A long-held secret lies locked away within the walls of Hadleigh Hall, ancestral seat of the Fifth Duke of Barmondley. In the summer of 1914, life continues apace in old familiar patterns. As Lord Hadleigh plans his annual grouse shoot and his wife and daughter choose their wardrobes for a voyage to America, their stableman, Sam Harding, tries to make ends meet as he and his wife, Kate, await the birth of their first child. In a nearby town, the Burgess brothers – Charlie, a socialist miner, and Matthew, a lay minister with an unshakable faith – watch their father die, slowly suffocating from the coal dust in his lungs. In London, Sir Henry Driver, a self-made clothing manufacturer, subsidizes his wife’s social ambitions while their daughter, Charlotte, fights for the vote for women alongside Emily Hill, a poor East Ender. Meanwhile, Tom White, a bored accounting clerk, dreams of adventure, little suspecting what will befall him. By the end of the decade, their lives will be interwoven and forever changed as their fates are tossed into the maelstrom of war. And a horrific tragedy will finally unlock the secret of Hadleigh Hall. Praise for the historical fiction of A.R. Homer "Homer's work is gripping and finely-crafted...[with] vividly-drawn characters and a climax that is breath-taking." -- Military Writers of America, about Look Long into the Abyss "Homer is a gifted story-teller...his tales are rich in historical detail and taut with suspense." -- Midwest Book Review, about The Devil's Alchemists "A book you'll waive sleep to finish and then recall its vivid images for days afterwards."-- Bonnie Toews, author of The Consummate Traitor, about The Sobs of Autumn's Violins "His book has twists you won't see coming!" -- John Austin, host of The Book Club, about The Sobs of Autumn's Violins "A must-read not only for the historical fiction buff, but for anyone who enjoys a well-told tale." -- Kelynn Alder, author and artist, about Look Long into the Abyss "Gripping - a hold-your-breath page-turner, a tale you won't forget." -- Lou Stanek, author and lecturer, about The Mirror of Diana "...a richly-textured novel, at times edge-of-your-seat exciting, at times deeply moving, always captivating. Those who enjoyed Downton Abbey will surely find Through the Dark Clouds Shining a rare treat." --Reviewer's Choice, Midwest Book Review "One of those stories you wish would not end." --Anthony Nagle, author of The Augustus Conspiracy "A brilliant masterpiece...elevates A.R. Homer to the status of Ken Follett...you are in for a special treat." --Bonnie Toews, author of The Consummate Traitor "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," Charles Dickens wrote of an earlier period, yet his words seem apt for the second decade of the twentieth century, when the bright dawn of the modern era was suddenly darkened by war.     Advances such as electricity, telephones, and cars improved the lives of a privileged few in England, but millions of workers went on strike as they fought for better pay and working conditions and suffragettes marched in the thousands demanding the vote for women. These struggles, which threatened to overwhelm the British government, came to an abrupt end after an Austrian archduke was assassinated. A series of alliances among the great powers remorselessly plunged the world into a war that, over four years, would engulf Europe, leaving families bereft and changing lives forever.     Against the background of this turbulent period I decided to set my novel, seeking to capture the effect the war had on people and families of all classes of society. Rich or poor, high or low, there was no escape from the war.    My new book,  To Sow the Wind , follows several of the characters into the even more turbulent 1930s to the outbreak of World War 2.