The Phantom Patrol: A Billy Boyle WWII Mystery
James R. Benn. Soho Crime, $27.95 (352p) ISBN 978-1-64129-543-7
Looted Nazi artwork and the buildup to the Battle of the Bulge provide the backbone for Benn’s richly detailed latest action thriller featuring U.S. Army investigator Billy Boyle (after Proud Sorrows). On special assignment in Paris in the winter of 1944, Boyle stumbles across a Gustav Klimt drawing that’s been making its way through the underground art market. He quickly ties it to the Syndicat du Renard, a group of Nazi sympathizers seeking to capitalize on the spoils of war. At the direction of his uncle, Dwight Eisenhower, Billy ventures to Belgium in search of clues about the syndicate. There, he runs into Nazi troops on the verge of launching an offensive. The action moves briskly as the determined Boyle, aided by fellow Army investigators (and series regulars) Kaz and Big Mike, gradually uncovers a Nazi plot with the potential to determine the outcome of the war. As always, Benn peppers the action with real history, ranging from the harrowing (the Malmedy Massacre) to the quirky (soldiers J.D. Salinger and David Niven make cameos). At times, the search for the art thieves falls by the wayside as Boyle dodges more immediate perils, but loyal readers are likely accustomed to Benn’s meandering narratives. This will satisfy series fans. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary. (Sept.)
Details
Reviewed on: 06/18/2024
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Compact Disc - 979-8-228-00250-0
MP3 CD - 979-8-228-00251-7
Paperback - 352 pages - 978-1-64129-709-7