First published 1969
Sister Gabrielle tends to her duties at the Convent of Ste. Genevive as autumn harvest arrives in St. Hilaire. The year is 1943, and German forces control France while the Vichy government collaborates with the occupiers. Gestapo agents sweep through the countryside, seizing French men for forced labor in German factories. The occupation tests Sister Gabrielle's faith more severely than any trial she has faced as a novice. When Marc and Rachel Daridan reach St. Hilaire barely ahead of the secret police, they seek sanctuary with Sister Gabrielle and her fellow nuns. The Jewish couple desperately needs safe passage out of Nazi territory. Sister Gabrielle must choose between the safety of silence and the deadly risk of resistance. Her decision will demand courage that few in occupied France have shown. In a world where moral action can bring death, this young nun confronts an almost impossible mission to save two lives.
Genres: historical-fiction, war, thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-dilemma, resistance, sacrifice
Setting: France, St. Hilaire, Convent of Ste. Genevive
Period: 1943
224 pages · Hardcover · Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
Content warnings: violence, war