Synopsis
Book 2 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 In Three Acts', 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. This three act version of my novel 'Coup de Grace', is a neo-noir film script presented in a non-movie industry format that makes it easy for everyday readers to enjoy. It is based on my novel of the same name but many changes have been made - especially the denoument - which is very different from that in the book.
About the Author
Ray Johnstone is an artist and writer. He was born in South Africa in 1943 and educated at Parktown Boys' High School and the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg. Ray graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts, majoring in painting, drawing and sculpture. He then participated in several group exhibitions in Johannesburg, including two at the prestigious Total Gallery. One of his large nudes on show at a Pretoria exhibition created a controversy when a screen had to be erected around the painting to prevent it being seen by the then South African Prime Minister John Vorster. Ray and his family emigrated to Australia in 1980 where he had seven solo exhibitions in Melbourne. In 1997 he won the Applied Chemicals International Acquisitive Prize for a watercolour of a Victorian factory. Australian radio personalities Terry Lane and Doug Aiton both have portraits done by Ray and his works are held by private collectors in France, Hong Kong, Holland the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Ray and his wife Lynne now live permanently at La Petite Galerie in a medieval village in southwest France where he exhibits regularly at the Mézin Tourist Office. Ray and Lynne operate an art gallery, a gite (self catering holiday accommodation) and fully inclusive, live-in painting holidays.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
