 She has had a sheltered upbringing with elderly aunts in Norwich and has no experience of men but gradually falls in love with Michael Rhodes, initially driving him to Honiton where he first sees a flame-thrower in action and gets the idea for having one fitted to Genevieve.The novel is one of several by Shute that are set in the Second World War and deal with aspects such as the German occupation of France and undercover military operations.It is also one many of Shute's where the story is narrated by a person who is not one of the central characters.