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Echoland #3
Echowave
It's June 1941. Paul Duggan, a young Irish military intelligence officer, is on a secret mission to Portugal to uncover German intentions towards neutral Ireland and, even more secretly, to find out who had informed the Americans of an Irish Minister's undiplomatic comments while in Lisbon on his way to Washington to plead for arms. Meanwhile, an unmarked American plane crashes in Ireland and its cargo of beer, cigarettes and caviare make their way into the local black market with unforeseen consequences. Then it turns out there was something more than booze on board a piece of secret military hardware of great interest to the Germans. Duggan and his colleagues find themselves in a complex game of diplomacy and disinformation as politicians in Ireland and America fall out and the spy agencies of Germany, Britain and the United States manoeuvre for political and military advantage. With the help of his Special Branch friend, Peter Gifford, he tries to unravel the plots and avoid the pitfalls. To do so he has to return to Lisbon, the war's spy centre, where the interlocking intrigues threaten the future of Ireland's relations with America, put its neutrality at risk, and finally threaten his own life and that of the woman he loves."
324 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2015
22 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Joe Joyce
14 books20 followersJoe Joyce is the author of five thrillers: ECHOLAND, ECHOBEAT and ECHOWAVE (spy novels set during the Second World War in neutral Dublin), THE TRIGGER MAN (set during the Irish 'Troubles' in the late 1980s) and OFF THE RECORD (set in the 1970s world of Irish journalism), as well as a history/biography of THE GUINNESSES and a critically acclaimed play,THE TOWER, about James Joyce and Oliver St John Gogarty. He is co-author with Peter Murtagh of THE BOSS, the classic account of Irish politician Charles Haughey in power, and BLIND JUSTICE, about a celebrated miscarriage of justice. He has worked as a journalist for The Irish Times, The Guardian, and Reuters news agency.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 6, 2021
Unusual but well expiored topic
An interesting series of books with this being the best. It helped to know the geography of Dublin as Duggan and his colleagues race around the city and the characters are all believable. Some of the descriptive writing is very effective, I particularly liked the image of the light from the setting sun "buttering the mellow colours of the city" of Lisbon.
I am sorry to have reached the end of the series which I would recommend.
An interesting series of books with this being the best. It helped to know the geography of Dublin as Duggan and his colleagues race around the city and the characters are all believable. Some of the descriptive writing is very effective, I particularly liked the image of the light from the setting sun "buttering the mellow colours of the city" of Lisbon.
I am sorry to have reached the end of the series which I would recommend.
April 26, 2022
being neutral in WW2 not easy for the Irish, to be sure
A 3 book series that is just splendid. Set in Ireland and brilliantly shows the difficulty faced being neutral, but dependent on “big brothers”. Very atmospheric of war time Dublin, good leading characters and some long running mysteries. A very real romance that also is challenging. But the best part is surely the witty, clever, friendly and trusting dialogue between our hero and his counterpart in special branch.
A 3 book series that is just splendid. Set in Ireland and brilliantly shows the difficulty faced being neutral, but dependent on “big brothers”. Very atmospheric of war time Dublin, good leading characters and some long running mysteries. A very real romance that also is challenging. But the best part is surely the witty, clever, friendly and trusting dialogue between our hero and his counterpart in special branch.
December 7, 2021
Who knew
Yet again I am surprised at the issues and the difficulties in deciding friend or foe.
The jury is still out.
Yet again I am surprised at the issues and the difficulties in deciding friend or foe.
The jury is still out.
May 29, 2023
Excellent
The story's plot was fast paced and interesting. A real page turner. The humor was exceptional and the characters were believable.
The story's plot was fast paced and interesting. A real page turner. The humor was exceptional and the characters were believable.
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October 31, 2016Echowave
Mysterious Book Report No. 230
by John Dwaine McKenna
As an avid and long time student of twentieth-century American and world history, I thought myself pretty well versed in World War II lore . . . until this week’s MBR disabused me of the notion. That’s because it made me aware of the fact that everything I knew about the war was from the perspective of the main belligerents and the ground they battled on in North Africa, Europe, Russia, Asia and the Pacific Islands . . . I realized I’d never read much of anything from the point of view of the neutrals; those countries who hadn’t declared war. Through a fortunate series of events, which we’ll explain at the conclusion of the MBR, I’m happy to report that my personal fog of ignorance started to dissipate as soon as I began reading Echowave, (Liberties Press, PB, $15.99, 323 pages, ISBN 978-1-910742-13-6) by Joe Joyce, who lives and works in Dublin, Ireland.
The novel begins in the early summer of 1941, when an unmarked B-17 bomber on a flight from Washington D.C. to London, England crashes in the remote west of Ireland. Unarmed, the bomber’s stuffed full of luxury goods—cigarettes, cigars, wine, whiskey and chocolate—bound for the America Embassy and all but unobtainable in Ireland, even if the poor culchies, (country-bumpkins) had money to buy them with. The bomber itself was meant to stay in England as part of America’s lend-lease program—designed by President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill as an effective way to help the British war effort without violating North America’s avowed neutrality. By the time the authorities reach the crash site, the surviving airmen are being cared for at surrounding farms and the wrecked airplane has been ransacked. All the luxury goods—as well as a secret piece of equipment called a Norden Bombsight—are gone, and it’s up to a young Irish secret service agent named Paul Duggan to find it before one of the many spies who’ve infiltrated the country can make off with it . . . or so he thinks . . . because with plot twists a-plenty, nothing is ever as it first appears to be.
It’s a rousing period piece, full of the detail, historic facts and emotions which gripped the world as Hitler’s armies were crushing the European continent and Ireland was being pushed by both British and American officials for help in the North Atlantic shipping lanes, where German submarines were devastating the Merchant Marine, sinking thousands of tons of ships and cargo. Meanwhile, the Germans want Ireland to use as a base for invading England. As the search and arm-twisting go from bad to worse, Duggan, pining for the woman he loves, who’s in America for her personal safety, gets drawn ever deeper into the deadly spy game being played out in Lisbon, the neutral city that’s teeming with espionage . . . where no one can be trusted . . . because everyone is spying!
Whether you’re a student of history, a World-War II buff, or a lover of intrigue and a well-plotted story—you’ll enjoy Echowave. It’s exciting, educational and entertaining, and the third of a series which began with the novels Echobeat and Echoland, but each one stands alone, and can be read by itself. Last of all, as promised, many thanks to author Joe Joyce, who contacted us last November to ask if we’d review his new novel, and sent a signed copy. In so doing he’s made all of us aware of a dandy new traditional series that’s suitable for readers of all ages.
Mysterious Book Report No. 230
by John Dwaine McKenna
As an avid and long time student of twentieth-century American and world history, I thought myself pretty well versed in World War II lore . . . until this week’s MBR disabused me of the notion. That’s because it made me aware of the fact that everything I knew about the war was from the perspective of the main belligerents and the ground they battled on in North Africa, Europe, Russia, Asia and the Pacific Islands . . . I realized I’d never read much of anything from the point of view of the neutrals; those countries who hadn’t declared war. Through a fortunate series of events, which we’ll explain at the conclusion of the MBR, I’m happy to report that my personal fog of ignorance started to dissipate as soon as I began reading Echowave, (Liberties Press, PB, $15.99, 323 pages, ISBN 978-1-910742-13-6) by Joe Joyce, who lives and works in Dublin, Ireland.
The novel begins in the early summer of 1941, when an unmarked B-17 bomber on a flight from Washington D.C. to London, England crashes in the remote west of Ireland. Unarmed, the bomber’s stuffed full of luxury goods—cigarettes, cigars, wine, whiskey and chocolate—bound for the America Embassy and all but unobtainable in Ireland, even if the poor culchies, (country-bumpkins) had money to buy them with. The bomber itself was meant to stay in England as part of America’s lend-lease program—designed by President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill as an effective way to help the British war effort without violating North America’s avowed neutrality. By the time the authorities reach the crash site, the surviving airmen are being cared for at surrounding farms and the wrecked airplane has been ransacked. All the luxury goods—as well as a secret piece of equipment called a Norden Bombsight—are gone, and it’s up to a young Irish secret service agent named Paul Duggan to find it before one of the many spies who’ve infiltrated the country can make off with it . . . or so he thinks . . . because with plot twists a-plenty, nothing is ever as it first appears to be.
It’s a rousing period piece, full of the detail, historic facts and emotions which gripped the world as Hitler’s armies were crushing the European continent and Ireland was being pushed by both British and American officials for help in the North Atlantic shipping lanes, where German submarines were devastating the Merchant Marine, sinking thousands of tons of ships and cargo. Meanwhile, the Germans want Ireland to use as a base for invading England. As the search and arm-twisting go from bad to worse, Duggan, pining for the woman he loves, who’s in America for her personal safety, gets drawn ever deeper into the deadly spy game being played out in Lisbon, the neutral city that’s teeming with espionage . . . where no one can be trusted . . . because everyone is spying!
Whether you’re a student of history, a World-War II buff, or a lover of intrigue and a well-plotted story—you’ll enjoy Echowave. It’s exciting, educational and entertaining, and the third of a series which began with the novels Echobeat and Echoland, but each one stands alone, and can be read by itself. Last of all, as promised, many thanks to author Joe Joyce, who contacted us last November to ask if we’d review his new novel, and sent a signed copy. In so doing he’s made all of us aware of a dandy new traditional series that’s suitable for readers of all ages.
February 24, 2023
Great insight into the treatment of Ireland as a neutral country during WW2. The British acted as the still controlled this Nation. Good read
March 9, 2016
Another great read in the adventures of Paul Duggan of Irish Army Intelligence. Set in World War II, the stories are fictitious, but loosely based on real historical events. I have enjoyed all three novels in the series. If I enjoyed this one somewhat less than the other two it is because some of the many twists in the story stretch credibility to breaking point and because the principal character and his boss appear to forget that nothing that any espionage agent of another country may tell you should be accepted without question.
January 15, 2023
A good follow up to the previous two books and an interesting insight into what a 'spy' is expected to do and deliver. Good pace and a good read.
April 19, 2017
Page-turning and vividly written, this is the third in the series following the path of Paul Duggan, G2 man during the 'Emergency' in Ireland. This time, he's tangled up even further in greater events and powers; the Nazis have invaded Russia, the Americans have mislaid a top-secret bombsight in Ireland and the British are watching everyone...it's a tense game of chess where a blunder could topple the nation into catastrophe.
I want more of this...I wonder if there is any in the pipeline?
I want more of this...I wonder if there is any in the pipeline?
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August 5, 2018The third in the "trilogy" of Paul Duggan and Joyce's characters from the "Emergency". Another gripping tale, set outside Dublin for a large, and important, part of the story, in Lisbon. Hoping that there are more tales to come, as I feel far from finished with Paul and his life. The growing supporting characters have become established in my mind, and I'm hoping to hear more...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews