Margaret Leroy

'The cups and saucers on the dresser begin to rattle faintly, as though a tremulous hand is holding them. The water in the washing-up bowl shivers all over its surface. There's a distant droning, something at first more felt than heard, like the far-off thunder of some massive waterfall. Rapidly coming closer . . .'

ââ?¬Ë?A riveting story of betrayalââ?¬â?¢ -Stylist 1940, GUERNSEY

A breath-taking historical novel set in 1930s Vienna, about an ordinary girl living in extraordinary times.

There's a sudden scatter of birds in the sky. I flinch. Little things seem violent to me. And in that moment my decision is made. 1940, Guernsey...

A novel full of grand passion and intensity, The Soldier's Wife asks "What would you do for your family?", "What should you do for a stranger?", and "What would you do for love?" As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her mother-in-law, for whom she cares while her husband is away fighting. What she does not expect is that she will fall in love with one of the enigmatic German soldiers who take up residence in the house next door to her home. As their relationship intensifies, so do the pressures on Vivienne. Food and resources grow scant, and the restrictions placed upon the residents of the island grow with each passing week. Though Vivienne knows the perils of her love affair with Gunther, she believes that she can keep their relationship--and her family--safe. But when she becomes aware of the full brutality of the Occupation, she must decide if she is willing to risk her personal happiness for the life of a stranger. Includes a reading group guide for book clubs.

Every once in a blue moon, a masterful writer dives into gothic waters and emerges with a novel that--like Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, Minette Walters's The Breaker, and Donna Tartt's The Little Friend--simultaneously celebrates and transcends the tradition. Welcome Margaret Leroy to the clan. What's the matter with Sylvie? Such a pretty girl. Four years old; well loved by her young mother, Grace. But there's something . . . off about the child. Her deathly fear of water; night terrors; most of all, her fixation with a photo of an Irish seaside town called Coldharbour. "Sylvie, tell me about your picture. Why's it so special, sweetheart?" My heart is racing, but I try to make my voice quite calm. "That's my seaside, Grace." Very matter-of-fact, as though this should be obvious. "I lived there, Grace. Before." Haunted and haunting, Yes, My Darling Daughter is a wonderfully original, deliciously suspenseful mystery, "a haunting book and a tantalizing read" (The Providence Journal).

The novel's story line revolves around a single moment that threatens to unravel a woman's entire life and will appeal to readers of Jane Hamilton, Sue Miller and Ann Packet. Postcards from Berlin, Leroy's previous novel, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and is being developed by the BBC into a television drama.