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 dénouement 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, Grémillon 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.

Praise for The Confidant:

‘A complex plot, crystalline writing—Hélène Grémillon’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

‘A novel about the complicity between history with a small “h” — the characters’ stories—and History with a capital “H”. As in Bernard Schlink’s The Reader, nothing is more moving than to witness characters as castaways shipwrecked by History.’

BSC World News

‘A story that combines circumstance, innocent love and obsession.’

Launceston Examiner

‘Step back in time in this intriguing French mystery…Grémillon expertly builds the psychological suspense.’

Courier-Mail

‘Grémillon’s debut novel, set against the backdrop of WWII Paris, cleverly weaves two stories together to create a truly compelling read.’

Grazia Magazine

‘The Confidant is an impressive blend of historical precision, high suspense and sharp-sighted psychological truths. That fierce, unflinching examination of women, motherhood and feminism combined with love, passion and human desire is absolutely riveting. Grémillon has so much empathy for all her characters and at the same time such an unflinching eye. A gorgeous, captivating novel with brilliant storytelling. I finished it and wanted to start reading it all over again. It’s a novel that will stay with me.’

Amanda Hodgkinson, author of 22 Britannia Road

‘The Confidant is a must read for anyone who loves intrigue. It will keep you guessing until the very last page – beautifully written, original and thoroughly engaging.’

Sandra Smith, translator of Suite Française

‘Debut novelist Hélène Grémillon commands our attention with a clever literary device-narrator Camille is send a strange series of letters after her mother Elisabeth’s death. Excerpts from this mysterious correspondence form an alternative narrative and pique our interest.’

Sunday Territorian

‘Sensitively written, it is a suspenseful, absorbing tale about the power of history and how it plays on the present. A stylish novel with vivid characters and a quirky denouement. Very, very French.’

Herald on Sunday (NZ)

‘An interesting and clever novel….hard to put down.’

Weekend Herald