Cop from Boston, in 1942 London , is a very brief synopsis of an interesting period mystery, Billy Boyle by James R. Benn. Billy comes from a family of Irish-American cops in Boston. He is drafted and in an effort to keep him safe his mother uses her influence with her cousin by marriage, Uncle Ike (yes, as in General Eisenhower), to get her son assigned to army headquarters in London. Soon he is investigating the death of a top Norwegian official while worrying about a spy who is tampering with maps of the possible invasion of Norway.

Billy has never been outside of Boston and is a little brash, but he’s a quick learner and has a mostly open mind. He often pauses to think what advice his father would give him. At times the writing is a little melodramatic — if it was a movie you would hear the crescendos rising. However, the story is interesting, the characters are sympathetic and the historical background on the war is fascinating. I am ready for more–and, thankfully, Billy Boyle is the first in a series. --Susan

From ICPL Staff Picks Blog