Book excerpt: The Strumpet Wind, first published in 1947, is a fictional account of espionage during the later days of World War II. Set in southern France, the novel revolves around a French family (the husband is a collaborator with the Vichy government and the German army), and an American intelligence agent, whose mission is to transmit false messages to the Nazis. Mercanton, the collaborator, attempts to switch allegiance to the Allied cause, but his actions, although helpful, do not prevent the tragic consequences brought about by his earlier activities. Author Gordon Merrick (1916-1988), served in the O.S.S. in France during World War II, reaching the rank of captain. The Strumpet Wind was his first novel.