A courageous wife, mother, and resister confronts the devastation of World War II in a heartbreaking and hopeful novel by the bestselling author of The Venice Sketchbook and The Tuscan Child.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Rhys Bowen’s The Paris Assignment, which is out August 8th!
Londoner Madeleine Grant is studying at the Sorbonne in Paris when she marries charismatic French journalist Giles Martin. As they raise their son, Olivier, they hold on to a tenuous promise for the future. Until the thunder of war sets off alarms in France.
Staying behind to join the resistance, Giles sends Madeleine and Olivier to the relative safety of England, where Madeleine secures a job teaching French at a secondary school. Yet nowhere is safe. After a devastating twist of fate resulting in the loss of her son, Madeleine accepts a request from the ministry to aid in the war effort. Seizing the smallest glimmer of hope of finding Giles alive, she returns to France. If Madeleine can stop just one Nazi, it will be the start of a valiant path of revenge.
Though her perseverance, defiance, and heart will be tested beyond imagining, no risk is too great for a brave wife and mother determined to fight and survive against inconceivable odds.
They made for the ferns and lay down amongst them. Madeleine tried to sleep, but every nerve was taut, and every stirring of the night breeze jerked her awake. An owl hooted as it sat in a nearby tree. At last there was a hint of dawn in the night sky. They could make out the vague shapes of trees.
“We should get moving.” She nudged Annie.
Annie stirred, opening her eyes. “Is it morning?”
“You were asleep?”
“What else was there to do?” Annie sat up and smoothed down her hair. “I’d welcome a cup of coffee, wouldn’t you?”
“Not me. I don’t like it black, and remember, there’s no milk in cafés these days.”
They were about to get to their feet when they heard sounds. A dog barking.
“Get down.” Madeleine pulled Annie back into the ferns. To her horror she heard the sounds coming closer. The barking louder. And suddenly the dog was standing over them. They could feel its warm breath on them, its panting loud in their ears.
“What’s this, then?” said a man’s voice. A French voice.
They sat up, staring up at a man with a gun and a large hound.
“Oh monsieur, you terrified us,” Annie said, sitting up. “My sister and I had to leave Paris because where we were living was so dangerous, and we’re making for our aunt’s house in Moret-sur-Loing—do you know it? Have we still far to go?”
“You came on foot?” he asked. Now they could see he was an older man, still strong and upright but with a grey moustache and bags under his eyes.
“We started in the train, but there were German soldiers in our compartment, and they were fresh with us, so we got out at Bois-le-Roi and decided to walk the rest of the way,” Annie said. “But we got lost and it got dark, so we felt safer here. Now we’ll go back to the Bois-le-Roi station and continue our journey, hopefully in safety.”
“Those damned Germans. Always making trouble of one sort or another,” he growled. “Well, at least you have not strayed too far from the station. There is the good path up ahead. I’d invite you back to my house for something to eat, but I don’t think you want to go in the wrong direction. And my dog is anxious to get to work.”
“What work does he do?” Annie asked.
“We’re out hunting rabbits,” the old man said. “How else does one get meat these days? And old Louis here, he has a good nose for finding game. Rabbits, squirrels. Anything for the pot so my wife can make a stew.”
“We wish you good hunting, monsieur,” Annie said.
“And you too, ladies.” He tipped his old felt hat to them and whistled for the dog to follow him.
The two women got to their feet. “You were amazing,” Madeleine said. “I can see you’re going to be good at this. You think on your feet. So convincing.”
Annie grinned. “I was good at lying when I was a kid. I could make my mother believe anything. Who thought it would come in handy in later life? But I don’t think he was fooled for a minute. He knew who we are.”
“He did?”
“When I wished him good hunting, he replied, ‘You too,’ didn’t he? He suspected we were Resistance of some sort, but he was on our side.” She brushed down her coat. “Well, we’ve had good luck so far. Let’s hope it holds up. Ready to make for the station?”
