Tap cover to enlarge

A Strong Hand to Hold

Published
Feb 2002
Main Genre
General Fiction General Fiction
Rating
Pages
480

About This Book

A heartbreaking tale of love and loss in a time of war, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Annie Groves.

Jenny O'Leary is devastated one morning in 1940 when she receives a telegram giving her the dreadful news that one of her brothers has been killed in action. Grief threatens to engulf her, but as an ARP warden, tending to Birmingham's injured after the nightly raids, she is well-used to the suffering that thousands are enduring every day.

Linda Prosser is just twelve years old and desperately close to her mother and two tiny brothers. As the bombs drop around them one fateful night, Linda takes a risk which has disastrous consequences. Terrified, and buried beneath a mass of debris after her home takes a direct hit, it is Jenny who crawls through the wreckage of the house to rescue her.

So begins a friendship which is last through the years. But when Linda falls in love with a man that Jenny despises, she is faced with sacrificing her future happiness for the friend who has given her everything…

Reviews

Praise for Anne Bennett:

‘A powerful read that will have you gripped.' Yours

‘[Anne Bennett is] blessed with a vivid imagination and a natural aptitude for writing' Daily Post

‘An affecting story, populated with rich, beautifully drawn characters.' Choice

‘The beauty of Anne's books is that they are about normal people and are sewn through with human emotions which affect us all' Birmingham Post

About the author

Anne Bennett was born in the Horsefair district of Birmingham. The daughter of Roman Catholic Irish immigrants, she grew up in a tight-knit community. For many years she taught in schools to the north of Birmingham, before an accident put paid to that career. This gave her the chance to write full time. She has four children and five grandchildren. In 2006, after sixteen years in a wheelchair, Anne was able to walk again.

Genres & Themes

Buy This Book

Formats & Editions

Browse the different covers, formats, and publication history for this title.

Paperback

Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Jul 2014 HarperCollins (UK) ISBN 0007547765
Buy

eBook

eBook edition cover
eBook
Jul 2014 Harper ISBN B00I7K2FWQ
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Jul 2014 HarperCollins (UK) ISBN 0007547773
Buy

Audio

Audio edition cover
Audio Cassette
Feb 2002 Magna Story Sound ISBN 1859034721
Buy
Audio edition cover
Audible
Jul 2014 HarperCollins Publishers Limited ISBN B00LI61UJK
Buy
Audio edition cover
Audible
Oct 2014 HarperCollins Publishers Limited ISBN B01CWTX2R4
Buy

Large Print

Large Print edition cover
Hardcover
Nov 2001 Magna Large Print ISBN 0750517158
Buy