Burning Blue

By Jeremy Dronfield

In his darker moments, Martin Rosenthal can’t help but compare the trajectory of his life with that of his grandfather, Frank.

Frank was a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain – an American adventurer who crossed the world to volunteer in a foreign war. But when Frank went down in a final blaze of glory, he left behind a mythical legacy that has burdened the lives of his son and grandson.

Martin’s own earth-bound existence seems to him like a scale model of the real thing, his obsession with aeroplanes a pale attempt to live out Frank’s adventures. But everything is about to change.

First, there is the enigmatic woman who introduces Martin to the weightless pleasure and crashing pain of love. Then, her brother Rupert involves him in a break-in at the university lab, searching for evidence of a secret weapons project.

Suddenly, Martin’s life is spiralling out of control, leading him into a dangerous labyrinth of truth, lies and illusions – with the ghost of Frank lurking at the centre.