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

**DISCLAIMER** This is a proof copy

A moving and uplifting novel about Viviane, a switchboard operator in a 1950s American town, who learns a shocking secret while eavesdropping on a phone call.

'The Operator is irresistible!' Kathryn Stockett, author of THE HELP

It's 1952. The switchboard operators in Wooster, Ohio, love nothing more than to eavesdrop on their neighbours' conversations, and gossip about what they learn. Vivian Dalton is no different (despite her teenage daughter's disapproval), and always longs to hear something scandalous. But on the night of December 15th, she wishes she hadn't. The secret that's shared by a stranger on the line threatens to rip the rug of Vivian's life from under her.

Vivian may be mortified, but she's not going to take this lying down. She wants the truth, no matter how painful it may be. But one secret tends to lead to another . . .

This moving, heart-felt and ultimately uplifting novel brilliantly weaves together an irresistible portrayal of a town buzzing with scandal, and an unforgettable story of marriage, motherhood and the unbreakable ties of family.