A Girl in Winter

[2] Larkin stated that he had originally intended to write further novels, but he published no more fiction after A Girl in Winter, possibly because of a shortage of material on which to draw for inspiration.

[3] John Osborne called it "the most underestimated work in the Larkin canon" and "a harbinger of greatness".

[4] The main character in the novel (the "girl" of the title) is Katherine Lind, a library assistant.

Part two, the lengthiest section, is set in a summer in the 1930s when Katherine first visited England from her native Germany in order to stay with her pen pal, Robin Fennel, his sister Jane, and their parents, Mr and Mrs Fennel.

In part three of the novel, Katherine receives a visit from Robin, who is now in the army, and he spends the night with her.