Blue Smoke

'White Feathers', which continued the story of Tamar and her children against the backdrop ofthe First World War, ended with the death of her beloved husband, Andrew. In the third and concluding volume of the Tamar trilogy, Tamar is now a wealthy widow with an extensive and prosperous estate in the Hawke's Bay, with her children settling into their own relationships, some more happily than others.

In the years leading up to and including World War Two, Tamar struggles to lead her growing family through the economic slump that became the Great Depression. The resulting years of social upheaval, including violent strikes, hunger marches and the Napier Earthquake, leave none of them untouched. When a riding accident almost ends her life, Tamar is forced to draw on her iron will to survive. Left with a permanent limp and a growing awareness of her own mortality, she is forced into ruthless decisions to protect her family and Andrew's dearly loved Kenmore. At the same time, her son James' racist disapproval of her relationship with Kepa and growing flirtation with fascism tests her to the core.

The war wreaks havoc on the extended Murdoch family, and through the eyes of Tamar's grandchildren, we see its awful effect on a generation facing the enemy in both Europe and the Pacific. At the same time, battles are also being fought on the homefront, which don't end when peace finally prevails. In a powerful and wide-reaching conclusion to this compelling family saga, Deborah Challinor explores the effects of war on three generations of a passionate and fiery New Zealand family.