Authors Interviewing Characters: Imogen Matthews

Books for Women: Authors Interviewing Characters: Imogen Matthews

THE BOY IN  THE ATTIC

Anna opened the letter with trembling hands. ‘My darling, if you’re reading this, I haven’t managed to unravel my parents’ secret. But you can. Will you finish the search for me, find out who they were, and who you really are?’

Nazi-occupied Holland, 1944. As soldiers patrol the streets, nursing student Ilse is only just surviving the terrible famine and increasingly violent German occupation. Though exhausted by her demanding work at a hospital far from home, she can’t help but notice Levi, the young man with the dark eyes watching the world silently from the abandoned house next door.

Then, early one morning, she finds him terrified and trembling with cold on the back doorstep. Levi’s Jewish family have been arrested and sent to a concentration camp, their likely fate all too clear. And now he needs her help.

So Ilse makes the most dangerous decision of her life, and takes Levi in. Hiding him away in her tiny attic room, he must remain concealed or risk almost certain death. But as the war worsens, keeping Levi a secret becomes ever more difficult, even as their mutual affection grows. And when a local German soldier becomes obsessed with Ilse, they fear their time – and luck – has run out…

London, present day. When Anna’s father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a bent silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to. To the town where he was born, to find out once and for all who his parents were, and to discover their wartime fate.

Based on the author’s incredible family history, a totally devastating and ultimately uplifting story about a girl who risked everything, including her life, to save the man she loved. Heart-breaking and timely, this powerful tale will be loved by fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and Fiona Valpy.

Interview with Ilse Meijer

I’m let into the house by Ilse’s mother, who tells me Ilse is waiting for me in the parlour. She warns me Ilse’s not happy about the letter she’s just received.  

Imogen: Hello Ilse. How are you?

Ilse: Oh, it’s you. I suppose this is your idea of moving the story along? She jabs at the sheet of paper in her hand. 

Imogen: I don’t know what you mean. I thought you’d be pleased to get away and do something for yourself. 

Ilse: If only. But I can’t just leave Mum to look after Dad on her own. He’s been ill since Christmas and we can’t get hold of medicines or food since the Germans closed all the shops. They’ve also cut off the electricity so we have to make do with the remains of the candles left over from Christmas. If it wasn’t for me going out on my old bike without tyres to forage for tulip bulbs, there’d be nothing to eat. 

Imogen: Tulip bulbs are meant to be nutritious…

Ilse: Have you ever tasted one? 

Imogen: Er, no, but I’m told they taste like chestnuts which aren’t so bad. 

Ilse: I don’t know who told you that. They’re horrible, even if you try to disguise them in a soup, which isn’t easy as we’ve run out of everything else that might add flavour.

Silence falls between us. I want to hear what she intends to do, rather than put the words into her mouth.

Ilse: I suppose I’ve dug up enough to last them till I come back. And on the bright side, if I’m not here, the tulip bulbs will go further. Fortunately, there aren’t the same food shortages in Hilversum. 

Imogen: Let’s get this clear. Clara has written to say that the sanatorium in Hilversum is short staffed and needs help with looking after the tuberculosis patients. 

Ilse: Clara works there and wants me to come and work as a nurse, though my only qualification is that I’m studying medicine, or was, till the Germans shut the university. But the way she put it – or rather you put it – means I can’t very well refuse to go. I feel so torn. What do you want me to do?

Imogen: I was hoping you’d tell me that. It’s for you to decide.

Ilse (sighs in exasperation): I thought you’d say that. You know full well I’ll regret not going if I stay here. And to be honest, these past months have been a real strain. Everyone round here is either elderly or infirm. There’s no one left who’s my age. All the young men have been forced to go to work for the Germans in their bomb factories. And those who haven’t are in hiding. The truth is, I miss student life and being around friends. If I go, at least I’ll get to see Connie.

Imogen: When did you last see her?

Ilse: Not since the university closed. We stuck around for a while and kept up with our work by taking lessons illegally, but then our tutors began disappearing. Some went into hiding, others took up war work for the Germans. Connie went off to another university which was still running courses, but I couldn’t see the point. So I came home to look after my parents. After a while, her university closed as well and Connie also went home. She found a job working at the town hall, but I have a suspicion she might also be working for the resistance.

Imogen: What gives you that idea? 

This is news to me. I realise it could make all the difference to the story.

Ilse: Nothing. Forget I said that. 

She looks cagey, as if she’s already said too much. But I have to know more now.

Imogen: Don’t you think I should know about it?

Ilse: I told you, it’s just a suspicion and if it’s true I could get into trouble. 

Imogen: Try me. I promise I won’t include it unless you agree.

Ilse: OK, but you have to promise.

Imogen: I will.

Ilse: Connie keeps mentioning this boy called Rik who works with her at the town hall. I can tell she’s keen on him and they’ve been seeing a lot of one another. Then in her last letter she said he’s taking her to some “work” meeting after hours and that she’s hoping to be given a more responsible role. She doesn’t say exactly what, probably because she knows if this letter falls into the wrong hands the Germans will come asking questions. But reading between the lines, it seems that this extra work is code for working for the resistance. 

Me: Do you have any idea what that might involve?

Ilse: It could be anything from printing and delivering anti-German leaflets to helping Jews find safe hiding places. Yes, I’m sure that’s what she’s up to.

Me: Well, it looks like you’re going to have to go to Hilversum and find out. 

Ilse: Alright, I will. Promise you won’t put that in your story, will you?

Me: I wouldn’t dream of it. You’ve been so helpful. Thanks for talking to me. 

—

 

Imogen Matthews Bio:

Imogen writes WW2 historical fiction based on her Dutch mother’s wartime stories, as well as places and people she has discovered on her frequent trips to the Netherlands. She loves to write about the determination of ordinary people who had the courage to stand up to the Germans during five long harsh years of occupation. 

Imogen has been writing novels since 2012, starting with two contemporary romance stories under a pen name, before writing her first historical fiction novel, The Hidden Village, an international best seller on Amazon, and three more novels, including The Boy in the Attic. All are published by Bookouture. 

 

 

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Category: On Writing