Beneath the Dover Sky

Title: BENEATH THE DOVER SKY

Author: Murray Pura

Publisher: Harvest House

August 2013

ISBN: 978-0736952880

Genre: Historical / family saga

For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey television series and lovers of British historical sagas, award-winning author Murray Pura continues the enthralling story of the Danforths of Lancashire.

The second book in the series (following Ashton Park) transports the reader back in time to  1924 as Sir William--recently named Lord Preston--celebrates his sixtieth birthday at the Danforth summer home in Dover.

Although the ravages of World War I are in the past, new threats loom as a man named Adoph Hitler publishes a book called Mein Kampf.  Is he a danger to Europe? And what of Lord Preston's growing friendship with an up and coming political leader named Winston Churchill?

On the home front, one of the Danforth daughters, the recently widowed Catherine, sells her home in Belfast to spend more time at Dover--where she finds herself annoyed at the impertinent German theologian her father has befriended.

The entire Danforth family faces many changes as illness and tragedy strike. Young Edward finally makes his move into the political arena while Michael and Libby welcome a new family member.

Readers will be captivated by the upstairs/downstairs interplay as they once again savor this compelling saga of the well-loved Danforth family overcoming obstacles by placing their trust in the God who has always been faithful.

BENEATH THE DOVER SKY is the second book to Mr. Pura’s The Danforths of Lancashire series. I haven’t read the first book in this series, Ashton Park, yet, but I think it is somewhere in my to-be-read pile. I recommend reading Ashton Park first as the book seems to be a continuation of the same family’s story.

The story is rather slow and formal, but I think both are mainly due to the time period it is set in. World War I has just ended, life is resuming a new normal, and it is several years before World War II. I enjoyed getting to know Catherine, I giggled with the maids, and I liked the young “impertinent German theologian.” He was a breath of fresh air.

If you like the roaring 20’s, then you’ll definitely want to read BENEATH THE DOVER SKY. I am going to look for my copy of Ashton Park and read that soon, I think, so I can be brought up to speed on what happened prior. $13.99. 384 pages. 4 stars.