What happened to the Corbetts? Well, one evening, like everybody else in Southampton and in all the important cities of England, they were subjected to intense aerial bombardment. War had started before anybody was prepared…. Corbett was fortunate enough to own a yacht out at Hamble, whither he took his wife and three small children. That is the first half and by far the most original part of [What Happened to the Corbetts (published in the United States as Ordeal)]. The second half of the book tells how the Corbetts managed to sail their boat to France, where Joan Corbett and the little children are packed off to Canada, while Peter returns to join the Navy.

Nevil Shute (Norway) 1899–1960 Courtesy of William Heinemann Ltd.

The first half of the book is the more interesting. Mr. Shute not only possesses a very clear idea of what may be the...