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What Child Is This
Christmas during World War II is a time for small miracles in this bittersweet short story by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and In Farleigh Field.
Jack and Maggie Harris are adrift on ravaged streets during the London Blitz. Their home is gone. They have nowhere to go and nothing left to lose. With only the memories of their greatest loss—the death of their child during a Christmas years before—Jack and Maggie settle in a seemingly deserted mansion for the night.
Inside they find shelter, warmth, and a bit of cheer. They also discover a surprise. Now, in the darkest of times, the unexpected compassion of strangers will make this Christmas one to remember forever.
55 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2018
About the author
Rhys Bowen
113 books8,877 followersI'm a New York Times bestselling mystery author, winner of both Agatha and Anthony awards for my Molly Murphy mysteries, set in 1902 New York City.
I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.
My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.
I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.
I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries
Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law
I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.
My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.
I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.
I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries
Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,059 reviews
December 27, 2022
A wonderful and engaging short story 🎄
I'm impressed with the writing and will check out this author's other books.
This story takes place in London 1940 during the Blitz. It's Christmas Eve and Jack and Maggie Harris must quickly leave their home after their street has been bombed. Maggie is very distraught and just wants to leave her area of London. They jump on the last train to the west end and find an abandoned house. Perhaps a Christmas Miracle will take place inside? 🌟
This is a short story with substance. I highly recommend it!
Available free through Prime Reading.
I'm impressed with the writing and will check out this author's other books.
This story takes place in London 1940 during the Blitz. It's Christmas Eve and Jack and Maggie Harris must quickly leave their home after their street has been bombed. Maggie is very distraught and just wants to leave her area of London. They jump on the last train to the west end and find an abandoned house. Perhaps a Christmas Miracle will take place inside? 🌟
This is a short story with substance. I highly recommend it!
Available free through Prime Reading.
November 29, 2018
Charming short story set in Britain during the war. In 1940 a couple are forced to leave their home on Christmas Eve during the London Blitz. With nowhere to go, their home is gone, they go for shelter from the air raids to an underground tube station. Later on they take shelter in a deserted mansion. What follows is a story about the kindness of strangers during wartime. People helping each other out, not knowing what the next day will bring. The author really gave me a good sense of place, I felt like I was in England during the war. The story was quite short and you were left sort of wondering what happens to some people in the book, but it seems to be more of a story of hope in bad situations. A lovely novella to read around Christmas time.
December 23, 2018
Sometimes we just need that little nudge to shift our hearts in the right direction.....
Rhys Bowen presents a Christmas short story echoing from times past, but surely winding its way into the present. Somehow the simplest of messages carry the most impact.
A young couple, Jack and Maggie Harris, are surrounded by another Christmas Eve crouched on their doorstep. They sit in their darkened apartment listening to a scratched Glenn Miller record as they sway to musical notes caught in the web of their own souls. The loss of their young daughter still weighs heavy on them.
Outside in the streets, London reacts to the relentless Blitz as people rush to the underground for safety. Hitler has made his presence known. Suddenly, a rapid pounding disrupts them from their reverie. The house next door has caught fire from the bombing and the flames tease with smoke and oppressive heat upon their apartment. Jack and Maggie run out into the streets leaving everything behind. Loss just seems to leave a bigger and bigger imprint upon them.
Rhys Bowen will keep us on the run with this young couple seeking something far beyond themselves on this dark Christmas Eve. Bowen has a rare talent for setting the scene with challenges to the human spirit. She shifts aside the curtain and allows us to experience the fear, the panic, and the desolation that Londoners felt as the wheels were coming off the world during the war. But she also infuses a deep sense of hope and stamina. It's a reminder that even a flicker of light is enough to guide leaden feet in the right direction.
What Child Is This is available for $1.99 right now on Amazon. A very short, but spirited read.
Rhys Bowen presents a Christmas short story echoing from times past, but surely winding its way into the present. Somehow the simplest of messages carry the most impact.
A young couple, Jack and Maggie Harris, are surrounded by another Christmas Eve crouched on their doorstep. They sit in their darkened apartment listening to a scratched Glenn Miller record as they sway to musical notes caught in the web of their own souls. The loss of their young daughter still weighs heavy on them.
Outside in the streets, London reacts to the relentless Blitz as people rush to the underground for safety. Hitler has made his presence known. Suddenly, a rapid pounding disrupts them from their reverie. The house next door has caught fire from the bombing and the flames tease with smoke and oppressive heat upon their apartment. Jack and Maggie run out into the streets leaving everything behind. Loss just seems to leave a bigger and bigger imprint upon them.
Rhys Bowen will keep us on the run with this young couple seeking something far beyond themselves on this dark Christmas Eve. Bowen has a rare talent for setting the scene with challenges to the human spirit. She shifts aside the curtain and allows us to experience the fear, the panic, and the desolation that Londoners felt as the wheels were coming off the world during the war. But she also infuses a deep sense of hope and stamina. It's a reminder that even a flicker of light is enough to guide leaden feet in the right direction.
What Child Is This is available for $1.99 right now on Amazon. A very short, but spirited read.
January 10, 2023
This is a delightful short read that shows that miracles can still happen even in the midst of a terrible situation. In London, during the blackout times and bombings of World War II, a couple loses their home on Christmas Eve but in their wandering, discover an abandoned home they can shelter in. They found a small boy inside and his story is unusual. Why is he alone? Lovely and complicated story that ends with a smile. I read through Prime reading.
December 19, 2018
This was an enjoyable, heartwarming Christmas novella set during WW2 in Britain during the air raids. When a married couple loses everything they have and stumbles upon a house that seems abandoned, is it the answer to their prayers? Wonderful historical detail.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
December 31, 2022
”’It’s hard to imagine there is a God at the moment, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘If I was watching this from up in heaven, I’d want to step in and put a stop to it.’”
Set in 1940’s London, with World War II always a factor, challenging life in everyday ways, Christmas looms despite the blackout curtains covering windows throughout the city, although the cupboards are mostly bare with rationing. And as Maggie and Jack are lost in their thoughts of old memories of better times, a time when their little girl was still alive. In mere moments, life takes a turn for the worse when the bombing they believed would never happen on Christmas Eve does, in fact, happen. They have no choice but to evacuate. But…to where?
After wandering around for some time trying to find a decent place to spend the night, Maggie wants to settle in the park, but then Jack finds a home that seems to be uninhabited. The people who own this home, which is more a mansion than a home, have left behind enough food for them for the evening. It is at least warmer, and drier than the park, with some reminders of how life used to be.
A surprise or two awaits them, which takes this story in an unexpected direction, sharing a story of unforeseen kindness, and the positive impact on both the giver and receiver.
An Amazon Original story.
December 26, 2020
Christmas 2020 - Nice-ish
An unusually somber Christmas short story set in London during WWII. On Christmas Eve, Jack and Maggie Harris must flee from their flat after a bombing raid by the Nazis, leaving behind everything they own, which is precious little.
Maggie is really annoying and whiney, even though she has good reason to be. Her husband is a saint for putting up with her. This was a quick, decent read, but because of my dislike of the main character, I wasn't as charmed by the inevitable Christmas 'miracle' as I might have been.
An unusually somber Christmas short story set in London during WWII. On Christmas Eve, Jack and Maggie Harris must flee from their flat after a bombing raid by the Nazis, leaving behind everything they own, which is precious little.
Maggie is really annoying and whiney, even though she has good reason to be. Her husband is a saint for putting up with her. This was a quick, decent read, but because of my dislike of the main character, I wasn't as charmed by the inevitable Christmas 'miracle' as I might have been.
December 28, 2019
Ok....I’m in a minority here, but when is it OK to steal, go into someone’s house and squat their food just because the door is open, jump on a train without paying for tickets, and call it all a Christmas MIRACLE because you took advantage of situations you wouldn’t get caught doing even though you knew it wasn’t right? (Well this yang and yang went on through the whole story with this couple... she constantly telling him NOT to do it, but when he did....she didn’t much seem to fuss). He even endearingly called her his “proper little Hilter” at one point. Whaaat?? I don’t get it.
The couple were down and out on their luck. Very brief mention of having lost their young child to an illness. Yes their house was bombed in a raid, they had little else but the clothes on their backs, and little money in their pockets. It sucked. He wanted to comfort and provide for his wife; she was going to go crazy and most often focused on the negatives and always telling him about what he shouldn’t do.
No Christmas miracles here, not that I was particularly looking for one except that the author constantly referred to miracles, when in fact, they helped themselves to another’s belongings or took advantage of a situation. An act of kindness offered at the end of book for an exchange of work (which was nice), but I just wasn’t feeling the warm fuzzies other readers felt from this story.
The characters were flat and predictable. The plot - pointless. The ending - unsatisfying.
The couple were down and out on their luck. Very brief mention of having lost their young child to an illness. Yes their house was bombed in a raid, they had little else but the clothes on their backs, and little money in their pockets. It sucked. He wanted to comfort and provide for his wife; she was going to go crazy and most often focused on the negatives and always telling him about what he shouldn’t do.
No Christmas miracles here, not that I was particularly looking for one except that the author constantly referred to miracles, when in fact, they helped themselves to another’s belongings or took advantage of a situation. An act of kindness offered at the end of book for an exchange of work (which was nice), but I just wasn’t feeling the warm fuzzies other readers felt from this story.
The characters were flat and predictable. The plot - pointless. The ending - unsatisfying.
December 27, 2018
The story opens on Christmas Eve in London in 1940. It's the middle of the blitz, and rationing is in full effect, so it is looking like a very dismal Christmas for Maggie and Jack Harris. But then what little they do have is taken from them suddenly, and they find themselves on the streets. Jack goes looking for shelter and finds what looks like an abandoned house. Is it abandoned? What will Christmas day bring?
While I rarely read short stories, I had to grab this story from Rhys Bowen. Best known for her historical mysteries, this is more of a glimpse at tragedy and triumph during 24 hours. As such, it doesn't have the twists or shocks you might expect, but it is a very heartwarming tale. Jack and Maggie really shine, although I did find Maggie annoying at times. Believable, but annoying. A quick read (I read it in about an hour), this is a good way to hold on to the Christmas spirit just a little bit longer.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
While I rarely read short stories, I had to grab this story from Rhys Bowen. Best known for her historical mysteries, this is more of a glimpse at tragedy and triumph during 24 hours. As such, it doesn't have the twists or shocks you might expect, but it is a very heartwarming tale. Jack and Maggie really shine, although I did find Maggie annoying at times. Believable, but annoying. A quick read (I read it in about an hour), this is a good way to hold on to the Christmas spirit just a little bit longer.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
September 23, 2019
A Lovely Story of Christmas Hope
This was a nice story. All about Christmas during the WWII bombing of Britain all wrapped together. It was hope overcoming the despair of war; the cruel to war and the losses of war. Wonderful wonderful book
This was a nice story. All about Christmas during the WWII bombing of Britain all wrapped together. It was hope overcoming the despair of war; the cruel to war and the losses of war. Wonderful wonderful book
December 21, 2021
London Blitz 1940 Short
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (2018)
A childless couple, Maggie and Jack, are bombed out of their home during the WWII London Blitz of 1940 and seek cover elsewhere. They find an abandoned house with a single child left behind. This was a heartwarming tale of endurance, charity and family in keeping with the spirit of the season.
Author Rhys Bowen is primarily known for the Her Royal Spyness series (2007 - present day), which I think will be worth checking out based on her period writing in this short story.
What Child Is This is an Amazon Original Story published Nov. 6, 2018 as a Kindle eBook by Amazon and as an audiobook by Audible Originals. It is still available free to Amazon Prime/Audible Plus members.
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (2018)
A childless couple, Maggie and Jack, are bombed out of their home during the WWII London Blitz of 1940 and seek cover elsewhere. They find an abandoned house with a single child left behind. This was a heartwarming tale of endurance, charity and family in keeping with the spirit of the season.
Author Rhys Bowen is primarily known for the Her Royal Spyness series (2007 - present day), which I think will be worth checking out based on her period writing in this short story.
What Child Is This is an Amazon Original Story published Nov. 6, 2018 as a Kindle eBook by Amazon and as an audiobook by Audible Originals. It is still available free to Amazon Prime/Audible Plus members.
April 3, 2019
Christmas WWII Maggie and Jack Harris just lost everything during the London blitz, they scape in time to save their lives but not their house, tired of the chaos and despair they ditch the shelter and take a train out of there, far from what use to be home and contemplating sleeping on the park, they found an open empty beautiful house... Along with a lonely child.
This is one of the most heart warming Kindle Singles I have ever read, and it was really appealing from the beginning, I really liked it, short, concise and real, this is the kind of WWII stories everyone wants to read, I'm hungry for more, great narrative.
This is one of the most heart warming Kindle Singles I have ever read, and it was really appealing from the beginning, I really liked it, short, concise and real, this is the kind of WWII stories everyone wants to read, I'm hungry for more, great narrative.
December 31, 2022
Just when life is bleak - war, child died, home burned, practically no money. This couple lost everything. Will they find a Christmas miracle?
December 10, 2018
Actual rating: 3.75
December 3, 2018
What a sweet little Christmas story! I loved reading about Jack and Maggie and their longing to have a better Christmas than the daily grind of war rations and bombings. When the worst happens, and they are left homeless on Christmas Eve, they take shelter in a home that has a door hanging open. What sort of future might that door lead to?
Content: Jack swears pretty frequently, but it's borderline profanity
Content: Jack swears pretty frequently, but it's borderline profanity
December 8, 2023
Excellent short Christmas story.
Read 2019. Read 2020. Read 2021. Read 2022. Read 2023.
Read 2019. Read 2020. Read 2021. Read 2022. Read 2023.
December 27, 2018
*read for free with Kindle Unlimited*
This was so good, had me tearing up a few times for more than one reason and warmed my heart as well, especially near the end.
I had to blink a few times after the last page because I was hoping for more with these people and it was over. The ending wasn't abrupt but the way everything was written, I forgot it was a novella/short story after the first chapter (high praise).
Not always an easy thing to make a short story and the characters feel alive and have a Spark to it all. It takes a talent as well to wrap it up without feeling rushed or cheated. Miss Bowen has done very well here.
I highly recommend this and will definitely be checking out this author's other works next year:).
This was so good, had me tearing up a few times for more than one reason and warmed my heart as well, especially near the end.
I had to blink a few times after the last page because I was hoping for more with these people and it was over. The ending wasn't abrupt but the way everything was written, I forgot it was a novella/short story after the first chapter (high praise).
Not always an easy thing to make a short story and the characters feel alive and have a Spark to it all. It takes a talent as well to wrap it up without feeling rushed or cheated. Miss Bowen has done very well here.
I highly recommend this and will definitely be checking out this author's other works next year:).
January 23, 2021
2.5 STARS
The constant negativity of Maggie overshadowed everything else in the story. It’s not that she didn’t have reasons to be unhappy, but Jack at least tried to see something positive in their situation.
The constant negativity of Maggie overshadowed everything else in the story. It’s not that she didn’t have reasons to be unhappy, but Jack at least tried to see something positive in their situation.
December 8, 2018
A short Christmas kindle - London being bombed - Mixture of longing, sadness and hope.
March 28, 2023
Short story about a family who has to leave their home after losing their house in World War II. Rather an abrupt ending but it was good to read about people helping each other and having hope in dire situations.
December 4, 2018
Christmastime always reminds Maggie and Jack Harris of the horrific loss of their child many Christmases ago. Now, in 1940 London, they find themselves facing another loss . . . their home and all that they own falls right in the path of the Christmas Eve Blitz.
With their home destroyed, they take shelter in a seemingly deserted mansion where an unexpected surprise awaits them. In this dark time, can they find hope for the days ahead?
Available only as an e-book, this short story is a treat for readers. Set during the Second World War, it has a strong sense of place, pulling the reader into the horrors of war-torn London. Believable characters and a tense, suspenseful plot keep the pages turning while the true meaning of Christmas leaves the struggling couple filled with new hope. It’s the perfect story for the season . . . don’t miss this one.
Highly recommended.
With their home destroyed, they take shelter in a seemingly deserted mansion where an unexpected surprise awaits them. In this dark time, can they find hope for the days ahead?
Available only as an e-book, this short story is a treat for readers. Set during the Second World War, it has a strong sense of place, pulling the reader into the horrors of war-torn London. Believable characters and a tense, suspenseful plot keep the pages turning while the true meaning of Christmas leaves the struggling couple filled with new hope. It’s the perfect story for the season . . . don’t miss this one.
Highly recommended.
February 10, 2019
You know what I dislike? Looking forward to a book, even a short one, that doesn't live up to expectations.
What I liked about What Child Is This:
Location and genre - I am a sucker for historical fiction, Christmas stories, WWII Britain. In fact, I only recently finished another WWII historical fiction novel set in Britain, though that was post-war not mid, and I wasn't the least bit bored by it.
What I didn't care for:
This story wasn't meant to be short - I believe I was disappointed by this story because it was so vastly underdeveloped. Yes, I am aware that it was outright stated on the cover that it was a short story. Some stories lend themselves to being completed quickly. This one was not one of them. I felt like there was so much more that could have been told here. I wanted more of this story. I wanted to delve into these characters. Brief explanations felt forced; more gradual and timely release of details would have been so much better.
The characters felt unlikable - It may have been that their flaws were made evident but there was never any time to really get to know them, so I failed to find them all that sympathetic, even given their circumstances. At any rate, they may have been likable, but I never got a chance to feel that way.
Lack of any resolution - The story just dropped off. I almost felt as if this was meant to be a teaser for a full-length novel.
Overall, I simply felt dissatisfied by the unfulfilled potential of What Child Is This. This is the first I've read of Rhys Bowen's books. I won't hold this against her; I'll wait to decide how I feel about her writing when I've read something full length.
What I liked about What Child Is This:
Location and genre - I am a sucker for historical fiction, Christmas stories, WWII Britain. In fact, I only recently finished another WWII historical fiction novel set in Britain, though that was post-war not mid, and I wasn't the least bit bored by it.
What I didn't care for:
This story wasn't meant to be short - I believe I was disappointed by this story because it was so vastly underdeveloped. Yes, I am aware that it was outright stated on the cover that it was a short story. Some stories lend themselves to being completed quickly. This one was not one of them. I felt like there was so much more that could have been told here. I wanted more of this story. I wanted to delve into these characters. Brief explanations felt forced; more gradual and timely release of details would have been so much better.
The characters felt unlikable - It may have been that their flaws were made evident but there was never any time to really get to know them, so I failed to find them all that sympathetic, even given their circumstances. At any rate, they may have been likable, but I never got a chance to feel that way.
Lack of any resolution - The story just dropped off. I almost felt as if this was meant to be a teaser for a full-length novel.
Overall, I simply felt dissatisfied by the unfulfilled potential of What Child Is This. This is the first I've read of Rhys Bowen's books. I won't hold this against her; I'll wait to decide how I feel about her writing when I've read something full length.
April 6, 2022
cute little london christmas miracle
only two stars because of the constant negativity from maggie & the fact that they were praised for essentially squatting in a house and doing the bare minimum to save a child (when in reality jack went inside to steal)
only two stars because of the constant negativity from maggie & the fact that they were praised for essentially squatting in a house and doing the bare minimum to save a child (when in reality jack went inside to steal)
December 9, 2021
A heart-string-tugging WWII story about two families who are affected by the bombings in London. A glimpse into what life may have actually been like for some people during that time.
July 6, 2022
Наверно, это незаслуженные пять звезд, но мне настолько легла на душу эта наивная до предела рождественская сказка с сиренами воздушной тревоги, бомбами, бомбоубежищем в метро, папами в армии и так далее, что меньше я поставить не могу. И даже, возможно, почитаю у нее что-нибудь еще.
February 28, 2023
A perfect read for the season!
December 20, 2018
Wonderful Christmas read set during one of the darker moments in Britain's history - the country locked in the midst of WWII. Yet people remain strong and strive to be positive - as these characters do. I loved all the background detail of the period and the characters. The ending had me smiling and feeling festively satisfied.
Full review: https://rolandclarke.com/2018/12/20/%...
Full review: https://rolandclarke.com/2018/12/20/%...
December 11, 2018
Christmas read. London home front World War II. a very heartwarming read. I have read from this author before. Okay, I went searching for the other book I have read by Rhys ...but I am not placing it right this moment!! I know I have wanted to read one of her books ...i'll keep looking, my kindle is so full ...i'll keep ya posted, Love her writing style ...must read ... will read more from this author very very soon. great cover too.
December 14, 2021
This was a really dumb story without a plot and really annoying characters with the worst dialogue ever written.
I thought a quick Christmas story was what I needed, but this was definitely not it.
Content:
Clean
I thought a quick Christmas story was what I needed, but this was definitely not it.
Content:
Clean
Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,059 reviews