The Great Swindle

“The war had turned them into thieves, liars, and killers. Now peace would make them something worse.”

Chapter 1: The Aftermath of War

The novel opens in 1918, at the end of World War I. Two soldiers, Albert Maillard and Édouard Péricourt, survive the horrors of the trenches but are deeply scarred. Albert, a modest and honest man, saves Édouard, the disfigured son of a wealthy industrialist, from suicide. Their bond forms the core of the story.

Chapter 2: A Fraudulent Scheme

After the war, Albert and Édouard struggle to reintegrate into society. Édouard, embittered by his facial disfigurement, devises a plan to swindle war memorial funds. They recruit a third man, the cunning and opportunistic Henri d’Aulnay-Pradelle, who had previously betrayed them in battle.

Chapter 3: The Swindle Takes Shape

The trio begins their elaborate fraud, exploiting the grief of bereaved families by selling them fake war memorabilia and false promises of locating their loved ones’ remains. Their scheme grows bolder as they manipulate bureaucracy and public sentiment for profit.

Chapter 4: The Unraveling

As their deception escalates, tensions rise among the conspirators. Pradelle’s greed and ruthlessness threaten to expose them. Meanwhile, Édouard’s sister, Madeleine, begins investigating discrepancies in the war records, unknowingly closing in on their operation.

Chapter 5: Betrayal and Revenge

Pradelle betrays Albert and Édouard, leaving them to face the consequences. Édouard, consumed by vengeance, orchestrates a final, brutal act of retribution. The novel culminates in a dramatic confrontation that exposes the moral decay bred by war and greed.

Chapter 6: The Fallout

In the aftermath, Albert is left to reckon with the consequences of their actions. The story closes on a somber note, reflecting on the cost of survival and the moral compromises made in the shadow of war.

Key Ideas

• The psychological and physical scars of war.
• The corruption and exploitation of post-war society.
• The moral ambiguity of survival and revenge.
• The manipulation of collective grief for personal gain.
• The fragility of trust and loyalty in desperate times.