JELLY BRYCE: FBI ODYSSEY

by Mike Conti

2016 Global Ebook Award Honorable Mention for Contemporary Historical Literature Fiction!FBI Odyssey is the second riveting read in Mike Conti's "Jelly Bryce" trilogy. In part two we follow Detective Delf Bryce as he leaves the Oklahoma City Police Department to become a member of J. Edgar Hoover's Federal Bureau of Investigation.America at that time was in a restless, uneasy state. The devastating Great Depression had not yet ended and the world stood on the brink of total war. In addition to the threat posed by the Axis powers in Europe and Asia was the specter of the "Red Menace"-the Communist movement-at home. Many Americans, including Hoover, the head of the country's fast-growing secret intelligence service, believed the Communists presented a "clear and present danger" to the United States and its way of life.Initially recruited into the FBI by none other than Hoover himself to battle the well-known gangsters of the era, Jelly soon found himself embroiled in missions with international implications. To do his job and keep himself alive, he would need to rely on both his legendary gunfighting skills as well as what author John Steinbeck referred to as "the final weapon"-his quick, analytical brain.(Word Approx. 81,000)___________________________________________________________________________________________"Ideally, I suppose every writer of history hopes someone will take their work and improve upon it. I cannot praise Mike Conti's Jelly Bryce trilogy too highly. He has breathed life into Jelly Bryce in ways my biography could not; ways in which the dry facts of newspaper articles, police reports, personnel files and even interviews of some friends and relatives have fallen short. I only wish Jelly could have read the trilogy. I believe he would have approved."-- Ron Owens Author of Jelly Bryce, Legendary Lawman

296 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2015

Reviews

[Darryl Greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Jelly Bryce:FBI Odyssey" is #2 in a trilogy by author and veteran police office Mike Conti. The trilogy charts the life and times of real life law enforcement hero Delf A (“Jelly”) Bryce. (Apparently the unusual nickname originated as “Jellybean” because of his penchant for fancy clothes). Whereas the first in the series covers Jelly’s life from childhood to his time as an officer in the Oklahoma City Police Department, this book takes us further in his career to the FBI and the favourite son of his boss and mentor J Edgar Hoover. Although the story itself is historical fiction focussing on Bryce’s life and exploits, it reads more like a biography. As is demonstrated early on in the narrative, Bryce was somewhat of a prodigy with firearms from a very early age. By the time he joined the OCPD he was already a legend in law enforcement circles, his reputation eventually coming to Hoover’s attention. In the days of the Wild West, Bryce would have been classed as a gunslinger — but on the right side of the law. In 1945 Life magazine clocked Bryce’s draw and fire at two-fifths of a second. At the FBI, he advanced quickly through the ranks, at the same time gaining the respect of his fellow agents, developing a reputation for great instincts and investigative skills. Despite this, he is remembered in the Bureau more for his remarkable ability as a “quick draw” shooter. He would routinely toss a coin into the air, then draw whatever pistol he happened to be carrying and shoot the coin out of the air. He was considered the FBI’s best trick shooter, even though he remained a field agent.

While "Jelly Bryce:FBI Odyssey" is, as noted above, a work of fiction the meticulous research Mike Conti has put into his subject and the surrounding historical events renders the book a fascinating read, even if 1930s gangsters, guns, and dynamite thrown from speeding cars isn’t your thing. What Conti is writing about is history — it happened — only the dialogue is make believe. The reader is treated to remarkable detail of the workings of the OCPD and the FBI, and those interested in ballistics won’t be disappointed either as guns and ammunition from that era are described in detail. Yet, this is a novel and the action gets underway from the opening lines, at a time when Jelly is still a teenager. Conti’s narrative is so descriptive you can literally see the action as it unfolds and the dialogue could be a script for a fascinating movie. Characterisation is excellent, so no need to keep turning up earlier pages to see who’s who. The writing itself is flawless; the story easily flows from one scene to the next. If there was a downside for me, it was that I was disappointed when I arrived at the end. But then again, there’s another book on its way.

[Lisa Kearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in a trilogy about the life of Jelly Bryce, written by Mike Conti. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, which covered Bryce's childhood and early career as a police officer in Oklahoma City during the Great Depression. This second book begins with Bryce being sent an invitation to join J Edgar Hoover's newly formed FBI as a special agent. Leaping at the chance to realize a lifelong dream, Bryce drives to Washington DC.

This book has a harder edge than the first book, which is not surprising since Bryce had been chasing and killing mobsters and bad guys for years at this point in his life. He settles right into his new career by earning the respect of his fellow agents and forming a close, respectful friendship with Hoover. Bryce serves his Bureau by going on assignments in various cities and helping to curtail the mob's activities, and his reputation as a sharp shooting, fast drawing legend grows. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book!

The characters and plot are very realistic, due to the author's own police background and familiarity with guns. I especially liked reading about the firearms used in that era, and about the very first S&W .357 Magnum revolver - a gun that became the standard side arms for police in the following years. My own very first gun was the same one, and I love it dearly.

Bryce is a hard man, lightning quick with his gun and with a predator's instinct for getting inside the heads of the criminals he hunts. However, his love life, like many in law enforcement, is difficult and sad. His only real anchor in life is his family back in Oklahoma, and it's interesting to see the relationship develop between Bryce and his father as he matures.

The next book in the series will take Bryce from the FBI to the newly formed SIS (precursor to the CIA), whose mission is to stem the rise of communism in Russia and at home in the USA. I can't wait to read the next installment, and highly recommend both the first book in the series and this one to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, police stories, or firearms.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I wasn't asked to leave a positive review, nor was I paid or otherwise compensated for reviewing it. It's my pleasure to read well written books like this one, and I give it five stars