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Billy Boyle World War II #3
Blood Alone
Billy Boyle awakens in a field hospital in Sicily with amnesia. In his pocket is a yellow silk handkerchief embroidered with the initial L. Gradually he remembers: he has been sent ashore in advance of the troops with this token from Lucky Luciano to contact the head of the Sicilian Mafia. But he must also thwart a murderous band of counterfeiters of Army scrip led by Vito Genovese.
313 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2008
144 people are currently reading
487 people want to read
About the author
James R. Benn
34 books404 followersJames R. Benn is the author of Billy Boyle: A World War II Mystery, selected by Book Sense as one of the top five mysteries of 2006 and nominated for a Dilys Award. The First Wave was a Book Sense Notable title.
Benn is a librarian and lives in Hadlyme, Connecticut.
Benn is a librarian and lives in Hadlyme, Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
January 22, 2021
As this book opens, Billy Boyle is waking up in a field hospital. He can’t remember who he is or what he is doing there. Slowly, he begins to piece together things like his name and the fact that he is in Sicily in the summer of 1942. He also believes he has an important mission to carry out for his uncle, General Eisenhower. But he can’t remember what that mission is. However, he knows he has to keep moving, especially when he stumbles upon a dead body. Following the only clues he has, he sets out across the island, soon joined by a local doctor. Will he recover his memory in time?
Amnesia isn’t a new plot device, but I thought it was handled well here to set up the story and draw us in. As Billy relearns who he is, it also offers reminders on what has happened before without saddling us with long exposition. New readers should be warned that this does contain some pretty major spoilers for the first two books, however. That information is needed since it allows us to see real growth in the characters; I love how they are developing. We also see the impact of the war, not only on Billy and the other soldiers but also on the people living in Sicily at the time. All of this does sidetrack the mystery at times, and I’m torn on this. I appreciate how rich the book is, but I wish the pacing were a little better. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of action; so much so that Billy feels like an action hero at times. There is a solid mystery in the book with some good twists that took me by surprise. Overall, this is a great third book in a series I wish I had started sooner.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Amnesia isn’t a new plot device, but I thought it was handled well here to set up the story and draw us in. As Billy relearns who he is, it also offers reminders on what has happened before without saddling us with long exposition. New readers should be warned that this does contain some pretty major spoilers for the first two books, however. That information is needed since it allows us to see real growth in the characters; I love how they are developing. We also see the impact of the war, not only on Billy and the other soldiers but also on the people living in Sicily at the time. All of this does sidetrack the mystery at times, and I’m torn on this. I appreciate how rich the book is, but I wish the pacing were a little better. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of action; so much so that Billy feels like an action hero at times. There is a solid mystery in the book with some good twists that took me by surprise. Overall, this is a great third book in a series I wish I had started sooner.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
October 29, 2020
This is an excellent book. I'm a huge fan of the series, but this it the book where I think the author hits his stride. The book follows the adventures of Billy Boyle, Boston cop who enrolled in the US Army during WWII. His adventures takes us to Sicily prior to the Americans landing. The tone of the book is fantastic, the prose and the dialogue are very much in keeping with the time. Crisp. Full of lingo. Immerses you in the era. There are moments of burst-out-humour and there are key insights into war and its dark moments.
I'm disappointed the relationship with Diana wasn't more present in the book. There's a significant trauma from Book II that could have been explored a little more and Billy Boyle could have done some more character growth (as in shown the reader how that growth happened).
I can't wait to start the next book.
I'm disappointed the relationship with Diana wasn't more present in the book. There's a significant trauma from Book II that could have been explored a little more and Billy Boyle could have done some more character growth (as in shown the reader how that growth happened).
I can't wait to start the next book.
October 1, 2019
First sentence: I was hot, and my head hurt.
Premise/plot: Blood Alone is the third novel in James R. Benn’s historical mystery series starring police detective turned soldier Billy Boyle. The war has taken Billy far from Boston. He now finds himself in Sicily ahead of the invasion. There’s only one little problem: he finds himself in the hospital with multiple injuries and no memories. Yes, our hero has amnesia, but danger and adventure won’t wait. Threats abound and a mission awaits. Billy Boyle must get back to solving murders if he’s to stay alive.
The book opens with a quote: “Blood alone moves the wheels of history.” This quote provides Billy Boyle much food for thought throughout the novel.
My thoughts: I have read and enjoyed all three books in the series. This one may just be my favorite so far. I loved the introspective nature of the narrative. I loved the suspense and action. This one unlike book two kept me guessing and provided enough twists and turns. I found the story captivating and well written.
Premise/plot: Blood Alone is the third novel in James R. Benn’s historical mystery series starring police detective turned soldier Billy Boyle. The war has taken Billy far from Boston. He now finds himself in Sicily ahead of the invasion. There’s only one little problem: he finds himself in the hospital with multiple injuries and no memories. Yes, our hero has amnesia, but danger and adventure won’t wait. Threats abound and a mission awaits. Billy Boyle must get back to solving murders if he’s to stay alive.
The book opens with a quote: “Blood alone moves the wheels of history.” This quote provides Billy Boyle much food for thought throughout the novel.
My thoughts: I have read and enjoyed all three books in the series. This one may just be my favorite so far. I loved the introspective nature of the narrative. I loved the suspense and action. This one unlike book two kept me guessing and provided enough twists and turns. I found the story captivating and well written.
May 4, 2023
Billy Boyle was a detective in Boston and during WWII he is assigned to General Eisenhower's HQ. Eisenhower happens to be Billy's Uncle, and the General asks Billy to investigate crimes in the army, solve them, and keep them quiet. This is the third in the series. This book has a good plot and continuous action. The Mafia gets involved and it makes for a good story. As the book progresses I found the details a bit complicated, but overall a very good book.
July 23, 2016
First Sentence: I was hot.
If you’re looking for a gentle entry into a story, you won’t find it here. Benn has both his character, and his reader fully involved from the beginning. There is an excellent setup to the crime early in the story. However, even with action that is practically non-stop, Benn manages to include an excellent plot twist.
Each of the Billy Boyle books takes the reader to a different location with a basis on an event in history. It’s nice to have a completely involving story with a bit of education rolled in. Benn’s voice is strong and provides evocative descriptions…”Yellow flowers were clipped by flying lead, scattering bouquets over the dead and dying.”
It is the character of Billy who truly drives the story and Benn skillfully provides the reader with details of Billy’s background. He is also our moral center. His realization regarding the events of his recent past, the effects of the ware, backbreaking labor and poverty on the poor are powerfully expressed, while Benn points out one of the tragic facts of history. “Blood alone moves the wheels of history,” Sciafani quoted [said by Mussolini]. An element that makes the story particularly interesting is Billy’s amnesia. Yet, in spite of it, it demonstrates that he is capable and a survivor, as well as caring and clever. “When I was trying to figure out who I was, I ran into a Sicilian doctor. He told me about amnesia and said I was the most fortunate of men because I was about to discover who I was. He told me some philosopher once said the unexamined life is not worth living, and that I was being given the opportunity to examine mine.”
“Blood Alone” is a very good blending of fiction and actual history with excellent characters and great action.
BLOOD ALONE (Hist Mys-Billy Boyle-Italy-WWII) – VG
James R. Benn – 3rd in series
SOHO, 2008
If you’re looking for a gentle entry into a story, you won’t find it here. Benn has both his character, and his reader fully involved from the beginning. There is an excellent setup to the crime early in the story. However, even with action that is practically non-stop, Benn manages to include an excellent plot twist.
Each of the Billy Boyle books takes the reader to a different location with a basis on an event in history. It’s nice to have a completely involving story with a bit of education rolled in. Benn’s voice is strong and provides evocative descriptions…”Yellow flowers were clipped by flying lead, scattering bouquets over the dead and dying.”
It is the character of Billy who truly drives the story and Benn skillfully provides the reader with details of Billy’s background. He is also our moral center. His realization regarding the events of his recent past, the effects of the ware, backbreaking labor and poverty on the poor are powerfully expressed, while Benn points out one of the tragic facts of history. “Blood alone moves the wheels of history,” Sciafani quoted [said by Mussolini]. An element that makes the story particularly interesting is Billy’s amnesia. Yet, in spite of it, it demonstrates that he is capable and a survivor, as well as caring and clever. “When I was trying to figure out who I was, I ran into a Sicilian doctor. He told me about amnesia and said I was the most fortunate of men because I was about to discover who I was. He told me some philosopher once said the unexamined life is not worth living, and that I was being given the opportunity to examine mine.”
“Blood Alone” is a very good blending of fiction and actual history with excellent characters and great action.
BLOOD ALONE (Hist Mys-Billy Boyle-Italy-WWII) – VG
James R. Benn – 3rd in series
SOHO, 2008
September 5, 2016
Billy’s mission in Sicily is to convince a Mafia leader to have the Sicilians walk away from the war. The problem is that Billy finds himself in an aid station with bandages on his head and arm and no idea who he is or how he got there, much less what his mission is. He finds he has a yellow silk handkerchief with the letter L and that others seem to have a great interest in it. Gradually, Billy’s memory returns, but will it be complete and will it be in time to complete the mission?
Parts of this were very hard to follow in terms of the mafia structure and connections. I had a hard time, right along with Billy, figuring out what was going on. As with the other volumes in this series, he finds himself in all sorts of tight spots and manages to talk his way out or be rescued at just the right time. In spite of it all, I'm enjoying the series enough to keep going.
Parts of this were very hard to follow in terms of the mafia structure and connections. I had a hard time, right along with Billy, figuring out what was going on. As with the other volumes in this series, he finds himself in all sorts of tight spots and manages to talk his way out or be rescued at just the right time. In spite of it all, I'm enjoying the series enough to keep going.
November 5, 2016
A solid addition to this series. The plot was complicated enough to keep the story interesting but not so much so that it got bogged down. I enjoyed that there were some actual events woven into the tale. Admittedly, a couple of times during the book I thought 'well, wasn't that a convenient coincidence' but these were few times that never detracted from the overall read. Finally, I enjoyed that Billy seems to be taking on a new level of thoughtfulness and maturity. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
October 3, 2011
This is the 3rd in the series but the 4th of the Billy Boyle World War II books I've read (since I managed to mix up the order a bit). That didn't impair my enjoyment at all. This was a quick read and revealed the underside of the allied invasion of Sicily, the deals that are occasionally done to win wars and the side effects of such deals. Along with that are the day to day pictures of young men, and women, in war.
May 28, 2019
I am more in love with Billy Boyle with each book I read. The first one helped me learn about the "invasion" of Norway, the second reminded me why North Africa was important -- and now I find out we have Lucky Luciano to thank for the safe (more or less) invasion of Sicily! And all the while Billy is getting into and out of fixes, using his cop knowledge and common sense. Great book series; can't wait to read the next one!
September 17, 2024
BLOOD ALONE is the third "Billy Boyle" adventure, and it is the best so far. Billy Boyle is a U.S. Army lieutenant during World War II. A Boston policeman in real life, he is distantly related to General Dwight Eisenhower, and that connection results in a special assignment to Allied Headquarters, where Ike uses Boyle's initiative and investigative powers to solve crimes that may hinder his war effort.
It's an imprecise mission statement; one that allows Boyle great latitude. In the first book he ended up in Norway, in book two the setting is North Africa. In BLOOD ALONE, Boyle is in the midst of Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, except as the action begins he cannot remember anything about why he is in Sicily, or even, for that matter, his name.
The amnesia bit could be cliched, but here it allows Boyle to muse about things philosophical. Authorities are on the lookout for Boyle. Does that mean he is a bad man? Dragooned into combat he finds shooting enemy soldiers comes naturally. Does that mean he is a criminal, a murderer? Author James R. Benn doesn't overreach with the musings, but it does add depth to Boyle's search for his memory and his mission.
Along the road in Sicily, Boyle witnesses random death in combat, a general weeping over the sacrifices of his troops, a massive friendly fire catastrophe, criminals who might be friends, and an Italian doctor who is even more comfortable with philosophical musings than Billy. This is the more thoughtful and more interesting part of the novel.
As Boyle's memory returns the action becomes more rote. It is satisfying without being challenging or all that exciting. During Boyle's search he runs into (or is discovered) by old friends who are now part of the cast of recurring characters created over three books. Odds are that wouldn't happen in the fog of war, just as it is improbable that every wound Boyle and his coterie incur is not much more than an irritant. The action and the resolution become more expected and Boyle's investigation comes to what can be defined as a successful conclusion, but throughout Benn is still very good on the randomness of combat violence. It is noteworthy too, positively so given the extraordinary murkiness of war, that once again in this book there are unexpected acts of violence--not combat related--by characters readers have otherwise come to admire. This introduces an aspect of moral uncertainty that adds depth to the book.
Patton made his name
in Operation Husky.
Then the slap ensues.
It's an imprecise mission statement; one that allows Boyle great latitude. In the first book he ended up in Norway, in book two the setting is North Africa. In BLOOD ALONE, Boyle is in the midst of Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, except as the action begins he cannot remember anything about why he is in Sicily, or even, for that matter, his name.
The amnesia bit could be cliched, but here it allows Boyle to muse about things philosophical. Authorities are on the lookout for Boyle. Does that mean he is a bad man? Dragooned into combat he finds shooting enemy soldiers comes naturally. Does that mean he is a criminal, a murderer? Author James R. Benn doesn't overreach with the musings, but it does add depth to Boyle's search for his memory and his mission.
Along the road in Sicily, Boyle witnesses random death in combat, a general weeping over the sacrifices of his troops, a massive friendly fire catastrophe, criminals who might be friends, and an Italian doctor who is even more comfortable with philosophical musings than Billy. This is the more thoughtful and more interesting part of the novel.
As Boyle's memory returns the action becomes more rote. It is satisfying without being challenging or all that exciting. During Boyle's search he runs into (or is discovered) by old friends who are now part of the cast of recurring characters created over three books. Odds are that wouldn't happen in the fog of war, just as it is improbable that every wound Boyle and his coterie incur is not much more than an irritant. The action and the resolution become more expected and Boyle's investigation comes to what can be defined as a successful conclusion, but throughout Benn is still very good on the randomness of combat violence. It is noteworthy too, positively so given the extraordinary murkiness of war, that once again in this book there are unexpected acts of violence--not combat related--by characters readers have otherwise come to admire. This introduces an aspect of moral uncertainty that adds depth to the book.
Patton made his name
in Operation Husky.
Then the slap ensues.
September 13, 2021
In author James R. Benn's 3rd Billy Boyle World War II mystery BLOOD ALONE, readers are immediately re-introduced to the title character. And while that's good for us as readers, the circumstances for Boyle himself are less than ideal.
He wakes up in a field hospital which would normally be bad enough but he has been stricken with a case of amnesia. He doesn't know who he is or how he got there. Or what he was doing in Sicily in the first place.
Making matters worse is that as soon as he awakens he discovers that several people have been murdered. The police detective in him finds himself curious and as he starts to look into the deaths and soon Boyle becomes a target himself. But who are the people trying to kill him? Without knowing who he is, he doesn't know who he can trust and soon finds himself in one scrape after another.
Along the way, Billy's memories start coming back in bits and pieces. He figures out what his mission was but other memories cause him to believe he's done horrible things that have cost him his support system. Plus, the military police are looking for him as he becomes a suspect in at least one of the murders.
With the aid of some newfound allies, Billy begins the trek across Sicily in order to accomplish his mission, to draw in the Sicilian mob into helping the Allied forces as they begin a new offensive against the Italian forces. But with any number of criminals looking to stop Billy from accomplishing his mission, how long can Billy dodge bullets, knives, airplane attacks before his luck runs out?
BLOOD ALONE starts off a bit slow which seems a bit natural since the story has to take its time allowing Billy to figure out who he is exactly and then traverse the country to find the object of his mission. As he learns who he is, he's also discovering what kind of man he is as well.
I liked the way James R. Benn wove both familiar and new characters into Billy's life in this story. And the choices Billy makes throughout only serves to further endear the character to the readers. The blending of history and "mystery" are explained a bit in the back of the book so you get a fuller appreciation of the real life background of this novel.
In the end, BLOOD ALONE continues a series that continues to be one of the better "new discoveries" for me in recent years.
He wakes up in a field hospital which would normally be bad enough but he has been stricken with a case of amnesia. He doesn't know who he is or how he got there. Or what he was doing in Sicily in the first place.
Making matters worse is that as soon as he awakens he discovers that several people have been murdered. The police detective in him finds himself curious and as he starts to look into the deaths and soon Boyle becomes a target himself. But who are the people trying to kill him? Without knowing who he is, he doesn't know who he can trust and soon finds himself in one scrape after another.
Along the way, Billy's memories start coming back in bits and pieces. He figures out what his mission was but other memories cause him to believe he's done horrible things that have cost him his support system. Plus, the military police are looking for him as he becomes a suspect in at least one of the murders.
With the aid of some newfound allies, Billy begins the trek across Sicily in order to accomplish his mission, to draw in the Sicilian mob into helping the Allied forces as they begin a new offensive against the Italian forces. But with any number of criminals looking to stop Billy from accomplishing his mission, how long can Billy dodge bullets, knives, airplane attacks before his luck runs out?
BLOOD ALONE starts off a bit slow which seems a bit natural since the story has to take its time allowing Billy to figure out who he is exactly and then traverse the country to find the object of his mission. As he learns who he is, he's also discovering what kind of man he is as well.
I liked the way James R. Benn wove both familiar and new characters into Billy's life in this story. And the choices Billy makes throughout only serves to further endear the character to the readers. The blending of history and "mystery" are explained a bit in the back of the book so you get a fuller appreciation of the real life background of this novel.
In the end, BLOOD ALONE continues a series that continues to be one of the better "new discoveries" for me in recent years.
January 10, 2024
*
*
*
Audiobook
Story: B, NarrationA
Well, I started off this book in an extreme state of annoyance. Probably my biggest peeve in fiction is the unreliable narrator device, especially when it's due to substance abuse, mental illness, or, as in this case, amnesia. I never did get over my annoyance but it ended up not being as bad as I had feared. (It nevertheless affected my overall rating.)
In this book, the allies have turned their attention to Sicily. Billy is suffering from amnesia due to a head injury and some kind of trauma. He's stumbling around in a fog trying to find out why he's in Sicily and what's happened to him.
As in the previous books, I really liked the setting. I knew more about Mark Clark's blazing march thru Italy, but not anything about the Sicily campaign. I like history, but not necessarily military history. I'm more interested in the personal aspect than a breakdown of military campaigns, strategy, and tactics. Benn definitely puts human faces on war. How the civilian populations are affected. The difficult moral decisions some people are forced to make. How bravery comes in many forms. How some people will use any situation for personal gain. How some people are simply irredeemable. How life isn't conveniently black and white.
I was also impressed with how Billy's relationship with Diana was handled in the book after being really put off by the way things went down in book 2. The issues I had were addressed in this book and Billy (and Diana) stepped up like adults who cared for one another. Really nicely done.
I was pretty critical of Billy in the first book, but there's been a lot of character development since then. Billy is more than the barely-competent street cop I initially took him to be. He still stumbles around, can be too trusting at times, and misses obvious clues but he's not stupid. And he's not a clod. In every book, Billy has learned from his mistakes, both personal and professional. He has become more introspective, reflective, self-critical. I've come to like Billy and I'm glad I stuck with this series.
A couple of twists at the very end of the book.
*
*
Audiobook
Story: B, NarrationA
Well, I started off this book in an extreme state of annoyance. Probably my biggest peeve in fiction is the unreliable narrator device, especially when it's due to substance abuse, mental illness, or, as in this case, amnesia. I never did get over my annoyance but it ended up not being as bad as I had feared. (It nevertheless affected my overall rating.)
In this book, the allies have turned their attention to Sicily. Billy is suffering from amnesia due to a head injury and some kind of trauma. He's stumbling around in a fog trying to find out why he's in Sicily and what's happened to him.
As in the previous books, I really liked the setting. I knew more about Mark Clark's blazing march thru Italy, but not anything about the Sicily campaign. I like history, but not necessarily military history. I'm more interested in the personal aspect than a breakdown of military campaigns, strategy, and tactics. Benn definitely puts human faces on war. How the civilian populations are affected. The difficult moral decisions some people are forced to make. How bravery comes in many forms. How some people will use any situation for personal gain. How some people are simply irredeemable. How life isn't conveniently black and white.
I was also impressed with how Billy's relationship with Diana was handled in the book after being really put off by the way things went down in book 2. The issues I had were addressed in this book and Billy (and Diana) stepped up like adults who cared for one another. Really nicely done.
I was pretty critical of Billy in the first book, but there's been a lot of character development since then. Billy is more than the barely-competent street cop I initially took him to be. He still stumbles around, can be too trusting at times, and misses obvious clues but he's not stupid. And he's not a clod. In every book, Billy has learned from his mistakes, both personal and professional. He has become more introspective, reflective, self-critical. I've come to like Billy and I'm glad I stuck with this series.
A couple of twists at the very end of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2024
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Blood Alone by James R. Benn is the third book in the Billy Boyle World War II Mystery series. The series follows the former Boston cop solving mysteries in war time Europe while giving the reader a history lesson.
Billy Boyle wakes up in Sicily, Italy, with amnesia. He doesn’t remember what happened, or even who he is, but he does have a yellow silk handkerchief which seems important.
Gradually Bill remembers the reason he was sent to Sicily by his uncle, General Eisenhower, to contact the head of the Sicilian Mafia before US troops land, with a handkerchief from Lucky Luciano.
I read the several Billy Boyle mysteries a while ago, but I saw this book at a library sale and picked it up immediately. At first, I couldn’t remember the supporting cast, but soon the author reminded of who’s who. That being said, this book contains major spoilers for the first two books, but since Billy has amnesia that information is needed.
We seem to forget how the war affected Italy. Blood Alone by James R. Benn makes sure to remind us that the impact was not just on US troops, or Billy, but also on the civilian population.
The author packed a lot into this book, it moves fast and the pacing is uneven. From the American mafia helping the war effort, to the invasion, and of course, a mystery in which Billy is the center of. I think that if I wasn’t already somewhat familiar with the events, both stateside and abroad, I might have gotten lost. The book would have also greatly benefited with the addition of a map, or maps.
This book was much more introspective than the first two, even though Billy’s relationship with Diana was put on the back burner. Being that there are many more books in the series, I’m sure that the relationship will get more page time, but I’m looking forward to reading it myself.
Mr. Benn did a very good job weaving history with fictional mystery which kept me guessing to the end. I loved that much of the book was as historically accurate as possible.
Blood Alone by James R. Benn is the third book in the Billy Boyle World War II Mystery series. The series follows the former Boston cop solving mysteries in war time Europe while giving the reader a history lesson.
Billy Boyle wakes up in Sicily, Italy, with amnesia. He doesn’t remember what happened, or even who he is, but he does have a yellow silk handkerchief which seems important.
Gradually Bill remembers the reason he was sent to Sicily by his uncle, General Eisenhower, to contact the head of the Sicilian Mafia before US troops land, with a handkerchief from Lucky Luciano.
I read the several Billy Boyle mysteries a while ago, but I saw this book at a library sale and picked it up immediately. At first, I couldn’t remember the supporting cast, but soon the author reminded of who’s who. That being said, this book contains major spoilers for the first two books, but since Billy has amnesia that information is needed.
We seem to forget how the war affected Italy. Blood Alone by James R. Benn makes sure to remind us that the impact was not just on US troops, or Billy, but also on the civilian population.
The author packed a lot into this book, it moves fast and the pacing is uneven. From the American mafia helping the war effort, to the invasion, and of course, a mystery in which Billy is the center of. I think that if I wasn’t already somewhat familiar with the events, both stateside and abroad, I might have gotten lost. The book would have also greatly benefited with the addition of a map, or maps.
This book was much more introspective than the first two, even though Billy’s relationship with Diana was put on the back burner. Being that there are many more books in the series, I’m sure that the relationship will get more page time, but I’m looking forward to reading it myself.
Mr. Benn did a very good job weaving history with fictional mystery which kept me guessing to the end. I loved that much of the book was as historically accurate as possible.
January 12, 2023
World War II. I am a student of World War II. I have read a couple of hundred books on the subject. I have also read historical fiction set during World War II. The next step up for me is MYSTERIES during World War II. This is where James R. Benn comes in. His Billy Boyle series is eighteen books strong, and hopefully, more will come.
Blood Alone puts Billy Boyle in Sicily. He wakes up in a field hospital with amnesia. He has a mission, but he does not know what it is. All he knows is he has a golden silk handkerchief with an embroidered “L” on it. His memory slowly comes back in time to realize he has to make contact with the local mafia to get assistance before the troops come ashore. It is a difficult task since a) he is remembering what he has to do in bits and pieces, and b) everyone from one end of Sicily to the other is hunting him to get their hands on the handkerchief, the one given to him by none other than “Lucky” Luciano. This token would be a great boon for the possessor. Oh yeah, one other thing, he has to thwart a band of counterfeiters led by Vito Genovese. With bullets flying over his head, and assassins out to make sure he fails, Billy has his hands full!
Now, personally, the highest form of praise I can give this book is my grandfather would have loved it. I am talking about the man who served in WWII, who taught me that reading a mystery is an art to be loved, and was always on the lookout for something unique. This book, I daresay this series, would have been right up his alley. I know this because it is right up mine!
Not only is based on historical fact, but it is fast-paced, the mystery is solid, and the action is fluid but most of all, it reminded me of why I love to read mysteries in the first place. It has been a while since I have had this much fun reading a book. By my count, this is three down and fifteen more to go inn the series…
I give this 5+bookmarks out of 5!!! (and my first bookgasm of 2023)!
Blood Alone puts Billy Boyle in Sicily. He wakes up in a field hospital with amnesia. He has a mission, but he does not know what it is. All he knows is he has a golden silk handkerchief with an embroidered “L” on it. His memory slowly comes back in time to realize he has to make contact with the local mafia to get assistance before the troops come ashore. It is a difficult task since a) he is remembering what he has to do in bits and pieces, and b) everyone from one end of Sicily to the other is hunting him to get their hands on the handkerchief, the one given to him by none other than “Lucky” Luciano. This token would be a great boon for the possessor. Oh yeah, one other thing, he has to thwart a band of counterfeiters led by Vito Genovese. With bullets flying over his head, and assassins out to make sure he fails, Billy has his hands full!
Now, personally, the highest form of praise I can give this book is my grandfather would have loved it. I am talking about the man who served in WWII, who taught me that reading a mystery is an art to be loved, and was always on the lookout for something unique. This book, I daresay this series, would have been right up his alley. I know this because it is right up mine!
Not only is based on historical fact, but it is fast-paced, the mystery is solid, and the action is fluid but most of all, it reminded me of why I love to read mysteries in the first place. It has been a while since I have had this much fun reading a book. By my count, this is three down and fifteen more to go inn the series…
I give this 5+bookmarks out of 5!!! (and my first bookgasm of 2023)!
November 9, 2019
Billy Boyle wakes up in Sicily with amnesia. As he struggles to remember who he is, why wearing a strange non-US uniform and how he got hurt, his instincts kick in. He needs to Be Somewhere, Do Something, and those around him are most definitely not who they they say they are. As his mind struggles to piece things together, there is a murder and Billy is the number one suspect.
On pure instinct, Billy runs. Across Italy he encounters enemies and adversaries. Some are US Allies while others are Axis members. Whom can he trust if any? Along the way in piecing together his memories, Mission he and his friends (?) encounter Mafia from both sides of the ocean, German attacks, black marketers and Fascist Italians. Just as he thinks he has figured everything out, more chaos ensues.
It is still World War 2 where chaos and mayhem is common place.
It is a wonder anyone accomplished anything.
James R. Benn has made this a historical novel as some of the plot is true. But do not read his explanation until after the completion of the novel.
The Billy Boyle series are hard broiled war novels that hit hard. For those who enjoy such novels, I recommend the series highly. For me, I tend to need a break in between novels.
Set mostly in Sicily just as Italy prepares to surrender.
On pure instinct, Billy runs. Across Italy he encounters enemies and adversaries. Some are US Allies while others are Axis members. Whom can he trust if any? Along the way in piecing together his memories, Mission he and his friends (?) encounter Mafia from both sides of the ocean, German attacks, black marketers and Fascist Italians. Just as he thinks he has figured everything out, more chaos ensues.
It is still World War 2 where chaos and mayhem is common place.
It is a wonder anyone accomplished anything.
James R. Benn has made this a historical novel as some of the plot is true. But do not read his explanation until after the completion of the novel.
The Billy Boyle series are hard broiled war novels that hit hard. For those who enjoy such novels, I recommend the series highly. For me, I tend to need a break in between novels.
Set mostly in Sicily just as Italy prepares to surrender.
September 22, 2024
#3 in the former Boston cop Billy Boyle WW II mystery series opening in July,1943 with Billy in Sicily as he wakes up in a field hospital with multiple injuries and no memories. He has no identification on him, just a yellow silk handkerchief embroidered with the initial L. He is also being pursued for two murders. This could be renamed Billy mets the American Mafia in Sicily.
The story develops as Billy struggles to regain his memories that are coming back in a very piecemeal manner and to carry our the secret mission he was landed in Sicily for which is part of the memory he is trying regain.
Billy is in very early 20's, Boston Irish with a cocky attitude and had just made detective when the war started. His parents used their connections to keep him out of combat by getting him a staff job on cousin's Dwight Eisenhower's staff who at the war's start was based in Washington, D.C. Ike is quickly transferred to London when Billy joins his staff. Billy's goal: stay out of any combat situation and get back to Boston. His investigative style is to poke a stick into things to see what happens. He is impertinent and in these first books, disobeys orders, takes himself off on his own personal tasks without considering ramifications putting himself in serious situations, and, since he is hero, these personal tasks work out for the best.
The story develops as Billy struggles to regain his memories that are coming back in a very piecemeal manner and to carry our the secret mission he was landed in Sicily for which is part of the memory he is trying regain.
Billy is in very early 20's, Boston Irish with a cocky attitude and had just made detective when the war started. His parents used their connections to keep him out of combat by getting him a staff job on cousin's Dwight Eisenhower's staff who at the war's start was based in Washington, D.C. Ike is quickly transferred to London when Billy joins his staff. Billy's goal: stay out of any combat situation and get back to Boston. His investigative style is to poke a stick into things to see what happens. He is impertinent and in these first books, disobeys orders, takes himself off on his own personal tasks without considering ramifications putting himself in serious situations, and, since he is hero, these personal tasks work out for the best.
September 15, 2017
This is the third in the Billy Boyle mystery series set in Europe and North Africa during World War II. This time, our Special Investigator, Billy Boyle, who also happens to be the nephew of the Allied Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower. has been sent to Sicily. Along with his compatriots, he is assigned the task of convincing the Mafia chiefs there to get the Sicilian troops to lay down their arms when the US starts the invasion of Sicily.
What I absolutely love about these novels is that the author, James R. Benn, combines historical fact and fiction in every novel. The US actually did work with the heads of the Mafia during WWII, both in the US and Sicily, to convince the Sicilian troops to lay down their arms and even turn on their Fascist military commanders. Appearing in this novel are real life Mafia dons, Vito Genovese and "Lucky" Luciano.
I am hooked on this series and will continue to read them all!
What I absolutely love about these novels is that the author, James R. Benn, combines historical fact and fiction in every novel. The US actually did work with the heads of the Mafia during WWII, both in the US and Sicily, to convince the Sicilian troops to lay down their arms and even turn on their Fascist military commanders. Appearing in this novel are real life Mafia dons, Vito Genovese and "Lucky" Luciano.
I am hooked on this series and will continue to read them all!
September 18, 2021
Whereas I gave Billy Boyle #2 a reluctant 3 stars (because I found our hero's character to be fairly drab in that book), I give this one a solid 3.5 starts. Benn has found a way -- Billy's amnesia at the novel's start -- to provide backstory but also to push the main tale -- the Allied forces' invasion of Sicily -- into some extraordinary directions. The author's note at the end explains how he worked to combine historical facts of this invasion with the plot, most notably the Allied forces' collaboration with the local Mafia (as well as US homegrown Mafia) to facilitate the invasion. By the way, since these details are in the historical record, I don't consider them to be spoilers, especially since Benn makes very clever use of the details to give Billy quite the adventure. In the process, Billy grows up, the character taking on some new dimensions, making me eager to get to volume 4.
March 9, 2021
This is the third book in the Billy Boyle series. The series promises to take Billy to many important locales. Here Billy is in Sicily with amnesia as the book opens. As his memory returns , especially that of his father, and his knowledge of the ways of the Mafiosi in Sicily grows, Billy comes to understand the role of family in becoming who he is. Along the way, he faces dangers and is called upon to stop plans to steal Allied script which will be distributed on the island if the Allied invasion succeeds. This is a fun series intertwined with real events and people. Many will be surprised that Lucky Luciano had an important role in the liberation of Sicily for the Axis. All these facts and the plot are in he hands of a real storyteller. A fine addition to the series.
August 3, 2017
The Morality of Revenge
Billy Boyle in the first two books of this series went to great links to bring ultimate revenge to persons who had done really bad things to Boyle's friends. Finally in this book, he begins to explore the cost of revenge on the soul. He watches one character taste revenge and decide it was not in his constitution to commit such acts no matter how justified. Boyle discovers that who he is does not require his taking justice into his own hands. He gets in touch with his basic nature to be one who helps rather than destroys. Ethics set in a great series of adventures embedded in history, not bad for a mystery novel.
Billy Boyle in the first two books of this series went to great links to bring ultimate revenge to persons who had done really bad things to Boyle's friends. Finally in this book, he begins to explore the cost of revenge on the soul. He watches one character taste revenge and decide it was not in his constitution to commit such acts no matter how justified. Boyle discovers that who he is does not require his taking justice into his own hands. He gets in touch with his basic nature to be one who helps rather than destroys. Ethics set in a great series of adventures embedded in history, not bad for a mystery novel.
July 19, 2018
Billy Boyle wakes up in an aid station in Sicily with no memory of how he got there, and no understanding of what he's been up to. It's a Bourne Identity moment transported to 1943, and it's a really effective way for the reader to discover what's going on along with the main character. Lots of great period detail, attitudes, and slang from the 40s are included giving the text a sense of authenticity. The events are also based in fact, with a helpful Author's Note at the end to tease apart fact from fiction. Some of the action was a bit confusing, but I enjoyed this enough that I intend to pick up another in the series (this is the third book).
November 17, 2018
This 3rd volume in the series finds Billy waking in a military hospital in Sicily, with no idea who he is or why he’s there. As he slowly regains his memories, we learn much about a largely unfamiliar part of the war as Billy dodges air strikes, Mafia hitmen, and bullets, with varying degrees of success…and Billy’s “Uncle Ike” again makes an appearance. Though this book’s plot is more convoluted than I recall with the previous titles (a lot of double-crossing is going on), with each volume I am impressed with the author’s knowledge of the war and with his power of description. Recommended for anyone interested in WWII.
July 2, 2022
One of the things which worries me when I get into a new mystery author is how long they can go before they get stale or until they run out of ideas and start doing ridiculous things, and if there's one thing in particular that's impressed me about Benn's Billy Boyle series to date is just how willing Benn has been to reinvent the series with each book. In Blood Alone, the series adopts a very "Noir" vibe as Billy wakes up on Sicily with only vague memories in the midst of a warzone trying to navigate the complexities of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra in hopes of making a deal with a respected Don to get the Sicilians to sit out of the fighting while also trying to figure out why a group of supposedly friendly Sicilians want him dead. Oh, and did I mention he's in the middle of a warzone because he's right in the thick of it this time and it's not Vichy French who can't decide whether or not they want to fight in this war on the other side, it's the infamous Luftwaffe Hermann Goring division (yes, the German air force had its own armored division, just one more proof the Nazis were insane). Benn catches a nice balance between mystery novel and war story here with plenty of historical detail, and I think this is my favorite book in the series to date.
November 25, 2023
This 3rd chapter sees Billy in Sicily, with no memory and not even sure if he's still on the right side. The whole 'lets give the main character amnesia' thing to have an excuse to recap old events is pretty annoying, and I'm concerned at the amount Billy has gotten banged around in just 3 books when there is another 13 or so to go... especially considering the ending.
Good book though, and a fun exploration of the Mafia's role in the Invasion of Italy. I've never been a huge fan of World War II books (just too many of them I guess) but this series is serving to be a nice summary for me.
Good book though, and a fun exploration of the Mafia's role in the Invasion of Italy. I've never been a huge fan of World War II books (just too many of them I guess) but this series is serving to be a nice summary for me.
December 19, 2020
Billy Boyle wakes up in Sicily and can't remember his name or what happened. He has a yellow silk handkerchief with a letter L in his pocket. He meets Italian doctor Sciafani, who bandages him and they continue mostly together. Billy finally realizes he is supposed to take the handkerchief to a Maffia member, Don Calo. However, there is a maffia group with some army folks who is trying to counterfeit money, and Billy is trying to prevent them being successful. Billy gets injured again, and all he wants to do is get back to Diana in North Africa.
July 7, 2022
The third book in James R. Benn's Billy Boyle World War II series. I must have skipped some of the earlier books so I decided to pull things from my book shelves and catch up. I really like this series set during World War II, and this time Billy has been sent to Sicily to gain assistance from a Mafia leader to convince Sicilians to not continue to fight against the Allied Forces. Fascinating parts of WWII history I was not aware of, although everything in the plot is not necessarily exactly drawn from history. It's a gripping story for Billy and Kaz and Diana.
So glad I decided to catch up on the middle books! I read nearly half of this book in one day. Benn is SUCH a good writer.
So glad I decided to catch up on the middle books! I read nearly half of this book in one day. Benn is SUCH a good writer.
March 21, 2025
Maybe 3.5 stars? I really enjoy learning about the lesser-known aspects of WWII, and I love the characters. This one just didn't have as much of a mystery to it as I would expect. I think the common thing among these books is that events feel very chaotic and even disjointed. It pulls together nicely in the end, but it takes a little while getting there. I liked the amnesia aspect, but wished it had lasted more than just the first third of the book. I'm not sure whether I will continue in this series, but I'm not ruling it out just yet.
June 13, 2025
I really enjoyed this book after a rough start when I couldn't figure out what was going on. This shouldn't have surprised me because I had started it in May, then realized that this was the third book and I hadn't read the second. I stopped reading, checked out the 2nd book and read it, then finally returned to this one. When I started again it was at a point when the main character, Billy Boyle also didn't know what was going on! After that was resolved, the book was as entertaining as the first two books.
February 2, 2022
I think I enjoyed this one the most so far! Billy finds himself in Sicily but with a head wound so severe that he initially has not recollection of the how he was injured or who he is. As his memory gradually returns the reader is taken on quite a ride as the Allies land and the Germans/Italians are routed, all while Billy encounters Mafia both in and out of the US forces. Non stop and with many factual tidbits woven into the narrative.
July 2, 2022
I didn't think this was quite as good as the first two books in the series. Maybe because I found it too convoluted and therefore too confusing. But when you are following a narrator who has lost his memory (no matter how temporarily), confusing may be what just what it should be. Still, I didn't find it quite as interesting.
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