The SafekeepThe Safekeep
What it's about
It's 1961 in the rural Dutch province of Overijssel, and the war is long over. Isabel lives alone in her late mother's country house, ruled by routine and discipline, until her brother Louis drops off his new girlfriend, Eva, to stay for the season. Isabel resents the intruder, but her suspicion turns into something else, and Eva's arrival begins to uncover what the house's past has been hiding.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Women's Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for the Booker Prize. It's a tense, sensual novel about desire, guilt and who has the right to a home.
You'll love it if you liked
Atonement
The Remains of the Day
The Children's BookGood to know
It starts quietly and builds to a shocking second half. It includes explicit sex between two women.
By the numbers
- Readers72 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller22 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz72 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #28 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #36 of the 481 new books we rank
- #210 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Safekeep worth reading?
Yes. It won the Women's Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for the Booker Prize. It ranks #210 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Safekeep about?
It's 1961 in the rural Dutch province of Overijssel, and the war is long over. Isabel lives alone in her late mother's country house, ruled by routine and discipline, until her brother Louis drops off his new girlfriend, Eva, to stay for the season. Isabel resents the intruder, but her suspicion turns into something else, and Eva's arrival begins to uncover what the house's past has been hiding.
How long does it take to read The Safekeep?
About 7 hours (262 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Safekeep won?
Women's Prize for Fiction winner (2025).
What should I read after The Safekeep?
If you liked it, try Atonement by Ian McEwan, The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro or The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt.