The story of Tamar Deane, the orphaned seamstress who seizes her chance at a new life in the colonies only to find herself running a brothel in Auckland captivated readers in their thousands when Tamar, the first book in this series was published. As the trilogy unfolded, White Feathers continued the story of Tamar and her new husband, Andrew Murdoch and the effects of World War One on their family, they remained captivated. When the third and concluding book, Blue Smoke, was released they rushed out and bought it and it went straight to number one in the best seller list. Released together, the three books provide a fascinating family saga of love and loss through three devastating wars. Tamar and her children together tell a story many families can relate to - their triumphs and their tragedies reflect much of our history, and as an accomplished military historian, Deborah Challinor has been able to add a significant depth to their story that lifts it above the ordinary in this competitive genre.