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Lily Baker #4
The Deptford Girls
England, 1941.
A country at war. Friends in trouble. Lily may be off the bomb-blasted streets, but a WWII mystery could prove even more perilous…
Private Lily Baker is bored. Reunited briefly with her husband-to-be before he returned to fighting, the strong-hearted woman now finds her mundane army office work dreary. But when her boss asks her to keep watch on the happenings at the depot, she quickly suspects a new weapons supplier of fraud.
As she trains her sharp eye on the potential cheat, the resourceful girl agrees to help an unmarried colleague with an unexpected pregnancy. But when, without evidence, her own fiancé accuses Lily of being the one with child, she faces hard decisions regarding her romantic future… and what to do about a possible traitor in their midst.
Can the working-class heroine uncover a conspiracy while also protecting her love life?
The Deptford Girls is the captivating fourth book in The Lily Baker Series of historical literary fiction. If you like well-written characters, spicy bits of drama, and thrilling twists and turns, then you’ll adore Patricia A McBride’s compelling adventure.
Buy The Deptford Girls to come to the rescue today!
A country at war. Friends in trouble. Lily may be off the bomb-blasted streets, but a WWII mystery could prove even more perilous…
Private Lily Baker is bored. Reunited briefly with her husband-to-be before he returned to fighting, the strong-hearted woman now finds her mundane army office work dreary. But when her boss asks her to keep watch on the happenings at the depot, she quickly suspects a new weapons supplier of fraud.
As she trains her sharp eye on the potential cheat, the resourceful girl agrees to help an unmarried colleague with an unexpected pregnancy. But when, without evidence, her own fiancé accuses Lily of being the one with child, she faces hard decisions regarding her romantic future… and what to do about a possible traitor in their midst.
Can the working-class heroine uncover a conspiracy while also protecting her love life?
The Deptford Girls is the captivating fourth book in The Lily Baker Series of historical literary fiction. If you like well-written characters, spicy bits of drama, and thrilling twists and turns, then you’ll adore Patricia A McBride’s compelling adventure.
Buy The Deptford Girls to come to the rescue today!
- GenresHistorical Fiction
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2020
118 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 4, 2022
This is the 4th book & following Lily's time as a AT girl & a ARP Warden
Along side that she see things which can get her in trouble if found out that she knows what is going on
I am just going to be starting the 5th book where she is posted to Bletchley Park (where the Enigma code was broken)
Along side that she see things which can get her in trouble if found out that she knows what is going on
I am just going to be starting the 5th book where she is posted to Bletchley Park (where the Enigma code was broken)
January 1, 2021
This is the fourth book in the Lily Baker wartime series. This can be read as a standalone novel but I would suggest perhaps reading the others for continuity of character stories.
As London is turned into complete chaos and the person next to you can easily become the next victim, Lily is still alert and invested in keeping those around her safe, even if it is difficult at times. She uses her gut instinct, which serves her well in this story, and yet also never loses her empathy for others, despite the difficult and often challenging circumstances.
The sub-plot of Lily's friend is indicative of the time - plenty of women and children became tragic casualties of old-fashioned rules and societal norms. Scandals that often led to lifelong regrets, damaged individuals and traumatised women.
McBride captures the brutality of living in a country at war. The repercussions of battle on soldiers, who often suffered from conditions, which were yet to be correctly examined or diagnosed. How those left in Britain coped with being a target of vicious bombings. The evacuation of their children, the destruction and death around them. The loss of their loved ones.
On top of that considering the implications of the enemy working from the inside out to weaken the strategy of the opposition, and those who chose to put profit above safety and hide in the chaos of wartime. It certainly shows the reader that life goes on regardless of what is going on around them in a greater context.
It's a quick pleasant read that delivers, drama, action and the emotional turmoil of the genre.
*I received a courtesy copy*
As London is turned into complete chaos and the person next to you can easily become the next victim, Lily is still alert and invested in keeping those around her safe, even if it is difficult at times. She uses her gut instinct, which serves her well in this story, and yet also never loses her empathy for others, despite the difficult and often challenging circumstances.
The sub-plot of Lily's friend is indicative of the time - plenty of women and children became tragic casualties of old-fashioned rules and societal norms. Scandals that often led to lifelong regrets, damaged individuals and traumatised women.
McBride captures the brutality of living in a country at war. The repercussions of battle on soldiers, who often suffered from conditions, which were yet to be correctly examined or diagnosed. How those left in Britain coped with being a target of vicious bombings. The evacuation of their children, the destruction and death around them. The loss of their loved ones.
On top of that considering the implications of the enemy working from the inside out to weaken the strategy of the opposition, and those who chose to put profit above safety and hide in the chaos of wartime. It certainly shows the reader that life goes on regardless of what is going on around them in a greater context.
It's a quick pleasant read that delivers, drama, action and the emotional turmoil of the genre.
*I received a courtesy copy*
October 17, 2020
If there’s one thing I like doing, it’s discovering new authors. Patricia McBride is certainly a new author for me. After having enjoyed reading ‘The Deptford Girls’ as much as I did, I am now rather annoyed that I left it this long to discover just how flipping fantastic an author Patricia McBride really is. I loved ‘The Deptford Girls’ but more about that in a bit.
When I agreed to take part in the blog tour for ‘The Deptford Girls’, I hadn’t realised that it was the fourth book in the Lily Baker series. It took me next to no time at all to get into this story. As soon as I started to read the first page, I knew that this was going to be one book that I would find exceedingly difficult to put to one side for any length of time. I must be psychic because that is exactly what happened. I became so wrapped up in the girls and their stories that I just couldn’t put the book down. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story for fear of missing some vital nugget of information. My desperation to find out what happened grew and grew and I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. At one point the pages seemed to turn themselves and the page numbers became a blur. I soon got to the end of the story and I had to say farewell to Lily and the girls, which I was reluctant to do. I soon cheered up though when I realised that I had the first three books in the Lily Baker series to catch up on.
‘The Deptford Girls’ is brilliantly written. The author certainly knows how to create characters that you immediately take into your heart and you care about what happens to them. Patricia certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into the story. I felt compelled (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) to keep reading. I find that Patricia writes so realistically and uses such vivid descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story all the way through and as though I was a character in the book. I love the author’s writing style, I enjoyed the storylines and I loved the characters. In fact there isn’t a single thing that I didn’t like about this book.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Deptford Girls’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Patricia’s work in the not too distant future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
When I agreed to take part in the blog tour for ‘The Deptford Girls’, I hadn’t realised that it was the fourth book in the Lily Baker series. It took me next to no time at all to get into this story. As soon as I started to read the first page, I knew that this was going to be one book that I would find exceedingly difficult to put to one side for any length of time. I must be psychic because that is exactly what happened. I became so wrapped up in the girls and their stories that I just couldn’t put the book down. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story for fear of missing some vital nugget of information. My desperation to find out what happened grew and grew and I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. At one point the pages seemed to turn themselves and the page numbers became a blur. I soon got to the end of the story and I had to say farewell to Lily and the girls, which I was reluctant to do. I soon cheered up though when I realised that I had the first three books in the Lily Baker series to catch up on.
‘The Deptford Girls’ is brilliantly written. The author certainly knows how to create characters that you immediately take into your heart and you care about what happens to them. Patricia certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into the story. I felt compelled (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) to keep reading. I find that Patricia writes so realistically and uses such vivid descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story all the way through and as though I was a character in the book. I love the author’s writing style, I enjoyed the storylines and I loved the characters. In fact there isn’t a single thing that I didn’t like about this book.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Deptford Girls’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Patricia’s work in the not too distant future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
October 14, 2020
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I thought that this book was lovely!
It was well written, the characterisation was brilliant and I loved being able to follow the story of Lily as the book progressed – she is a brilliant character, I really loved her spirit.
The setting for the book was wonderful and I love being able to travel back in time to share the story with them. The attention to detail was great and the book was very well developed. This was one that was touching and a heartfelt read in places too and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
I thought that this book was lovely, it was well written, the characterisation was brilliant - it is 5 stars from me for this one, I was a fabulous read – very highly recommended!
I thought that this book was lovely!
It was well written, the characterisation was brilliant and I loved being able to follow the story of Lily as the book progressed – she is a brilliant character, I really loved her spirit.
The setting for the book was wonderful and I love being able to travel back in time to share the story with them. The attention to detail was great and the book was very well developed. This was one that was touching and a heartfelt read in places too and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
I thought that this book was lovely, it was well written, the characterisation was brilliant - it is 5 stars from me for this one, I was a fabulous read – very highly recommended!
October 18, 2020
This is the fourth book in the Lily Baker War time series by this author. I've not come across this author or these books before, and although for the background to the characters it would have been good to read the previous three books in the series, this did in fact work well as a standalone novel.
The story is set admist the London bombings during the Second World War. I love a book set within this period of time and this one didn't disappoint. The characters are strong and likeable and I immediately warmed to them. With a pacy storyline and short chapters it made for a quick read.
Although a fictional storyline, it was realistic and very easy to imagine what life for women would have been like during this period of time.
If you love a war time novel like me, I'd recommend a read of this one. I'll now be searching out the previous three in this series.
The story is set admist the London bombings during the Second World War. I love a book set within this period of time and this one didn't disappoint. The characters are strong and likeable and I immediately warmed to them. With a pacy storyline and short chapters it made for a quick read.
Although a fictional storyline, it was realistic and very easy to imagine what life for women would have been like during this period of time.
If you love a war time novel like me, I'd recommend a read of this one. I'll now be searching out the previous three in this series.
October 24, 2020
Review:
The Debtford Girls by Patricia A. McBride is the fourth book in the series but can be read as a standalone. I think the previous books probably give some more character stories, but I followed along just fine.
Patricia A. McBride’s writing is evocative. She captured what life would be like in a country at war. The repercussions for people at home and soldiers.
I think this was very well written. The drama, the emotion…I enjoyed this one. I think this is worth the read. Don’t miss out.
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
The Debtford Girls by Patricia A. McBride is the fourth book in the series but can be read as a standalone. I think the previous books probably give some more character stories, but I followed along just fine.
Patricia A. McBride’s writing is evocative. She captured what life would be like in a country at war. The repercussions for people at home and soldiers.
I think this was very well written. The drama, the emotion…I enjoyed this one. I think this is worth the read. Don’t miss out.
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
October 13, 2020
Transports you to the blitz!
Highly evocative - this book truly transported me to the Second World War. There was some beautiful descriptions, including scenes of the blitz. It was easy to read and unique – personally, I haven’t read any books with this combination of young female lead, IIWW, mystery, a little romance... It was the characterisation that hooked me. The girls are vividly drawn, each with unique quirks, accents and back stories. Thoroughly recommended!
Highly evocative - this book truly transported me to the Second World War. There was some beautiful descriptions, including scenes of the blitz. It was easy to read and unique – personally, I haven’t read any books with this combination of young female lead, IIWW, mystery, a little romance... It was the characterisation that hooked me. The girls are vividly drawn, each with unique quirks, accents and back stories. Thoroughly recommended!
October 18, 2020
I really enjoyed reading about all of lily's adventures. This was a new author for me and anyone who likes reading stories set during the war years your in for a treat 5 star.
November 6, 2020
Good Read
I've enjoyed all the books in this series. It's so interesting to follow the lives of young women who volunteered for difficult and dangerous jobs during WWII.
I've enjoyed all the books in this series. It's so interesting to follow the lives of young women who volunteered for difficult and dangerous jobs during WWII.
February 6, 2021
The last of the 4 books by Patricia mcbride I think this was the hardest to digest that's why 4 stars but was good
February 21, 2021
Nice end to a series of four books
As above a nice end to a series of four books
Would be nice to find out what the character Lily did next .
As above a nice end to a series of four books
Would be nice to find out what the character Lily did next .
April 15, 2021
Fantastic series
There 4 books in this great ww2 series this book is the 4th I’ve enjoyed all of them following lily baker through the war and her life
There 4 books in this great ww2 series this book is the 4th I’ve enjoyed all of them following lily baker through the war and her life
October 10, 2023
4.0 Volume four continuing the story of Lily Baker series in WWII
December 30, 2020
Brilliant series
Can't believe this is the last book in the series. Lily Baker and her friends are such characters. I hope there is another book
Can't believe this is the last book in the series. Lily Baker and her friends are such characters. I hope there is another book
February 4, 2021
I like how this story explores different sides of Lily’s personality again. It shows how she accepted her friends mistakes and helped them the best she could. I admire her strength and spirit for doing that as in that time she would’ve been judged by the community for supporting her friends. I like how honest and trustworthy she is, shown where she’s told a secret by a friend and keeps it even when she’s told in a big group, acting like she never knew. That’s true friendship for you.
I like how she grows up more in this story and starts to understand love and what that truly means for her and Edward. I’m glad they both found their peace.
I love the twists at the end even though you kind of see it coming it’s still gripping and kept me engaged until the very end. It’s nice that the series ended on a positive and I just wish there was more stories 🤣
Rating 5🌟/5
I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. It’s great seeing Lily put in a position of power and still being humble yet observant. I love the twists and turns in this story and it’s only in the last chapters does it become predictable what will happen but you still stay gripped finding out all the details! Would defo read this series again!
I like how she grows up more in this story and starts to understand love and what that truly means for her and Edward. I’m glad they both found their peace.
I love the twists at the end even though you kind of see it coming it’s still gripping and kept me engaged until the very end. It’s nice that the series ended on a positive and I just wish there was more stories 🤣
Rating 5🌟/5
I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. It’s great seeing Lily put in a position of power and still being humble yet observant. I love the twists and turns in this story and it’s only in the last chapters does it become predictable what will happen but you still stay gripped finding out all the details! Would defo read this series again!
October 9, 2020
Set in wartime Britain this tells of three girls, their lives and work. They all work at a depot and Lily is known for keeping her eye out to spot anyone on the fiddle. This time she has her eye on Mr Biggerstaff who is around more often than he should be and appears to be making deals with some of the staff. The girls also have voluntary roles in either the WRVS or as air raid wardens and other volunteer services and we get tales of their involvement at this traumatic time. I'm not usually into historical fiction however I do enjoy the women in WW2 novels. Each time I learn a little more about what could have been (maybe with some artistic licence) but based on facts now set in stone and still in the minds of some. One of the girls is non practising jewish, another factor to battle against in these different times from today. An uplifting story that is one of a series but happily stands alone (I haven’t read the others before this one and there are three). An interesting informative read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews