Echobeat: Book 2 of the WW2 spy novels set in neutral Ireland

Echoland #2

by Joe Joyce

German bombs fall on neutral Ireland in the first days of 1941. Are they deliberate or accidental? A message or the prelude to invasion?
Paul Duggan and his colleagues in the intelligence unit of the Irish army have to answer these questions any miscalculation could be fatal. The pressure is on to find the one man who could help them - a German spy who has been operating in Dublin for almost a year.
Meanwhile, Duggan is running a routine operation with the help of a Jewish refugee spying on German fliers interned in Ireland when they're out on parole. But it turns out to be anything but routine and changes his life dramatically.
"Joe Joyce has written another winner… a compelling and evocative thriller… Excellent" -- Irish Independent
"A captivatingly intriguing novel which will be enjoyed by anyone who likes thrillers or historical fiction" -- Sunday Business Post

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Irish Literature

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2014

About the author

Joe 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.

Reviews

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Echobeat is the second book in the Echoland series featuring Captain Paul Duggan of G2, the Irish military intelligence, during the Second World War. This outing is set over Christmas 1940 and into early 1941. German has conquered much of North West Europe, has lost the Battle of Britain, but is winning the Battle of the Atlantic. The United States, like Ireland, is neutral. Britain wants access to Ireland’s deep water ports and for the US to enter the war; Germany wants to prevent both. Ireland is being subject to diplomatic pressure and sabre rattling by both, including a few bombs being dropped by German planes. G2’s job is decipher both countries intentions and the games they are playing to bring pressure to bear on the Irish government, and to discover and track their spies. Duggan is given the task of locating Germany’s spymaster, who is on the run, as well pick up gossip from downed airmen. His job takes an unexpected turn when he stumbles across a plot to halt America entering the war. Joyce does a nice job of spinning this scenario into a compelling spy thriller that has plenty of intrigue, tension, and at times levity. Duggan and his special branch pal, Peter Gifford, form a nice double-act and the romance with a German Jew turned café spy is well spun. There’s a strong sense of place and time; the historical contextualisation is excellent with respect to the Irish position during the war, the pressure placed on the government, and its internal politics, without swamping the story. I wasn’t wholly convinced by one part of the denouement and the wrap-up seemed quite perfunctory, but overall an interesting and entertaining read.

[EileenNH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing and a Very Good Story

The verbal insults and banter by the characters makes this story. If, not, then the story in just a guy riding his bicycle, in the snow, looking for a couple of guys wanted for questioning.
Don't get me wrong, the idea that Ireland was neutral and worried about England overtaking them, during World War II, and using them as a buffer to protect England, is significant.

[Michael McVeigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great 2nd book

Really enjoyed the second book in the series. Enjoyed how the characters have developed and absolutely adore Tommy. Just about to start book 3. ..... And looking forward to it.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have enjoyed this book so much, a very good writer, well researched. The Republic of Ireland remaining neutral in WW2 and the pressure from Churchill and the Nazi to take sides. Historical history at its best.

[Phillip Kerrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 2nd in a series of 3. Set in Ireland in 1940 it gives an insight into those times in that country. I never realised that Ireland worried at the time about being invaded by both Germany and England because of its neutral status and location. The times are seen through the eyes of a young Intelligence officer in the Irish army.
The writing is good and keeps the story humming along though some of the support characters in the army seem a bit juvenile with their put downs of the main character. Enjoyed both books overall.

[Ted Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK the timelines are a bit distorted, the ending exceeds somewhat the boundaries of plausibility, but this is a great piece of fiction based on factual events in Ireland during World War II. I can't say that Joyce captures the atmosphere of Dublin in the 1940s, but he brings back many of my memories of the city in the '50s and '60s. In the first book in this series, Paul Duggan cycles all over Dublin, in this book, despite petrol shortages, he drives most of the time. His relationships with his fellow intelligence officers, his superiors and his contact in the Garda Special Branch are full of the grudging respect, animosities and friendships of real life.

[Jasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The liberties taken with the historical timeline are a bit confusing for someone who actually knows the timeline, but to be honest there are probably not a lot of people who do, so I just felt very knowledgeable while reading this book. It's like an inside joke among people who have read about the German spies in WWII Ireland.

The main character is growing on me, too - I hope there is more of this to come!

[BrianC75 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written spy novel about, of all the things, plots and dastardly happenings in neutral Ireland in WWII!
Well plotted and thoroughly interesting. Dublin in the Forties is the backdrop and, being Irish, it proved even more enjoyable. I have not read Joe Joyce before but now look forward to reading the other two books in the ‘Echo..’ series.

[Liam Mycroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second of the Echo series. enjoyed 95% of the book, but slightly disappointed with the climax, which seemed a little rushed, and to be honest, a somewhat unsatisfactory conclusion to a riveting story. notwithstanding that, I look forward to the next installment, Echowave.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another marvellous tale right to the unexpected, shocking ending... Duggan, Gifford and even Sullivan for that matter are wonderful characters and I hope we see them again...

[Don Dealga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good entertaining read spoiled a little by a hurried jarring conclusion which seemed unconvincing and out of tune with the tone of the novel.