The Heat of The Day – Elizabeth Bowen

I’d like to thank Caroline of Beauty is A Sleeping Cat for picking The Heat of the Day for March’s War and Literature Readalong. Now only has she brought me to London to coincide with a visit IRL but she has also restarted my 20th century challenge. (100 years, 100 books, 100 authors. Full list and progress report here.)

The book is set in war-time London – primarily in 1942, in the quiet time following the Blitz of 1940 and the smaller one of 1944. Stella, a well-heeled lady has been enjoying her love affair with Robert for two years. They are comfortable; they have not married and are happy to live separate lives outside the time they spend together. Stella’s piece-of-mind is disturbed, however, with the appearance of Harrison and his claims that Robert is a spy. He lets Stella know that, for a price, he won’t turn…