Frieda knew her aunt understood. Though it was good news she was still worried about Kurt, who, presumably, was in hiding in war-torn Berlin.
Aunty Doris moved behind the counter, a smile of welcome on her face.
Impatience grew in Frieda like a balloon ready to burst and she didn’t know what to do, how to handle the jumble of emotions inside.
Then she knew. Of course! She would seek out Sandra, tell her the news and they could wonder together at how their lives mirrored each other’s yet again.
She too had a beloved brother who’d survived.
She raced from the post office, down the road towards the farm and her friend – out of her lonely world into one of hope and expectation.
If The Outcast Girls left you with a tear in your eye and longing for more heart-breaking and gripping World War Two stories, don’t miss out on Shirley’s bestseller, The Orphan Sisters. But be sure to have the Kleenex to hand – you’ll need it!
Get it here.
The Orphan Sisters
A heartbreaking, unputdownable and utterly unforgettable story of two young sisters cruelly abandoned by their mother at an orphanage. Fans of Wives of War, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe will lose their hearts to this stunning World War Two novel.
1929: Four-year-old Etty and eight-year-old Dorothy are abandoned at Blakely Hall orphanage by their mother, never to see her again. With no other family to speak of, the sisters worship their beloved mam – and they are confused and heartbroken to be deserted by her when they need her the most.
1940: Etty and Dorothy are finally released from the confines of Blakely Hall – but their freedom comes when the country is in the grip of World War Two and its terrors. Amidst a devastating backdrop of screaming air-raid sirens and cold nights huddled in shelters, the sisters are desperate to put their broken childhoods behind them.
But trouble lies ahead. Dorothy must bid goodbye to her beloved husband when he’s sent to war and Etty must nurse a broken heart as she falls in love with the one man she can never be with.
Etty and Dorothy survived the orphanage with the help of one another and neither sister can forget the awful betrayal of their mother, which has haunted them their whole lives. But when a shocking secret about their painful childhood comes to light, will the sisters ever be the same again?
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Books by Shirley Dickson
The Outcast Girls
Our Last Goodbye
The Orphan Sisters
Our Last Goodbye
A heart-wrenching, poignant and totally unforgettable tale of a young woman who must finally face up to the secret she has hidden for a lifetime. A beautiful World War Two novel for fans of Wives of War, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe, that will have you reaching for the Kleenex.
1943, England: On a foggy night during the blackout, twenty-five-year-old May Robinson watches in horror as her mother, Ivy, is tragically killed. Heartbroken, May is not sure she has the strength to harbour the secret she has kept for so many years – a secret that her mother devoted her life to hiding, and that would tear their broken family even further apart.
Vowing to make her mother proud, May trains to be a nurse at the local hospital, against a backdrop of wailing air-raid sirens and the eternal drone of enemy planes. Tending to wounded, ashen-faced soldiers and fighting to save lives, May encounters Richard Bentley, who works at the hospital. But why isn’t he fighting in the war like thousands of other brave young men?
In the darkest of days, amongst death and despair, May and Richard are beacons of hope for one another. But in a perilous time of such uncertainty, and as each longs to escape their past, how well do they really know each other? And when the shocking truth of May’s secret comes to light, can their love survive the impossible?
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A Letter from Shirley
Dear Reader,
I want to say a huge thank you for choosing to read The Outcast Girls. If you did enjoy it, and want to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up here. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
The book was the inspiration of my editor, Christina Demosthenous, who suggested that I wrote about another orphan from my debut novel The Orphan Sisters. I’d always wondered what became of Sandra as the two sisters lost touch with her. And so I decided to explore Sandra and her brother Alf’s story, and it was like meeting up with old friends.
Frieda, originally, wasn’t going to play such a big role but her story was so utterly heart-breaking, how could I not give her a major part. I’m so glad I did. The friendship and moving similarities between the two girls’ lives became the focus of the book.
Once again, the setting is the lovely north-eastern town of South Shields – the place where I was born – and the beautiful Northumberland countryside – where I now live. The Land Girl hostel mentioned in the book still stands although it is now a youth hostel. Although Northumberland is rich with quaint and lovely villages there is no such place as Leadburn. And, as far as I am aware, there were no Americans stationed in Northumberland. I have taken the liberty with bombings for the sake of the story, but the 1943 bomb in South Shields did take place with loss of life.
If you enjoyed The Outcast Girls and have time to leave a review, I would be most grateful. It makes such as difference to an author and I do love to hear what readers think. Or maybe you could mention my book to family and friends as it could help fellow readers to find me for the first time.
I would love to hear from you on my author page or on Twitter. Your support is most appreciated.
Happy reading!
Thanks,
Shirley
Acknowledgements
Huge thanks to my husband, Wal, for his endless support and keeping me fed when I’m working, helping search for facts – I’d never find them myself – and for just being there when I need an ear. I couldn’t do it without you!
As ever, thank you to my wonderful publisher, Bookouture, and the amazing people behind the scenes: Kim, Noelle, Peta, Alex, Jennie, Lauren, Natasha, Becca and each one of the dedicated team. Thanks also to the wonderful Bookouture authors for being informative and hugely supportive.
I’m indebted to the brilliant Vicky Blunden for making The Outcast Girls so much better than I thought possible. Special thanks to my editor Christina Demosthenous for your ideas – yes, it was you who instigated the story – the work, support and belief in me – I’m truly grateful, Christina.
My thanks and gratitude go to Katy, David and Mary Carr for taking the time to share their knowledge of farming. Also, Howard and Margaret Forster, Brenda and Eddy Carrington. To Mr Kennedy for taking the time out of his busy schedule to inform me about matters of the clergy. To Mel and Val Douglas for showing me around their house which became the home of the Kirtons. I’m indebted to Cindy and Karl for their hospitality showing me around the former Land Girl hostel. To my friend Prue for advising me on a solicitor’s working day. And Mavis Jones for sharing her experience as a Land Girl with me. To Jo and Christine for advice on German and Tracy on all matters concerning pigs, to Andrea and Gary for help with IT. And Tom Burnakis for help with pharmacy information.
To my lovely family – Tracy, Andrea, Joanne, Phil, Nick, Gary, Gemma, Dale and Robbie, Laura, Tom and Will – that make it all worthwhile.
To you, my readers, none of this would happen if you didn’t buy The Outcast Girls – and not forgetting the reviewers and book bloggers – a massive thank you.
Published by Bookouture in 2019
An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
United Kingdom
/> www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Shirley Dickson, 2019
Shirley Dickson has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-83888-249-5
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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