The Girl Across the Wire Fence by Imogen Matthews is based around true events which provide plenty of realism to this story set in Holland during the later years of World War Two. This was an interesting read as I hadn’t previously read a book set in Holland during the war and had never known that the infamous camps were also located there. You read so many WW2 books set in Germany, France, Russia or Poland so it was refreshing to read of a different setting which provided an alternative aspect to the horrors of the war which we are all unfortunately too familiar with. It’s a quick read at just over 240 pages but the author does manage to pack a significant amount in, even though at times I felt a little more description and exploration was needed. Given the length of the book, I felt there was plenty of scope for more and the story could have been extended as the ending felt slightly rushed and abrupt in places.

Amersfoot is a village in Holland where the Germans have infiltrated every aspect of the residents lives and things are only getting worse. There are shortages of food, clothing and household goods and many shops are closing. Frans lives on a farm with his parents and younger siblings and given the horrific situation his country finds itself in, his family fair ever so slightly better than others in that they can provide food for the table and work on their farm. That’s not to say life is easy for them. How could it be when the country you have lived in for so long has been infiltrated by those hell bent on eradicating an entire section of the human race simply because of their religion? Frans is the stand out character of the book and this comes across right from the beginning. He takes over the task from his father of the daily visits to Kamp Amersfoot where Jews and ‘criminals’ have been imprisoned. Each day on his cart he enters the camp to collect potato peelings which are used as feed for his cattle. Frans can see the injustice in this. On one hand without this feed his cattle would die and where would that leave his family? But on the other hand the prisoners are starving and receive the merest of rations and he feels wrong to be taking what could save them. The cruel behaviour he witnesses in the camp is clearly not justified and he wishes he could do something that would help alleviate some of the pain the prisoners are suffering.

I loved the chapters that focused on Frans and was always eager to return to read of his viewpoint. He may only have been 16 but he came across as being wise beyond his years. He was so clued in to the bigger picture and was constantly thinking of plans in order to make life better for those that had reached rock bottom through unlawful persecution and terror. I loved Frans as a character, it’s cliched to use the terms brave, courageous and determined but that is what he was. He was also clever and forward thinking and used every available resource to his advantage, I thought he always put his life on the line despite being well aware of the consequences if caught but still he persisted and kept going forward with simple yet effective and ingenuitive ideas which would hopefully offer a ray of light to those experiencing the darkest of times. Frans could have easily turned a blind eye and just did the job he was sent to do at the camp but through his actions he showed he had a heart and was kind and compassionate.

Some of the more secondary characters were Cas, the younger brother of Frans, who accompanies him on the daily visits to the camp and who in turn played such a pivotal role in the entire secret operation that unfolds. Saskia is the girlfriend of Frans and they truly have a deep connection and love for each other. She aids Frans in his plan to smuggle letters in and out of the camp to those that need to hear words of comfort and solace. A network of sorts is created to establish links between those that await news on the outside of their loved ones and those on the inside tormented by what they are experiencing. Frans and Saskia are the links that bring this sense of unity about but it’s not without its perils. The fear of discovery lurks around every corner and the author did a wonderful job of portraying a real sense of danger, menace and threat.

As mentioned in the blurb fortunes change for Saskia and to be honest I found myself waiting for this event to occur for the majority of the novel and it only transpired towards the end. We didn’t hear from Saskia’s perspective as to her experience and I feel the story as a whole suffered because of this. Several chapters from her viewpoint when the worst befalls her would have brought it home even more just what Frans was doing putting his life on the lie on a daily basis. It wasn’t glossed over. Yes, it does say it happened and we see what the fall out is but still I wanted to know how Saskia felt now she was on the other side. At certain points I felt the story jumped forward a little bit and things weren’t explained in enough detail. It was like something was mentioned briefly and I would have loved to have read more detail but instead there we were moving on to the next event. There was just a little too much of skimming the surface when more in-depth analysis or detail was required.

Theo was the other major character to feature and although his story was horrific it was still Frans that really captured my interest and heart throughout. Theo finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time leading to his imprisonment and when the Germans strike he is taken to the camp leaving all connections to his beloved Annelies severed. That is until Frans comes up with his clever yet dangerous plan. The scene featuring Theo and the rose garden was truly shocking and jaw dropping and left me feeling cold and with a sick feeling to my stomach. It showed how the Nazi’s stopped at nothing in their desire to crush and annihilate the human spirit and took such pleasure from doing this.

Overall The Girl Across the Wire Fence was a good story and shows that Imogen Matthews has lots of potential writing in this genre. If the few issues I found could be ironed out in future books I know I would be fully captured from beginning to end. This book is worth a read for the different perspective of a another countries experiences during the war and how when such evil is all around you that compassion, strength, helpfulness, kindness and love can be found.

In 1944 Holland, Saskia would carry messages from captives, in Amersfoort Concentration Camp, to their families living outside the camp. Everyday she passes Nazi guards on the street as she rides her bike from the camp to families with her pockets full of notes, while hoping she doesn’t get caught. Saskia and her boyfriend Frans know that the need to keep going out weighs the risk. And one day when Saskia gets caught, her life completely changes. She is forced to wear a yellow star and is so saddened that she can’t help the prisoners and their families anymore. Saskia knows that to escape over the wire fence is almost impossible but she has hope and faith, to concur and overcome the darkest time of her life. This story was an amazing and wonderful story is an absolute must read. This rapid page turner will have you flying through story, and the only thing that will slow you down is the need of tissues so make sure you have plenty nearby.

Thank you Imogen Matthews for such a heartbreaking and emotional story. The fact that this was a true story had me glued to the pages. The hope that was portrayed throughout the storyline was amazing and inspirational. This wonderful story is a must read and I highly recommend this book.

This was a great well written book about people in Holland trying to help prisoners in the concentration camp.
Frans was 16 and worked for his father at their farm.
He started going into the camp to collect potato peelings for their animals and was horrified st what he
Saw and how the badly the prisoners were being treated.
He came up with an idea of getting mail to the prisoners and mail also being taken out.
He was terrified he would be caught, and knew he putting in danger his family but he went ahead .

This is the first novel I've read from this author and I loved the idea surrounding this one.

I've read a lot of historical fiction but this one stood out the most from all the others.

This is based on a true story of people risking their life's to smuggle letters in and out of a concentration camp.

This was emotional, heartwrenching and at times heart warming. I read this in one sitting and I didn't regret starting this one at all.

Highly recommended

Frans was sixteen years old and worked on their farm with his father while his younger siblings continued going to school. It was 1944 and the Amersfoort Concentration Camp in Holland was in full swing with the Nazis at their brutal best! Frans’ sweetheart Saskia had just told him of her father’s devastation of having to close his drapery shop, at least until after the war. It had knocked Saskia’s parents around and although they weren’t Jews – their paperwork proved it – the Nazis were trying to find anything they could use to throw them into camp.

Every morning Evert – Frans’ father – would travel to the camp with his horse and cart for the potato peelings for their cattle. He’d been doing it for years from when the camp had been a prison and now, he needed Frans and Cas, his ten-year-old son, to take over the job. Terrified at the sights and sounds, the two boys were soon through the worst and on their way back to the farm. But after meeting a fellow Dutch boy who was a prisoner, named Theo, Frans came up with a plan. It wasn’t long before mail – in the form of paper fragments – was leaving the camp and Frans and Cas were smuggling the replies back in. But it was nerve wracking and dangerous. Saskia was collecting the outside replies and Frans was constantly worrying about things going wrong. And they did…

The Girl Across the Wire Fence by Imogen Matthews is based on a true story of people risking their own lives to smuggle mail to the prisoners of Amersfoort Concentration Camp, which was the largest in Holland in WWII. I hadn’t heard of this camp before now, but the brutality of the Nazis was the same as in every other concentration camp. It was liberated by Canadian soldiers and the Red Cross at the end of the war. Frans was an exceptional young man, as was Theo. Both brave, courageous and determined to help their fellow man as best they could, all the while worrying about what would happen if they were caught. And Saskia was the same – youth and fearlessness seem to go together! Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

At first the pacing felt off and slow almost painful, but as I kept reading Franz, Saskia and Theo slowly drew me into their thoughts, feelings and motivations. What drew me into this book was how at first these characters (Franz, Saskia and Theo) seemed so different, but then their stories merged into a narrative of helping each other to get prisoners letters out of the Kamp Amersfoort to the prisoners loved ones.

I loved that this was a story of telling how children (Franz and Saskia both aged 16 and Cas aged 10) organized a smuggling operation to bring in and out letters to the Kamp. I can’t imagine how terrifying it felt and what awful positions children and adults were put in during this time and it’s so rewarding to read the actions of Franz, Saskia and Cas and know they were based off of true stories. It gives me hope to know that people were this courageous during such a fraught time.

This book left me wanting to know more about the Red Cross and their efforts within the concentration camps and to learn more about Kamp Amersfoort. There’s so many WWII books that it often feels like you’ve read a story before, even if you haven’t and I was left wanting more about the characters in The Girl Across the Fence and what happened after the end of the war.

Historical fiction surrounding the events of WWII is one of my all time favorite genres to read about. I was excited to dive into this book and it did not disappoint. Based on a true story, this took the lives of various people and their viewpoints. I love the unique spin this book did- in my opinion, makes it one of the better books in this genre because it’s not “the same” as all the others.

While we do get the perspective of a man (Theo) held in the concentration camp, much of the book focuses on the outside of the camp and a couple of teenagers (working with their families and others to help them) who are trying to provide the prisoners with pieces of love from back home.

By way of horse and wagon, Frans is able to enter the concentration camp to get scraps for his fathers animals on their farm. Seeing the devastation inside, he decides he wants to help and do his part to put a little smile on the prisoners faces. Working with his girlfriend, Saskia, they are able to contact various loved ones and attempt smuggling letters into the camp. The guts and strength of these children really spoke to me and I really loved these characters.

In all the WWII books I have read, I have never read about the mission to smuggle letters inside. I was captivated from the first page to the last and highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction.

Many Holocaust books are based on true stories and this book is one of those stories--based in a Dutch concentration camp during the Nazi rule in Netherlands. This is a story between two lovers--whose life changed when the Nazis marched into Netherlands.

What makes this story truly a gem to read?

--This story is indeed a truly heartbreaking and emotional read. There were some tear jerking moments in the book and not only that--the love story between Saskia and Frans is so emotional and cute.
--The writing was intense and the author did a good job making the reader glued to the story and making the reader feel like they are a part of this ordeal.
--The fact that this book is based on the true story makes this book more precious and as usual, you wouldn't believe that such brutality existed during that time--particularly the treatment towards the Jews.
--The story is told from the perspectives of Franz, Saskia and Theo. Franz visits the the concentration camp with the intention of feeding the cattle at the camp and gets involved in passing the letters between Theo and another girl named Anneliese.
--This is really a touching story--beware some parts will make you cry!

Overall, this is an emotional read, page turner and unputdownable that will make you cry till the end!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

This is a deeply emotional and well written story of a little explored ar of WWII - the Amersfoort Concentraton Camp. Saskia, Frans, and Theo tell the tale of how at great personal risk the three of them smuggled messages between the prisoners and the outside world. The urgency of the novel ramps up after Saskia is captured. While this gives a good look at life in the Netherlands during the period, as well as in the camp, it doesn't get too graphic, making it a good crossover read as well. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the WWII genre.

I found this story very simply written. The horrors of the camp were not vividly depicted. The characters were either very good or very bad, I feel that this book may be written for young readers as an introduction to WWII but I was not moved or invested in the story. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

"The Girl Across the Wire Fence" by Imogen Matthews
Release Date: 9.15.2021

Based on a true story, in 1944, Saskia and her boyfriend, Frans, see Nazi soldiers march thousands of prisoners to the Amersfoort Concentration Camp. They see the desperation and frightened faces of mothers, fathers, and children.

Saskia's father is suspected of being Jewish, and his shop is raided. Frans is forced to begin entering the camp to collect scraps of food to feed the farm animals. Theo, a prisoner, asks Frans to post a letter to his love to let her know that he is alive, and Frans helps. Frans and Saskia help bring hundreds of letters for prisoners. Saskia is then sent to the camp, wearing a yellow star. She tries to help the prisoners, which gives her unwanted attention from the guards. Franz knows the only option is to break Saskia out of the camp.

This novel is written in three different viewpoints -- Frans, Theo, and Saskia. This book shares a powerful message, showing that goodness always is brighter, and that young people have the ability to change the world through every action.

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #netgalley #netgalleyreads #thegirlacrossthewirefence #girlacrossthewirefence #imogenmatthews #historicalfiction #2021bookreleases

I am Dutch myself so the premise of the book grapped my attention at once. While I knew we had camps in the Netherlands I didn’t know much about this one. The camp in Westerbork is usually more featured in history lessons.

The story was very interesting and I loved learning more about the camp and life in The Netherlands during the war. The main characters are young but so brave by bringing hope to the camp prisoners and their loved ones. The focus is more on them then the actual life in the camp.

It is a story of of courage and hope in dark times.

THE GIRL ACROSS THE WIRE FENCE by IMOGEN MATTHEWS is a beautifully written WW11 novel which takes place in and around the infamous Kamp Amersfoort in Holland. It is the love story between Frans Koopmans and Saskia Dekker who work together with a prisoner, Theo de Groot, and his girlfriend Annelies, to alleviate the suffering of the prisoners.
It is an emotional read and one I highly recommend - in fact it is the best novel in this genre that I have read recently.
I particularly like to see the sixteen year old Frans take on the responsibilities of one much older in helping his father on the farm, and his love for his younger siblings, especially his ten year old brother Cas. He is particularly sensitive to the needs of others as are many of the outstanding characters in this book. Of course there are also the bullies and those who cannot be trusted.
The horrors inflicted on the prisoners in the prisoner of war camp, and the fear instilled in the general population under German occupation, are well described, but there is also an underlying message of hope running through the book.
It is a story of incredible courage, sacrifice and love, as we see the fortitude of ordinary people who are determined to not give up and to do all they can to help to those in need.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

A truly heartbreaking tale that will stay with me for a long time and that also had uplifting moments within it too, it was also nice to see a book that is set in a concentration camp that is not Auschwitz or one of the others so often written about.

This book is a true story and is set in 1944 in Amersfoort Concentration Camp. It is a sad and emotional story about two young people in love who risk everything. Even just looking at the cover gave me a sense of dread of what these poor people had to go through. It literally gave me shivers reading about what happened in those Concentration camps is absolutely heartbreaking and devastating what they were put through. I found this book interesting and gripping and I have read a couple of books set in Concentration Camps but this one really got to me, I was in tears most of the way through. Imogen has a way when she writes that you feel as though you are there and want to help them, it is an story that is powerful and inspiring and one that will stay with me for a very long time, but one I would recommend.

WWII historical fiction continues to be a red hot genre. I seem to not be able to satiate an ever increasing appetite to read it. Matthews pens a compelling novel based on three viewpoints. Frans, Theo, and Saskia take incredible risks to ferry messages and packages to incarcerated people in a Nazi Dutch camp. By switching between the three, the author provides a multi faceted story. The book proves that even during the darkest days hope and goodness prevailed. It’s a powerful message that still resonates today.

Based on a true story this tells of bravery and so much more in Holland around 1941 in the midst of WW2. Franz is sixteen and has helped on his fathers farm for as long as he can remember. Most mornings his father goes to the prison to collect the potato peeling which they then use for the cattle. The prison is now a camp, Amersfoort Concentration Camp, run by the Germans. Many of the farm workers have either been conscripted by the Germans to work over the border or have fled in fear. Franz and his younger brother now go to the camp on their horse drawn cart to collect the peelings. Whilst there he chats to a prisoner , Theo, who longs to find out about his family and Franz hatches a plan- one that may put him and others in danger but means so much to the prisoners and their well being. This is the story of Franz, Theo and others who risked everything to give prisoners small letters from home and hope in a time of unimaginable fear.
Wow! Where do I begin? Respect and admiration feel so little in saying about this very brave and unselfish group. The daily fear and knowledge that people are being arrested for so very little- possibly looking Jewish- as Franz’s girlfriends father was or for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and arrested for being against the fatherland. An inspirational read and one of hope, joy and that sometimes it's the little things that mean the most. Loved it.
#blogtour

This is NOT just another novel about a concentration camp.

The Girl Across the Wire Fence is a five-star historical fiction novel based on a true story of those who risked their lives to smuggle prisoners’ letters in and out of one of the largest, yet little known, concentration camps in Holland during World War Two. Kamp Amersfoort was a German concentration camp in Holland where 37,000 prisoners were kept between 1941 and 1945 when it was liberated by the Red Cross and the Canadian soldiers.

This unique look at young people who took their survival into their own hands focuses on a farmer’s son, Frans, who heads to Amersfoort every day to collect scraps of food to feed the animals on his family’s farm. When a prisoner begs Frans to send a letter to his girlfriend, a smuggling operation is put into action right under the noses of the Nazi guards. Transporting hundreds of messages for prisoners helps Frans feel like he’s doing something to help and it gives the prisoners hope in their darkest moments. When Saskia, Frans’s girlfriend and a non-Jew, is captured and taken to Amersfoort, Frans knows what he must do.

My first Imogen Matthews book absolutely captivated me from the first to the last page! With so many wartime books on the market featuring life in concentration camps, a historical fiction author needs to find either a unique presentation or research to find material for a unique look at a life of survival behind barbed wire. Matthews has accomplished both. She has found a true account of ordinary people’s courage and self-sacrifice to help the prisoners and masterfully transported her readers to the scene of the action, enabling them to watch from the sidelines. Her vivid depictions of survival life in Dutch villages during wartime are heartbreaking. I was genuinely invested in her layered characters and cared about their survival. Her villains were equally well-developed and repugnant. You will read about friendships strained because of living on different sides of the wire, young people who fought to keep love alive, and others who were willing to risk everything to help their fellow man. The tension and fear radiate from each page, not only for those in the camp but for those on the outside.

This five-star read needs to top your list - especially if you are a lover of historical fiction!

Publishes September 15, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Imogen Matthews, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I found this a moving story of courage and betrayal. 1944, Amersfoort Concentration Camp, Holland. Based on a true story, the unforgettable tale of two young lovers who risked everything to keep hope alive in the very depths of hell.

On a cold, dark day in a tiny Dutch village, Saskia and her boyfriend Frans watch as Nazi soldiers force thousands of prisoners towards Amersfoort Concentration Camp. Their hearts break as they see the desperate faces of innocent men and women and realise that the war is closer to them than it’s ever been before…

Saskia’s father’s draper’s shop is raided when the guards suspect that he is Jewish, and Frans is soon forced to enter the concentration camp every day to collect scraps of food as it’s the only way to feed the animals on his family’s farm. But despite the growing fear the couple feel, when a prisoner begs Frans to send a letter to his beloved reassuring her he is alive, they know they must risk everything to help him. Right under the noses of the Nazi occupiers they smuggle his letter. And eventually they ferry hundreds of messages for prisoners, bringing them hope in the darkest moments of their lives.

But every letter Frans gets out of the camp puts him in even more danger.

And every reply Saskia manages to collect is a risk.

And then Saskia is led into Kamp Amersfoort and is forced to wear a yellow star.

Inside, she cannot ignore the pain of the other prisoners, and Frans knows she will be putting herself in more danger to help them – attracting the attention of the guards. The couple know they must act. Everyone says it’s impossible to escape the camp, but it’s the only option they have left. Their love has kept them together but is it enough to help them survive... This is a rapid-paced, compelling story with masterful execution. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️