This story takes place in France right after World War II. Charity Selborne is the widow of a British Air Force officer and is on holiday with her artist friend when the encounter in a small village hotel a group of characters that seem to be loosely tied together. There is a beautiful woman and a small boy that are at the center of something odd. Chairty learns that the woman had been married to an antiques dealer in England who had been tried but not convicted for a murder in their home and the boy with her is her stepson. It is the boy, David, that catches Chairity's attention as he seems lonely. She befriends him and takes him on a sight seeing trip and thus begins the adventure that makes the story. True to Ms. Stewart's style. there are vivid descriptions of the French countryside, lots of action and suspense as she tries to escape from the pursuing enemies, some doubt and plenty of surprises as who the enemy is is uncertain, and romance as well. And a great ending, as always. The book is just long enough to be read in an afternoon and intriguing enough to keeps ones attention. Highly recommended. The only things that really dates the story is the lack of cell phones that would have entered into a book of today but they weren't really missed and the fact that everyone seems to always be lighting or putting out a cigarette. People don't smoke that much these days.
