Helen Simonson

Bestselling novelist Helen Simonson revels in setting strength of character against small-minded social convention. While her debut, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, was a contemporary romantic satire, her latest book, The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club, transports the reader back to the summer of 1919, and an English seaside town emerging from the trauma of World War One and the Spanish Flu pandemic. But for the women who did their bit to aid the war effort, and the men disabled by the conflict, the battle for respect and equality is far from over. With Helen’s trademark blend of wit and poignancy, and her sharp eye for historical detail, the novel joyfully skewers pomposity, celebrates those who defy convention, and extols the timeless beauty of the Sussex landscape. Join Helen and Red as they discuss biplanes, committees, prejudice and the little-known story of a submarine stranded on a Sussex beach…