Shows how central the Second World War still is to post war writingFocusing on the upsurge of interest in the Second World War in recent British novels this monograph explores the ways in which secrecy and secret work including code breaking espionage and special operations have been approached in representations of the war It considers established writers including Muriel Spark Sarah Waters and Kazuo Ishiguro as well as newer voices such as Liz Jensen and Peter Ho Davies The examination of the after effects of involvement in secret work inter generational secrets in a domestic context political allegiance and sexuality shows how issues of loyalty deception and betrayal are brought into focus in these novels Key FeaturesBreaks new ground in considering the Second World War in contemporary cultureContributes to debate on established novelists such as Muriel SparkIntervenes in ongoing debates about historical fiction