Can you tell us about your father’s experiences in the Third Reich and how they inspired your new book?
My dad grew up in Vienna. In 1934, when he was four years old, his father took him on a trip on a Danube steamer. My dad was kneeling on a seat and my grandfather warned him to be careful not to scuff the dress of a woman sitting beside him. The woman and her husband – a Mr and Mrs Jones from a small village outside Chester – got into conversation with my grandfather. As a result of this, they missed the stop where they were supposed to leave the steamer and join the rest of the group they were with. My grandfather offered to take them back to their hotel, but first he invited them to come home with him, to meet his wife and taste her homemade Sachertorte. The Joneses did this, and the following day my grandparents took them on a tour of Vienna.