Originally published in 1942, The Moon Is Down is a dark but hopeful fable about resistance and war. It is set in a small unnamed town in a European country, presumably in Scandinavia but never identified. An invading force, again unnamed but reminiscent of Nazi Germany, overwhelms the town but meets growing resistance despite the invaders’ superior firepower and strength. It focuses partly on the townspeople, especially the mayor, Orden, and his historian friend, Dr Winter, but also explores the experiences of the invading army’s senior staff, under Colonel Lanser, who find it harder to conquer than to invade. The mayor is the voice of hope, noting that “the one thing that can’t be done [is] to break man’s spirit permanently” - a message that must have been welcomed three years into World War Two.