The Safekeep - Yael van der Wouden

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden is a haunting literary novel about control, longing, and the secrets hidden within homes and histories. Set fifteen years after the Second World War, it explores how the past lingers in private spaces and personal relationships.

Isabel lives a tightly controlled, solitary life in her late mother’s country house, where routine and order give her a sense of safety. Her world is disrupted when her brother Louis arrives with his new girlfriend, Eva, and leaves her there for the summer. Eva’s presence unsettles Isabel in ways she cannot fully articulate.

As the hot summer intensifies, so do the tensions between the two women. What unfolds is a charged psychological drama that leads to revelations capable of undoing Isabel’s carefully constructed reality.

Main Themes

• Memory and postwar legacy
• Desire and repression
• Control versus vulnerability
• The meaning of home and ownership
• Revenge and moral ambiguity

Why You Should Read This Book by Yael van der Wouden

• Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2025
• Elegant, tense, and psychologically sharp prose
• Perfect for fans of slow-burn literary suspense
• Explores queer desire with nuance and depth
• Rich atmosphere and emotional intensity
• Appeals to readers of Patricia Highsmith and Sarah Waters

The Safekeep is a beautifully controlled yet unsettling novel that lingers long after the final page. Yael van der Wouden crafts a story where desire, history, and identity quietly collide, making it a standout work of contemporary literary fiction. Ideal for readers who enjoy subtle tension and deep psychological insight.