The Peacemaker: A Novel

by Janet Dean Knight

As the war to end all wars is about to be followed by another, a young woman finds her life taking the same tragic course as her mother's. One night in the summer of 1938 Violet Lowther’s mother Peggy is dying, her father Ellis is drunk in the pub, and Violet’s life is being ruined behind a dance hall in Barnsfield by a young miner who doesn’t look like Clark Gable after all. By September, the British Prime Minister is flying to Munich to try to make peace with Hitler, and in the same week, Violet travels to the remote moorland of Thorndale to visit relatives, escaping her own war with her father. But when Violet learns the truth about Ellis’ love for Peggy, will she finally be able to make her peace with him? The Peacemaker is a story of buried family secrets and the search for understanding from one generation to the next, and between men and women. Set at a pivotal moment in history it exposes how, in hiding our darkest experiences, the same human tragedies occur over and over again. 'A deftly handled historical novel with a modern twist.' Carole Bromley, author of The Stonegate Devil

232 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2019

About the author

Janet Dean Knight is from Barnsley and lives in York. Her debut novel The Peacemaker was longlisted in the Mslexia Novel Competition 2017 and published in March 2019 by Top Hat Books.

As Janet Dean, her poetry has most recently appeared in The Anthology of Yorkshire Poetry by Valley Press and The York Literary Review, the National Poetry Library’s digital collection Poem of the North, and in Strix #6. She is a member of York Stanza, and of Script Yorkshire where she has been selected for Page to Stage and has been a finalist in Script Factor York.

Janet has delivered solo and collaborative events in the fringe and main programme of York Literature Festival for four years, 2016-2019.

Reviews

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a war time story and this book certainly was a wonderful read. It is not often that i can sit and read for long periods without having to put the book down for a while, but i was so wrapped up in this story, i just kept turning the pages. A very well written book and one that i can recommend. I am not going to write what the story is about, as i always prefer one to read a book for themselves.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.

[Myse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought my copy from the author in York at an event during York Literary Festival on 24 March 2019 when I was on holiday there.
I read the book over a couple of days. I could "see" the characters well, warts and all. I was carried along with the unfolding  story and it kept me turning the pages.  I liked the juxtaposed glimpses of the violence of war and its effects physically and mentally seen from the behaviours of the men and the experiences of the female characters at the hands of men which had life changing effects for the characters and ultimately a ripple effect on those around them. Throughout the book, the women were strong meeting adversity and dealing with it in their own ways to get them through it. Their strong, working class values of a close mining community rang true. I hope this is not the last we see of these characters!

 



 

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sense of time and place grabbed me from the first page of The Peacemaker. Violet, the main protagonist, is brilliantly portrayed as a working class Yorkshire lass whose life echoes the past. Full of family secrets and consequences, Janet Dean-Knight weaves her magic to hold the reader’s attention to the last word. Her writing shows the emotions and actions of her characters, allowing us to feel the joy and pain as history overtakes them. I look forward to reading the sequel.

[Charlotte Dean-Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow- I was gripped from the beginning of this fabulous book. Janet's writing style drew me in instantly and effortlessly through layers of emotion and suspense. The Peacemaker is heartwarming, shocking and real as Janet tells the story of young Violet and her working class Yorkshire family through a difficult time in need. This is a story of repeated history, which I will read again and again!

[Janet MarySpencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of Violet's struggle to come to terms with her family's past and her own problems. The characters were believably fallible - past events describing how they had come to act as they did. I also really liked certain passages where dales and moors were beautifully conjured up.

[Clare Plunkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting parallel between two lives, intertwined yet lived decades apart. I loved the familiarity of Yorkshire dialect and descriptions of the countryside and people. So easy to feel transported back in time! Now I’m awaiting the continuation of the family saga - I’m hoping it was a just a taste of further tales to be revealed.

[RedRobinXXX · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book 'The Peacemaker' for Janet Dean Knight, John Hurt Publishing and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review.
This was a book which gripped me from the beginning and was annoyed when life got in the way and I had to put it down for a bit! Set during WWII it follows Violet and the people she comes into contact with.
Another author I'll be watching for more of in the future

[Debbie Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling read. Twists and turns are described in such detail I felt like I was there and I knew the characters, quickly and immediately

[K.M. Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best war-time stories I’ve read! I love how the author uses Violet and her family to talk about social issues of the time: betrayal, secrets and history repeating itself.

Wonderfully written, Janet is an excellent storyteller and I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone who has an interest in family history or WWI.