
Night Fire
The moving story of World War II jeopardy
Richard Strachan(Author)
Raven Books (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 23. April 2026
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-5266-7060-1 (ISBN)
Description
'Strachan is a formidable talent' Martin MacInnes
In the skies above war torn Europe, Stanley Wake and his fellow aircrew at Bomber Command risk their lives on missions that are incredibly dangerous and highly pressured. As the strains of their work press on him, Stan is beginning to suspect that either their plane is haunted or Stan himself may be haunted by his part in bringing about death and destruction to so many.
On the ground in Lincoln, Abby Sallow is desperately trying to keep her own ghosts at bay. Working in a factory dismantling wrecked aircraft, Abby struggles to escape the nightly visions of her only son, who was killed at the very outset of war. While Stan longs to live, Abby seems intent on bringing about her own death.
And for intensely superstitious, Harry Culpepper, one of Stan's crewmates, it is only the Fates can keep him alive. He has crafted a talisman - a bird skull - that he is convinced will guarantee his safety.
But as the bombing intensifies and the crew count down towards 30 flights completed - the point at which they will be given a reprieve from their deadly work - all three characters will discover whether they can find a chance of peace amongst the devastation of war, and whether the ghosts that haunt them can ever truly be laid to rest.
A moving, evocative, beautifully written work of historical fiction, Night Fire establishes Richard Strachan as a major new name in historical fiction.
In the skies above war torn Europe, Stanley Wake and his fellow aircrew at Bomber Command risk their lives on missions that are incredibly dangerous and highly pressured. As the strains of their work press on him, Stan is beginning to suspect that either their plane is haunted or Stan himself may be haunted by his part in bringing about death and destruction to so many.
On the ground in Lincoln, Abby Sallow is desperately trying to keep her own ghosts at bay. Working in a factory dismantling wrecked aircraft, Abby struggles to escape the nightly visions of her only son, who was killed at the very outset of war. While Stan longs to live, Abby seems intent on bringing about her own death.
And for intensely superstitious, Harry Culpepper, one of Stan's crewmates, it is only the Fates can keep him alive. He has crafted a talisman - a bird skull - that he is convinced will guarantee his safety.
But as the bombing intensifies and the crew count down towards 30 flights completed - the point at which they will be given a reprieve from their deadly work - all three characters will discover whether they can find a chance of peace amongst the devastation of war, and whether the ghosts that haunt them can ever truly be laid to rest.
A moving, evocative, beautifully written work of historical fiction, Night Fire establishes Richard Strachan as a major new name in historical fiction.
Reviews / Votes
PRAISE FOR THE UNRECOVERED: 'Impressive' * Sunday Times * PRAISE FOR THE UNRECOVERED: 'Strachan is a formidable talent' -- Martin MacInnes PRAISE FOR THE UNRECOVERED: 'Immersive, beautifully written' -- Michelle PaverMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions
Height: 163 mm
Width: 243 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
504 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5266-7060-1 (9781526670601)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2026
Raven Books
€14.49
Available for download
Person
Richard Strachan is a former bookseller who lives in Edinburgh with his family. His short fiction has been published in various magazines including The Dark and Interzone and by Galley Beggar Press in their digital singles list.