Operation Heartbreak

A moving reimagining of the man at the heart of Operation Mincemeat

‘It is a story of why men go to war, it is also a heart-wrenching love story’ Nina Bawden

William Maryngton has just one dream: to fight for his country, as his late father did. Devoted and honourable, he knows no fear – yet somehow, he always misses the battle; too young for the First World War, too old for the Second. Operation Heartbreak follows Willie’s life, through youthful idealism, love affairs and disappointed hopes, until, finally, he gets the chance to make a difference. Duff Cooper’s bittersweet novel, inspired by the real events of Operation Mincemeat, is a poignant tale of dreams of glory, and what it means to be true.

‘Supremely moving ... Its ending is as unexpected as it is affecting’ Wall Street Journal