Yael van der Wouden

Hollannin maaseutu, 1961. Isabel asuu yksin edesmenneen äitinsä talossa, missä haarukkakaan ei saa joutua väärään lokeroon. Tiukat rutiinit murtuvat, kun Isabelin veljen tyttöystävä muuttaa taloon kesäksi. Eva nukkuu pitkään, askeltaa äänekkäästi ja koskee tavaroihin, joihin ei missään nimessä pitäisi. Keskikesän paahteessa Isabelin kontrollintarve saavuttaa kiehumispisteensä. Samaan aikaan Evan ja Isabelin välille avautuu yllättäviä, tahtoa väkevämpiä tunteita. Salaperäisen ja kauniin tarinan taustalla on hitaasti auki keriytyvä salaisuus, joka pitää lukijan otteessaan. Yael van der Woudenin esikoisromaani on arvostetun Women's Prize for Fiction -palkinnon voittaja, Booker-finalisti sekä kansainvälinen myyntimenestys, jonka oikeudet on myyty lähes 30 maahan.

En knivskarp berättelse om begär, misstankar och besatthet mellan två kvinnor som tillbringar sommaren 1961 i samma hus på den nederländska landsbygden – en stark utforskning av andra världskrigets efterverkningar och de mörkare delarna av vårt kollektiva förflutna. Den lantliga provinsen Overijssel ligger stilla, kriget är äntligen över. Isabel lever ensam i sin bortgångna mors hus på landet, i ett liv styrt av rutin och självdisciplin. Allt förändras när hennes bror Louis dyker upp med sin tafatta nya flickvän Eva – och lämnar henne på Isabels tröskel för att stanna över sommaren. Eva är Isabels motsats: hon sover länge, går tungt genom huset och rör vid saker hon inte borde. Isabels irritation växer till en besatthet, och när föremål börjar försvinna tar misstankarna överhanden. I sommarens kvävande hetta förvandlas hennes paranoia till åtrå, och en upptäckt väntar som kommer att rasera allt Isabel trott sig veta. Kanske är kriget inte över ändå. Gåtfylld, sofistikerad, sensuell och laddad med intriger, stämning och begär är detta "en djärv och fängslande debut om att möta sanningen – både historien och sina egna begär” (The Guardian).

Afsky bliver til begær og foragt til længsel i denne sanselige debutroman om historie og tilhørsforhold – og arven efter en af det 20. århundredes største tragedier. Året er 1961, og den landlige provins Overijssel i Holland er stille. Bombekraterne er fyldt, bygningerne genopbygget og krigen er for alvor slut. I denne pastorale provins bor Isabel alene i sin afdøde mors hjem. Livet er som det bør være: fyldt med rutine og disciplin. Men alt bliver vendt på hovedet, da broren Louis afleverer sin klodsede nye kæreste, Eva, på dørtrinnet. Eva skal logere der sommeren ud. Eva er på alle måder Isabels modsætning: Hun sover længe, bevæger sig støjende gennem huset og rører ved ting, hun ikke skal røre ved. Isabel udvikler en rasende besættelse, og da ting i hjemmet pludselig begynder at forsvinde – en ske, en kniv, en skål – viger Isabel som modsvar ikke fra Evas side. I den kvælende hede sommer ender Isabels mistro med at afdække et mysterium, der udforsker alt, hun troede, hun vidste. Krigen er måske ikke endegyldigt slut, og hemmeligheder, der har ligget begravet, er nu på vej op til overfladen. Stilleben er en stormende kærlighedsfortælling mellem to modsætninger og en mystisk, sofistikeret sensuel fortælling om, at livet ofte ikke er, hvad det ser ud til at være.

* SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 BOOKER PRIZE * * WINNER OF THE NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION * * WINNER OF THE 2025 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION * Shortlisted for the 2025 Dylan Thomas Prize and Aspen Words Literary Prize - A Best Book of 2024: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Time, The Economist, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), Kirkus Reviews, The Independent, BookPage, The Sunday Times (London) "Remarkable... Compelling... Fine and taut... Indelible." --The New York Times - "Moving, unnerving, and deeply sexy." --Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with the Pearl Earring - "A brilliant debut, as multi-faceted as a gem." --Kirkus Reviews A "razor-sharp, perfectly plotted" (The Sunday Times, London) tale of desire, suspicion, and obsession between two women staying in the same house in the Dutch countryside during the summer of 1961--a powerful exploration of the legacy of WWII and the darker parts of our collective past. A house is a precious thing... It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother's country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be--led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel's doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season. Eva is Isabel's antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn't. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house--a spoon, a knife, a bowl--Isabel's suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel's paranoia gives way to infatuation, leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva--nor the house in which they live--are what they seem. Mysterious, sophisticated, sensual, and infused with intrigue, atmosphere, and sex, The Safekeep is "a brave and thrilling debut about facing up to the truth of history, and to one's own desires" (The Guardian).

Det er femten år siden annen verdenskrig, og alt er fredelig i den nederlandske provinsen Overijssel. Bombekratrene er fylt igjen, bygninger gjenreist og konflikten over. Isabel bor alene i huset etter moren, og livet er som det skal være, fylt av rutiner og orden. Men så kommer broren Louis på besøk med den nye kjæresten sin, Eva, og han insisterer på at hun skal bo sammen med Isabel mens han er på jobbreise. Eva er Isabels rake motsetning: Hun sover lenge, tramper rundt i huset og tar på ting hun ikke skal røre. Isabel blir rasende besatt av den påtrengende gjesten. Og da ting begynner å forsvinne fra skuffer og skap, som en skje, en kniv og en bolle, holder hun på å gå fra konseptene. Likevel glir Isabels desperate behov for orden langsomt over i fascinasjon, og hun gjør en oppdagelse som snur opp ned på alt. Kanskje er ikke krigen over likevel?

WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE 2025SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024SHORTLISTED FOR THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE 2025SHORTLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE 2025LONGLISTED FOR THE WINGATE PRIZE 2025An exhilarating tale of twisted desire, histories and homes, and the unexpected shape of revenge - for readers of Patricia Highsmith, Sarah Waters and Ian McEwan's Atonement. It is fifteen years after the Second World War, and Isabel has built herself a solitary life of discipline and strict routine in her late mother's country home, with not a fork or a word out of place. But all is upended when her brother Louis delivers his graceless new girlfriend, Eva, at Isabel's doorstep - as a guest, there to stay for the season…In the sweltering heat of summer, Isabel's desperate need for control reaches boiling point. What happens between the two women leads to a revelation which threatens to unravel all she has ever known.'A thrilling, razor-sharp, perfectly plotted debut novel' Sunday Times'Moving, unnerving and deeply sexy' Tracy Chevalier, bestselling author of GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING'A brave and thrilling debut about facing up to the truth of history, and to one's own desires… Van der Wouden brings stunning power and control to her page-turner about trauma and repression' Justine Jordan, Booker Prize Judge 2024

An exhilarating, twisted tale of desire, suspicion, and obsession between two women staying in the same house in the Dutch countryside during the summer of 1961--a powerful exploration of the legacy of WWII and the darker parts of our collective past. A house is a precious thing... It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother's country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be--led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel's doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season. Eva is Isabel's antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn't. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house--a spoon, a knife, a bowl--Isabel's suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel's paranoia gives way to infatuation--leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva--nor the house in which they live--are what they seem. Mysterious, sophisticated, sensual, and infused with intrigue, atmosphere, and sex, The Safekeep is a brilliantly plotted and provocative debut novel you won't soon forget.

* SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 BOOKER PRIZE * * WINNER OF THE NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION * * WINNER OF THE 2025 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION * Shortlisted for the 2025 Dylan Thomas Prize and Aspen Words Literary Prize - A Best Book of 2024: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Time, The Economist, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), Kirkus Reviews, The Independent, BookPage, The Sunday Times (London) "Remarkable... Compelling... Fine and taut... Indelible." --The New York Times - "Moving, unnerving, and deeply sexy." --Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with the Pearl Earring - "A brilliant debut, as multi-faceted as a gem." --Kirkus Reviews A "razor-sharp, perfectly plotted" (The Sunday Times, London) tale of desire, suspicion, and obsession between two women staying in the same house in the Dutch countryside during the summer of 1961--a powerful exploration of the legacy of WWII and the darker parts of our collective past. A house is a precious thing... It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother's country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be--led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel's doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season. Eva is Isabel's antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn't. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house--a spoon, a knife, a bowl--Isabel's suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel's paranoia gives way to infatuation, leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva--nor the house in which they live--are what they seem. Mysterious, sophisticated, sensual, and infused with intrigue, atmosphere, and sex, The Safekeep is "a brave and thrilling debut about facing up to the truth of history, and to one's own desires" (The Guardian).