The Woman on the Train

Someone saves your life. How far will you go to repay the debt?

A historical fiction novella.

World War Two, summer, 1942, Nazi-occupied France. A nervous young man sits on a train; his simple mission – to deliver a message on behalf of the resistance. The Germans ask for his papers and his nerves give way. An older woman, sitting opposite, intervenes and rescues him from the clutches of the Gestapo.

Paris, 1968. The young man is now the most successful music conductor in France; a household name throughout the land. Yet, he still wonders, 26 years on, why did the woman on the train intercede on his behalf? Without her, he knows his life would have turned out very differently. He owes her everything.

Unexpectedly, in the midst of the ’68 Parisian riots, he receives a letter from her, begging him to come to her aid. Honour-bound, he gladly offers to return the favour.

When he realises precisely what repaying his debt entails, he faces a dilemma that threatens to ruin his career. Torn between those he loves and his sense of honour, his life rapidly spirals out of control.

Who exactly was The Woman on the Train?

A WW2 / Holocaust novel from the founder of History In An Hour. Historical fiction with drama and heart.

A novel that follows in the footsteps of Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See, Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale and Charles Belfoure's The Paris Architect.

"Why haven't I heard of this man before? This is a little jewel box of historical fiction. The central premise is intriguing, the writing is crisp, and the story unfolds at pace."

"Most intriguing, wonderful book. Everyone should read this."

"Short, sharp and wonderful. Couldn't put it down."

"What a ride... Colley takes you on more than a train ride with this story.

Historical fiction with heart and drama.