Darrell Duthie

A Summer for War Darrell Duthie

Some battles you can't escape...

The summer of 1917. Near Lens, France. The vaunted Vimy Ridge has been taken. Lieutenant Malcolm MacPhail has settled into his position on the divisional staff. Yet there will be no peace for him and his comrades this summer. Far from being on their last legs the enemy is fighting with fresh tenacity. The campaign near Arras grinds on.

At headquarters, rivals have surfaced amongst the staff, his superiors are impossible to please, and mysterious goings-on behind the lines could explode into scandal. When Malcolm offhandedly alienates a brigadier and his adjutant, the consequences for him and his closest friend are far-reaching.

Meanwhile the field-marshal's eyes have shifted north. His new offensive requires a diversion and he orders the Canadian Corps to capture the key crossroads of Lens. However a single fortified hill stands in the way. As the threats mount, Malcolm must focus on the coming battle, which could be the key to everything...

*****

Gripping and authentic historical fiction. A novel of the battles of Arras and Hill 70.