A Coming Evil

Same book, different covers!

Review

"The combination of World War II and the Crusades is a feat only this talented author could pull off."

—VOYA

More Stuff

What does that title mean? Originally, there were supposed to be two quotes included, but these were cut out due to lack of space, so here they are now:

"The mere apprehension of a coming evil has put many into a situation of the utmost danger."
Lucan

"The great masses of the people...will more easily fall victims to a great lie than to a small one."
Adolf Hitler

My mother, as she looked as a very beautiful young woman in France.

Ages: 12 and up

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Book Description:

During the German occupation of France in 1940, 13-year-old Lisette meets a ghost while living with her aunt who harbors Jewish and Gypsy children in the French countryside.

Where do you GET those ideas?

I had been doing some research on medieval times for another book I was writing when I came across a footnote about the Templar knights being disbanded in disgrace over trumped up charges. This sounded so tantalizing that I looked further into the matter, and I thought it was such an interesting story that it needed to be told. At the same time--and seemingly unrelated--I knew that my mother, who lived in France during the Second World War, had a friend who'd had a house in the country and took in children. I'd read books about English kids leaving London but not French kids leaving Paris, which was a slightly different situation since London was being bombed, but the Germans were actually in France.

Excerpt

Lisette sat down on the ground with her knees drawn up close to her chest. Maybe thirteen years old wasn't that wonderful after all. Maybe there was an advantage to being a younger child and not knowing what was going on around you. But thinking of younger children reminded her of the Jewish family on the train--and once she thought of them, she couldn't get their faces out of her mind. She ressted her head against her upraised knees and tried not to feel sorry for herself.

A cold breeze touched the back of her neck.

Which was odd, since her hair covered her neck.

Lisette straightened up. Slowly.

The icy touch was gone, but she had a strong sensation that someone was watching her. She turned around, quickly this time.

Vivian Vande Velde