set in and around monaco in november 1942, in world war II, as the book depicts the first italian and vichy french reactions to news of the allied landings in vichy french north africa, including algeria.
(reading this was the first indication the young me ever had that earthquakes could happen - or have happened - relatively nearby, in western europe; other bits of the description of menton(e) stuck. . .) (this comment is from another edition of this book)