2024 Historical Fiction winner
The War Photographers
WINNER, IRDA 2024 Historical Fiction Award and Semi-finalist Kindle Book Awards
She will risk everything to expose the truth.
1943 – Bletchley Park, England
Mae Webster, immersed in the clandestine world of codebreaking at Bletchley Park, is recruited to help unveil a spy who’s on the brink of exposing Britain's most guarded secret: the cracking of the Enigma code. As war rages around her, Mae's life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in love with the enigmatic New Zealand war photographer Jack Knight. Their relationship develops at pace, but tragedy strikes when one of Jack's photographs risks unmasking an elusive double agent.
1989 – Berlin, Germany
Rachel Talbot, a globetrotting photojournalist, ventures into the heart of a fractured Berlin in search of the Stasi officer whom her beloved grandmother Mae blames for betraying their family. Rachel finds herself entangled in the East German uprising and is irresistibly drawn to a charismatic activist. As the Cold War threatens to boil over, Rachel races to expose a traitor before it’s too late.
The War Photographers Book Trailer
“The author does a masterful job of weaving 1940s’ England and 1989 Berlin together, sometimes creating cliffhangers that force the reader to wait until the story returns back to that time for the resolution. A must-read page turner.”
“Beaumont’s level of research and knowledge of the history she recreates is apparent throughout the novel. Through the two protagonists, readers gain a fresh perspective and understanding of both WWII and the fall of the Berlin Wall, while the mystery surrounding the death of Jack Knight provides a level of intimacy and intrigue to the broader circumstances. The War Photographers provides a unique blend of history, mystery, and romance. ”
“The history of World War II and the fall of the Berlin Wall are woven into this historical mystery by S.L. Beaumont. The War Photographers was a roller coaster ride of murder, betrayal, bombs, and romance. The story was fast-paced, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. I had a hard time putting the book down because it was so engaging. The chapters, which switched back and forth between Mae and Rachel, were so captivating that I was eager to learn more about them both. The characters were authentic and relatable. Mae and Rachel had a unique bond, and even after all these years, Mae was still incredibly in love with Jack. This well-written story had my attention from start to finish. The amazing turn of events that occurred in the end caught me off guard.”
“in 1943, Mae works in the top-secret code-breaking Bletchley Park, but tragedy occurs when a photograph reveals a double agent. In 1989, Mae’s granddaughter searches for her grandfather’s killer as East German unrest escalates. SL Beaumont has done a superb job recreating the clandestine work during WWII, and we get an insider’s front-row seat to the fall of the Berlin Wall in this superb novel.”
“This is perhaps one of the best WWII dual timeline books I’ve read (and there have been many!). ”
“This book was like being there, both at Bletchley and in Berlin and Leipzig. It was completely believable and the romances just tied things together beautifully. A must read!”