The Cider Girls Under Fire

1942, Somerset: the war rages on, but the Cider Girls are ready for the fight of their lives.

With the threat of a German invasion hanging heavy over Somerset, friends Rose, Daisy and Elsie, known as the Cider Girls, are doing everything they can to prepare.

For newly-wed Land Girl Rose, balancing demanding farm work with clandestine combat training is hard enough. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her fierce determination to fight for her country threatens to clash with her husband’s overprotective nature.

District nurse Daisy is hiding her own dangerous secrets. Desperately concealing her classified missions from the man she has always loved, her emotions are further confused by the arrival of a handsome Italian prisoner of war. Meanwhile, ATS clerk Elsie’s quiet life is disrupted when wounded soldier Tim returns from the front, and they’re forced to share a cottage.

With enemy spies infiltrating the county, the stakes have never been higher. Will the Cider Girls' unbreakable bond and undercover training be enough to protect their loved ones before time runs out?

A gripping, spellbinding read from the author of the bestselling The Clarks Factory Girls series. Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Rosie Clarke.

The Cider Girls books can be read as standalones.

Readers love May Ellis:

‘If you like Annie Murray and Margaret Dickinson you will love this.’

‘A brilliant read. I was captivated by each character. I felt that I was with them throughout their journey. I have immediately pre-ordered the next in the series. I can’t wait to get started and continue on their ups and downs of living through dreadful times.’

‘May Ellis brings 1940s Britain to life with warmth and authenticity, capturing the friendship and courage of the women during the war… A truly uplifting story about love, friendship, and resilience — I loved every page and can't wait for the next in the series.’

"The Cider Girls Under Fire" was written by May Ellis.

May Ellis wrote contemporary women’s fiction, gritty 1960s dramas and YA fiction as Alison Knight. May is now writing saga fiction for Boldwood including her bestselling series based on the real-life stories of the Clark’s factory girls and her WW2 series, The Cider Girls.
She has travelled the world,, and now lives in Somerset, within sight of Glastonbury Tor, in a house built on the site of a former Clarks shoe factory. Her Somerset-based stories are inspired by her move to the area and her love of social history. Her standalone novel, Lily’s Choice is based upon real events in her family in London in the 1960s. This book is a finalist in the Page Turner’s True Story Award 2026.