Reprisal

Reprisal, first published in 1942, is a novel centered on six people, mostly in the Brittany region of France during the early days of World War II. A German officer is found murdered, and the Germans promise that 20 villagers will be shot if the killer is not found within three days. While not filled with action, the book is an emotional 'psychological thriller,' as well as a romance, as tensions mount and each character's true nature become apparent, all within the larger context of the German occupation, divided loyalties, and the future of France. Ethel Vance is a pseudonym for Grace Zaring Stone (1891-1991), who authored 11 books, three of which were made into movies.