"In their study of Marx Dormoy and his murder, Brunelle and Finley-Croswhite provide something for scholars and casual consumers of history alike. Fans of true crime, especially, will not be disappointed."
Julie M. Powell, Origins, March 2021
"The research and writing pair Gayle K. Brunelle and Annette Finley-Croswhite have a knack for finding compelling stories that are historically revealing. With their new book, Assassination in Vichy: Marx Dormoy and the Struggle for the Soul of France, they again present a case study of a murder perpetrated by right-wing terrorists. As with their first book, they blend readability with intellectual rigor."
Mattie Fitch, Marymount University, H-France
"Original in its content and insightful in its analysis, Assassination in Vichy will appeal not only to French history enthusiasts, but also to those who enjoy learning about the complex nature of wartime justice and France's rather complicated role in the Second World War."
Catherine Gaughan, Ryerson University, The French Review
“A thrilling work of historical scholarship, thoughtful and scrupulous.”
Kirkus Reviews
"This is a riveting account of an overlooked episode in the history of the French Occupation. The authors act at once as historians and detectives, piecing together the tragic final act of Marx Dormoy's life and the conspiracy of fascist terrorists responsible for his killing, while demonstrating why scholars of France should care about this story. This accomplished and intelligent work is the perfect sequel to the authors’ much-admired previous book on the Cagoule."
Chris Millington, Manchester Metropolitan University
"Assassination in Vichy provides a strong and compelling examination of the continuation of the Cagoule’s intrigues and machinations into the 1940s, and places these within the larger context of factional rivalry within the Vichy Regime. Brunelle and Finley-Croswhite use their story to explore the difficulties for the French in coming to terms with the memories of Vichy and France’s role in the Second World War."
William Cormack, University of Guelph
"An engrossing read from start to finish, Assassination in Vichy revisits the grisly murder of a neglected but vital defender of France’s Third Republic. Attentive to the fraught character of wartime justice, this book combines first-rate sleuthing and masterful portraits of its subjects – ranging from Marx Dormoy himself to his killers, and the officials who tracked them – with sophisticated analysis of the historical context. For those concerned about far-right threats to democracy, this is a vital study."
Sean Kennedy, University of New Brunswick
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