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The Advocate #2
Officer of the Court: A Novel of WWII
From the critically acclaimed author of The Advocate comes a new novel of military suspense featuring a hero who dares to investigate the crimes that war often hides.
Officer of the Court is the stunning tale of a man defying the military establishment and risking his life to solve a murder — a murder that conceals a shattering act of betrayal.
On a remote Scottish island the body of an American officer has washed ashore. Major Harry Voss, a lawyer in the Army’s Judge Advocate’s office, doesn’t hesitate to take the assignment of finding out who killed Lieutenant Armando Grassi, and why.
Harry worked with Lieutenant Grassi on the case of a murdered American fighter pilot shot down by his own comrades. That inquiry left good men dead, a woman destroyed, and justice undone. For Harry, this is a chance to right the wrongs of the past.
Meanwhile, World War II is London has survived the Blitz, Nazi submarines have been swept out of the North Atlantic, and the Allies are poised for victory on the Italian front. From the beginning, Voss and his new partner, Captain Woody Kneece, are certain that Grassi had uncovered something about secret night flights between England and a remote base in Greenland. Now they must follow Grassi’s footsteps. And when they do, they are drawn inexorably into a dangerous conspiracy — and the fiery crucible of the war.
There is far more to Grassi’s murder than meets the eye. Harry’s investigation will take him from the rear echelons to the front lines in search of the truth. But, as Harry knows, the truth is often the first casualty of war.
In a world where soldiers guard their secrets with their lives and ruthless, powerful men orchestrate world events for their own gain, Harry is facing an almost impossible task. He cannot guess how much this investigation will cost him personally and professionally.
But as he and Kneece, each with something to prove to himself, come closer to a shocking revelation, the more they find themselves challenging a military establishment that takes no prisoners. Here loyalties are meant to be betrayed, allies can turn easily into foes, and the line between combat and cold-blooded murder can become tragically blurred.
Officer of the Court is the stunning tale of a man defying the military establishment and risking his life to solve a murder — a murder that conceals a shattering act of betrayal.
On a remote Scottish island the body of an American officer has washed ashore. Major Harry Voss, a lawyer in the Army’s Judge Advocate’s office, doesn’t hesitate to take the assignment of finding out who killed Lieutenant Armando Grassi, and why.
Harry worked with Lieutenant Grassi on the case of a murdered American fighter pilot shot down by his own comrades. That inquiry left good men dead, a woman destroyed, and justice undone. For Harry, this is a chance to right the wrongs of the past.
Meanwhile, World War II is London has survived the Blitz, Nazi submarines have been swept out of the North Atlantic, and the Allies are poised for victory on the Italian front. From the beginning, Voss and his new partner, Captain Woody Kneece, are certain that Grassi had uncovered something about secret night flights between England and a remote base in Greenland. Now they must follow Grassi’s footsteps. And when they do, they are drawn inexorably into a dangerous conspiracy — and the fiery crucible of the war.
There is far more to Grassi’s murder than meets the eye. Harry’s investigation will take him from the rear echelons to the front lines in search of the truth. But, as Harry knows, the truth is often the first casualty of war.
In a world where soldiers guard their secrets with their lives and ruthless, powerful men orchestrate world events for their own gain, Harry is facing an almost impossible task. He cannot guess how much this investigation will cost him personally and professionally.
But as he and Kneece, each with something to prove to himself, come closer to a shocking revelation, the more they find themselves challenging a military establishment that takes no prisoners. Here loyalties are meant to be betrayed, allies can turn easily into foes, and the line between combat and cold-blooded murder can become tragically blurred.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2001
7 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Bill Mesce Jr.
28 books299 followersBill Mesce, Jr. is an award-winning author and playwright, as well as a screenwriter.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 30, 2020
December 1943 Major Harry Voss, lawyer in the Army's judge Advocate office is called in by Captain Woody Kneece of the Criminal Investigation Corps. To investigate the death of a Lieutenant Armando Grassi, Voss's old assistant, when his body is washed up on a remote island off the coast of Scotland.
An interesting and enjoyable well-written historical story.
An interesting and enjoyable well-written historical story.
June 6, 2021
I had a hard time getting into this book, but it did hold my interest well enough to finish it. It is a murder mystery set in the fighting of WWII. In attempting to solve the murder, a bigger scam is uncovered. It seems rather predictable, and I found the end slightly disappointing albeit realistic.
January 28, 2019
Never read this author before. Good story ... WW2 action set in numerous locations from USA and Canada to Greenland, Iceland Scotland, England and Italy as the story took us along.
Only reason I took so long to finish was Christmas and life got in the way.
Only reason I took so long to finish was Christmas and life got in the way.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews