Billy Boyle by James R. Benn: A review

This historical mystery series set in the World War II era has been recommended to me on several occasions over the years. It seemed churlish not to give it a try, starting of course with the first in the series, the eponymous Billy Boyle.

William "Billy" Boyle was a 22 year old Irish-American policeman in Boston when the United States entered World War II in 1941. He had just made detective and was looking forward to a long career along the lines of his father and uncle who were also Boston cops.

His family was naturally concerned about the thought of Billy being swept into the war and they pulled all the strings they could lay their hands on to get him into Officers Candidate School. The family, on his mother's side, had a connection to Gen. Eisenhower through Ike's wife Mamie, and they were hoping that Billy could be assigned as an aide to Ike in some cushy office in Washington. It didn't quite work out that way. Billy was assigned to the general but, after he graduated from OCS, he was on his way to London where Ike had taken over as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe.

Billy was to serve as Ike's own discreet investigator and his first assignment is to root out a spy. He is sent to Beardsley Hall, the seat of the Norwegian government in exile, where it is believed there is a German spy operating. Operation Jupiter, supposedly the Allied invasion of Norway, is being planned so the spy must be found and stopped.

The inexperienced Boston cop is out of his element and has little faith in his own abilities. His confidence in himself and others' confidence in him is tested further as he soon finds himself looking not only for a spy but for a murderer. First, one of the Norwegians, a confidante of the king, is murdered. Then a young woman who had been assigned as a driver and assistant to Billy is killed and a Polish officer who was also helping is critically injured. Had they learned something about the first murder that put them in jeopardy? Are there two murderers or only one? Billy must find out before more deaths occur.

Benn did a very good job of describing the English countryside and the atmosphere of fear in London under the Blitz, as well as the stiff upper lip, keep calm and carry on attitude of the average resident. He also conveyed the awkwardness of a young man who had never been out of Massachusetts and now found himself thrust upon a much larger stage and feeling very unprepared. Billy Boyle, though, proved to be a tough and resilient character and a better detective than anyone had a right to expect.

This was a highly entertaining read and it's good to know that there are at least twelve more in the series. I'm looking forward to spending more time in Billy's company.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Poetry Sunday: Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver

How about we share another Mary Oliver poem? After all, you can never have too many of those. In this one, the poet seems to acknowledge that it is often hard to simply live in and enjoy the moment, perhaps because we are afraid it can't last. She urges us to give in to that moment and fully experience the joy. Although "much can never be redeemed, still, life has some possibility left." Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is no...

Poetry Sunday: Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney

My mother was a farm wife and a prodigious canner. She canned fruit and vegetables from the garden, even occasionally meat. But the best thing that she canned, in my opinion, was blackberry jam. Even as I type those words my mouth waters! Of course, before she could make that jam, somebody had to pick the blackberries. And that somebody was quite often named Dorothy. I think Seamus Heaney might have spent some time among the briars plucking those delicious black fruits as well, so he would have known that "Once off the bush the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour." They don't keep; you have to get that jam made in a hurry! Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen. At first, just one, a glossy purple clot Among others, red, green, hard as a knot. You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust ...

Poetry Sunday: Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman

You probably remember poet Amanda Gorman from her appearance at the inauguration of President Biden. She read her poem "The Hill We Climb" on that occasion. After the senseless slaughter in Uvalde this week, she was inspired to write another poem which was published in The New York Times. It seemed perfect for the occasion and so I stole it in order to feature it here, just in case you didn't get a chance to read it in the Times . Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman Everything hurts, Our hearts shadowed and strange, Minds made muddied and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new; We knew it as home, As horror, As heritage. Even our children Cannot be children, Cannot be. Everything hurts. It’s a hard time to be alive, And even harder to stay that way. We’re burdened to live out these days, While at the same time, blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know We must be altered — That we must differ or die, That we must triumph or try. ...

The Nature of Things

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