 In 2007, he was awarded the Grand Prix Jean Giono for his entire work.One of Chessex's last books "A Jew Must Die" (""), published 2008, focussed on the 1942 death of cattle trader Arthur Bloch, who was killed by Swiss Nazis in Chessex's home town of Payerne.The novel, like others in his back catalogue, was not warmly received in Switzerland ]]).. A play adapted from his 1967 novel "The Confession of Father Burg" had just had its premiere the night before his death.