than in the late evening of 3 May. The change in time is for dramatic effect, allowing the family to be believably scattered around the city. However, the other details of the raid, such as the machine-gunning, and the extent of the devastation are accurately portrayed. The Introduction provides the historical background, the RAF raid on the ancient German port of Lübeck which prompted the retaliatory Baedecker raids on places of historical and architectural importance. It outlines the main architectural losses, considers the mystery of the survival of the cathedral, and notes that the city returned to a semblance of normality with surprising speed. Allusions to other works On the dedication page, there is a quotation from Exeter Phoenix by Thomas Sharp, the town planner who redesigned Exeter. Children's books by the popular writers Enid Blyton and Arthur Ransome are mentioned as having been lost in the raid. See also References External links —immediately, first US edition Fiction set in 1942 1978 British novels British children's novels Children's historical novels Novels set during World War II Carnegie Medal in Literature winning works Novels set in Exeter Hamish Hamilton books 1978 children's books