Dancing with the Enemy

by Diane Armstrong

From the bestselling author of The Collaborator comes a compelling story of betrayal, collusion, revenge, and redemption set in German-occupied Jersey during World War II.


June 1940. `It was a perfect June evening that began with hope and ended in despair.' So begins the journal of Hugh Jackson, a Jersey doctor, whose idyllic world is shattered when Britain abandons the Channel Islands which are invaded by the Germans. Forced to choose between conflicting loyalties, he sends his pregnant wife to England, believing their separation will be brief. It's a fateful decision that will affect every aspect of his life.

May 1942. Young Tom Gaskell fumes whenever he sees the hated swastika flying from Fort Regent. Humiliated by Jersey's surrender and ashamed of his mother's fraternisation with the occupiers, Tom forms an audacious plan, not suspecting that it will result in guilt and tragedy.

April 2019. Sydney doctor Xanthe Maxwell, traumatised by the suicide of her colleague and burnt out by the relentless pressure of her hospital work, travels to St Helier so she can figure out what to do with her life. But when she finds Hugh Jackson's World War II journal, she is plunged into a violent world of oppression and collusion, but also of passion and resistance. As she reads, she is mystified by her growing sense of connection to the past. Her deepening relationship with academic Daniel Miller helps her understand Jersey's wartime past and determine her own future.

By the time this novel reaches its moving climax, the connection between Tom, Xanthe and Hugh Jackson has been revealed in a way none of them could possibly have imagined.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, World War II, Historical, Audiobook, War

441 pages, Paperback

Published May 4, 2022

About the author

Diane was born in Poland and arrived in Australia in 1948.

At the age of seven she decided to become a writer. Her first article, about teaching at a Blackboard Jungle school in London, was published in The Australian Women's Weekly in 1965. Diane subsequently became a freelance journalist, and over three thousand of her investigative articles, personal experience stories, profiles and travel stories have been published in newspapers and magazines such as Readers Digest, Vogue, The Bulletin, Harper's Bazaar, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend, and The Age. Her articles have also appeared in major publications in the UK, Canada, Poland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Holland and South Africa.

Over the years she has received numerous awards for journalism, including the Pluma de Plata awarded by the Government of Mexico for the best article written about that country, and the Gold Award given by the Pacific Asia Tourist Association. In 1993 she received an award for an investigative article about Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease. In 1998, she received the George Munster Award for Independent Journalism.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jersey, part of Britain’s Channel Islands, was a peaceful, tranquil place until June in 1940, when, to all intents and purposes, Britain abandoned its island, while German forces took it over without a shot being fired. There were a few days warning when people were advised to evacuate to England, but Hugh Jackson was a doctor, the only one on the island, who had a bevy of patients, including pregnant mothers, and couldn’t see his way clear to leave them. But he encouraged his wife Margaret to leave, sure the war would be over soon, and they could be reunited. Margaret was pregnant with their first child and he felt she’d be safer away from Jersey.

Sixteen-year-old Tom Gaskell was filled with hatred and humiliation at the German invasion, his mother accused of collaboration, while his father did nothing. Two years had passed since the Germans had arrived and their brutality and cruelness, their rationing of food and medicines, which meant the locals were always hungry, always cold, always sick. Tom and two of his best friends, Frank and Harry, decided to escape to England in a small rowboat, not having any idea of what the outcome would be to this foolhardy plan.

2019 and Xanthe Maxwell of Sydney had arrived in St Helier on the island of Jersey after a traumatic event in her hospital where she worked. She needed some time to evaluate her life, to work out if her life as a doctor was really what she wanted. The house she stayed in had a long ago past and when Xanthe inadvertently came across a hidden diary of the occupation of the island, written in the hand of Dr Jackson, Xanthe was fascinated and horrified to read the story – the day-to-day events – of the lives of Hugh, Tom Gaskell, Bob Blampied and many others.

Dancing With the Enemy by Aussie author Diane Armstrong is another excellent historical novel by this author, set in an obscure place where no one seemed to acknowledge the horrors of those five years. Jersey’s history of those WWII years was traumatic, terrifying and brutal, but its long-ago beauty returned, and its people were happy once again. The author’s note at the end of the novel is interesting, and she says there’s factual information along with the mostly fictional story of the novel. Highly recommended.

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

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

1940: The citizens of the Channel Islands are shocked when Mr. Churchill decides to demilitarize the islands and leave them defenseless against the German army. In St Helier Dr. Hugh Jackson has to make the difficult decision whether to leave with his pregnant wife Margaret or stay? He decides to remain, he’s worried about his patients and his wife isn't happy with his choice.

1942: Tom Gaskell is a teenager, he and his friends Frank and Harry are furious when the Germans arrive and take the island without out any resistance. Soon Germans are everywhere, imposing their rules and taking what they want. The remaining residents have no idea they will be cut off from the mainland for five years, supplies of essential items will run out, including food, clothes, medicine, fire wood, petrol, soap and even bicycle tires. With over 27,000 German troops stationed on the beautiful islands, at first it’s like a holiday for them and this changes at time goes on. Tom is mad at his parents, especially his mother for inviting the enemy over for drinks and along with his friends the come up with an idea to escape.

2019: Xanthe Maxwell leaves Sydney, she travels to St Helier and she has no idea the house she's rented once belonged to Dr. Jackson. Xanthe is a doctor, she’s suffering from burnt out, a distant relative lived in Jersey and it's the perfect excuse to take a much needed break. She discovers a hidden journal written by Dr. Jackson, she didn't know Jersey was occupied by the Germans during the war and she’s intrigued.

By reading the dual timeline story you discover what happened in Jersey during the war and the link between the present day characters. What it was like for the people living on the island during the occupation, the hardships they endured and how they felt abandoned by England, how some locals collaborated with the German's, how badly the Jewish residents were treated and the Russian slave laborers. Xanthe becomes interested in the history of the island, she visits the War Tunnels and Edward de Courcy and meets Bob Blampied who lived on the island during the occupation, she feels a connection to Dr. Jackson and to medicine.

I received a copy of Dancing with the Enemy from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Through visiting Jersey and her thorough research Diane Armstrong has written an fascinating novel, a must read for those who enjoy WW II historical fiction and five stars from me.
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[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Diane Armstrong book but it won’t be the last, this is a beautifully written story told over two time lines, it pulled me in as I got to know the people who lived on Jersey in The Channel Islands during the German occupation in World War two and then in 2019 a young Australian doctor who discovers more than she ever thought she would on her trip.

It is June 1940 and Dr Hugh Jackson and life as he knew is about to change when England abandons The Channel Islands and Hugh makes a decision to stay for his patients as his pregnant wife leaves for England, Hugh starts a journal that opens up life in these trying times.

In May 1942 young Tom Gaskell is decidedly very angry with what is going on, on the island with Germans taking over everything and even his own mother fraternizing with the Germans he decides that he needs to escape and sets up a plan with his best mates Harry and Frank to do so but what happens will leave him shattered and very guilty.

April 2019 and you Australian Doctor Xanthe Maxwell has come to the end of her tether with the stress and pressure she is under in the hospital when she finds he best friend has committed suicide it is time for her to take a break and she decides on Jersey. At the house she rents she finds and old journal that was written during the occupation in WW11 Dr Hugh Jackson this takes her on a journey back in time to what things were really like on the island the collaboration from some of the residents and the pure strength and caring of others the passion they showed with what they were going through. She also meets another Australian Daniel while he is there studying for his thesis and together they uncover so much about the past.

This is a fabulous story that I would highly recommend, heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time it is written with honesty and caring and my feelings came to the surface as I got to know Hugh, Tom and Xanthe, a must read for any lover of historical fiction and stories about World War 2 the Chanel Islands and Jersey are a beautiful setting.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a half stars.
In 1940, Dr Hugh Jackson sends his pregnant wife off the isle of Jersey but, believing his patients need him, he chooses to stay himself. This choice angers his wife. She revuses to forgive him. Young teenager Tom Gaskell hates how England has abandoned Jersey which has been occupied by the Germans. Tom, Copts his two friends into a plan to escape the island and his mother who is fraternising with the German soldiers. The third story is from 2019 and tells the story of Xanthe who, feeling burnt out, has given up her job as a doctor at a Sydney hospital and taken refuge on the isle of Jersey. She is looking for clues to someone she believes is related to their family. When she finds the journal written during the war years by Dr Jackson, she is intrigued by it. She also ends up in a relationship with Daniel Miller, who is researching the plight of the Jews on Jersey and how too many people turned a blind eye to what was happened under theGerman regime and turned on family and neighbours.
The three different characters and their stories make for interesting reading, especially as they tie up together. It also was hard reading, especially when reading Tom’s story and the innate cruelty produced by war to the Jews and to prisoners. That is not a criticism of the book. Quite the opposite. more. More a reflection of my own sensitivity to reading about cruelty and hard issues. As a result there were bits I simply had to skip or put aside for a time. But of course I never put it down for long as it is a highly interesting historical novel that probably does plenty of food for thought, as to how each of us would react if faced with a similar situation.
My thanks to Better Reading for my ARC to read and review. A book well worth reading.

[Karen Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but this is the first Diane Armstrong book I have read. It will not be my last, even though I tend to avoid stories that centre around WWII and the Nazis (most of my family died as a consequence of the pogroms and genocide systematically carried out by the Nazis and for years, I read and watched so much in an effort to try and make sense of such cruelty and atrocities, I became so despondent. After all, how can one make sense of the senseless?). But Diane Armstrong not only uncovers a lesser known chapter in WWII history (the occupation of Jersey by the Nazis) but writes such a compelling tale, I couldn’t put it down.
Dancing with the Enemy is told across two different time-frames. The first is the lead up to WWII on Jersey and how that island – indeed, the Channel Islands - was the last frontier before Europe, or a stepping stone to conquering England – depending which side you’re on. Facts are, Jersey was basically left to fend for itself once the German invaders arrived. In Dancing with the Enemy, we follow the extraordinary bravery and resilience (or capitulation) of the Jersey residents who remained, but especially the local doctor, Hugh Jackson.
With invasion imminent, Dr Jackson sends his pregnant wife to the safety of mainland England but chooses to remain behind to care for his patients. Believing the separation would be brief, Jackson’s decision not only changes his life and that of his wife and son, but resonates in ways none could have foreseen.
Then, there’s young, angry and foolhardy but brave, Tom Gaskell who, determined to fight the enemy, not dance to their tune as his parents and others appear to, takes dreadful risks - ones that have catastrophic consequences.
When young, troubled Australian doctor Xanthe Maxwell arrives on Jersey decades later in the hope of finding the place restorative after experiencing terrible trauma, she not only stays in Jackson’s old house, but stumbles upon detailed journals he kept. From these, Xanthe learns, not only about the suffering and struggles of the islanders, but also their incredible bravery in the face of German hostility and barbarity. Upon arrival, she also meets an Australian academic Daniel Miller, on the island to research what happened to the small Jewish population when the Germans invaded.
As the novel segues between past and present, it becomes clear that Xanthe, Daniel, Hugh and Tom are connected and bound in ways no one expected.
Compelling, heart-wrenching and always fascinating, this is a masterfully written story that draws you in and doesn’t release you until after the final page. It explores the many ways in which humans so often work against their own best interests, can turn their back on goodness and kindness, and for what? How cruel and even downright evil we can be, but also courageous, irrepressible and above all, forgiving.

[Theresa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction set across the years of World War II has almost become a sub-genre in recent years. I’ve read a lot of it but, over the last two years, I’ve slowed down on my consumption and I’m at the point now where I’ll only read a WWII novel if it has something new to say about the history. I have no interest in revisiting the same stories over and over and I have a particular dislike of war being romanticised, so I do select my titles with care. I had come across glowing reviews of Diane Armstrong’s previous novel, The Collaborator, so I felt compelled to read this latest release, Dancing with the Enemy. I’m so glad I did. It was brilliant. A solid five stars from me, and for a novel that is near on five hundred pages long, I sped through it in only three days, no mean feat with the hours I’ve been working of late.

‘…war brings out the best and the worst in us, and it’s a pity that some people allow the worst to triumph.’

I’ve only read two novels about the occupation of the Channel Islands during WWII, one set in Guernsey (you know which one!) and one set in Jersey, both exceptionally good. So, for me, this was still new history, an aspect of WWII that I wanted to know more about. I’m so impressed with this novel. It shines in all areas: writing, character, story, historical scope, pacing, and that extra something that equates to ‘all the feels’.

‘…wondered if he was an evil man with a spark of conscience, or a good person who had made a pact with the devil in order to survive.’

The story unwinds from three perspectives: Dr. Hugh Jackson, whose perspective is conveyed via a war journal; Tom Gaskell, a young teenager caught between anger at his mother’s collaboration with the Germans and the ease with which they were able to occupy his homeland, both factors converging to lead him onto a pathway of resistance; and Xanthe, a burnt out young Australian doctor who is at a crossroads within her own life and travels to Jersey for an extended holiday, which ends up with her deep diving into Jersey’s wartime history. Each perspective offered a compelling and interlinked narrative, and I enjoyed each character equally. I particularly liked how they were linked, which becomes apparent further into the novel with an interesting reveal.

‘What I can’t understand, is how morons these days can deny the Holocaust when the Germans themselves, even the Commandant of Auschwitz, left such detailed records of their crimes.’

Dancing with the Enemy is a novel that is vast in scope and tells its history with empathy and intelligence. I really enjoyed it and admire this author immensely. I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book fulfils many unfortunate clichés of historical fiction (the women walking away on the cover, which incidentally has literally nothing to do with this story, being one), and it's a shame because the topic is truly fascinating and not widely written about. The Occupation of Jersey in WWII was mostly ignored outside of the Channel Islands, and the experiences of the residents trapped there was harrowing.

This could've been a really excellent read, but the narrative suffers from trying to pack far too much in, and from succumbing to overused tropes. PLEASE DO NOT GET ME STARTED AGAIN ON THE WHOLE "MODERN DAY WOMAN WHOSE LIFE IS IN CRISIS RUNS AWAY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY AND MIRACULOUSLY AND INSTANTLY DISCOVERS HISTORICAL DOCUMENT WHICH WILL BE A LIFE CHANGING LINK TO HER PAST" eyerolleyerolleyeroll

Actually, let's talk about Xanthe, one of the narrators. She is just...confusing? She doesn't really have a personality. An awful lot of her chapters read like a visitor's guide to Jersey. Extremely detailed, but to the point of being dull. Her outfits are equally confusing and the detail here is so unnecessary and random. Who cares if she has an Apple watch?! WHAT THE FUCK IS A LOZENGE-PRINTED TOP? I wanted to rush past her and get back to Hugh and Tom, whose stories take place during the War and are infinitely more interesting.

Tom's chapters are stilted and awkward to begin with - maybe this is because he's a teenage boy - and we're continually told how he's feeling, despite it being obvious from the action going on around him. "He is intrigued." "He is frustrated." "He doesn't like the Germans". I mean, no shit. It's not until much later in the book when his story becomes incredibly evocative and distressing, and the writing flows much more freely. His wrestle with his conscience as he realises that good and bad isn't black and white is really compelling.

Hugh's narrative takes the form of diary entries that he's writing for the Mass Observation project initiated by the British Government. As a doctor, he has insight into many different lives in Jersey and while an awful lot of what he writes is day-to-day stuff, it is somehow still interesting. His moral conundrums as a doctor are meant to reflect Xanthe's wavering commitment to her medical career, but honestly nobody cares, Xanthe. Get a personality and come back later. He embarks on an affair with the beautiful Irish nurse Aoife (cliché alert!), and this is where the story starts to try to pack far too much in - and it's the women who get sidetracked.

Aoife has a tragic past linked to the island, Milly is in love with a German officer, Alma decides to make the most of the situation and pander to the Germans - all of them deserve a tale in their own right, to reflect the varying experiences of women during this period. But, they mostly serve as plot devices to try and cram in as much as possible and it's frustrating. The narrative would've been better (and shorter) if it was more focused.

This type of historical fiction has broad appeal, and is hugely popular in its own niche, but it just doesn't have that level of nuance and expression that defines truly great historical fiction.

[Don Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to HarperCollins Australia for my advance copy.
It was a lucky day 35 years ago for both award-winning author Diane Armstrong and her readers when she paused to admire an impressive manor house on the English Channel island of Jersey.
That moment led to her researching and writing Dancing with the Enemy, a riveting story of love and regret, conspiracy and deceit on the German-occupied island during World War II.
The story switches seamlessly between the 1940s and 2019 and the lives of three main characters – Jersey doctor Hugh Jackson, Sydney doctor Xanthe Maxwell and Tom Gaskell, a teenager finding his way in a world suddenly turned upside down.
Armstrong’s development of these and the other characters is simply superb, as we follow them through an intensely poetic narrative
It’s a page-turning plot, which reaches a completely believable climax yet one that none of the characters – or the reader – could have imagined.
My only regret was that I didn’t have enough time to finish reading the story in one sitting. But it’s now one of my 50 favourite books of all time.

[Wendy Loud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from the UK, I had never visited Jersey & this novel has put this island on my bucket list.
The descriptions of the islands history & places was so enticing.
This great story is set on Jersey during the German occupation in WW11.
The islands moral ethics come under pressure as does the physical strains that follow.
Tom, a young man angry at the invaders influence on his family plans to flee to England with
disastrous results.
A local doctor secretly starts to record his experiences and feelings during this period.
Fast forward to modern day & Xanthe, a young medic disillusioned with her career choice visits the island & discovers a lot more than she was expecting.
The reader will be enthralled at times, shocked at times but always will experience a most moving and unforgettable read.

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

‘Jersey must seem like an island paradise. Surely not even in his wildest dreams did old Hitler envisage such an accommodating government with such acquiescent residents. This really had to be a model occupation.’

Having read and loved Diane’s, The Collaborator, I was eager to read her latest WWII historical fiction offering. Dancing with the Enemy, is based in Jersey, Channel Islands whilst under German occupation in WWII and is the story told by two characters from 1940 to 1945 and one from the present day.

‘Xanthe wonders about the girls who danced with the enemy. Why did they fraternise with the occupiers? What did their families and friends think of their behaviour?’

Diane includes interesting storyline’s - both past and present - including personal and community experiences. What I appreciated most about this story, however, was how Diane raised moral issues and what happens when people with differing values clash and the incredibly difficult and challenging outcomes. Through the lens of the various lead characters, readers are forced to consider how they would have faced the range of situations presented. There are many excellent reflective passages.

‘One day you’ll come to a crossroad that will test your moral fortitude, and the path you take then will affect the rest of your life.’

This book tried to pack in a lot - too much in my opinion. Undoubtedly, lots of quality research and information, some conveyed rather unconvincingly through touristy visits. There were cliched characters and situations for convenience ie. modern timeline. There were some definite unanswered questions. In my humble opinion, too many topics were being pursued and I feel the story suffered for it. I could have done without Xanthe’s personal dilemma, or Aiofe’s revelations, even Tom’s experiences in Germany - they were all valid issues yet I feel did not belong in the essence of this wartime drama set on a tiny island.

‘I thought about the fine line between survival and collusion. I wonder what I would do in his place.’

There’s much WWII historical fiction out there and whilst I enjoyed and appreciated the research and range of stories, I just felt that Dancing with the Enemy lost its way in trying to tackle too many themes. Still, a solid and interesting WWII tale.

‘It occurs to her that crises don’t create character; they reveal it … … hindsight is a great teacher. The trouble is, we have to live life forwards, and I don’t think we can ever know how we would behave in any situation until it arises.’








This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and compelling.

[Amelia O'Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Better Reading for a preview copy of Dancing With the Enemy in exchange for an honest review.

Diane Armstrong's Dancing With the Enemy is a tale of two different times linked by timeless human experiences. The history of Jersey during WWII German occupation told through the journal of Dr Jackson and the story of Tom contrasts with Xanthe's experiences of Jersey in the present day. Fiction that is 'too real' is not usually my thing, especially with a war setting but I am so glad I stepped out of my preferred reading here, Dancing With the Enemy was easy to read without being simple.

I was particularly drawn to Xanthe's parts of the story (maybe something about being young, female, Australian and working in healthcare myself) and I loved her exploration of Jersey as it connected with the events she was reading in Dr Jackson's journal.

I did struggle with the heaviness of the war setting but I realise it is important for the atrocities of the time not to be minimised. I did have to take breaks in the middle when I wanted to know what happened just because I needed to back away from the darkness of war at times.

Dancing With the Enemy doesn't get a full five stars from me because I did find the 'historical' chapters from the perspective of Dr Jackson and Tom a little harder to engage with and for the first half of the book I was drawn to keep reading by Xanthe.

That being said I found myself reading faster the closer I got to the end, I just had to know what happened to all of them. Overall, a fantastic read that will remind you the world is not black and white but instead is shades of grey.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago I read Winter Journey by Diane Armstrong and loved it, then I tried a couple of her other novels but they never appealed, so I was a bit hesitant to read Dancing with the Enemy..
However, despite a slow start I thoroughly enjoyed this historical story.

Following the lives of a teenager, Tom Gaskell, and Dr Hugh Jackson during WWII and modern-day, Xanthe Maxwell, the plot is set in Jersey on the Channel Islands. The three stories make for a very interesting read and the reader soon realises that their lives interconnect, but not in the way that is expected at the start. I was fully invested in each character as they make decisions that have a lasting impact on their lives. The author cleverly and believably weaves their stories together in a heart-breaking, compelling read. Highly recommended.

[Stacey Lattin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this, there's a couple of specific reasons I'm not giving it five stars which I won't mention as they would be spoilers.

[Kristy Glasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than I expected. Great read

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

#betterreadingau #preview

I love when fiction meets non-fiction and the research that goes into creating such a colourful, yet mournful depiction of WWII. Dancing with the Enemy, based in Jersey, Channel Islands between England and France 1940, under German occupation with the story told from three characters perspectives. 1940 to 1945 events recorded in a journal by an admired doctor, Dr Jackson who wished to capture his thoughts on paper to calm his mind during the occupation, not knowing how valuable his written recordings would become. Young Tom and his friends detailing the angst of living such a controlled existence and wanting to escape, but how? To the present day when young Sydney doctor Xanthe needed to get away in the hope of understanding her career choices and stumbled across Dr Jackson's journal written so many years ago. Keeping it's contents to herself but discovering family connections and so much more on her adventures in Jersey 2019.
I loved the journey of war and conflict this novel took the reader on, to the extent that many of the emotions felt by the characters could be reflected off the page to the reader with such meaning, leaving the reader no choice but to stop, reflect, regroup, and continue the story through the pages. An emotive read that provides some powerful insights to the treatment by Germans of many during such a turbulent time. Five stars from me.

[Vicki Robe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully written masterpiece that begins in the early 1940’s when Germany invaded the Channel Islands and in particular, the town of Jersey. The local people feel rightly disappointed and let down, when England chooses to abandon them.

The story of Dr Hugh Jackson is told through his journal, which was left in a secret built in cavity in the wall, along with other items banned by the Germans.

In 2019, a young doctor, Xanthe Maxwell, has some traumatic times with her work and goes to St Heliar to decide her future. During her stay she finds the journal about the harrowing times of the German occupation. She feels a real connection with the Doctor, and some other local characters.

As the journal comes to a climactic conclusion there are still some unanswered questions. Just before leaving there is a knock at the door delivering a person who can fill in the blanks.

This is the first time I have read any of Diane Armstrong’s work and I will certainly be looking up her four other fiction titles.

This book is well and truly worth the read as the contents are riveting.

[Donna McEachran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Interesting read about the German occupation of Jersey told from 3 main perspectives; the islands doctor Hugh Jackson, young local Tom Gaskill and modern day doctor Xanthe who finds a journal from during the occupation as well as meeting some surviving locals. Compelling reading, trying to fit the pieces together. Loses a star fun me because of the questions left unanswered at the end, particularly around Xanthe.

[Colleen B · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absorbing well researched and written book that examines the lives of the people of German occupied British Island of Jersey through WW2.
The small Channel Island of Jersey was demilitarised by the British Government leaving the occupants who chose to remain at the mercy of the Germans, who took over Jersey, seeing it as the first step in the total occupation of the British Isles.
Doctor Hugh Jackson sends his heavily pregnant wife to the safety of Britain while he remained to look after his patients in Jersey. This decision has long lasting consequences on him, his wife Margaret and child which causes much heartache as the war progresses.
Dr Jackson kept a journal as part of the “Mass Observation Project” in which gives an insight into the hardships, hope and despair in which the occupants lived under German law. The difficulty not only with food and supplies as the war years dragged on, but the sense of morality shifts when instead of challenging an evil law it becomes accepted as normal and impacts the small Jewish community.
Young Tom Gaskell is caught up in the occupation with his hatred of the occupiers. His life is compounded by mothers’ acceptance of the Germans and the perceived weakness of his father to watch as the family home becomes a party house for the Germans and his mother a supplier of black-market merchandise. He comes up with a plan to escape but this ends in tragedy and despair as Tom is tried and sent on a torturous journey to prison camps in Germany.
The connecting thread is through the story of Xanthe Maxwell, who flees to Jersey in an effort to make sense her life and commitment to her career of medicine. Finding the journal of Dr Jackson hidden in the chimney cavity starts her journey of piecing the years of occupation together. With help of a young Melbourne lawyer Daniel Miller, who is researching his PhD on the treatment of Jews during the Occupation, and the knowledge of long-time local Bob Blampied, Xanthe is discovers the hardships and heartache suffered by everyone during the Occupation, including an unknown connection to her family. She gains the confidence she had lost and look forward to returning to Sydney and resuming her career with some changes.
This book was provided by Better Reading for my review.

[Under Milkwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read The Collaborator last year, I was keen to delve into this one. Let's face it, The Collaborator was an inspired work of fiction based on fact. So, in my mind, Dancing with the Enemy had a lot to live up to. I'm pleased to report that it nearly reached the giddy heights of its predecessor.
The one thing that can't be questioned is that Diane Armstrong is an amazing storyteller.
Sadly, I have a few minor reservations about this book. One is the cover which, as enticing as it is, it's now a little formulaic to see a girl in a red coat walking towards a mysterious man on a dark night. Having said that, I'm struggling to think of others. But I digress. While the jaunty book title is entirely justified in the context of the subject matter, it does tend to romanticise the cover photo in a negative way.
The Nazi Occupation of the Channel Islands during the Second World War hasn't been covered a lot in contemporary literature (other than the 'Guernsey Pork Pie Thingamabob Society' and 'Appointment with Venus'), so this was a definite bonus to learn more about these dark times. I also found this often enthralling read a little too long and languorous and dare I say, romantic. Being set in two time frames, I sometimes felt like I was pleading with the author to get me back to the 1940's post haste. Speaking of romance and fateful encounters, there was more than a touch of Mary Wesley present in some of the outcomes which isn't always a good thing. Oh, and having characters from the early 40's spilling over into the present day is a little baffling when a man in his mid to late nineties is described by the 2019 protagonist as a sprightly and dashing tour guide.
But apart from a few quibbles, this is an absorbing and at times heartfelt work of fiction based loosely on factual events. As is expected of Diane Armstrong, there's also some strong psychological conundrums for the reader to ponder on. All totally justified of course. Most importantly, when we extricate ourselves from the occasional forays into romance, we can find a great essay on the problems with revenge.

[Fiona Brodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, makes you think about it afterwards. Couldn't put it down despite struggling with new reading glasses after cataract surgery!

June 1940. `It was a perfect June evening that began with hope and ended in despair.' So begins the journal of Hugh Jackson, a Jersey doctor, whose idyllic world is shattered when Britain abandons the Channel Islands which are invaded by the Germans. Forced to choose between conflicting loyalties, he sends his pregnant wife to England, believing their separation will be brief. It's a fateful decision that will affect every aspect of his life.

May 1942. Young Tom Gaskell fumes whenever he sees the hated swastika flying from Fort Regent. Humiliated by Jersey's surrender and ashamed of his mother's fraternisation with the occupiers, Tom forms an audacious plan, not suspecting that it will result in guilt and tragedy.

April 2019. Sydney doctor Xanthe Maxwell, traumatised by the suicide of her colleague and burnt out by the relentless pressure of her hospital work, travels to St Helier so she can figure out what to do with her life. But when she finds Hugh Jackson's World War II journal, she is plunged into a violent world of oppression and collusion, but also of passion and resistance. As she reads, she is mystified by her growing sense of connection to the past. Her deepening relationship with academic Daniel Miller helps her understand Jersey's wartime past and determine her own future.

By the time this novel reaches its moving climax, the connection between Tom, Xanthe and Hugh Jackson has been revealed in a way none of them could possibly have imagined.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The occupation of Jersey in the Channel Islands was a very interesting part of history so When I saw this book offered I thought it would be an interesting read. Which it was. This was a human story that starts in June 1940. Hugh Jackson, a Jersey doctor, begine's a journal, whose idyllic world is shattered when Britain abandons the Channel Islands which are invaded by the Germans. Forced to choose between conflicting loyalties, he sends his pregnant wife to England, believing their separation will be brief. It's a fateful decision that will affect every aspect of his life. We travel with Hugh through his los of his wife and Baby because of the war and his then love for a nurse that also stays behind.

May 1942. Young Tom Gaskell fumes whenever he sees the hated swastika flying from Fort Regent. Humiliated by Jersey's surrender and ashamed of his mother's fraternisation with the occupiers, Tom forms an audacious plan, not suspecting that it will result in guilt and tragedy.

April 2019. Sydney doctor Xanthe Maxwell, traumatised by the suicide of her colleague and burnt out by the relentless pressure of her hospital work, she decides to take a 6 week holiday in Jersey and there meets up with another Australian who is writing about what happened to the small Jewish community of around 12 people during the occupation of Jersey. We visit the different people in their time lines. This was a very good book with wonderful characters.

[Amanda E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Channel Islands, 1940. Britain has abandoned the Islands, war is about to break out. Germans begin to invade, the lives of 3 people are about to be intertwined throughout history.

Dr Jackson decides to send his pregnant wife away as the Germans invade, while he stays he documents life under occupation.

Tom is a young lad who just wants a future, but can't stand the German invaders. He comes up with an idea that will either be the adventure of a lifetime, or a deadly mistake.

Xanthe, traumatised from her colleague's suicide, and burnt out from a demanding medical job, explores St Helier and it's history under Occupation as she finds Dr Jackson's journal. Eventually finding a connection to the past, she can find a way to move forward.

Dancing With the Enemy was a really good read, great storyline, focused more on the characters and their lives rather than the heaviness of the Germans and war.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I thought this a little ho hum but the style in the end reflected the method of telling the story. Set in Jersey during the second world war and occupation of the Nazi Germans the story is told by three main characters. Hugh Jackson a GP on the island during the occupation (by way of journal); Tom a teen on the island and Xanthia a graduate medical student who visits the island to escape her situation in 1919 and explores the history of the island and reads Hugh Jackson and dates Daniel who is doing a thesis on the treatment of Jews in occupied Jersey. It has elements of romance, collusion, moral dilemma, and tells a difficult story of what it might have been like during occupation. The difficulties of "Dancing with the Enemy" and what that entails. I couldn't put it down during the final half of the book.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an intriguing and interesting read. It is the story of the German occupation of Jersey after Britain basically abandoned the island. It is told in three voices: modern day Xanthe, a burnt out Australian junior doctor who takes a break on the Island and starts to find out about its wartime occupation; Dr Hugh Jackson whose wartime story is told in a journal Xanthe finds; and teenager Tom Gaskell who wants to escape to England but instead is arrested and becomes subject to extreme brutality by the German system. Armstrong based the last 2 characters (and others in the novel) on true characters and her research is excellent. She examines the areas of grey in humankind and throws in romance as well.

[Sarah Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dancing With the Enemy is a powerful novel from Australian author Diane Armstrong. Narrated from three points of view it tells the story of the World War II occupation of the Channel Islands, in particular Jersey. The citizens of Jersey were abandoned by Britain and suffered severe hardship under the Nazi occupation. Some locals chose to collaborate with the Germans while others rebelled by protecting the few Jewish residents and Russian slave labourers who were brought to the island.

Whilst this is a work of fiction, the author has based some of her characters on the factual accounts of people who lived through the occupation. Once started I was compelled to keep reading. Highly recommended.

[Sharryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dancing With the Enemy
By Diane Armstrong
Genre: Historical fiction
Written in three different character views this book is based in German occupied Jersey during WWII.
June 1940: Dr Hugh Jackson is a Jersey doctor whose idyllic life is shattered when Britain abandons the Channel Islands when they are invaded by Germans. Forced to choose between his family or his doctor’s loyalties he sends his pregnant wife to England believing the war will be over soon and their separation will be brief.
May 1942: Young Tom Gaskell is angry every time he sees the hated swastika flying over his home in now occupied Jersey.
To make it worse his own mother becomes friends with the German soldiers and Tom is humiliated and ashamed of his mother’s fraternisations with the enemy.
Tom, along with two of his friends devise a plan to escape to England not suspecting that it will end in tragedy.
April 2019: Sydney doctor Xanthe Maxwell, traumatised by the suicide of her colleague and burnt out from her hospital work, takes a break and travels to St Heliers. It is here she wants to relax and reflect on her life.
But it is in St Heliers that Xanthe finds the war diary of Dr Jackson and she is plunged into a violent world of German occupied Jersey.
As she reads she becomes mystified to her growing sense of connection to the past.
By the time this novel reaches the end the connection between Dr Jackson, Tom and Xanthe has come to light in a way none of them could possibly have imagined.
A powerful book and compelling story of betrayal, revenge and love.
Rated: 5/5

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know when I am enjoying a book, when I think about it when I am not reading it and by finishing it in 3 days. Extremely well written and the author is a wonderful storyteller. The characters were truly believable and each one telling their story in clear chapters, very easy to understand who was who. A tough read at times as it was based on the German occupation in The Channel Islands, Jersey. I read it as one of our books on our Bookclub list and I was so surprised and relieved to start reading a great book for a long time, my fellow members agreeing with me totally. I get amazed at to how many books get published, but I am very grateful that this book did get published.

[Asara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dancing with the Enemy is a powerful and moving story that beautifully blends history, family, and resilience. Diane Armstrong does an incredible job bringing the characters to life, especially through the lens of wartime trauma and survival. The dual timelines were well-crafted, keeping me engaged as the past and present slowly intertwined.

What stood out most was the emotional depth and how real the characters felt. I was completely invested in their journeys. The writing is elegant and easy to follow, with vivid details that made the settings come alive.

A must-read for historical fiction lovers who enjoy stories with heart, mystery, and a touch of hope.

[Ant · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘The Guersney literary and potato peel pie society’, just without its charm. A disappointingly unsophisticated book, built around the cliches from the times of WW2. The characters are one-dimensional, the story utterly predictable, the narration told rather than shown. While I can see the reason for the dr’s voice and Xanthe’s I actually can’t fathom what Tom’s story adds. On my ever growing list of bad books about WW2 / holocaust this one has dethroned ‘The tattooist of Auschwitz’. While offering little literary value, at least the tattooist tells a compelling story.