Graham Greene wrote The Tenth Man in 1944 when he was under a two-year contract with MGM. The manuscript lay forgotten in their archives until 1983 . It was published two years later.

This story starts with 30 men in a German prison cell in occupied France. As a reprisal for three murders by the local resistance, three of these 30 will be shot the following morning. They draw lots. One of the unlucky three is a rich lawyer called Lewis Chavel who has a failure of nerve and offers his worldly belongings if someone will take his place.

Someone does so they can pass on the money and property to their family.

After the war and in disguise, Chavel goes back to the place he called home to see what became of his property.