The Operator: ‘Great humour and insight . . . Irresistible!’ KATHRYN STOCKETT

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What to expect

'This well-plotted comic drama of small-town life . . . keeps the surprises coming right until the end' Daily Mail

'Great humor and insight . . . delivers a vivid look inside the heads and hearts of a group of housewives and pokes at the absurdities of 1950s America, a simpler time that was far from simple' Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help

Step back into the 1950s, where in the town of Wooster, Ohio, the switchboard operators indulge in a forbidden treat: eavesdropping on phone calls.

Vivian follows the rules, for the most part, but she enjoys the gossip as much as her colleagues do. Until one day it's about her. And the secret she hears turns her world upside down.

Beneath its friendly surface, Wooster is simmering with secrets and scandal, while harsh, unspoken rules on class and race set invisible boundaries. As Vivian, loving and resilient, but as flawed as any of us, is driven by shock into actions she'd never have considered before, she realises that nothing will ever be the same again. But that's not always a bad thing . . .

Touching, life-affirming, and with a slightly dark edge, The Operator combines page-turning drama with the sweetness of family bonds and the promise of new beginnings.

(P)2020 HarperAudio

Critics Review

'Just finished THE OPERATOR in an unstoppable rush and it was every bit as glorious, gossipy, delicious and perfect as I'd hoped. Absolutely heaven!'
Jill Mansell
'What if you could listen in on any phone conversation in town? With great humor and insight, The Operator by Gretchen Berg delivers a vivid look inside the heads and hearts of a group of housewives and pokes at the absurdities of 1950s America, a simpler time that was far from simple. Think The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the suburbs with delicious turns of jealousy, infidelity, bigotry, and embezzlement thrown in for good measure. The Operator is irresistible!'
Kathryn Stockett
'Funny, sweet, secretive, and full of fascinating 1930s, 40s, and 50s period details, The Operator is a poignant look at life in a small town with its nosy neighbors, thorny families, imperfect romances, scandalous pasts, and gratifyingly just deserts. Nothing is as simple - nor as dreadful - as it seems'
Laurie Frankel
'Funny and fast-paced, this intriguing tale of loose lips sinking relationships will make you wistful for days gone by'
Heat
This cleverly-crafted debut is a fabulous exercise in nostalgia that even comes with recipes for home baking.
Sunday Mirror
'In this well-plotted comic drama of small-town life, Berg combines the technicolour gloss of a Cary Grant film with the humdrum humour of Garrison Keillor. She keeps the surprises coming right until the end.'
Daily Mail

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