Ransom of Paris

WHY ISN’T PARIS BURNING?

Alan Kline, son of a sausage maker from Chicago, was wounded in France on D-Day, 1944. While in recovery in the hospital, he is approached to undertake a hazardous mission in Paris prior to the allies’ liberation of the French capitol.

Nazi general Von Choltitz has earned Hitler’s admiration for his absolute destruction of Sebastopol in Crimea during the German retreat from the area. Alan is tasked with approaching von Choltitz and offering him sanctuary and a hefty bribe not to destroy Paris in the same way.

Alan is not alone—he has allies. Von Choltitz’s mistress, Ann-Marie, is actually working with the French underground, and a German officer on von Choltitz’s staff is his best friend from their days at Oxford University prior to the war. Once prepped, Alan infiltrates occupied France and begins his mission. To his dismay, not only is he pitted against the Germans, but also against French Communists, who want Paris destroyed so they can rebuild it in the socialist manner.

Alan struggles to accomplish his job, while unintentionally falling in love with the beautiful Ann-Marie, whose relationship with the fat, German general turns his stomach. He races to meet von Choltitz’s ransom demands as the allies close in on Paris and Hitler screams, “Why isn’t Paris Burning?”