Ken Haskins

The Lost Child Ken Haskins

The author was eleven years old when World War II ended. An older brother died before Ken was born but Herschel would have been a GI if he had lived. In 1945, Herschel would have returned home with the woman he met while on vacation in France in 1940. This is her story: Marie-France Mirage has a promising career in grand opera when Germany invades France. Her uncle heads a resistance cell. He urges her to accept a German general?s employment offer as secretary and translator then demands that she encourage General Fischer?s advances; Marie-France becomes the general?s mistress. With General Fischer?s assistance, Marie-France is invited to sing for Hitler?s birthday celebration. She and her uncle plan an assassination; the plot cannot be implemented but Marie-France returns to Paris with microfilm of Hitler?s secret weapon, the V-1 rocket. For four years, Marie-France passes critical information to the Allies, helps downed airmen get back to England, and saves Jews destined for death camps. Everyone in her cell dies except Marie-France. The secret of her dual role is kept so well that she is accused and convicted of collaboration; in her case, a capital offense.