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The Phantom Patrol

James R. Benn

$55

Hardback

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English
Soho Press
22 October 2024
An investigation into a gang of Nazi-affiliated art thieves leads Billy Boyle and his comrades directly into the line of fire at the catastrophic Battle of the Bulge.

An investigation into a gang of Nazi-affiliated art thieves leads Billy Boyle and his comrades directly into the line of fire at the catastrophic Battle of the Bulge.

Winter 1944- Months after the Liberation of France, ex-Boston cop Billy Boyle finds himself in a Paris reeling from the carnage it has endured but hopeful that an end to war is in sight. When Billy finds a rare piece of artwork after a tense shoot-out in the P re Lachaise Cemetery, he thinks it could be connected to the Syndicat du Renard, a shadowy network of Nazi sympathizers known to be smuggling stolen artwork out of France.

Trailing the Syndicat, Billy discovers that someone with a high level of communications clearance-someone in the Phantom regiment of the British Army-may be using his position to aid the thieves. Billy, determined to stop the abettor, heads up to the frontlines where he experiences a last-ditch battle against overwhelming odds. There, the ruinous Battle of the Bulge unfurls in the Ardennes Forest. Can Billy and his team survive the bracing onslaught and return the stolen artwork to its rightful protectors?
By:  
Imprint:   Soho Press
Country of Publication:   United States
Volume:   19
Dimensions:   Height: 234mm,  Width: 163mm, 
Weight:   567g
ISBN:   9781641295437
ISBN 10:   1641295430
Pages:   352
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active

James R. Benn is the author of the Billy Boyle World War II mysteries. The debut, Billy Boyle, was selected as a Top Five Book of the Year by Book Sense and was a Dilys Award nominee, A Blind Goddess was longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, The Rest Is Silence was a Barry Award nominee, and The Devouring was a Macavity Award nominee. Benn, a former librarian, lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife, Deborah Mandel.

Reviews for The Phantom Patrol

Praise for The Phantom Patrol “Benn’s nuanced consideration of the emotional marks that war leaves on those who survive provides his mystery with its real heart.” —The Irish Times “The Phantom Patrol is a fascinating and complex tale of stolen art and the heroes who are determined to get it back that really is quite extraordinary. Set during the infamous Battle of the Bulge, Benn’s newest Billy Boyle mystery is a masterful blend of history and heart. I loved this book!” —Karen Dionne, author of the #1 international bestseller The Marsh King’s Daughter and The Wicked Sister “This fast-paced thriller will keep you turning the page to the end. As a World War II historian, I love the accurate history in these books. As a lover of well-done mysteries, I can’t get enough of this series. You can’t go wrong hanging out with Captain Billy Boyle and Lieutenant Baron Kazimierz.” —Thomas McKelvey Cleaver, author of Clean Sweep: VIII Fighter Command Against the Luftwaffe, 1942–45 “Benn has a gift for rendering complex military history understandable and exciting. Here, he includes fascinating details about life after the Paris liberation and intriguing cameos of real people of the time: Hemingway is covering the war for Collier’s; Rose Valland (of Monuments Men fame) advises Boyle and his crew on stolen artworks; and British actor and Major David Niven, of the ‘Phantom’ special reconnaissance regiment, takes Boyle on a wild, witty ride in his M3A1 scout car, outfitted with a mounted machine gun and brandy. An absorbing and entertaining military history-mystery.” —Booklist, Starred Review “Richly detailed . . . 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).” —Publishers Weekly “A spirited recounting of deeply researched aspects of the war effort . . . Boyle’s 19th adventure eventually takes the reader to the bloody Battle of the Bulge, with scenes of gritty action, weaponry, and satisfying historical detail . . . Benn’s absorbing series continues at a high level.” —Kirkus Reviews Praise for the Billy Boyle mysteries “Full of action, humor and heart.” —Louise Penny “Benn is a master of suspense; his work builds to the end and never loosens its grip upon the reader.” —Charles Todd   “As historical detective series go, this one is extremely well tended by an author who clearly dotes on his hero. As do we.” —The New York Times


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