The Warm Hands of Ghosts

The sweeping new novel from New York Times bestselling author Katherine Arden.

'A wonderful clash of fire and ice ... A book you won't want to let go of.' Diana Gabaldon 'A spectacular tour de force ... I love this book so much and want everyone to read it!' Naomi Novik 'Darkly beautiful and deeply humane ... The Warm Hands of Ghosts will stir your heart, and settle into your bones.' Ava Reid 'Visionary, imaginative and brilliantly written.' Anthony Horowitz 'This exquisite novel took me over like a haunting ... One of the best historical fantasies I've ever read' Emma Törzs

World War One, and as shells fall in Flanders, a Canadian nurse searches for her brother believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise in this gripping and powerful historical novel from the bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale.

January 1918. Laura Iven has been discharged from her duties as a nurse and sent back to Halifax, Canada, leaving behind a brother still fighting in the trenches of the First World War. Now home, she receives word of Freddie's death in action along with his uniform -but something doesn't quite make sense. Determined to find out more, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about ghosts moving among those still living and a strange inn-keeper whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could this have happened to Freddie - but if so, where is he?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped under an overturned pillbox with an enemy soldier, a German, each of them badly wounded. Against all odds, the two men form a bond and succeed in clawing their way out. But once in No Man's Land, where can either of them turn where they won't be shot as enemy soldiers or deserters? As the killing continues, they meet a man - a fiddler - who seems to have the power to make the hellscape that surrounds them disappear. But at what price?

A novel of breath-taking scope and drama, of compulsive readability, of stunning historical research lightly worn, and of brilliantly drawn characters who will make you laugh and break your heart in a single line, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a book that will speak to readers directly about the trauma of war and the power of those involved to love, endure and transcend it.

More love for The Warm Hands of Ghosts . . .

'Immersive and timeless, and an ode to the enduring power of memory.' Vaishnavi Patel 'A page-turner of the highest order ... A haunting, fantastic read!' Helene Wecker 'I absolutely devoured it!' Santa Montefiore 'Wonderful storytelling. Inventive, haunting and deeply moving.' Sarah Winman 'An exquisite, brilliant gem of a story.' Conn Iggulden 'Simply stunning.' Kate Quinn 'Absolutely incredible; I had chills all through reading it.' Shannon Chakraborty 'Arden's gripping historical fantasy will draw readers in and keep them engaged.' Library Journal, starred review 'Lyrically beautiful prose, a brave heroine and a story shot through with the darkness of war' Daily Mail 'Eerie and fanciful, yet gruesomely down-to-earth.' The Spectator 'Mixing historical fiction with the paranormal, this haunting, atmospheric tale of separated siblings is a real gem of a book.' Heat Magazine 'A gripping tale of loss, mystery, ghosts and queer romance.' BBC Culture Online