Those in Peril

by Margaret Mayhew

Lieutenant-Commander Alan Powell, unfit for active service after being wounded in action, is overseeing undercover operations in that part of the West Country, and he and Duval find themselves in dangerous circumstances. Alan, lonely and frustrated in his work, is drawn towards the lovely Mrs Hillyard, but she seems to have eyes only for the attractive Frenchman...

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II

Paperback

First published April 14, 2003

About the author

Margaret Mayhew was born in London and her earliest childhood memories were of the London Blitz. She began writing in her mid-thirties and had her first novel published in 1976. She is married to American aviation author, Philip Kaplan, and lives in Gloucestershire.

Reviews

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time I have read a book by this author and I really enjoyed it. The story is mainly about French artist Louis Duval, who decides to escape to England just before France submits to Germany in 1940. After a hard journey in his small boat, he arrives in Kingwear, in south Devon. He is questioned and is shown to a boarding house, run by Barbara Hillyard. Duval offers his help to English forces however he can, as he sees that this is the only way he can help his beloved France.
The story is set between England and France, and although I was initially put off by the French language and the French names and places, I soon got used to it.
An interesting story, a little different from some of this type. Without giving anything away I was at first disappointed with the ending, but then thinking about it suited the style of the book.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the piccie on the cover, I'd kind of decided exactly what sort of book I was going to pick up, and was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong! This isn't the run-of the mill, wartime romance story, but has a mild air of a thriller about it, with espionage and clandestine activities forming the majority of the story. Don't expect a Le Carre novel though - it is very tame and while it made it a more interesting story for me, someone looking for pure romance or a pure spy story, might well be disappointed.

There are lots of things included that you just HAVE to include in a WWII story. Evacuee - tick! Rationing and corned beef - tick! London bombs - tick! But there is plenty of 'newer' stuff too, so it doesn't fell too familiar. The parts of the story set in France seemed a little less believable than those in England, but it was nice to read a story set over there for a change.

Overall, a good read and I would read other stuff by the author if it came my way.

[carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Then, just as she was thinking this, he turned his head and looked at her. And smiled."

3 stars.

I may only be giving this book three stars, but I did really enjoy it. The thing is, when you read a lot of books, like and love become a bit more defined, so anything that you liked but didn't fall head over heels in love with gets that awkward three star rating.

Those In Peril is a story set between England and France during ths Second World War, right on the heels of the French surrender to Germany. Louis Duval, not the only narrator but certainly the main character of the tale, escapes to England just before the surrender, landing in Dartmouth and falling straight into the hands of the Royal Navy. He's an incredibly vibrant character - as an fairly well-known artist, he's seen as a bit of an eccentric by those around him. When he arrives in England he immediately offers his assitance in any way he can, with the goal of doing at least something to aid his country against the Germans. He's given lodging in Mrs Hillyard's home (another of the narrators), and eventually meets Lieutenant Commander Alan Powell (the last narrator), who is in charge of the missions that Louis volunteers for.

While the blurb makes this seem primarily to be a romance, there's so much more at play here. Love, loss, love for one's country, and the desire to fight back against a seemingly unstoppable enemy are the highlight of this book. Not only do you see the United Kingdom's struggle against the prospect of imminent invasion, you see the reality of occupation in France and the power of the everyday person in opposing their oppressors.

Every character in this book is so nuanced and well-written; no matter how long they were a part of the story, you got a real sense for their personality. It was so easy to get lost in their stories, in the atmosphere, and the beautiful way this world was described. Margaret Mayhew does an incredible job at bringing the whole thing to life, even without action and over-the-top drama. I'd definitely describe this as a quiet book, but in no way does that mean it's boring.

The thing that stood out to be (other than the little storyline about the cat, with which I was particularly invested) was the realistic ending. I won't go into it too much for fear of spoiling, other than to say that it would have felt disingenuine if it had gone any other way. While books are there for escapism, sometimes they're also a reminder of lives lived and what people in days gone by have lived through. That's what this book is to me, and I really enjoyed every moment of it.

[Outlander · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather good WW2 novel, the first I have read from this author. It brings the sacrifice and secrecy of the era to life with the 3 main characters every day lives. Evocative and enjoyable with some dastardly characters as well as the heroic. The main players are a widowed house wife/land lady, a French resistance pioneer and a British Navel Officer. Great yarn if the era is your thing.

[Tim Deaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Story Of Courage In The Face Of The Nazis Over-running France

A French middle-aged artist makes a hazardous escape to England in the face of the Nazi onslaught. He then immediately volunteers his services to the English to help set up the beginnings of what would become the French Underground.

[Ted Lapekas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remniscent of a Nevile Shute novel

More than a romance, this was a great yarn about a French artist and the impact an over weight, middle aged man can have in a war. The writing is good, I loved the characters, even the cat. Ms Mayhew captures the times and gives us a genuine feel for the characters and the times they lived in. I look forward to more of her work.

[Rebecca K. Barnhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subtly gripping

Acquired this novel in the distant past. Not sure why I left it "on the shelf" so to speak, for such a long time. It was entrancing from the get go. I read a plethora of WWII stories, but this was a refreshing divergent with a subtle spin on the characters involved.

[Mary E. Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just good enough.

This story was good enough to finish but nothing extraordinary. There was a serious over use of pronouns. There are several male characters in the story and the author used "him" and "he" profusely . This made it it confusing to know which "him," or " he" was meant. I don't reread this book or purchase another of this author's work.

[kathleen ballinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watery

A little slow, more about the French resistance than romance .
Not what I would call a page turner anyway .

[richard chinnery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting from the title, but still a really good read.

[GenX · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad story. Easy read with a strong plot and well developed characters.

[ann betts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those in peril

As usual I enjoy reading Margaret Mathews books that take place during world war 2 in England. The stories are always interesting to read.

[Barbara J. Stepens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

So well written, could not put It down , read thru the end.
Has everything one could wish for, intrigue, romance, spies, snoopy old ladies!!

[Lynn Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read, interesting characters, fairly predictable.