William Maryngton has one dream in life: to fight for his country as his father did. Yet by
the time Armistice is reached in 1918 he is too young to fulfil his greatest wish. As time
passes Willie finds himself increasingly out of sync with the evolving nature of warfare and
civilian life. Yet when conflict reignites between Germany and England he is selected for a
secret mission that could determine the outcome of the Second World War. Inspired by the true
events of the 1943 mission codenamed "Operation Mincemeat" and based on classified information
from Churchill's war cabinet Operation Heartbreak was suppressed by the British government
until 1950. It is the only novel that Duff Cooper ever wrote and remains a timeless
exploration of unfulfilled ambition and personal sacrifice offering a deeply moving portrayal
of a man caught between his aspirations and the inexorable march of history.
