The Confidant

Paris, 1975. Sifting through the letters of condolence after her mother's death, Camille discovers a strange missive sent by someone she does not know. She thinks it is probably an error. But then, every Tuesday, a new letter arrives, recounting a tale of two impossible loves, four broken destinies, until the final denouement destroys everything in its inevitable path. Little by little, Camille begins to piece together the puzzle and is shocked to realise that this story has a direct bearing upon her own life.

Alternating Camille's story and the mysterious letters from the unknown correspondent, Gremillon transports us to the years between 1939 and 1943, a fascinating time in French history, to tell a powerful story of friendship and secrets between women, of surrogacy, passionate love, jealousy, revenge and reconciliation.

The Confidant is a thrilling debut novel that blends a historical setting and page-turning psychological suspense with a virtuoso literary style. Along with its success in France, translation rights have been sold in 18 territories.

'A complex plot, crystalline writing - Helene Gremillon's talent explodes in this first novel, as much in her historical precision as in the suspense that lasts until the final paragraph.' Le Nouvel Observateur