Book Club² - "The Safekeep" by Yael van der Wouden
Schedule
Tue Feb 17 2026 at 08:00 pm to 09:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
Book Club Bar | New York, NY
Book Club Bar's in-person public book club! We're reading "The Safekeep" by Yael van der Wouden.About this Event
A “razor-sharp, perfectly plotted” (The Sunday Times, London) tale of desire, suspicion, and obsession between two women staying in the same house in the Dutch countryside during the summer of 1961—a powerful exploration of the legacy of WWII and the darker parts of our collective past.
A house is a precious thing...
It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother’s country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be—led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel’s doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season.
Eva is Isabel’s antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn’t. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house—a spoon, a knife, a bowl—Isabel’s suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel’s paranoia gives way to infatuation, leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva—nor the house in which they live—are what they seem.
Mysterious, sophisticated, sensual, and infused with intrigue, atmosphere, and sex, The Safekeep is “a brave and thrilling debut about facing up to the truth of history, and to one’s own desires” (The Guardian).
PURCHASE THE BOOK FROM US HERE.
PURCHASE THE AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO.FM.
What your ticket includes:
- $8 off any drink at the bar
Grab a cocktail at the bar and tell us what you thought of the book!
Our informal discussion will be led by Liv Stratman, author of . Registration is capped, so please register early if you are planning on attending. Please note: gratuity for the bartenders is not included. Please use your tickets at the beginning of the event.
[ABOUT THIS EVENT: The rear half of the store will be used exclusively for this event. The front bar will be open to the public for drinking & chatting. Book browsing will be limited to a few display tables and shelves closest to the front of the store.]
Where is it happening?
Book Club Bar, 197 East 3rd Street, New York, United StatesUSD 16.74


















