Where The Cricket Sings: The man and woman who openly defied Fascism

by D T Murphy

Luken stands on the clifftops outside St Jean de Luz in France looking across to Spain, the land he is forbidden to return to under penalty of death … but knows that he will.

In Northern Spain 1936, Fascist forces are imposing their deadly ideology: ‘Think like us or die.’
Dissenters are executed.

Luken urges his fellow citizens to revolt for better working conditions and his wife, Miren, a nurse, treats left wing sympathisers – fatal actions under the regime.
Both are forced to flee with their daughter and son.

Finding no work in France, they reach out to an old friend of Luken's, who helps them create a new life in Ireland.
This fresh start, however, is threatened when they discover the shadowy forces and influences they thought had been left behind are still in pursuit...

Inspired by actual characters and events, this is a beautifully written story of exile and sanctuary, set in contemporary historical times, a story of unrequited love, of tragedy and loss and, ultimately, of the reaffirmation of the human soul.

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2022

Reviews

[Frances Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A BRILLIANT READ.

Where The Cricket sings, by David Murphy is a brilliant read. The characters are well place. The storyline is very touching and you grow to love the main family. They are filled with love, and hate for the war that takes over. With -in this story you find David's writing is special, written in such a way you feel you are in the story living through what they went through, and at the end, is Luken, our main character, a proud but, emotionally left man, with only one choice left to make.
A highly recommend read.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where the Cricket Sings written by D.T. Murphy is a gripping and thought-provoking novel which addresses controversial topics in a way that makes it unputdownable. The story is set in 1936, a time when Fascism ruled Spain and a great part of Europe and imposed their government of fear and irrationality. The book presents Luken who embarks on a dangerous adventure to save his family from the regime.
In this fantastic novel, the author skilfully depicts historical events not many people are aware of and mixes them with action and suspense creating a fascinating tale. The action in the plot is described through the eyes of real, colourful and likeable characters. The vivid depictions of landscapes and events aid in making this book a masterpiece.
The author’s writing style is clear and straightforward and it has the ability of conveying deep emotions and feelings in simple words. I highly recommend it.

[Ivan M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where the Cricket Sings is an interesting thriller, written by D.T. Murphy. The book follows the story of Luken, who needs to flee from his country when fascists take control over society, along with his wife and children. It is a historical thriller, so part of the story is based on real characters, which gives a lot of meaning to this read. 

I really enjoyed this novel; I think is a great example regarding politics and society in the early past century. The storyline is filled with twists and turns and the endurance of the characters is worthy of admiration.

Definitely, it's a recommended book for people who enjoys an adventure and suspenseful thriller that gives goosebumps to whoever reads it!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed to read about this fictional family 's life. What I found particularly interesting is that their story is so entangled within the story of their country, that I learned a lot about it: a very hard time for Basque people who lived in Spain in 1936 onwards! Also fascinating was their life in Ireland where they fled to and the political parallels drawn between both countries....
My first novel by the author but definitely not the last one!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

[Kindlelover 1220 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story about family, survival and resilience. A historical novel with thrills and drama. The story is set during World War Two and shows us what people are capable of during some of the most horrific events. I love reading stories of how people come together and fight side by side each other. The human spirit may become wounded but it’s never completely broken. Superb story telling with excellent characters.

Disclaimer: Thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where The Cricket Sings is the story of one family's struggles and hardship during the Spanish Civil War. Not familiar with the history of Spain, I had to do some extra reading about the subject. I found this book interesting, but just a little hard to follow. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Stacy Doubrava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting storyline, fleeing

I learned quite a bit while reading this story. I was unfamiliar with Basque and the way the church felt and treated people... the civil war. Another, but different story of people having to flee their own country. Wonderful characters and interesting storyline.

[Corina Prince · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bittersweet

A story about a family through world wars and feuding countries. Love lost. Love found and a family sticking together through the toughest times. Definitely worth all the time.