The Archers: Ambridge at War cover art

The Archers: Ambridge at War

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The Archers: Ambridge at War

By: Catherine Miller
Narrated by: Patricia Hodge
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About this listen

 Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the beloved radio show, Ambridge at War takes readers back to before it all began . . .

‘Intriguing, comforting and endearingly familiar’ Katie Fforde

It’s 1940 and war has broken out. It is midnight at the turn of the year, and Walter Gabriel speaks the same line that opened the very first radio episode – 'And a Happy New Year to you all!' For Ambridge, a village in the heart of the English countryside, this year will bring change in ways no one was expecting.

From the Pargetters at Lower Loxley to the loving, hard-working Archer family at Brookfield Farm, the war will be hard for all of them. And the New Year brings the arrival of evacuees to Ambridge, shaking things up in the close-knit rural community.

As the villagers embrace wartime spirit, the families that listeners have known and loved for generations face an uphill battle to keep their secrets hidden. Especially as someone is intent on revealing those secrets to the whole village . . .
©2020 Catherine Miller (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio UK 20th Century Fiction Historical Fiction Village War

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Critic reviews

"The opening words of the first radio episode of The Archers 70 years ago set the scene for a novel that takes readers back to before the much-loved 'everyday story of country folk' began.... Nostalgia for avid listeners with long memories." (Choice)

"In this new novel celebrating the 70th anniversary of the beloved radio show, we follow the lives of the families of Ambridge before it all began...families that listeners have known and loved for generations face an uphill battle to keep their secrets hidden." (Countryside)

All stars
Most relevant  
A captivating tale of dastardly deeds afoot in wartime Ambridge. Someone has it in for their neighbours, someone who knows too much.But why?

A lovely take on early Ambridge.

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I’m a big fan of the Archers but even if you are not this is a fascinating story, great characters beautifully narrated. 3 days of pleasure listening.

Wonderful, a must listen

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Loved it, was gripped all the way. I was transported away from the present day and enjoyed 1940's Ambridge

Uplifting

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I really enjoyed the story,
Lovely characters and places. clearly read by Patricia Hodge.

archers

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Was a little apprehensive in case it messed at all with Ambridge and the Archers, but really enjoyed it. It's well written and well narrated. Woulld work even as a stand alone story, but very good as a complement to the Archers.

Very good

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I thought this was a most enjoyable listen and of course read so well by Patricia Hodge. Would highly recommend to any Archers fans!!

An Archers Fan!

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A must for Archers fans but even if you aren't a listener it still can be listened to as a stand alone story

Loved it!

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Rather grim overall. Some names and modern euphemisms are incongruous with period. Issues here without real resolution. Narrated with only a few mispronunciations. Disappointing.

Grim

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I’m an Archers fan. I had looked forward to some back-story. I have tried listening to this on three successive nights. It’s not good. A few chapters in and I have decided that even with the limited alternatives presented to me during lockdown 3 I’m unlikely to finish this book. Shame.

Oh dear...

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I settled down to listen and to remember old times because my mother and grandmother listened avidly to the Archers. Other than Walter Gabriel greeting someone with, “my old pal ..my old beauty” there was nothing of the Archers in the entire story! Patricia Hodge reads well, but there isn’t a lot to work with.

The Archers?

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