The Sound of a Thousand Stars

Based on the incredible true stories of the women scientists who worked in secret to create the first nuclear weapon and the heartbreaking toll of their top-secret mission.
'T-minus six. T-minus five.' The radio stuttered into white noise. Alice braced, knowing that in a matter of seconds, either a second sun would rise on the horizon or it would be the end of the world. At the edges of her vision, she noticed that the trees were shining gold...'
1944, Los Alamos: Young scientist Alice Katz is one of the only female students at her university, studying with the famous Dr Oppenheimer. Her well-to-do family wants her to marry and settle down. Instead, Alice answers her country's call to go deep into the desert and lend her skills to a secret project at the heart of the fight against Germany.
Once she arrives as the secret base, Alice meets Caleb, who has been assigned to the explosives division. Around them are other scientists and engineers who have left their ordinary lives behind, telling no one where they are going and what they will be doing.
Everyone is sworn to the utmost secrecy, but everyone knows it is a race against time to beat the Nazis before they create an unspeakable weapon of their own to defeat the Allies.
With the sense the time is running out, Alice and Caleb find themselves drawn to one another. But as they become more desperate to complete their mission before the war is lost, they will face a heartbreaking choice between love for their country and love for each other...
This epic tale of love in the face of war is a poignant reminder of the consequences of even the smallest decisions to the long arc of history and on the lives of people we will never meet. Perfect for fans of Oppenheimer, Hill of Secrets, Hidden Figures and The Diamond Eye.
Everyone loves The Sound of a Thousand Stars:
'Asks devastating questions of our past while engaging in hopeful reflections on love. The attention to historical and scientific detail is impressive, and the prose kept me turning pages' Reader review -----
'An amazing story of love and The Manhattan Project that is both sad and triumphant... haunting and magnificent' Reader review -----
'Whenever I read books about World War II be it non-fiction or fiction I am always astounded by the stories, by what happened in that time and just how did fellow humans get through it. Anyone living or working in that time are little heroes... I'm in awe of the bravery... You could tell this story had heart. Her characters were written beautifully... brilliant historical fiction... The stories of that time should never stop being told' Reader review -----
'Meticulously researched and beautifully rendered... This book will leave you breathless' Soon Wiley
'A soaring testament to all those unseen souls who answered history's call and selflessly sacrificed in order to shape the world in which we live' Giano Cromley
'Riveting story that shows love and destiny are forces just as powerful as faith or science' Kathleen Rooney
'Beautifully done historical fiction... It had everything that I was looking for... I enjoyed the science element' Reader review -----

Rachel Robbins