About:
Evil for Evil by James R. Benn is the fourth book in the Billy Boyle World War II historical mysteries. The series follows the former Boston cop solving mysteries in war time Europe while giving the reader a great history lesson.
- 354 pages
- Publisher : Soho Crime
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 1569478511
My rating for Evil for Evil – 5
Buy Evil for Evil from Amazon.com*
The Billy Boyle World War II book series*
More Books by James R. Benn*
Thoughts:
I bought the paperback copy of this book, and as much as I enjoyed the story, I have a warning for us old guys. The page count is misleading; the font is small and difficult to read. It should be about 720 pages or so.
Evil for Evil by James R. Benn has the best plot in the Billy Boyle series. It is complex, the characters are torn between duty and loyalty, and there are twists all around. Best of all, the historical story-line is something I never read much about, and learned a lot.
Billy Boyle seems to mature with every adventure. Through his young eyes, we see World War II from an optimistic but conflicting angle. In this story, however, Billy’s loyalties are conflicted between his Irish Catholic upbringing in Boston, and the reality on the ground where things are not black and white, but shades of gray. The contrast between the romanticized ideals which he was taught, and the experience of a country torn by a civil war was, for me, the most interesting aspect of the book.
Mr. Benn did not write a typical WWII historical fiction book. The lines between good guys and bad guys are blurred. Every character has suffered injustice inflicted on them by “the other side”, a complex situation where everyone is right and wrong at the same time.
I specifically enjoyed the author’s note at the end of the book. The IRA’s covert attempts to gain Nazi assistance with the S-Plan, a bombing campaign on English soil is a piece of fascinating history that I haven’t heard about.
Synopsis:
Ex-Boston Cop turned Army investigator Billy Boyle is sent by his uncle, General Eisenhower, to investigate the theft of 50 Fifty Browning Automatic Rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition in Ireland. Billy needs to find the weapons before any damage is done.
An American of Irish heritage, Boyle is torn between his upbringing of championing a free Ireland and the IRA, to working for the British Crown. But a Nazi-sponsored IRA uprising is the real threat and must be stopped.
Buy Evil for Evil from Amazon.com*
The Billy Boyle World War II book series*
More Books by James R. Benn*
Zohar – Man of la Book
Disclaimer:I bought this book
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on book
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