Book One in The Triumph of Evil Trilogy. Living in France during the Nazi Occupation is tough, dark and dangerous. In order to escape the forced labour scheme that sends French kids to work in German factories, Philippe joins the French resistance, but his best friend Yves - who has a scar on his face that makes him look as if he's always smiling - joins the Milice or French Gestapo. The boyhood friends are now on opposite sides in one of the bloodiest conflicts in history. While hiding in the forest with the underground movement, Philippe goes swimming with some young patriots. One of them is circumcised - he must be a Jew. Then the band of French partisans gets orders to attack the crack Das Reich Division. But things go badly wrong. The Nazis are an efficient fighting machine - the French as rag-tag secret army. Philippe is badly wounded and found by a German patrol. An officer arrives who speaks perfect French. And his mouth is twisted into a permanent smile... In war there are no winners, and in 'Coup de Grace', good does not triumph over evil - the price for treachery is seldom exacted - and brutality is meted out equally on both sides of the struggle for Liberation.