The Safekeep

Isabel meticulously catalogues and preserves all of the possessions in her family home, constantly counting and checking that each item is in its rightful place and hasn’t been tampered with, moved or stolen. As you read the book, what did you think were the reasons behind Isabel’s obsessive behaviour?

Isabel’s intense dislike towards Eva was immediate, even though Eva remained friendly during their first interaction. Why do you think Isabel acted the way she did without attempting to get to know Eva?

The book highlights some of the societal expectations that were placed on women throughout the 1960s. Yet other aspects of the book – the queer relationship at its centre and its reckoning with the horrors of the past – could be regarded as very modern elements. How successfully do you think the author balances aspects of historical fiction with contemporary concerns?

Isabel’s brother Hendrik has a male partner, Sebastian, with whom he lives. Why do you think van der Wouden decided to add in this fact about Hendrik, and how might this have affected Isabel’s view on queer relationships?

In the final part of the book, Isabel reads Eva’s closely guarded diary, the entries from which allow us to see events from Eva’s perspective – and placing her real identity front and centre. How did the diary entries affect your view of Eva and your empathy towards her as a character?

Some reviewers have praised the way van der Wouden slowly builds tension and atmosphere, especially in the book’s first third, while others felt that the pace was too slow and uneven in places. What was your view?

In an interview with the Booker Prizes, van der Wouden has said that part of her inspiration behind writing The Safekeep was ‘wanting to explore desire as the flipside of repulsion.’ Do you think she successfully achieved this with her portrayal of Isabel and Eva’s complex, hate/love relationship?

Gabrielle Schwarz, writing in the Telegraph, felt that ‘it takes Isabel longer than the reader to work out what’s going on’. What was your opinion on the effectiveness of the twist and, with the benefit of hindsight, were there any particular moments in the book that foreshadowed the revelations towards the end of the book?

Did you think the distrust, tension and growing attraction between Isabel and Eva was realistically portrayed. Was their love story convincing?