The File on Fraulein Berg by the Scottish author Joan Lingard was first published in 1980, but the setting is mainly Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1944. The war has been dragging on for three years and there seems to be no end to it. Earlier in the war the Belfast shipyards had been targeted by German bombers but more recently that had quitened down. Actually with the neutral country of Ireland being just a few hours over the border, life seems to be a lot easier than on mainland Britain where the inhabitants are struggling under the strict ration system which makes life difficult, with food and clothing being scarce.
Three schoolgirls Kate, Harriet and Sally are great friends. They’re all keen readers of spy fiction and when a real German called Fraulein Berg arrives at their school to teach them their imaginations run riot. The girls are convinced that Fraulein Berg is a spy and take it in turns to follow her everywhere, even standing across the road from her flat for hours on end, and writing everything down in notebooks. They’re really persecuting her, determined to uncover her as a spy, but it’s obviously deeply unpleasant for Fraulein Berg.
Apparently there was a lot of smuggling going on across the Ireland/Northern Ireland border and the girls get involved in a bit of that when they travel to Dublin by train with Mrs McCabe and Auntie Nell, it’s quite a funny interlude.
This is well written as you would expect from Lingard, but the ending is very predictable, it’s probably supposed to be to the reader, but the book also throws some light on what life was like for people during those times, it’s an enjoyable and interesting read.
This has a very interesting setting in place and time. I haven’t heard of this author, but it would be a good read, for all the reasons you mention.
tracybham,
I hope you enjoy her writing if you get around to reading some.
This sounds very familiar so I think I must have read it. although I seem to recall another book with similar plot. I have one more Kevin and Sadie to read. Unfortunately, I misplaced it after picking it up from the library. This weekend I need to do a hunt until I find it!
Constance,
I hate to think how much of my life has been spent looking for particular books – somewhere in my house! Good luck.
It’s so true! I remember when my mother started making us create a list of our library books when we got home – she was tired of paying overdue fines and sometimes there were 50 or 60 books floating about the house. Not sure it helped to know which ones were missing.
Lately, it always seems to be my library books that disappear. Usually, they are in a tote bag or buried on a windowsill. However, while at my sister’s in NY this week I found my missing copy of Over Sea Over Stone. I figure her children are unlikely to reread it so I brought it home with me.