The London Restoration

by Rachel McMillan

  Britons experienced higher than anticipated divorce rates during the postwar years as men returned from war estranged from the wives who did what they could on the home front. While Diana and Brent certainly have moments of uncertainty, they are determined to make their marriage work: especially because, like the churches, it has such a strong foundation. Why do you think Brent and Diana’s marriage survives?

  Diana makes some interesting friends at Bletchley Park who end up influencing her life—for good or ill—long after the war. Fisher Carne, of course, and Simon and Sophie Villiers. Were there instances throughout the book that revealed the true identity of Sophie? Of Fisher?

  Rather than ask Diana out of friendship if she will help him find Eternity after the war, he bribes her with information about Brent, leaving her with little choice but to accept his bargain. Do you think that Diana would have helped Simon even if he did not provide her with the promise of critical information about Brent?

  In The London Restoration, the city Brent and Diana love is as much a starring character as the human characters in the book. London is a city known to many even if they haven’t had the opportunity to spend time in it. The fairy tales and nursery rhymes (such as “Oranges and Lemons”) as well as the popular structures such as Big Ben and Parliament and the Tower of London are familiar to most. Wren’s masterpiece, St. Paul’s Cathedral, for one, is part of our cultural consciousness. What are some of the stories you associate with London either in modern or historical times? Do you associate famous examples of architecture with them?

  The title, The London Restoration, not only refers to the rebuilding of a city but to the reconstruction of Brent and Diana’s marriage. In what ways does the rebuilding of their city mirror the time they are spending getting to know one another again?

  Many of the men and women at Bletchley Park were chosen and successful because they saw the world through a different lens and approached problems in a different way. Indeed, Brent tells his friends he fell in love with Diana for the prospect of seeing the world through her eyes. Can you think of an instance when you approached a problem or question through a lens special to your experience or view of the world?

  Brent and Diana often use the seven Greek forms of love as a means of reflection and the many ways they love each other. Doing an easy Google search, can you think of a few of the forms of love not covered in the book that reflect their relationship?

  Acknowledgments

  While all of my books are special to me, The London Restoration is one of those rare and wonderful heart books that was an absolute privilege and joy to write . . . but it was also an immense and seemingly impossible amount of work. I was blessed with a team and support group that worked impossibly hard to ensure that The London Restoration was everything I had dreamed it would be and more.

  I would like to thank my agent and friend, Bill Jensen, for the many luminous conversations that sometimes have to do with books but often have to do with opera and Mozart. Thank you for championing me and my career. I love having you on my side.

  I would love to thank my team at Thomas Nelson who took a chance on me yet again and allowed me to pursue this book of Wren churches and Bletchley Park. They are as delightful in real life as in the millions of emails sent back and forth, and I cherish the support and friendship. Amanda Bostic, Paul Fisher, Savannah Summers, Margaret Kercher, Kerri Potts, and Laura Wheeler, you work tirelessly to ensure that your convictions are reflected in narratives with the propensity to change hearts and minds and I cherish working with you. Thank you so much for believing in me and putting up with my endless questions. I know you are as invested in my book as I am, and I am blessed to have you on my side. I truly feel at home with you.

  Kim Carlton, my lovely editor, you are nothing short of brilliant. You believed in Brent and Diana through many (many) revisions and put up with me on numerous brainstorming calls and through my teary frustration and my less-than-positive self-talk. Your intelligence and perception made this book into something better than I ever could have dreamed. I treasure the long hours you spent (far above and beyond), and I have learned so much from you about how to shape a story but also how to approach work with a nonstop positive attitude.

  Thanks mostly for being a dear friend. My life is better with you in it.

  (To avoid copyright infringement, please insert the Hamilton lyric of your choice here).

  Julee Schwarzburg, I will never ever forget what you did for me and my book. You went above, beyond, and tirelessly to assure that The London Restoration lived up to its potential. Given your reputation in the industry, I had always wanted to work with you and your experience—your knowledge and patience have made me a better writer. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving up your holidays for Brent and Diana Somerville. Thank you for seeing what I wanted this book to be.

  Thank you to Lauren Schneider for her eagle eyes during proofreading.

  Mike Ledermueller: my research assistant extraordinaire. You are a walking resource and library. My wonderful legitimate expert on Bletchley Park, any and all omissions or errors in the capture of this incredible world are, of course, my own. Thank you for being an all-around favorite human and for matching my enthusiasm for the daily activities of the extraordinary men and women whose intellect and tenacity forged a world we both love to explore. I raise my Hobgoblin to you.

  Thank you also to Kat Chin for sharing my love of history and story for always texting when I need a smile and for being the best darn friend around. Love you, buddy.

  Patti Henry, you are one of the very first people I discussed this heart book with, having kept it tucked closely to me for so long. That breakfast and chat in Covent Garden is one I will remember for the rest of my life. Thanks for the constant and ongoing support.

  Ken Polonenko: you helped me with Russian words, many of which were omitted from the final version of this book, but I will never ever forget the time you took in helping me.

  My early guinea pig readers, Courtney Clark and Renee Chaw: thank you for taking the time to read an early version of The London Restoration. I enjoy your friendship and our many, many bookish talks. And Brent and Diana appreciate your time and enthusiasm.

  A long, rambling conversation with Jonathan Spaetzel resulted in the creation of my made-up Roman relic oleum medicina, and I am so thankful to be surrounded by so many intelligent friends who help and listen until I find the perfect story element.

  I don’t believe I have had the opportunity to thank a book in one of my novels before, but I am happy that the first instance is in recognition of High as the Heavens by author friend Kate Breslin. I remember sharing a glass of wine and hearing the first inkling of the story at a writer’s conference several years ago, but reading the finished product inspired me as a writer and a human. When I was first crafting the proposal for this novel, you were there to answer questions and give insight and I am so grateful for your generosity. Katie, it is for you that I lovingly named a hero Simon (who happily will move from supporting role to be the leading man in The Mozart Code) in honor of my love for that book and its inspiration.

  Jocelyn Bailey, my friend, you teach me so much about the publishing industry and about life but also are a daily burst of sunshine. I appreciate your encouragement and support.

  Allison Pittman, thank you for being constant and walking me through the dark times and feeling my highs as deeply as I do. I love you, Bucko. I cannot imagine life or writing without you a part of it.

  Sonja Spaetzel, thank you, thank you, thank you. I literally do not know what I would do without you. You are my constant support system and listener and giggler. Spending time with you is a well of inspiration, and you make my heart happy.

  Melanie Fishbane, thanks for long conversations and for talks that spark so much creativity. I love having you as a friend.

  To Jared and Tobin, Leah and Annette, I so appreciate you. I have the best family ever.

  Eva Ibbotson, I confess to snatching the s
urname Somerville from my beloved The Morning Gift. I hope I did the name justice.

  Finally, to my parents, Gerry and Kathleen McMillan, who always told me I could do anything I set my mind to and immeasurably supported my dreams. You always believed that someday this book would come into existence: even when I couldn’t see it. I remember one wonderful visit home when you gifted me with a large illustrated book of the cathedrals of England and Wales “for when you write your churches book.” I nod to this cherished book in Diana’s precious copy of the more historically factual Ditchfield book. But mostly in the fall of 2017 when I was at a crossroads as to what to write and do next I made one phone call home on a Saturday night (I know, I know I was interrupting the hockey game) and Mom said, “Your dad and I have been talking, and we think you should go back to London.”

  I went back to London, and The London Restoration would be nothing without that research trip. I try to never take for granted that I have that rare gem of a supportive family who truly believes that I should be writing and will do everything they can to support that dream.

  About the Author

  Agnieszka Smyrska/Smyrska Photography

  Rachel McMillan is a history enthusiast, lifelong bibliophile, and author of the Herringford and Watts series, the Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries, and the Three Quarter Time series as well as the nonfiction books Dream, Plan, and Go and A Picture-Perfect Christmas. Rachel lives in Toronto and is always planning her next adventure.

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  Facebook: RachKMc1

  Twitter: @RachKMc

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  Acclaim for Rachel McMillan

  The London Restoration

  “The London Restoration is a wonder of a novel. With the resplendent combination of Mozart, cathedral architecture, a mysterious ancient relic, a love story, and wartime recovery, The London Restoration takes us on a journey to both London and to our own hearts. While reading this novel, one feels as if they are traveling through the streets of London as purely and simply as if one had been dropped into 1945 and the bombed-out spaces of the beloved city. This novel is as immersive as it is thrilling. Brent and Diana Somerville will lodge themselves into your heart and not let go. At the helm of this journey, McMillan’s deft prose navigates the story from battlefield to crumbling cathedral to London’s finest establishments. McMillan taps into all that matters most to us: love, loyalty, survival, and spirit. Mystifying, immersive, and dazzling.”

  —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling novelist of Becoming Mrs. Lewis

  “Elegant writing, beautiful imagery, and wonderfully complex character relationships make this latest novel by Rachel McMillian an insightful look at what remains to us after war, not only in the outside world, but inside the very core of who we are. A perfect blend of love story, mystery, and self-discovery.”

  —Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Last Year of the War

  “A beautifully compelling tale, illuminating love’s fragile renewal among the ruins of war’s destruction.”

  —Kate Breslin, bestselling author of Far Side of the Sea

  “The London Restoration is about coding and decoding—not only the literal codes that Diana works with at Bletchley Park but also the symbolic codes embedded in the architecture of her beloved churches and her war-scarred husband. This meticulously researched novel is also a poignant love story that surprises its protagonists with the beauty arising from their fractured world. The London Restoration will appeal to fans of Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby mysteries and Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network.”

  —Clarissa Harwood, author of Bear No Malice

  “The London Restoration is McMillan’s love letter to the city of London and its churches, and what a love letter it is! An insightful exploration of the broken places within and around us, and the resiliency of the human spirit, even in the face of tragedy and war. Affecting, beautifully written, and soulful.”

  —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries and Verity Kent Mysteries

  “What a love story! The London Restoration is a beauty and compelling tribute to a city, a people unconquered by the horrors of WWII, and a couple still fighting the good fight for King and Country, and for each other . . . Rich in detail and history—and with a love story that gives all the feels—this story enchants.”

  —Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop and Of Literature and Lattes

  “To read The London Restoration is to be swept entirely away by Rachel McMillan’s captivating way with place, character, intrigue, and heart. These impeccably woven elements make for a tale that will plant its readers in the postwar pews of St. Paul’s, with strains of Mozart bolstering wonder and inviting listeners to lean in and hear what lies beneath the notes. McMillan shines a light on the breathtaking history of the “patchwork churches,” rebuilt with painstaking care in the wake of war. Her treatment of these cathedrals and the people beneath their domed roofs cause us to take heart at this timeless and oh, so timely hope: buildings aren’t the only things gathered up and rebuilt, with their scars telling a deep and true story. The hearts that beat within us do the very same.”

  —Amanda Dykes, author of Whose Waves These Are and Set the Stars Alight

  “The London Restoration is a clever and deeply moving novel about a pair of married academics who never aspired to life outside of a college campus. Diana Somerville is dedicated to the history and architecture of churches, but in the aftermath of World War II she is charged with helping plan the restoration of the ruined cathedrals in the city she loves so well. The crisis of the war has damaged more than just the cathedrals of London; it has introduced the scars of doubt and wounds into a marriage that may not survive the war. Rich with historical details and a cast of intriguing secondary characters, The London Restoration is a wonderful testament to the human spirit and the challenges of rebuilding a world that can never be quite the same.”

  —Elizabeth Camden, RITA-award-winning novelist of The Spice King

  “The London Restoration is an elegant and beautifully researched novel, as rich in history as it is in romance. Set in post-World War II London, Rachel McMillan’s passion for historic cities and churches shines through every page. She brings the architecture to life, ravaged by war, but strong at its foundation—just like the marriage of Brent and Diana Somerville. Brilliantly done to the last word.”

  —Mimi Matthews, author of the USA TODAY bestselling Parish Orphans of Devon series

  “A captivating story of a singular love forged in the peeling of church bells, The London Restoration drifts through the postwar streets of London to wrap around readers’ hearts. McMillan’s evocative yet delicate prose is a testament not only to the power of love, but to the unfaltering resilience of the city itself, which she captures so beautifully.”

  —J’nell Ciesielski, author of The Socialite

  “The London Restoration is a vividly rendered exploration of the intricacies of love and the resiliency of a city. From the first page, I was transported to postwar London, in all its rubbled streets and indefatigable spirit, and into the world of a couple struggling to reconcile the newfound texture of their love with the life-shaping changes wrought by war. Atmospheric and rich, with characters both nuanced and captivating, the story seamlessly weaves the wonder of falling in love with a journey of rediscovery. Steeped in meticulous research and written in a voice as soaring as the churches depicted and as intimate as the romance between Diana and Brent, this is immersive historical fiction at its finest.”

  —Amanda Barratt, author of The White Rose Resists: A Novel of the German Students Who Defied Hitler

  “This is a book for our times. McMillan holds a mirror up to an era when fear ran rampant, a society was on the brink of collapse, and people desperately wanted to believe in something again.”

  —Siri Mitchell, author of State of Lies

  Murder in the City of Liberty

  “Rachel McMillan paints h
er portrait of 1940 Boston with brushes of poetry, humor, and care for historical detail. In this sequel she brings us home, not only to a city she clearly loves, but also to her winning cast of characters. Protagonists Hamish DeLuca and Reggie Van Buren are each a dear blend of passion and vulnerability as they continue their journey toward purpose, liberty, and love (and a few favorite supporting characters are back too!). Flavored with quipping nods to The Thin Man and imbued with insecurities and prejudices of the time and place, Murder in the City of Liberty is an irresistible read.”

  —Amanda G. Stevens, author of No Less Days

  “What a fantastic ride through historic Boston! With evocative descriptions, dialog that snaps, and layered characters so real you just want to hang out with them, Rachel McMillan has penned a beautifully complex mystery that not only entertains but confronts the very real racial injustice and corruption of the time period with a deft hand. Another delightful addition to a solid series!”

  —Abigail Wilson, author of In the Shadow of Croft Towers

  Murder at the Flamingo

  “Murder at the Flamingo is a dynamite beginning to McMillan’s newest series. Both a coming-of-age tale and a twisty case of whodunit, readers will fall in love with her delightfully complicated characters. Nineteen thirty-seven Boston leaps to life in vivid detail, while the author’s portrayal of anxiety and panic disorder is both heartbreaking and inspiring. I cannot wait to read Hamish and Reggie’s next adventure.”

  —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries

  “Rachel McMillan’s Murder at the Flamingo is an extravaganza of fabulous characters and prose that transported me to 1930s Boston. McMillan has quite a talent for immersing the reader in a profound historical experience. Highly recommended!”