It's January 1941, and the Blitz is devastating England. Food supplies are low, Tube stations in London have become bomb shelters, and U-boats have hampered any hope of easy victory. Though the United States maintains its isolationist position, Churchill knows that England is finished without the aid of its powerful ally.
Harry Hopkins, President Roosevelt's most trusted adviser, is sent to London as his emissary, and there he falls under the spell of Churchill's commanding rhetoric---and legendary drinking habits. As he experiences life in a country under attack, Hopkins questions the United States' silence in the war. But back home FDR is paranoid about the isolationist lobby, and even Hopkins is having trouble convincing him to support the war.
As Hopkins grapples with his mission and personal loyalties, he also revels in secret clubs with newsman Edward R. Murrow and has an affair with his younger driver. Except Hopkins doesn't know that his driver is a British intelligence agent. She craves wartime action and will go to any lengths to prove she should be on the front line. This is London under fire, and it's only when the night descends and the bombs fall that people's inner darkness comes to light.
In Sleep in Peace Tonight, a tale of courage, loyalty, and love, and the sacrifices one will make in the name of each, James MacManus brings to life not only Blitz-era London and the tortuous politics of the White House but also the poignant characters and personalities that shaped the course of world history.
"Sleep in Peace Tonight sneaks the reader behind the curtain of the grand stage that became the Second World War. James MacManus's meticulous research breathes life into historical figures that largely shaped our current world. Through its political and personal complexities, the story serves as a reminder of the victories, losses, and sacrifices that were made on every front."
Kristina McMorris, bestselling author of The Pieces We Keep
"In Sleep in Peace Tonight, James MacManus brings a crucial period of WWII triumphantly to life, inviting us to understand the struggles and dilemmas of some of the key players of the time. His research is impeccable, and the story he tells is utterly engrossing. This is an enlightening and deeply pleasurable read."
Margaret Leroy, author of The Soldier's Wife
"In a triumph of storytelling, James MacManus takes us on an exhilarating journey through the gritty streets of wartime London and into the inner sanctums of the larger-than-life leaders of the free world during England's darkest hour. Impeccably researched and brilliantly crafted, Sleep in Peace Tonight is a poignant love story, rich in historical detail and captivating characters caught up in the vortex of a world on the brink of destruction."
Douglas W. Jacobson, author of Night of Flames and The Katyn Order
