The Red Horse

Billy Boyle WWII Mysteries, Book 15

By: James R. Benn

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Just days after the Liberation of Paris, US Army Detective Billy Boyle and Lieutenant Kazimierz are brought to Saint Albans Convalescent Hospital in the English countryside. Kaz has been diagnosed with a heart condition, and Billy is dealing with emotional exhaustion and his recent methamphetamine abuse. Meanwhile, Billy's love, Diana Seaton, has been taken to Ravensbrück, the Nazi concentration camp for women, and Kaz's sister, Angelika, who he recently learned was alive and working with the Polish Underground, has also been captured and transported to the same camp.

This news is brought by British Major Cosgrove, who asks Billy for help, unofficially, in solving what he thinks was the murder of a British agent recuperating at Saint Albans. The convalescent hospital is really a secret installation for those in the world of clandestine warfare to recover from wounds, physical and emotional. Some are allowed to leave; others are deemed security risks and are detained there. When a second body is found, it is evident that a killer is at work in this high-security enclave. Now Billy must carry out his covert investigation while maintaining his tenuous recovery, shielding his actions from suspicious hospital authorities, and dodging the unknown murderer.

©2020 James R. Benn (P)2020 Recorded Books

Very good installment

True to the series, Billy is up to his neck in another case. Great character development and engaging story. Fans of the series will like this book.

A very good story, however...

Mr Benn loses one star for his frequent use of profane expletives. Such language adds nothing to the story. Would Mr Benn appreciate it if people asked him to damn everything? Would it not hurt him to have people use his name as a curse? 😕

Excellent story

I've enjoyed the Billy Boyle series; this book is no exception. The story introduces aspects of WW2 intelligence activities that I didn't know about, even though I’ve read many books about them and watched several documentaries. The characters are well-developed, and I look forward to reading or listening to more of their stories. The narration is excellent and adds to the story.

The Red Horse

James R. Benn has delivered another riveting page turner. Lots of intrigue and triumph as Billy and Kaz race to foil an evil plan. Personal struggles also have to be overcome.

Incredible WWII Mystery Series

The Billy Boyle WWII Mystery series is one of my absolute favorites. Besides my fondness for the recurring characters and their heroics, and the really good story lines, I love learning a little-known secret, revealed in each book. Although the books are pure fiction, there is always an historical nugget or two in each story. WWII buffs should love this series!

In The Red Horse, our hero, Billy Boyle is at a medical facility for agents , recovering from the mental and physical stresses of his last assignment. During the liberation of Paris, he over indulged in medications to stay awake, then saw his beloved, SOE Agent Diana Seaton, disguised as a French woman, arrested by the Nazis. Tormented and unable to rest, Billy witnesses a possible suicide when he sees a patient fall from the clock tower. But Billy saw someone else up on the clock tower with him, so he's pretty sure it was murder. As an inmate here, how can he solve this murder?

Accent

Good book, but the accent of the reader for Billy Boyle was not Boston. It was more like Brooklyn or Queens

Gave up with only 55 minutes left

That's how much of a non-event this book was for me. I tried and tried, but it never picked up any momentum and was so ho-hum I ditched it with only 55 minutes left. That's how little the story meant to me. Sadly.