The Long Flight Home

By: Alan Hlad

Narrated by: Simon Vance

It is September 1940 - a year into the war - and as German bombs fall on Britain, fears grow of an impending invasion. Enemy fighter planes blacken the sky around the Epping Forest home of Susan Shepherd and her grandfather, Bertie. After losing her parents to influenza as a child, Susan found comfort in raising homing pigeons with Bertie. All her birds are extraordinary to Susan - loyal, intelligent, beautiful - but none more so than Duchess, who shares a special bond with Susan and an unusual curiosity about the human world.

Thousands of miles away in Buxton, Maine, a young crop-duster pilot named Ollie Evans has decided to travel to Britain to join the Royal Air Force. His quest brings him to Epping and to the National Pigeon Service, where Susan is involved in a new, covert assignment. Codenamed Source Columba, the mission aims to air-drop hundreds of homing pigeons in German-occupied France. Many will not survive. Those that do make the journey home to England can convey crucial information on German troop movements - and help reclaim the skies from the Luftwaffe.

The friendship between Ollie and Susan deepens as the mission date draws near. When Ollie's plane is downed behind enemy lines, both know how remote the chances of reunion must be. Yet Duchess's devotion and her singular sense of duty will become an unexpected lifeline.

©2019 Alan Hlad (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

A look into history

While listening to this book I learned the National pigeon Service was a real event from WWII. I’m sure much else was fictionalization but it was well done. Jeopardy even had a clue about it while I was finishing up the book. Quite well read. I like historical fiction and always find myself delving deeper.

I might actually listen to this a second time!

This is one that I might actually listen to a second time! I so enjoyed it! It kept me on edge and I so wanted to the characters to live long happy lives!

Excellent read & listen

Great story only wish they could have rejoined each other twenty years sooner.
Loving forever.

I haven't listened to a book this good in ages!

I blew straight through this book because I just couldn't stop listening. The story was wonderful, the narration amazing, and the ending the best!! Strongly recommend and I will be seeking other titles by this author.

Every Once in a While - BAM!

What a brilliant, beautiful book. I had planned on it taking me a couple of weeks but...(you know how this goes)..I'm almost done in 3 days. This is the kind of book that you live in. I am terrified for them, next I'm hopeful, next devastatingly sad and yet, I continue to travel back and forth over the English Chanel in the company of a Pidgeon and she inspires me. I haven't gotten to the end yet, but no matter how it finishes I will never forget this book.

Loved it

I didn't want to stop listening. A gripping story line. Glad it all turned out well.

Good

I really enjoyed this book. Different from most war history stories. Narration was great. Worth a credit.

An unusual storyline, engaging

An unusual story from World War II, based on some historical fact, and then elaborated. I didn’t think I would stay with the story at first, but I’m glad I did. It was very satisfying by the end.

Interesting piece of history

Different facet of WWII that I hadn’t read about before but the love story was pretty cheesy in my opinion.

Great Story

I listen to a lot of WW2 fiction and nonfiction books. This was a different story line that I’ve never listened to. I really enjoyed it. The narrator did an excellent job and the story moved along at a good pace.