In 2006 Irish author John Boyne became internationally famous thanks to his debut novel for children, The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas. With its heartbreaking tale of the innocence of a child amidst a world dominated by the evils of Nazism and the holocaust this book became an instant hit and was quickly adapted for the screen and turned into the successful feature length film of the same name.

Though this tale of friendship between a Nazi officer’s son and one of his young Jewish prisoners marked a high point in John’s literary career it was by no means his only success. For the six years prior to the publication of The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas John had been publishing a steady stream of novels for adults.

This had started with The Thief of Time in 2000 and continued through a series of other adult novels before John turned to a younger audience, where he found a warm welcome with large amounts of awards and over 5 million book sales. The adult market wouldn’t be forgotten about and John Boyne has remained a prolific author in this field since the publication of The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas, with five novels for adults written and released during this time.

John’s latest work, however, is a return to the young adult writing that proved so fertile for him in the past. Published last year, Stay Where You Are and Then Leave tells the story of a young boy’s search for the truth of his father’s fate on the fields of the First World War. Much like Bruno’s exploration of the concentration camp in The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas the plot of Stay Where You Are and Then Leave is driven forward by an adventuring and inquisitive young boy, in this case Alfie.

In 1914 Alfie’s father heeds the call for volunteers to join the British Army. After sometime on the front, however, the letters stop coming home and Alfie is left in the dark as to what has happened to his father. With little information forthcoming from his mother Alfie decides to investigate the truth of the matter himself. This quest for the truth is only a part of the story, however, and Alfie’s search for his father acts as an engine for telling the wider story of Stay Where You Are and Then Leave.

Through the pages of this book we are shown an image of the harsh and varied lives lived on the British home-front during the First World War. With his father away on the front and not enough money coming in from his mother’s nursing Alfie begins to shine shoes at King’s Cross station to help make ends meet. This job provides John Boyne a means to drive his story forward as Alfie interacts with the wider wartime society around him and also gives him the opportunity to finally find out what really happened to his father.

Join us as Susan talks with John Boyne about his life as an author and his latest book Stay Where You Are and Then Leave. In a stark and revealing interview John tells us about his life and his job as a writer. Join ‘Talking Books’ as we find out what inspired John to write his dark and moving tales for adults, young and old.