Petrov Madiski, Polish by birth, fled Poland at the start of World War II. After lying about his age, he joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 15 and became a fighter pilot. On D-Day, he was part of Operation Overlord, flying sorties across the Channel to support the Allied landings along the Normandy coastline.Following the advance into Europe, Petrov (Peter) is based in France, and it is here that he becomes firm friends with an American officer, Donald (Taffy) Welch, who gives him a letter of introduction to his brother in America. But Taffy is then killed. Peter survives the war, but his fiancé, Ellie, dies in an air raid. Peter decides to take up Taffy's offer and go to America. The journey to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, proves more difficult than he imagined, and after several mishaps, Peter finally arrives on the doorstep of Taffy's brother, Elliott Welch. He is welcomed into the family and begins working for Elliott's construction company, which specializes in building trestle bridges. Peter's knowledge of lumber, his willingness to learn, and his appetite for hard work, soon gain him promotion within the company. While on a business trip, Peter meets a second Ellie, whom he later marries. But then disaster strikes. Peter is arrested for murder, and his pregnant wife is named as his accomplice.Author David J Wiles began writing in 1990, soon after he retired from the television industry. He lives in Cornwall, England, with his wife of 55 years. This is his first published novel.
