Margaret Leroy

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.

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).