The Eighth Child

Why was Alan Brading's French wife gunned down in a London street in front of him? Why don't the police seem interested even though he sees the murderer later at her funeral? What has this to do with events that took place in France during the last war? Is the real problem connected with Alan himself? He has to fight the authorities, his wife's family, the people in her home town and himself before he finds out the truth and gets his revenge.