When the German march across Europe reaches France, young Michelle Naget and her family join the throngs fleeing for safety. But their flight ends in capture by the Nazis, with one member of the family taken, while the rest of the family is sent back to their village of Braquis, France, to serve the enemy who has commandeered their home.

For the next four years, the Nagets live in the crosshairs of the enemy living under their roof and of the neighbors who question the family's loyalties. Every day becomes a test of faith for Michelle-in God, in family, in the hope that the Allies will come, and in the letters from a young French rebel named Légère who promises Michelle that she will be free again.

But when the Nazis' torment increases, and the razor-thin line between life and death narrows for the Nagets, the family's motto, "We do what must be done," and Michelle's faith in God, give her the courage to face her enemy and do whatever she must to protect the family she loves.