A Message for Nasty

A family divided by war, united by love and resilience.

Marie Broom and her husband Vincent enjoy a pleasant life on Hong Kong Island. It is December 8, 1941, and their lives are about to change forever. As bombs fall, Japanese soldiers invade, and Vincent is trapped overseas, Marie, the children, and their amahs must face the brutal occupation alone.

Based on a true story, this page-turning novel tells of Marie’s struggle to save her children from danger, disease, and starvation, and Vincent’s incredible attempt to rescue them. Will their love and determination be enough to reunite their family against all odds? Perfect for readers of historical fiction and stories of wartime resilience.

Roderick Fry is a prize-winning New Zealand designer and essayist, who has worked in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. From 1999, he retraced the route taken by his maternal grandfather across China during the Second World War to rescue his family in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong, beginning a project to write a historically accurate novel based on their incredible story. He lives in Paris and is founder and creative director of sustainable design company Moaroom.