The Last Lifeboat

‘Heart-wrenching . . . a story that needs to be remembered’ FERN BRITTON

‘Enthrallingly told . . . it’s extraordinary how despite everything hope for the future shines out’ RACHEL HORE

Liverpool 1940. Alice King stands on the deck of SS Carlisle, waiting to escort a group of children to Canada as overseas evacuees. She is finally doing her bit for the war.

In London, as the Blitz bombs rain down and the threat of German invasion looms, Lily Nicholls anxiously counts the days for news of her son and daughter’s safe arrival.

But when disaster strikes in the Atlantic, Alice and Lily – one at sea, the other on land – will quickly become one another’s very best hope. The events of one night, and the eight unimaginable days that follow, will bind the two women together in unforgettable ways.

Inspired by a remarkable true story, The Last Lifeboat is a gripping and triumphant tale of love, courage and hope against the odds.

Praise for The Last Lifeboat

‘A journey into the worst hardships of war for two women . . . and yet throughout it is bathed in the warmth of love’ GILL PAUL

‘I loved this absorbing, heart-rending story and cared so much about the vivid, courageous characters. Superb storytelling’ TRACY REES

‘Gripping, devastating, tremendously moving . . . a tale of bravery and remarkable endurance, the kindness of strangers, and the power of hope’ JENNY ASHCROFT

‘I was utterly engaged . . . the characters brim with life, the plot is elegantly handled and the writing is terrific’ LIZ TRENOW

‘Totally absorbing, heartbreaking and heart-stopping’ CELIA REES

‘Endearing characters, terrific plot, and a superb sense of time and place made this riveting book unputdownable. I loved it’ PATRICIA SCANLAN

‘Historical fiction at it’s best, The Last Lifeboat completely swept me away, leaving me breathless with emotion. A must-read’ CARMEL HARRINGTON

‘A devastatingly beautiful tale of survival and courage’ AMANDA GEARD

‘Broke my heart and then mended it again’ KATE THOMPSON

‘A story of courage and triumph against the odds, this is historical fiction at its best’MY WEEKLY

‘A heart-wrenching read’ ANTONIA SENIOR, THE TIMES

‘This earth-shattering novel is both harrowing and hopeful’ Woman’s Own

About the author

Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Irish Times and internationally bestselling author known for her historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. A debut author recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award, her work has since been shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award, the 2020 RNA Awards, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023. THE BIRD IN THE BAMBOO CAGE was a bestseller in the USA and her most recent novel, THE LAST LIFEBOAT, was a Times of London historical novel of the month and a 2024 Audie winner for Best Fiction Narrator. Hazel's next novel, BEFORE DOROTHY, will be published in June 2025. Her co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim. Their latest collaboration, CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN, will be published in November 2024. Her work has been translated into 20 languages in 27 territories to date. She lives in Ireland with her family.