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The Daedalus Quartet
In The Deadly Quartet, Richard Townshend Bickers’ four bestselling Roger Hallowes thrillers are collected together for the first time.
TRAIL BY FIRE
August 1939
Of the nine Blenheims that had taken off from the hangars, three had been shot down and one crashed on landing.
RAF sergeant pilot Roger Hallowes doesn’t fancy his chances of surviving another half-dozen operations.
Follow Roger and his two cousins, James and Christopher Fenton, through the dramatic first year of war, the fall of Frances and the triumph of the Battle of Britain.
A TIME FOR HASTE
With war waging across Europe, sergeant pilot Roger Hallowes struggles to keep his crew intact as an uncomfortable number of planes end up in the sea.
Meanwhile Roger’s cousin James Fenton is taking on ever-increasing responsibility as his unit loses Commanding Officers, whilst Christopher Fenton must face consequences for his reckless behaviour.
Reeling from losses at the Battle of Britain, and with no end to the fighting in sight, can the three cousins survive the war?
TOO LATE FOR MORROW
In the summer of 1941, three young RAF pilots fight their own battles alongside the war.
James Fenton has flown through the ranks and finds himself directing operations from the ground, while longing to be back in the air.
After being court martialled, his brother Christopher is eager to get back to the action, but can he prove himself to his C.O?
In contrast, Roger is desperate not to return to battle. Ashamed and terrified, can he prove to his crew he isn’t cracking under pressure?
THE SURE RECOMPENSE
Spring 1943
Things look bleak for the three heroes, who have been utterly ravaged by the war.
When James disappears from contact and Roger is hit in battle, they are separated and begin to fear each other dead.
Meanwhile their comrade Laurent is forced to rescue his own children, leaving behind his wife Viviane with Roger.
The three men must face a road of true peril and can only hope they make it to the other side…
Praise for Richard Townshend Bickers
'A thrilling page turner.' - Tom Kasey, best-selling author of Trade Off
Richard Townsend Bickers volunteered for the RAF on the outbreak of the Second World War and served, with a Permanent Commission, for eighteen years. He wrote a range of military fiction and non-fiction books, including Torpedo Attack, My Enemy Came Nigh and Summer of No Surrender.
TRAIL BY FIRE
August 1939
Of the nine Blenheims that had taken off from the hangars, three had been shot down and one crashed on landing.
RAF sergeant pilot Roger Hallowes doesn’t fancy his chances of surviving another half-dozen operations.
Follow Roger and his two cousins, James and Christopher Fenton, through the dramatic first year of war, the fall of Frances and the triumph of the Battle of Britain.
A TIME FOR HASTE
With war waging across Europe, sergeant pilot Roger Hallowes struggles to keep his crew intact as an uncomfortable number of planes end up in the sea.
Meanwhile Roger’s cousin James Fenton is taking on ever-increasing responsibility as his unit loses Commanding Officers, whilst Christopher Fenton must face consequences for his reckless behaviour.
Reeling from losses at the Battle of Britain, and with no end to the fighting in sight, can the three cousins survive the war?
TOO LATE FOR MORROW
In the summer of 1941, three young RAF pilots fight their own battles alongside the war.
James Fenton has flown through the ranks and finds himself directing operations from the ground, while longing to be back in the air.
After being court martialled, his brother Christopher is eager to get back to the action, but can he prove himself to his C.O?
In contrast, Roger is desperate not to return to battle. Ashamed and terrified, can he prove to his crew he isn’t cracking under pressure?
THE SURE RECOMPENSE
Spring 1943
Things look bleak for the three heroes, who have been utterly ravaged by the war.
When James disappears from contact and Roger is hit in battle, they are separated and begin to fear each other dead.
Meanwhile their comrade Laurent is forced to rescue his own children, leaving behind his wife Viviane with Roger.
The three men must face a road of true peril and can only hope they make it to the other side…
Praise for Richard Townshend Bickers
'A thrilling page turner.' - Tom Kasey, best-selling author of Trade Off
Richard Townsend Bickers volunteered for the RAF on the outbreak of the Second World War and served, with a Permanent Commission, for eighteen years. He wrote a range of military fiction and non-fiction books, including Torpedo Attack, My Enemy Came Nigh and Summer of No Surrender.
759 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 27, 2017
About the author
Richard Townshend Bickers
85 books14 followersRichard Leslie Townshend Bickers has written more books about the RAF and its predecessor, the RFC, than any other author past or present - some under a pseudonym. Being multilingual, he does his own research in foreign archives and by interviews and correspondence. His short stories and newspaper articles were first published and broadcast while he was a serving RAF officer. By the time he left the RAF his first four novels had appeared. His biography of his friend "Ginger" Lacey, the top-scoring pilot in the Battle of Britain, was published to acclaim in 1962.Bickers volunteered for the RAF on the outbreak of war and served, with a Permanent Commission, for eighteen years. In England he operated with Fighter and Coastal Commands; in North Africa and Italy with Desert Air Force and Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force. After the war he did a tour in Hong Kong and Malaya.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 28, 2018
Good one
I enjoyed this set even though I feel his WW One tales are better. Bickers' writing is staccato and idiomatic, well done in all respects; the OCR transcription could have been better, especially in the final book of the quartet. The characters are well drawn, not the 2-dimensional ones of too many other books. Bickers isn't quite up to the very high level set by Len Deighton in his WW 2 aviation novels, but he's damned close. Well worth reading/this set kept me up late for several nights running.
I enjoyed this set even though I feel his WW One tales are better. Bickers' writing is staccato and idiomatic, well done in all respects; the OCR transcription could have been better, especially in the final book of the quartet. The characters are well drawn, not the 2-dimensional ones of too many other books. Bickers isn't quite up to the very high level set by Len Deighton in his WW 2 aviation novels, but he's damned close. Well worth reading/this set kept me up late for several nights running.
November 18, 2024
Great Series for a Newcomer to the WWII RAF
I very much enjoyed this four volume description of several different elements of Royal Air Force during the period from the beginning of the war through the end of 1942. I am an enthusiastic WWII amateur historian with a focus on armor. i have read extensively about the American actions during the war, but little about the RAF. This set gave me a good view of how the RAF operated.
I very much enjoyed this four volume description of several different elements of Royal Air Force during the period from the beginning of the war through the end of 1942. I am an enthusiastic WWII amateur historian with a focus on armor. i have read extensively about the American actions during the war, but little about the RAF. This set gave me a good view of how the RAF operated.
April 3, 2021
Couldn’t put it down
As a product of a terminated marital engagement during WW2 which cost my father his life while flying (USAAF) , I am always drawn to authors who dare. This Bickers fellow has done an amazing job, thank you very much. I read it in four days until to my regret, it ended. Terrific work, hope for more.
As a product of a terminated marital engagement during WW2 which cost my father his life while flying (USAAF) , I am always drawn to authors who dare. This Bickers fellow has done an amazing job, thank you very much. I read it in four days until to my regret, it ended. Terrific work, hope for more.
November 3, 2025
Very enjoyable read. Quite a few spelling errors.
April 13, 2021
I enjoyed reading these books, it depicts the real fight by some heroic men and woman in the World war 2. You can feel the deep loss of all those families and friends. It also show the great comradery between the fighters.
I do recommend this story to people that are interested in the effort of the RAF.
I do recommend this story to people that are interested in the effort of the RAF.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews