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World War I is a series of fictional/mystery novels written by Anne Perry, a renowned British author. The books chronicle the lives of the Reavley family during the First World War.
Order of World War I Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Graves As Yet | 2003 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Shoulder the Sky | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Angels in the Gloom | 2005 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | At Some Disputed Barricade | 2006 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | We Shall Not Sleep | 2007 | Description / Buy |
Few other authors could have written a series like this, seeing Perry has a stark understanding of World War I that very few of her colleagues in the literary arena today share. Perry’s stepfather was on the Beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. In fact, he was among the last officers to leave.
If that wasn’t enough, Perry’s father was a scientific Advisor in the second World War, this while her brother fulfilled the role of an army surgeon during the same time period. It comes as no surprise that Joseph Reavley, the protagonist of the first book in the World War I series, is actually Anne Perry’s grandfather.
One would presume that, in positioning him as the hero of her story, Perry sought to honor him. Joseph is the first protagonist introduced to readers in No Graves As Yet, the first book in the World War I series.
Joseph’s idyllic life is shattered when he learns of his parent’s deaths. The moment changes Joseph’s life forever, especially when the suspicious nature of the deaths is revealed. Joseph and his brother Mathew become so engrossed with solving the resulting mystery that they hardly take note of the Assassination of the Archduke of Austria which, in turn, throws England into a massive war that would shape the era.
Anne Perry uses the different books in the World War I series to explore the lives of Joseph’s siblings and the directions their lives take, with all of them being drawn into the War via different circumstances.
The books delve into a number of subjects and topics such as family relationships and the struggle for Irish Independence.
Best World War I Books
Anne Perry’s World War I series is generally well-liked by readers. Perry’s other series start well enough before floundering when it comes to revealing the villains of each mystery, this inviting debates about the quality of the books as a whole. The World War I books, on the other hand, enjoy popularity because they are pretty solid stories, with some of the best books in the series including the following:
At Some Disputed Barricade: July 1917 finds Joseph Reavley and his Sister Judith bone-weary, this while the conflict approaches its fourth year. The chaplain and the ambulance driver yearn for the peace of the English Countryside.
The Battle of Passchendaele, which has begun on the Western Front, quickly costs Joseph’s regiment their trusted commanding Officer. Stepping up to replace him is an incompetent yet largely pompous major whose is likely to lead many good soldiers to their deaths.
However, he soon dies and at the hands of his own men. Joseph cannot turn a blind eye and takes action to see the men punished. Judith, on the other hand, helps all but one of the twelve men escape, unable to justify their trials and executions for a crime that was probably carried out with good intentions. Joseph’s search for his comrades eventually leads him into enemy territory, testing his faith in the blind machinery of military justice.
Back in England, Mathew, Joseph’s brother continues his pursuit of the Peacemaker. He is determined to unmask the sinister figure who will stop at nothing, not even murder, and treason, to keep England from attaining victory in the war.
This book, the third in the series, starts off slow but quickly picks up. Anne Perry’s descriptions of conflict, especially the battle of Passchendaele, are nothing short of heartbreaking.
We Shall Not Sleep: Peace is finally within sight. But, with soldiers abusing German prisoners and the Peacemaker, a sinister ideologue, threatening to undermine everything that so many died to achieve, Joseph Reavley and Judith find that they are harder pressed than ever.
Joseph and Judith are surprised when Mathew arrives at the front, reveals that the Peacemaker’s German counterpart has betrayed him and has volunteered to expose him. However, the journey to this critical asset is fraught with many dangers, especially with the war still raging.
Anne Perry’s finale is rich with plot and character development, twisting and tying so many curious threads together to deliver a heart-stopping conclusion.
Other Book Series you May Like
The “Gregor Reinhardt Mysteries” started in in 2013. They are written by Luke McCallin and follow Gregor Reinhardt, a top police detective in WW II Europe. A Military intelligence officer, Gregor works on the orders of his superiors to solve the murders of German Soldiers.
However, the various factions of the German military often prove to be a hindrance, derailing his investigations in pursuit of their own nefarious agendas.
“The Horseman Trilogy” is the work of Mary Balogh. It tells the story of Four Calvary officers that return from war. Flush with the elation of having survived the war, the officers attempt to celebrate their good fortunate by seeking out mindless pleasure. Instead, they find love.
What Is The Next Book in The World War I Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The World War I Series. The newest book is We Shall Not Sleep and was released on January, 6th 2007.
