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Sign up todayWhen I Come Home Again
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Learn moreFrom the highly acclaimed author of The Photographer of the Lost, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick
They need him to remember. He wants to forget.
1918. In the last week of the First World War, a uniformed soldier is arrested in Durham Cathedral. When questioned, it becomes clear that he has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there.
The soldier is given the name Adam and transferred to a rehabilitation home. His doctor James is determined to recover who this man once was. But Adam doesn’t want to remember. Unwilling to relive the trauma of war, Adam has locked his memory away, seemingly for good.
When a newspaper publishes a feature about Adam, three women come forward, each claiming that he is someone she lost in the war. But does he believe any of these women? Or is there another family out there waiting for him to come home?
Based on true events, When I Come Home Again is a deeply moving and powerful story of a nation’s outpouring of grief, and the search for hope in the aftermath of war.
Caroline completed a PhD in History at the University of Durham. She has a particular interest in the experience of women during the First World War, in the challenges faced by the returning soldier. Caroline is originally from Lancashire, but now lives in south-west France.
Reviews
'I absolutely loved it. It was page turning, mysterious, engrossing and compelling. I thought so many times I had it all figured out and I was wrong every time. I couldn’t get to the end fast enough and finished it at 1 am feeling bereft' ‘This beautiful book packs a huge emotional punch’‘Scott’s tense and compelling mystery – with so many broken lives at its centre – is a timely reminder that the repercussions of war are lasting, painful and tragic’
‘A superb and quietly devastating novel about grief, hope and the horrific aftershocks of war’ 'Captivating, heart-breaking and uplifting. This beautiful and moving book drew me in from the first line and held me enthralled until the very end' ‘A haunting novel with loss at its heart - the loss of self, loved ones and the lives that should have been. Caroline Scott evokes the damage and desolation of the Great War with aching authenticity, and her writing is exquisite' ‘When I Come Home Again is a compulsive, heart-wrenching read, beautifully and painfully evoking the toxic mix of grief and guilt suffered by survivors and the bereaved following WWI. When a man arrives who cannot remember who he is, three bereaved women genuinely believe him to be their own lost loved one, with devastating consequences’ ‘When a WWI soldier with complete memory loss is discovered in Durham cathedral, more than one woman steps forward to claim him as her own. But the past is a place he has shut away, and in this powerful psychological novel, Scott explores the mental health of everyone involved in the soldier’s life. A carefully, nuanced, complex story’ ‘A beautifully written novel – immersive, poignant, intricately woven’
‘Scott litters her tale with clues and red herrings in the best mystery-writer way so we are kept guessing as to where the truth really lies’ ‘When I Come Home Again is a heartbreaking read which reveals the far-reaching tragedies of war. My heart ached for the three women and for Adam… I highly recommend it – and I very much look forward to Caroline Scott’s next novel’ ‘Caroline Scott’s quietly devastating second novel insightfully explores the impact of the Great War on returning soldiers and their families… Scott skillfully unspools their heartbreaking stories while uncovering Adam’s secrets and the source of his fear’ ‘Atmospheric descriptions of the Lake District contrast with the horrors of war in this poignant and breathtaking exploration of loss, love and precious memories’ ‘An evocative read’ ‘Outstanding… The story left me breathless. Powerful, heartrending, and oh so tender. A whirlwind of emotions that will not allow us to forget’ ‘A powerful story that’s achingly moving and most beautifully written. Readers of Maggie O’Farrell and Helen Dunmore are likely to enjoy When I Come Home Again’ 'Wonderful and evocative . . . it was immediately intriguing and had the ring of truth. But what I realised . . . is that it is so much more subtle and complex than being just the journey to discover who Adam really is. It is not only about memory and identity, it's about the repercussions and tragedy of war, reaching out across vast swathes of society'
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