The Collaborator
1940: As France falls to the Germans and the enemy looms to Guernsey’s shores, Vivienne de la Mere has the ultimate decision to make - to leave Guernsey, along with most of the islanders and take the treacherous trip to mainland England, or stay, and risk the inevitable occupation with her two daughters and mother-in-law. Vivienne’s decision to stay is set to change the course of hers and her daughters’ lives forever.
At first, it seems the occupation may not be as terrible as they had expected, but Vivienne could never have foreseen German soldiers taking residence in the house next door. In such close proximity, Vivienne finds her resolve to oppose the enemy gradually waning.
Small acts of kindness from the soldiers feels like a betrayal, but she finds it impossible to imagine these men, so gracious and kind, being responsible for the atrocities rumoured on the island.
Vivienne’s developing relationship with one soldier, Captain Lehmann, doesn’t go unnoticed. Despite all her misgivings, and her fellow islanders’ resistance to any involvement with the Germans, she cannot bring herself to turn away a man who brings her more happiness than she ever experienced in her marriage.
But as the war rolls on, Vivienne finds it increasingly difficult to turn a blind eye to the moral compromises she is making.
When she discovers her five year old daughter is secretly feeding a prisoner of war who is living on the island’s concentration camp, Vivienne is torn.
She has to decide whether she is really able to continue an affair with the man she loves, whilst he represents all that she despises of the war.
About Margaret Leroy:
Margaret Leroy grew up in the New Forest and studied music at St Hilda’s College, Oxford. She has worked as a music therapist, teacher, and psychiatric social worker.
Her first book, Miscarriage, was published in 1987, and Aristotle Sludge, a story for children, was published in 1991. She then wrote two books about women and relationships - Pleasure: the truth about female sexuality and Some Girls Do: why women do and don't make the first move: both were serialised in the Daily Express.
For two years she wrote an agony aunt column for Options magazine, and her articles and short stories have been published in the Observer, the Sunday Express and the Mail on Sunday.
She has written six novels. The first, Trust, was televised by Granada as Loving You starring Douglas Henshall and Niamh Cusack and reached an audience of eight million. Her books have been translated into ten languages. The Drowning Girl, her first book with MIRA, reached number 1 in the Bookseller Heatseekers chart.
She has appeared at a number of literary festivals and featured on many radio and TV programmes. Margaret is married with two daughters and lives in Surrey.