Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham Rose | 1995 | Annie Murray | Buy |
| 2 | Birmingham Friends | 1998 | Annie Murray | Buy |
| 3 | Birmingham Blitz / Kate and Olivia | 1998 | Annie Murray | Buy |
Birmingham Rose (1995) was Annie Murray’s first novel and the book that established her reputation. Set in the pre-war Birmingham slums, it follows Rose Lucas, a young woman with ambitions that her circumstances make nearly impossible. The novel hit The Times bestseller list and introduced Murray as a writer with both a strong historical sense and the storytelling instincts to make social history emotionally engaging.
Birmingham Friends (1998) and Birmingham Blitz (1998) return to the city in different periods and with different characters, building out a portrait of Birmingham across the mid-twentieth century. The three books together provide a panoramic view of the city’s working-class life from the 1930s through the war years.