The Edge of the Fall: A Novel

The Edge of the Fall is the sequel to Kate Williams’s hit novel The Storms of War and the second book in a groundbreaking, epic trilogy that tells the story of the de Witt family between 1914 and 1939: ideal for fans of Downton Abbey, The Rules of Civility, Somewhere in France, Atonement and The Paris Wife

An utterly spellbinding novel of the 1920s in London and Paris, The Edge of the Fall is bestselling author Kate Williams’s follow-up to her beloved and universally praised novel The Storms of War: the second volume in an epic, cinematic historical saga that follows the de Witt family through the drama and tumult of the post–World War I world.

In the aftermath of the Great War, the de Witt family are struggling to piece together the shattered fragments of their lives. Rudolf and his wife, Verena, still reeling from the loss of their second son, don’t know how to function in the post-war world. Stoneythorpe Hall has become an empty shell with no servants to ensure its upkeep. The de Witt children have changed too: Eldest son Arthur has returned, but a shroud of mystery surrounds his wartime business dealings in Europe. Socialite-turned-socialist Emmeline is passionate about carving out a new niche for herself in life, one that comes with its own dangers. And idealistic, adventurous Celia, the heart of the family and the de Witt’s youngest daughter, is still desperate to spread her wings and see more of the world. To escape Stoneythorpe and the painful secrets that lie there, she moves to London and embraces life and love in the Roaring Twenties.

At once romantic and real, sweeping and sensitive, The Edge of the Fall is brimming with intrigue and emotion, balancing the glamour of the era with the gritty reality of life in a world changed forever by war. It is a glorious feat of storytelling and a must-read for those who loved The Storms of War and fans of historical fiction everywhere, from the brilliant young story teller recognized on both sides of the Atlantic as among the “queens of contemporary fiction.”