A Bitter Wind: A Billy Boyle WWII Mystery

Espionage and tensions among allies animate Benn’s outstanding latest Billy Boyle mystery (after The Phantom Patrol). On Christmas Day, 1944, U.S. Army investigator Boyle and his girlfriend, Capt. Diana Seaton of the British SOE, discover the bludgeoned body of U.S. Air Force Maj. Frederick Brockman on the White Cliffs of Dover. Classified papers in Brockman’s pockets allude to his involvement with a top-secret radio jamming operation. Officer Jean Conan Doyle, head of the RAF’s Y Service and daughter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ropes Boyle and Diana into the ensuing investigation, revealing antisemitism as a potential motive after she describes a disturbing string of similar attacks against Jewish airmen. The case takes Boyle to war-torn Yugoslavia, where a rogue American killer and shifting allegiances among Allied forces complicate his mission to rescue a missing British radar specialist. Alongside the familiar faces of Kaz and Big Mike—plus a surprise cameo from George McGovern—Boyle faces fierce combat, betrayals from longtime friends, and the ever-present threat of German assault as he tries to crack the case. Benn seamlessly weaves real history with vividly imagined clandestine operations. Newcomers and dedicated series fans alike will relish this exceptional military adventure. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary. (Sept.)