woman who dropped out of college to help her grandfather raise pigeons. The most interesting part of the story was how the pigeons that they were carefully tending became war pigeons, flying behind enemy lines to deliver messages. I must say that I normally do not read historical fiction, but when the publisher sent me this book and I read the first chapter, I was totally hooked. It was fascinating to read and to imagine such a time and such horrors of war, with the characters who became like real people to me. The author did a stellar job of presenting the characters in a realistic way and writing a plot that drew me into the story right away. Fans of historical fiction will love this book, and those like me who are reluctant readers of this genre will find this book mesmerizing.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Content: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
OMG!!!! This is not my normal genre, but I LOVED IT it.
It is a tense, heartwarming, Beautiful, informative story based on true live events. I can not say enough good things about this book. Homing pigeons who knew????
You really, really need to grab this one!!!
I was given a copy of this book by Kensington for an honest review.
#Kensington #HomingPigeons #AlanHlad #LovedIt
First I have to say, this book isn’t my normal genre that I read. But I was intrigued when I read what the book was about. It seemed like it would be incredibly interesting, and a different take on a World War 2 story. Plus, I’ve always been interested in history. So i was ready to get into it.
The book starts in September, 1940, about a year into the war. Before America has joined in. It’s about a boy named Ollie Evans, who decides after he suffers a tragady, that he wants to help the Royal Air Force in the war. He ends up in Epping, a small town close to London, where he comes across Susan Shepard. Susan, with her grandfather, raise homing pigeons, that are part of a secret mission, that she, and the RAF hope to help them in the war. Ollie ends up helping Susan and her grandfather, with the pigeons, and develops a close relationship with Susan and her grandfather.
I think that the characters in this book are very well developed, and you can feel their heart, and their love for their mission. You feel invested in their lives, and their mission. I really enjoyed learning about these characters, and about the history of the pigeons. I had no idea that they did in fact use pigeons to carry messages between France and Britain, during the war. It’s fascinating. This book was entertaining and made you want to keep reading, and not put it down. I would definitely recommend this book, if you’re looking for something a little more, deep and emotional, because it will pull at the heartstrings. Even if you are like me, and not really a fan of this genre, give it a read. You will not regret that you did.
Who knew pigeons played an important part in helping England survive and win World War II? This was a good read with very likable characters and informative of what the British people went through with the German bombings.
What a wonderful read! I was hooked by the first chapter. Alan Hlad paints a very vivid picture of the reality of the blitz. It pulled on my heart strings and brought tears to my eyes, a real page turner. As a lover of everything WWII, I hope I get to see another story from him.
A delightful book start to finish. I would gladly read it again and may just do that.
I received and ARC of The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad, and Kensington Publishing. This is my fair and honest review.
I found this debut novel by Alan Hlad, to be a beautiful and very informative book. I never realized they used homing pigeons during the war until I read this book. I found it simply amazing how they can be trained to carry message and are able to find there way back home time and time again. I found this to be one of the better books I have read concerning World War II. I really enjoyed the characters of Susan and Ollie, but I did not care for Boar at all. I would definitely recommend this book to others
In a historical fiction market that is somewhat saturated with World War II novels, stories that I happen to love, THE LONG FLIGHT HOME stands out from the pack. Inspired by actual events, it tells the tale of homing pigeons employed during the war. It is both amazing and fascinating that these small creatures helped the Allies win the war.
The story follows American Ollie as his desire to join the Royal Air Force takes an unusual turn and National Pigeon Service members Susan and her grandfather Bertie as they put everything on the line for the war effort. Taking place in Maine, England, and German occupied France, readers feel viscerally the effects of the war on everyday life. All of the loss, despair, and fear are on full display within these pages but so are the determination, courage, fortitude, and capability to love. Hlad’s words are often eloquent, other times raw, and make quality story telling. The characters are engaging and the plot compelling even though I was somewhat disappointed with the ending.
I really enjoyed THE LONG FLIGHT HOME and recommend it to any historical fiction reader or World War II history buff.
I gratefully received and ARC of this title from Kensington Publishers and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
What a remarkable story, beautifully written. A thoroughly engaging narrative of a little known and fascinating aspect of WWII. A great read.