Listen and read

Step into an infinite world of stories

  • Listen and read as much as you want
  • Over 400 000+ titles
  • Bestsellers in 10+ Indian languages
  • Exclusive titles + Storytel Originals
  • Easy to cancel anytime
Subscribe now
Details page - Device banner - 894x1036
Cover for Darkest Before Dawn

Darkest Before Dawn

7 Ratings

3.9

Duration
13H 37min
Language
English
Format
Category

Fiction

When the Todd's move into a flat on the Scotland Road, they are strangers to city life: their previous home was a canal barge. Harry gets a job as warehouse manager and his wife, Martha, works in a grocer’s shop, whilst Seraphina trains as a teacher, Angela works in Bunney’s Department Store and young Evie starts at regular school. Then circumstances change and Seraphina takes a job in Lyon’s Corner House. Customers vie for her favours, including an old friend, Toby.

When war is declared, the older girls join up, leaving Evie and Martha to cope with rationing and the terrible raids on Liverpool. Meanwhile, Toby is a Japanese POW, working on the Burma railway and dreaming of Seraphina…

© 2019 Soundings (Audiobook): 9781407983882

Release date

Audiobook: 1 May 2019

Others also enjoyed ...

  1. Down Daisy Street
    Down Daisy Street Katie Flynn
  2. Sunshine and Shadows
    Sunshine and Shadows Katie Flynn
  3. The Runaway
    The Runaway Katie Flynn
  4. The Lost Daughter
    The Lost Daughter Sylvia Broady
  5. The Girl from Seaforth Sands
    The Girl from Seaforth Sands Katie Flynn
  6. Poor Little Rich Girl
    Poor Little Rich Girl Katie Flynn
  7. Such Sweet Sorrow
    Such Sweet Sorrow Katie Flynn
  8. The Lost Days of Summer
    The Lost Days of Summer Katie Flynn
  9. A Mistletoe Kiss
    A Mistletoe Kiss Katie Flynn
  10. A Summer Promise
    A Summer Promise Katie Flynn
  11. Heading Home
    Heading Home Katie Flynn
  12. No Silver Spoon
    No Silver Spoon Katie Flynn
  13. The Poppy Sisters
    The Poppy Sisters Deborah Carr
  14. A Mother's Hope
    A Mother's Hope Katie Flynn
  15. The Tobacco Girls
    The Tobacco Girls Lizzie Lane
  16. Nellie's Heartbreak: A compelling saga from the bestselling author the Mulberry Lane and Harpers Emporium series
    Nellie's Heartbreak: A compelling saga from the bestselling author the Mulberry Lane and Harpers Emporium series Rosie Clarke
  17. The Crying Game
    The Crying Game June Hampson
  18. A Wartime Wife: A gripping historical saga from bestseller Lizzie Lane
    A Wartime Wife: A gripping historical saga from bestseller Lizzie Lane Lizzie Lane
  19. Polly's Angel
    Polly's Angel Katie Flynn
  20. A Wartime Welcome at Rookery House
    A Wartime Welcome at Rookery House Rosie Hendry
  21. Broken Faces
    Broken Faces Deborah Carr
  22. The Orphan Twins
    The Orphan Twins Lesley Eames
  23. Half a Sixpence
    Half a Sixpence Evie Grace
  24. The Bad Penny
    The Bad Penny Katie Flynn
  25. Cardigan Bay
    Cardigan Bay John Kerr
  26. Christmas Child
    Christmas Child Carol Rivers
  27. A Kiss and a Promise
    A Kiss and a Promise Katie Flynn
  28. The Red Cross Orphans
    The Red Cross Orphans Glynis Peters
  29. The Lost Daughter of Liverpool
    The Lost Daughter of Liverpool Pam Howes
  30. The Lost Sisters: A gritty saga about friendships, family and finding a place to call home
    The Lost Sisters: A gritty saga about friendships, family and finding a place to call home Lindsey Hutchinson
  31. The Soldier's Return
    The Soldier's Return Rosie Meddon
  32. Family of Women
    Family of Women Annie Murray
  33. Foxden Acres: A heart-wrenching and unforgettable World War 2 historical novel
    Foxden Acres: A heart-wrenching and unforgettable World War 2 historical novel Madalyn Morgan
  34. First Love, Last Love
    First Love, Last Love Katie Flynn
  35. Beyond the Blue Hills
    Beyond the Blue Hills Katie Flynn
  36. Forgotten Dreams
    Forgotten Dreams Katie Flynn
  37. Two Penn'orth of Sky
    Two Penn'orth of Sky Katie Flynn
  38. Mother’s Day
    Mother’s Day Pam Weaver
  39. My Daughter, My Mother
    My Daughter, My Mother Annie Murray
  40. Come Rain or Shine
    Come Rain or Shine Pam Weaver
  41. War Orphans: An emotional historical family saga from Lizzie Lane
    War Orphans: An emotional historical family saga from Lizzie Lane Lizzie Lane
  42. Orphans of the Storm
    Orphans of the Storm Katie Flynn
  43. Heroes on the Home Front
    Heroes on the Home Front Annie Clarke
  44. Secrets of the Singer Girls
    Secrets of the Singer Girls Kate Thompson
  45. Wartime Brides: A historical saga from Lizzie Lane
    Wartime Brides: A historical saga from Lizzie Lane Lizzie Lane
  46. The Runaway Children: The heartbreaking, page-turning new historical novel from Lindsey Hutchinson
    The Runaway Children: The heartbreaking, page-turning new historical novel from Lindsey Hutchinson Lindsey Hutchinson
  47. The Ragged Orphan: A gritty, heart-wrenching historical saga from Lindsey Hutchinson
    The Ragged Orphan: A gritty, heart-wrenching historical saga from Lindsey Hutchinson Lindsey Hutchinson
  48. A Sister's Destiny: A heartbreaking historical saga from Rosie Clarke
    A Sister's Destiny: A heartbreaking historical saga from Rosie Clarke Rosie Clarke
  49. The Orphan Girl
    The Orphan Girl Chrissie Walsh
  50. Her Patriotic Duty
    Her Patriotic Duty Rosie Meddon
  51. Time to Say Goodbye
    Time to Say Goodbye Katie Flynn
  52. Full Circle
    Full Circle Roberta Grieve
  53. Forgive and Forget
    Forgive and Forget Margaret Dickinson
  54. A Different World
    A Different World Mary Nichols
  55. Wedding Bells on the Home Front
    Wedding Bells on the Home Front Annie Clarke
  56. The Girl From Liverpool
    The Girl From Liverpool Elizabeth Morton
  57. Wartime Friends: A Heartwarming Historical Drama Set During WW2
    Wartime Friends: A Heartwarming Historical Drama Set During WW2 Margaret Dickinson
  58. Darkness Falls: A completely gripping WW2 French Resistance novel about twin sisters
    Darkness Falls: A completely gripping WW2 French Resistance novel about twin sisters Rachel Wesson
  59. A Wartime Friend: A historical saga you won't be able to put down by Lizzie Lane
    A Wartime Friend: A historical saga you won't be able to put down by Lizzie Lane Lizzie Lane
  60. Wartime Brides: A historical saga from Lizzie Lane
    Wartime Brides: A historical saga from Lizzie Lane Lizzie Lane
  61. Goodnight Sweetheart
    Goodnight Sweetheart Pam Weaver
  62. Full Circle
    Full Circle Katie Flynn writing as Judith Saxton
  63. Live the Dream
    Live the Dream Claire Lorrimer
  64. The Doorstep Child
    The Doorstep Child Annie Murray
  65. Daughter of the Sea
    Daughter of the Sea Sylvia Broady
  66. The Beekeeper’s War
    The Beekeeper’s War Deborah Carr
  67. The Secret She Kept
    The Secret She Kept Amelia Carr
  68. Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts: Factory girls fight for their loves, lives and rights in World War I Bermondsey
    Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts: Factory girls fight for their loves, lives and rights in World War I Bermondsey Mary Gibson
  69. Girls in Tin Hats
    Girls in Tin Hats Annie Murray
  70. You Are My Sunshine
    You Are My Sunshine Katie Flynn writing as Judith Saxton
  71. Brighter Days Ahead
    Brighter Days Ahead Mary Wood
  72. Jeannie's War
    Jeannie's War Carol MacLean
  73. The Orphan’s Heartbreak: The utterly heartbreaking story of love and loyalty through hardship from Chrissie Walsh
    The Orphan’s Heartbreak: The utterly heartbreaking story of love and loyalty through hardship from Chrissie Walsh Chrissie Walsh
  74. The Surplus Girls' Orphans
    The Surplus Girls' Orphans Polly Heron
  75. Escape by Moonlight
    Escape by Moonlight Mary Nichols
  76. The Weight of Goodbye: Heartbreaking World War 2 historical fiction
    The Weight of Goodbye: Heartbreaking World War 2 historical fiction Eliza Graham
  77. Her Mother's Daughter
    Her Mother's Daughter Evie Grace
  78. The Girls in Blue
    The Girls in Blue Fenella J Miller
  79. The Spitfire Girl
    The Spitfire Girl Fenella J Miller
  80. The Daughters of Ironbridge: The Ironbridge Saga, Book 1
    The Daughters of Ironbridge: The Ironbridge Saga, Book 1 Mollie Walton
  81. The ForgetMeNot Summer
    The ForgetMeNot Summer Katie Flynn
  82. Birmingham Blitz
    Birmingham Blitz Annie Murray
  83. A Girl Called Rose
    A Girl Called Rose Kay Seeley
  84. The Tulip Girl
    The Tulip Girl Margaret Dickinson
  85. Shadows of the Past
    Shadows of the Past June Francis
  86. Now The War Is Over
    Now The War Is Over Annie Murray
  87. Abel's Daughter
    Abel's Daughter Meg Hutchinson
  88. The Woman with the Map
    The Woman with the Map Jan Casey
  89. That Liverpool Girl
    That Liverpool Girl Ruth Hamilton
  90. We'll Meet Again
    We'll Meet Again Mary Nichols
  91. A Sister’s Promise
    A Sister’s Promise Pam Weaver
  92. The Mersey Mistress: The start of a gritty historical saga series from Sheila Riley
    The Mersey Mistress: The start of a gritty historical saga series from Sheila Riley Sheila Riley
  93. The Orphan Thief
    The Orphan Thief Glynis Peters