Suzanne Leal

But I had from both Leah and Bram really incisive advice and really incisive insights into the book.

And I took on their...

and their advice in changing the earlier version of the book to what was eventually published.

Look, I think what I also had, I think to my advantage, and I was very grateful for it, was I had worked a little bit in tandem with Fred and Eva's daughters.

So the people who gave me this story, it wasn't necessarily their story, but a story that they

came upon in the Theresienstadt ghetto.

And they've both died, but their daughters, Helena and Renata, to whom the book is dedicated, read an early manuscript and were always very pleased that I had taken part of their parents' story and given life to it, even though their parents are now dead.

So I felt, in many ways, able to tell the story because I had their imprimatur.

And I agree that doesn't stop me from having to consider the wider question, but it did make me feel more comfortable.

Can I say, Joanne, Suzanne, here, I listened to your documentary last night and I was fascinated by it and fascinated by yet another aspect of the Swedish involvement in the war because in my book, The Deceptions, the protagonist, Hanna, ends up in Sweden, as did my old neighbour, my former landlady, Eva, and the Swedes were instrumental in having a group of Czech women

be transported from Bergen-Belsen on liberation up into rehabilitation centres, one in Stigtuna, and I think there were more in Stockholm.

So perhaps these neighbours of yours had even come to Sweden as a result of that.

So I was fascinated to hear that.

So we're in World War II and Rosa and Shira have fled from the Nazis who have come to Poland.

It's also following the disappearance of Rosa's husband, Natan, who was also the father of little Shira, and also following the

detention of Rosa's parents.

So Rosa is very young herself.

I think she's only 20.

No, I think 25, I think she is.

And she flees with her daughter to some Polish farmers who are not Jewish, Henrik and Kristina.