From the deserts of Libya and Egypt to the icy lakes of Scotland, from London under the Blitz to German occupied France, from Alpine glaciers to the stately homes of Britain, this book ranges over the landscapes of World War II. Its protagonist escapes from Austria with a burning desire for revenge after the murder of his parents by an SS officer. He becomes a British agent, is involved in numerous missions against the German enemy and at the same time hunts for the killer of his parents. At the climax of the book, just as he finds the murderer, he is ordered by his chief to sacrifice his life and the life of the woman he loves in order to ensure the success of the invasion of Normandy by the Allies. Will he comply - and is it necessary?