Strangers in Time by David Baldacci - a WWII Novel

With a title like this, I was expecting time travel but, in fact, this is a historical novel set during WWII that brings together three individuals into a found family. It is London 1944, and Molly, 15, has lived in the country as an evacuee for five years and is finally returning home. She is worried that she hasn’t heard directly from her mother for years and, with no warning, her father has stopped paying a stipend to the family that housed her. When Molly reaches her house, appalled by the devastation she finds in London, only the housekeeper is there to greet her.

A Cockney youth, Charlie Matters, 14 and scrawny for his age, survives by stealing to eke out his grandmother’s tiny income. On one of his evening excursions looking for places he can break into easily, Charlie goes into Ignatius Oliver’s bookshop, grabbing money from the till and a book from the counter, and making a quick escape as the proprietor watches in disbelief. Charlie accidentally left a tag with his name and address and is abashed when Ignatius returns it discreetly, causing a shamefaced Charlie to return the cash he had stolen.

Molly and Charlie meet when he is lurking outside her house, hoping to find something to steal. She decides to look for her father at his ostensible place of employment, the Ministry of Food:

“Take me there and the money is yours.” She suddenly looked at him warily. “But I know London well enough to figure out if you’re taking me to the wrong place.” Her eyes narrowed and her jaw set firm. “And you won’t be able to take the money from me by force, I can assure you. I’m older than you and quite strong.”

“I would never do such a thin’,” said a shocked Charlie.

Charlie escorts her on a bus to the Ministry but her father is not there. Charlie is impressed by Molly’s erudition and mentions his recent visit to Ignatius’ bookshop – although he doesn’t reveal he was stealing from it. Later, Molly finds him by finding The Book Keep and befriending its quiet owner. Ignatius is mourning the loss of his wife but soon finds himself a surrogate parent to orphaned Charlie and Molly, whose parents are missing. Strange men seem to be following her. And Ignatius has a nosy neighbor who does not approve of the additions to his household:

“You sound like you read lots of books, too,” said Macklin in a way that was clearly not a compliment.

“I’ve been known to pick up one or two,” Molly replied diplomatically. She had faced individuals like Macklin, who thought that a woman should probably never open a book, but only cook, sew, clean, and make babies. “But if you’d rather not tell me, that’s fine. I have some things to do.”

Despite the stress of the Blitz and insufficient rations, Molly, Charlie, and Ignatius become close – but when the children observe Ignatius conducting secret meetings and find German documents hidden in the bookshop, they become frightened that he is a traitor to Britain and whether they can really trust him.

This book is a real departure for Baldacci, who is best known for espionage thrillers, and it is an engaging and well-researched story, with vividly drawn characters. The friendship between Molly, Charlie, and Ignatius – from very different backgrounds - seems improbable but stranger alliances occur with war as a backdrop. Their relationship helps them get through the tragedies each experiences and maintain the resilience needed to cope with loss and uncertainty. My only criticism is that I couldn’t forget it was written by an American. It wasn’t just the occasional “I guess” but Molly seemed more like an American teen than a Brit, despite having spent five years in a quiet vicarage (she did gain confidence volunteering at a local hospital where she became expert in first aid). However, I am a big Baldacci fan and enjoyed her as a character; the book is a good and different addition to WWII historical fiction.

Title: Strangers in Time
Author: David Baldacci
Publisher: Grand Central, hardcover, 2025
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Library

This is my eleventh book for the Intrepid Reader's 2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.