The Operator

By: Gretchen Berg

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Hardcover | 10 March 2020 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
352 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
3.4 x 16.4 x 24.1

Hardcover

RRP $45.00

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A delightful, uplifting and moving novel about a 1950s switchboard operator who learns a shocking secret when she eavesdrops on a phone conversation.

'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.

About the Author

Gretchen Berg grew up in the US Midwest and now lives in Chicago. She has always been curious about history and families, and has a personal family tree of over 16,000 people. Her family research started with her own grandmother's little brown notebook full of details, and it was the story of her grandmother - herself a switchboard operator in Wooster, Ohio, in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s - that inspired The Operator.

Industry Reviews

'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

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