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Billy Boyle World War II #16
Road of Bones
Billy Boyle is sent to the heart of the USSR to solve a double-murder at a critical turning point in the war in this latest installment of critically acclaimed James R. Benn's WWII mystery series.
It’s September 1944, and the US is poised to launch Operation Frantic, a shuttle bombing mission to be conducted by American aircraft based in Great Britain, southern Italy, and three Soviet airfields in the Ukraine. Tensions are already high between the American and Russian allies when two intelligence agents—one Soviet, one American—are found dead at Poltava, one of the Ukrainian bases. Billy is brought in to investigate, and this time he's paired, at the insistence of the Soviets, with a KGB agent who has his own political and personal agenda.
In the course of an investigation that quickly sprawls out of control, Billy is aided by the Night Witches, a daring regiment of young Soviet women that flew outdated biplanes at night at very low altitudes, bombing hundreds of German installations.
It’s a turning point in the war, and allied efforts hang by a thread. Unless Billy and his KGB partner can solve the murders in an atmosphere of mutual distrust, Operation Frantic is doomed.
It’s September 1944, and the US is poised to launch Operation Frantic, a shuttle bombing mission to be conducted by American aircraft based in Great Britain, southern Italy, and three Soviet airfields in the Ukraine. Tensions are already high between the American and Russian allies when two intelligence agents—one Soviet, one American—are found dead at Poltava, one of the Ukrainian bases. Billy is brought in to investigate, and this time he's paired, at the insistence of the Soviets, with a KGB agent who has his own political and personal agenda.
In the course of an investigation that quickly sprawls out of control, Billy is aided by the Night Witches, a daring regiment of young Soviet women that flew outdated biplanes at night at very low altitudes, bombing hundreds of German installations.
It’s a turning point in the war, and allied efforts hang by a thread. Unless Billy and his KGB partner can solve the murders in an atmosphere of mutual distrust, Operation Frantic is doomed.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2021
74 people are currently reading
282 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 83 reviews
January 4, 2022
First sentence: "Number four's on fire!"
Have there really been sixteen books????? Road of Bones is the newest in James R. Benn's Billy Boyle historical mystery series. The series is set during the Second World War. Each book tends to take us somewhere different in the war. Road of Bones, for example, for the most part takes place in Russia. Billy Boyle (and his team) are investigating two murders--one Russian, one American. The murders were set up to look like executions, but just who killed them...and why???
Big Mike and Kaz star in this one as well as Billy Boyle. There is a COMPLEX mystery to solve. It will take the two countries working together to solve....
I really enjoyed seeing the Night Witches in action in this one!
Road of Bones is not my favorite and best in the series. But as far as I'm concerned the series can't really go wrong. At this point having followed these characters (and their circumstances) for so many books--I am 1000% invested. I care so deeply about these characters that the mystery almost doesn't matter. (Almost.)
I wholeheartedly recommend the series overall. Read them in order.
Have there really been sixteen books????? Road of Bones is the newest in James R. Benn's Billy Boyle historical mystery series. The series is set during the Second World War. Each book tends to take us somewhere different in the war. Road of Bones, for example, for the most part takes place in Russia. Billy Boyle (and his team) are investigating two murders--one Russian, one American. The murders were set up to look like executions, but just who killed them...and why???
Big Mike and Kaz star in this one as well as Billy Boyle. There is a COMPLEX mystery to solve. It will take the two countries working together to solve....
I really enjoyed seeing the Night Witches in action in this one!
Road of Bones is not my favorite and best in the series. But as far as I'm concerned the series can't really go wrong. At this point having followed these characters (and their circumstances) for so many books--I am 1000% invested. I care so deeply about these characters that the mystery almost doesn't matter. (Almost.)
I wholeheartedly recommend the series overall. Read them in order.
October 26, 2021
Brilliant Research
Like getting to watch a film in history class in college! Fascinating facts & trivia, as Mr. (Dr.?) Benn spins another 'it could've happened like this" tale.
Like getting to watch a film in history class in college! Fascinating facts & trivia, as Mr. (Dr.?) Benn spins another 'it could've happened like this" tale.
Read
August 21, 2022I really liked this book. It works with the series and fits in nicely with Billy's character development.
I always like the historical context of these books, and Road of Bones doesn't disappoint. Benn really did his research into Soviet history and portrayed the eastern front accurately.
I found it extremely interesting that he included the Night Witches in this book. There are so many nuances in war, so many people involved in the fight in a variety of ways, and it's an excellent reading experience to read those realities.
Great book, although I'm sad to be nearing the end of WWII and the series.
I always like the historical context of these books, and Road of Bones doesn't disappoint. Benn really did his research into Soviet history and portrayed the eastern front accurately.
I found it extremely interesting that he included the Night Witches in this book. There are so many nuances in war, so many people involved in the fight in a variety of ways, and it's an excellent reading experience to read those realities.
Great book, although I'm sad to be nearing the end of WWII and the series.
August 21, 2021
For new readers, the Billy Boyle books are set during WWII and feature an army captain, Billy, who investigates the murders that occur on the edges (or directly inside) the war. It’s now 1944, and after giving Billy a bit of a break in the last book, The Red Horse, author James Benn plunges Billy and his sidekick Big Mike directly into the action. Road of Bones begins and ends with two bravura action scenes, a type of writing at which Benn excels. Action scenes can easily become dull or repetitive (to this crime reading veteran, anyway), but Benn is specific, descriptive in a concise way, and the pacing of his action scenes is perfection. The more I read, the more I think pacing is all, and Benn has the gift.
The opening scene is set inside a bomber seeing direct action. Billy is a passenger on the way to the USSR, but he steps in at one point, earning him the respect of the pilots on board. It’s kind of like the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan in its utter intensity and brutality. It’s the kind of scene that once you’re finished reading it, you need to give yourself a mental shake to be able to move on to the rest of the story.
The plane Big Mike was in has disappeared into the wilds of the USSR and while Billy is crazy to find him, there’s not much he can do about it at his new post, Poltova, where he’s to investigate the deaths of an American and a Russian soldier. The men were found side by side in the base warehouse, shot through the head with their own guns. The Russians would be pleased if Billy were to discover the culprit was American, and give him one of his old enemies, a Russian named Sidorov, to help him investigate.
As Sidorov had tried to frame Billy’s buddy Kaz for murder Billy doesn’t feel too kindly towards him, but he’s the translator and the connection to many of the Russian officers Billy must deal with. The two reach an uneasy truce, though it’s put to a test when Kaz arrives. Kaz, who had heart surgery in the last book, is still recovering, so he has gotten a gentler mode of transportation (not a bomber in action).
While Benn writes with all the detail of war – and this slice of the war seems especially grim and brutal – he also seems to have a love for the traditional village mystery, in his own way. Like Miss Marple, Billy often finds a solution by comparing the people he’s investigating in the present to some of the criminal types he encountered in the past as a beat cop back in Boston. It’s this type of parallel thinking that helps him to solve this complex crime.
There’s also his alter ego Kaz, the elegant, wealthy Pole who has lost his entire family to the Nazis. He has no love for the Russians and trusts no one in this situation. His worldliness is a nice contrast to Billy’s open hearted, almost optimistic, American, view of things. Between the two they illustrate the span of WWII and the heartbreak of it.
There’s a beautiful sequence toward the middle involving female Russian pilots, called the Night Witches. They flew light biplanes, turning off the engines before they attacked, making their bombing runs a total surprise to the enemy. The German soldiers thought the sound of the breeze through the struts of their planes sounded like broomsticks swishing through the air, and called the women Nachthexen. Benn gives these brave women their due.
The mystery, a complex affair involving smuggling and a network of thieves and drug dealers (something that seems remarkably contemporary) winds up with another bravura action scene involving planes, trains, and boats. Benn also gives the reader a good look at the attitudes – and fear – in Stalinist Russia. This is a grim story but it’s not all grim – there’s a very smart mystery at the center, and there’s Billy, Kaz and Big Mike, a truly classic detection trio. This is another great read from a truly talented writer.
The opening scene is set inside a bomber seeing direct action. Billy is a passenger on the way to the USSR, but he steps in at one point, earning him the respect of the pilots on board. It’s kind of like the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan in its utter intensity and brutality. It’s the kind of scene that once you’re finished reading it, you need to give yourself a mental shake to be able to move on to the rest of the story.
The plane Big Mike was in has disappeared into the wilds of the USSR and while Billy is crazy to find him, there’s not much he can do about it at his new post, Poltova, where he’s to investigate the deaths of an American and a Russian soldier. The men were found side by side in the base warehouse, shot through the head with their own guns. The Russians would be pleased if Billy were to discover the culprit was American, and give him one of his old enemies, a Russian named Sidorov, to help him investigate.
As Sidorov had tried to frame Billy’s buddy Kaz for murder Billy doesn’t feel too kindly towards him, but he’s the translator and the connection to many of the Russian officers Billy must deal with. The two reach an uneasy truce, though it’s put to a test when Kaz arrives. Kaz, who had heart surgery in the last book, is still recovering, so he has gotten a gentler mode of transportation (not a bomber in action).
While Benn writes with all the detail of war – and this slice of the war seems especially grim and brutal – he also seems to have a love for the traditional village mystery, in his own way. Like Miss Marple, Billy often finds a solution by comparing the people he’s investigating in the present to some of the criminal types he encountered in the past as a beat cop back in Boston. It’s this type of parallel thinking that helps him to solve this complex crime.
There’s also his alter ego Kaz, the elegant, wealthy Pole who has lost his entire family to the Nazis. He has no love for the Russians and trusts no one in this situation. His worldliness is a nice contrast to Billy’s open hearted, almost optimistic, American, view of things. Between the two they illustrate the span of WWII and the heartbreak of it.
There’s a beautiful sequence toward the middle involving female Russian pilots, called the Night Witches. They flew light biplanes, turning off the engines before they attacked, making their bombing runs a total surprise to the enemy. The German soldiers thought the sound of the breeze through the struts of their planes sounded like broomsticks swishing through the air, and called the women Nachthexen. Benn gives these brave women their due.
The mystery, a complex affair involving smuggling and a network of thieves and drug dealers (something that seems remarkably contemporary) winds up with another bravura action scene involving planes, trains, and boats. Benn also gives the reader a good look at the attitudes – and fear – in Stalinist Russia. This is a grim story but it’s not all grim – there’s a very smart mystery at the center, and there’s Billy, Kaz and Big Mike, a truly classic detection trio. This is another great read from a truly talented writer.
Want to read
August 31, 2021Billy Boyle #16! Great World War II series. Available from Soho Press on September 7, 2021!
September 5, 2021
Billy Boyle is still doing well…
James R Benn has one of the best premises for a mystery series that I’ve seen in a long time. Billy Boyle is an Irish-American cop from South Boston who’s not exactly thrilled at the idea of fighting on behalf of England. His family isn’t thrilled either, so his mom gets him a job on the staff of a Washington DC general who is married to her cousin. That ought to be safe, but unfortunately for Billy, that general turns out to be Dwight D Eisenhower, soon to be in charge of the Allied forces in Europe. Even more unfortunately for Billy, who had just made rank as a detective and doesn’t really have much (any) investigative experience, Ike needs someone to look into a murder or two or twenty. And Billy’s it.
I very much enjoyed reading the early books in this series back in “real paper book” days, before losing track of the series as I moved to reading e-books almost exclusively. So I was happy to receive a review copy of the latest book in the series, Road of Bones, and have a chance to check in and see how Billy is doing. And Billy is doing quite well. He’s still investigating wartime murders, as one-third of the three-person Office of Special Investigations at SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces). In Road of Bones, though, he’s asked to investigate a couple of murders at a Soviet-controlled airfield in Ukraine that is home-away-from-home to Allied planes carrying out shuttle-bombing raids (Operation Frantic) over Germany. And that comes with a few challenges, not the least of which is simply getting to Poltava Air Station.
As usual, Benn has done a wonderful job of mingling a meticulously researched background with a compelling mystery for Billy and his companions to solve. Road of Bones opens with Billy as a tag-along on one of the Operation Frantic raids, which SHAEF has decided is the quickest way to get its investigators to the site of the murders. And after the reading the first chapter, I certainly now have an appreciation for how terrifying these runs were for the bomber crews, and the fighter crews who accompanied them.
Once Billy arrives at Poltava, things quickly get messy. By this point in the war, 1944, it’s clear that the Soviet Union and the western Allies will be going their separate ways, so things are extra tense. Uncle Joe (Stalin) doesn’t provide enough support to defend the Allied planes on the ground in the Ukraine, and it’s also clear he has his eyes on occupying Poland at the end of the war, which makes things difficult for Kaz, the Polish member of the three-person OSI team. Perhaps the best part of the book, though, comes when Billy ends up on another raid while trying to rescue Big Mike, the third member of their team. This time Billy ends up flying with the Night Witches, an all-female Soviet squadron who flew in wooden planes, and would idle their engines as they neared their targets, to be able to approach undetectably. It’s a sequence I won’t forget.
Finally, I realize I haven’t talked much about the mystery itself in Road of Bones. But rest assured it’s a good one as well, as Billy is forced to work with a Soviet NKVD agent (and particularly doubtful character) from an earlier book to figure out some “supply chain” issues that led to the killings. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. And of course, Billy and his team eventually resolve matters in an action-packed ending ranging from Ukraine to Iran. But really, for me, Road of Bones was almost more about the history than the mystery, although both are great, and folks reading primarily for the mystery won’t be disappointed. I try not to give too many five-star reviews, to try to avoid star-flation, but Road of Bones has earned one. And my thanks to Soho Crime for the review copy!
James R Benn has one of the best premises for a mystery series that I’ve seen in a long time. Billy Boyle is an Irish-American cop from South Boston who’s not exactly thrilled at the idea of fighting on behalf of England. His family isn’t thrilled either, so his mom gets him a job on the staff of a Washington DC general who is married to her cousin. That ought to be safe, but unfortunately for Billy, that general turns out to be Dwight D Eisenhower, soon to be in charge of the Allied forces in Europe. Even more unfortunately for Billy, who had just made rank as a detective and doesn’t really have much (any) investigative experience, Ike needs someone to look into a murder or two or twenty. And Billy’s it.
I very much enjoyed reading the early books in this series back in “real paper book” days, before losing track of the series as I moved to reading e-books almost exclusively. So I was happy to receive a review copy of the latest book in the series, Road of Bones, and have a chance to check in and see how Billy is doing. And Billy is doing quite well. He’s still investigating wartime murders, as one-third of the three-person Office of Special Investigations at SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces). In Road of Bones, though, he’s asked to investigate a couple of murders at a Soviet-controlled airfield in Ukraine that is home-away-from-home to Allied planes carrying out shuttle-bombing raids (Operation Frantic) over Germany. And that comes with a few challenges, not the least of which is simply getting to Poltava Air Station.
As usual, Benn has done a wonderful job of mingling a meticulously researched background with a compelling mystery for Billy and his companions to solve. Road of Bones opens with Billy as a tag-along on one of the Operation Frantic raids, which SHAEF has decided is the quickest way to get its investigators to the site of the murders. And after the reading the first chapter, I certainly now have an appreciation for how terrifying these runs were for the bomber crews, and the fighter crews who accompanied them.
Once Billy arrives at Poltava, things quickly get messy. By this point in the war, 1944, it’s clear that the Soviet Union and the western Allies will be going their separate ways, so things are extra tense. Uncle Joe (Stalin) doesn’t provide enough support to defend the Allied planes on the ground in the Ukraine, and it’s also clear he has his eyes on occupying Poland at the end of the war, which makes things difficult for Kaz, the Polish member of the three-person OSI team. Perhaps the best part of the book, though, comes when Billy ends up on another raid while trying to rescue Big Mike, the third member of their team. This time Billy ends up flying with the Night Witches, an all-female Soviet squadron who flew in wooden planes, and would idle their engines as they neared their targets, to be able to approach undetectably. It’s a sequence I won’t forget.
Finally, I realize I haven’t talked much about the mystery itself in Road of Bones. But rest assured it’s a good one as well, as Billy is forced to work with a Soviet NKVD agent (and particularly doubtful character) from an earlier book to figure out some “supply chain” issues that led to the killings. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. And of course, Billy and his team eventually resolve matters in an action-packed ending ranging from Ukraine to Iran. But really, for me, Road of Bones was almost more about the history than the mystery, although both are great, and folks reading primarily for the mystery won’t be disappointed. I try not to give too many five-star reviews, to try to avoid star-flation, but Road of Bones has earned one. And my thanks to Soho Crime for the review copy!
September 4, 2021
I confess that I am already a huge fan of James R. Benn’s Billy Boyle World War II Mysteries, so I expected to love his latest book, Road of Bones. This book exceeds all expectations. As with all the Billy Boyle stories, a little-known aspect of WWII provides the setting for the mystery.
In this one, Billy and his team are tapped to fly to an American Air Base in Ukraine, Soviet Union to solve the double murder of an American and a Soviet officer. When Billy arrives, he realizes that the Soviets have pre-determined that the murderer must be an American. His investigation is further stymied by the removal of evidence, the relocation of witnesses and the difficulty of moving freely through the area.
Billy has been paired in the investigation with a Soviet agent who has spent several months under horrendous conditions in Siberia on a prisoner road crew building a highway known as the Road of Bones, so named for the thousands of prisoners’ bodies buried in the road. The harsh punishments meted out by the Soviets to their own people, the betrayals and casual cruelty, provide a theme running through the book. Almost every Soviet Billy meets, is motivated in part by fear of these punishments. Foreshadowing the Cold War to come, the Soviets are untrustworthy, unreliable and suspicious of outsiders. They tell the Americans that they have fighters protecting the base, but when the Germans attack, no fighters show up. Also, there is no anti-aircraft fire power to protect it because the Soviets did not allow American anti-aircraft crews on their bases. This suspicion and lack of cooperation also make it extremely difficult for Billy to get the answers that he needs to solve the crime and to retrieve American airmen who've parachuted in Soviet territory.
There is plenty of action in this book including Billy’s initial flight to the base on a B-17 bombing run through Germany; his flight with one of the Night Witches, an all-female bomber squadron flying WWI aircraft low over German positions; and a firefight in an Iranian port. Billy’s team of Kaz and Big Mike play essential roles and we see several characters whom we’ve met in other books, too.
This is a super, satisfying read. If you like stories about WWII, then I highly recommend this series.
In this one, Billy and his team are tapped to fly to an American Air Base in Ukraine, Soviet Union to solve the double murder of an American and a Soviet officer. When Billy arrives, he realizes that the Soviets have pre-determined that the murderer must be an American. His investigation is further stymied by the removal of evidence, the relocation of witnesses and the difficulty of moving freely through the area.
Billy has been paired in the investigation with a Soviet agent who has spent several months under horrendous conditions in Siberia on a prisoner road crew building a highway known as the Road of Bones, so named for the thousands of prisoners’ bodies buried in the road. The harsh punishments meted out by the Soviets to their own people, the betrayals and casual cruelty, provide a theme running through the book. Almost every Soviet Billy meets, is motivated in part by fear of these punishments. Foreshadowing the Cold War to come, the Soviets are untrustworthy, unreliable and suspicious of outsiders. They tell the Americans that they have fighters protecting the base, but when the Germans attack, no fighters show up. Also, there is no anti-aircraft fire power to protect it because the Soviets did not allow American anti-aircraft crews on their bases. This suspicion and lack of cooperation also make it extremely difficult for Billy to get the answers that he needs to solve the crime and to retrieve American airmen who've parachuted in Soviet territory.
There is plenty of action in this book including Billy’s initial flight to the base on a B-17 bombing run through Germany; his flight with one of the Night Witches, an all-female bomber squadron flying WWI aircraft low over German positions; and a firefight in an Iranian port. Billy’s team of Kaz and Big Mike play essential roles and we see several characters whom we’ve met in other books, too.
This is a super, satisfying read. If you like stories about WWII, then I highly recommend this series.
June 28, 2021
U.S. Army officer - and former Boston police detective - Billy Boyle continues his World War II exploits on a tricky assignment to assist with a joint mission within the Soviet Union, where military alliances coexist with mutual distrust and misdirection. A double murder throws the mission into doubt and Billymust undertake a danger-filled investigation with assistance from the Night Witches, a real-life legendary Soviet female aerial combat unit. The author's signature fast pacing and thorough historical research make this a thrilling addition to a notable series. Thanks to the publisher for supplying an advance reading copy via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
March 25, 2022
This World War Two mystery novel of Detective Billy Boyle is my first from James R. Benn; it will not be my last. It's September 1944, the United States and the U.S.S.R are now allies against the Axis Powers of Germany and Imperial Japan. Previously the Soviets and the Nazi Germany were allies. But after the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, Stalin switched sides. A murder has occurred of two agents, one American and the other a Russian. Billy Boyle has been assigned to investigate the matter. But he must walk a fine line due to diplomacy. Billy Boyle realizes that the Soviets are expecting the killer to be American. But the end result of his investigation does not support this. Mr. Benn's knowledge of World War Two and the shaky alliance between the USA and the Soviet Union adds to this suspenseful mystery.
June 21, 2021
Another fast-paced mystery/thriller from James Benn. This time, our hero Billy Boyle, is flown to Russia to help solve the mystery of two dead men, one Russian and one American, shot with their own weapons. Naturally the answer isn’t simple, and I enjoyed being dropped into this almost forgotten corner of the war, when the Russians and Americans were allies. Or were they? Benn keeps us guessing, and in the meantime I learned something while turning the pages. Recommended for those who enjoy WW2 fiction, mysteries, and thrillers.
February 3, 2022
Full disclosure: besides high school, I don't think I've ever read a war book. Not my typical fare in other words. There is a mystery here in Road of Bones, however, and murder, which IS my typical fare. Benn's Billy Boyle a convincing and true hearted protagonist who I enjoyed quite a bit. On that note I will recommend you go forth, seek out, purchase and enjoy. Tell em another lover of the Night Witches sent you.
March 4, 2022
In addition to being an excellent thriller that instructs about the relations between the USSR and the USA during WW II. It is a timely read because much of it is set in Ukraine. To read of places that are in today's headlines ties me in history to these locales. Here I am about 80 years after the setting of this book and I hear the echoes of events and policies of then .
January 3, 2023
WWII
The war is always an exciting topic. James Benn’s Billy Boyle series is well-researched and plotted. Several little-known incidents of the “cooperation” between the Americans and the Soviets are part of this story. I was especially intrigued by the Night Witches, Russian all-female very successful night flying bombers who were greatly feared by the Germans. Good book.
The war is always an exciting topic. James Benn’s Billy Boyle series is well-researched and plotted. Several little-known incidents of the “cooperation” between the Americans and the Soviets are part of this story. I was especially intrigued by the Night Witches, Russian all-female very successful night flying bombers who were greatly feared by the Germans. Good book.
September 27, 2021
This is the 16th book in the series. I have read and enjoyed them all. It shows no loss of momentum. I hope there are at least 16 more.
This finds Billy, Big Mike and Kaz in the USSR trying to solve the double murder of a US and Soviet officer at the base used for shuttle bombing (planes take off in England, bomb Germany, land in Russian rather than return directly to England)
Again Benn shines light on a neglected and fascinating corner of WWII history.
If you have read any in the series you will enjoy this one and if not you should start.
This finds Billy, Big Mike and Kaz in the USSR trying to solve the double murder of a US and Soviet officer at the base used for shuttle bombing (planes take off in England, bomb Germany, land in Russian rather than return directly to England)
Again Benn shines light on a neglected and fascinating corner of WWII history.
If you have read any in the series you will enjoy this one and if not you should start.
September 11, 2021
This was a good read, but it was more war story than mystery.
February 25, 2023
Billy goes on a bombing mission over Germany to get to a joint American Russian base in Ukraine to investigate the murders of an American enlisted man and a Soviet NKVD officer. Murders which are causing the top brass to cause the shit to flow downhill. Meanwhile there’s a war on and the Germans have a vote. I found the historical basis of the mystery more interesting than the plot which got convoluted and confusing as it was ultimately about corruption and greed.
May 12, 2021
Benn continues his tried and true formula (which definitely doesn't feel formulaic): a well-plotted mystery surrounded by fascinating World War II history. In this case, the setting is a base within the Soviet Union, where the murders of a Russian and an American have political ramifications. Billy needs to tread carefully as he searches for the truth alongside an unexpected partner, Kiril Sidorov, a Russian Boyle had previously encountered in London. At times, the twists and turns of the mystery seem contrived to make room for the history as when Boyle gets to ride with one of the legendary Night Witches. But it's exactly that history that makes Benn's works stand out. A must read for series fans.
Review based on an eARC received through NetGalley.
Review based on an eARC received through NetGalley.
November 1, 2021
The mysteries get convoluted and formulamatic
I feel like Benn loves the research aspect and making sure everything is historically accurate, which is great, but he sacrifices in the story and characterizations for this. The stories seem to get very convoluted and then everything breaks when Billy had an epiphany that he doesn’t explain to anyone else until the action happens. Part of why I fell in love with this series was the fish out of water aspect of Billy, the tragedy of Kaz and the love with the Seaton girls. I keep reading these long, somewhat boring/silly stories for a little nugget about the characters that is dropped here or there. I’d love it if Benn would focus a lot more on each character and their development and story arc. This novel, for instance? Instead of immediately rushing Billy & Co off to the next significant historical thing that Benn researched, how about advancing the story of Kaz and his newly reunited little sister? Or Billy and Diane? Or Uncle Ike and Kay? How about some development and growth between Harding and Billy? After how many novels how much do we even know about Sam? What happened with Billy’s brother? Can we drop an update from a letter from home? And the killer Billy was chasing when he short his brother? So many good stories could be told about these character.
I feel like Benn loves the research aspect and making sure everything is historically accurate, which is great, but he sacrifices in the story and characterizations for this. The stories seem to get very convoluted and then everything breaks when Billy had an epiphany that he doesn’t explain to anyone else until the action happens. Part of why I fell in love with this series was the fish out of water aspect of Billy, the tragedy of Kaz and the love with the Seaton girls. I keep reading these long, somewhat boring/silly stories for a little nugget about the characters that is dropped here or there. I’d love it if Benn would focus a lot more on each character and their development and story arc. This novel, for instance? Instead of immediately rushing Billy & Co off to the next significant historical thing that Benn researched, how about advancing the story of Kaz and his newly reunited little sister? Or Billy and Diane? Or Uncle Ike and Kay? How about some development and growth between Harding and Billy? After how many novels how much do we even know about Sam? What happened with Billy’s brother? Can we drop an update from a letter from home? And the killer Billy was chasing when he short his brother? So many good stories could be told about these character.
September 9, 2021
Benn serves an Ace
Benn provided Billy, Kaz and Big Mike with another adventure it keeps us guessing right along side them. These three are not the same men who met in London. The war has wounded them plenty and I fear there are more trials ahead for all of them. Maybe next year we'll see Diana and Kaz' sister have a an adventure of their own. Well written as always. Increasing the tension page by page.
Benn provided Billy, Kaz and Big Mike with another adventure it keeps us guessing right along side them. These three are not the same men who met in London. The war has wounded them plenty and I fear there are more trials ahead for all of them. Maybe next year we'll see Diana and Kaz' sister have a an adventure of their own. Well written as always. Increasing the tension page by page.
December 25, 2021
Great new addition to this fine series. The history is fascinating along with great characters and mystery.
The chapter on the "night witches" alone is worth the investment.
The chapter on the "night witches" alone is worth the investment.
July 23, 2024
ROAD OF BONES, the 16th book in author James R. Benn's Billy Boyle World War II mystery series, gets off to quite a pummeling start.
Billy finds himself tasked with investigating a crime that occured on an air base controlled and located inside of Russia's borders. To get there, he and Big Mike have to fly with bombers on a bombing run. Given the death rate of planes of this nature, this isn't exactly the best way to fly the "friendly" skies.
And when the plane carrying Big Mike goes down, Billy is suddenly on his own while hoping his friend and partner made it out alive.
Of course, there's only a little time for him to hope against hope and/or mourn his losses once he lands. The objective of Billy's mission is to find out who killed two men. One Russian and one American. Complicating the investigation is the state sponsored (or is it instilled) paranoia that says only an American could've done the crime. And that's the only outcome the Russians will accept apparently.
While Billy tries to find his way to rescuing Mike if possible, he soon learns that his Russian counterpart in the investigation is a face from his recent past. And not exactly a welcome one either. But that man seems to be saying and doing all the right things as they work together in the investigation's early going.
Each question that gets answered is filtered through a political and pragmatic lense, but the duo makes some progress. But when witnesses disappear or are transferred without warning, Billy has to jump through hoops in order to track them down and get to truth. T
This leaves him not just a target for a killer determined to escape justice and keep their plans intact, but in order to track down one witness, Billy finds himself traveling near the frontlines where life is cheap and those deemed less than perfect in the eyes of the Russians find their lives that much cheaper still.
When Billy's other partner Kaz arrives on the scene, he's forced to put aside his emnity for the Russians and their actions towards Poland in order to move the investigation forward. No easy feat, to say the least.
When the killer is revealed and the location of the narrative changes, you can feel the heat described in the narrative as it was a character all of its own. From there it will take Billy, Kaz, Big Mike and the rest of their immediate allies and all the luck and wherewithal they can muster to stop a sinister plan and bring about the kind of measure of truth that will keep them alive and all the Allies happy.
ROAD OF BONES was quite a read! I had a feeling that I was going to really enjoy this when I read the synopsis and it mentioned the all-female Russian fighter pilot group the Night Witches. I'm familiar with them because of a song by one of my favorite heavy metal bands so it was great to see them play a small but vital role in the plot.
With James R. Benn bringing back a familiar face that would definitely cause strife for both Billy and Kaz, the ratcheted up tension made the already claustrophobic feel of being essentially trapped on the Russian airbase that much more intense for me. And like Billy, I was frustrated by the idea of having to have a predetermined outcome be what you actually found out guiding your investigation. But in 1944 with the very possibility of the Russians leaving the Allied Forces, the needs of the many wins out, I guess.
There were a lot of great characters introduced in the novel and some great callbacks. The Russian officer Sidorov had a great arc, and I liked the Russian female aide Maiya, who's reverence for the Night Witches was endearing. And as always, you can't help but enjoy the easygoing way that Billy, Kaz and Big Mike interact with each other.
There's plenty of fireworks as well as a great and plot twisting mystery in ROAD OF BONES and readers will do themselves a great favor by digging into this book as soon as possible.
Billy finds himself tasked with investigating a crime that occured on an air base controlled and located inside of Russia's borders. To get there, he and Big Mike have to fly with bombers on a bombing run. Given the death rate of planes of this nature, this isn't exactly the best way to fly the "friendly" skies.
And when the plane carrying Big Mike goes down, Billy is suddenly on his own while hoping his friend and partner made it out alive.
Of course, there's only a little time for him to hope against hope and/or mourn his losses once he lands. The objective of Billy's mission is to find out who killed two men. One Russian and one American. Complicating the investigation is the state sponsored (or is it instilled) paranoia that says only an American could've done the crime. And that's the only outcome the Russians will accept apparently.
While Billy tries to find his way to rescuing Mike if possible, he soon learns that his Russian counterpart in the investigation is a face from his recent past. And not exactly a welcome one either. But that man seems to be saying and doing all the right things as they work together in the investigation's early going.
Each question that gets answered is filtered through a political and pragmatic lense, but the duo makes some progress. But when witnesses disappear or are transferred without warning, Billy has to jump through hoops in order to track them down and get to truth. T
This leaves him not just a target for a killer determined to escape justice and keep their plans intact, but in order to track down one witness, Billy finds himself traveling near the frontlines where life is cheap and those deemed less than perfect in the eyes of the Russians find their lives that much cheaper still.
When Billy's other partner Kaz arrives on the scene, he's forced to put aside his emnity for the Russians and their actions towards Poland in order to move the investigation forward. No easy feat, to say the least.
When the killer is revealed and the location of the narrative changes, you can feel the heat described in the narrative as it was a character all of its own. From there it will take Billy, Kaz, Big Mike and the rest of their immediate allies and all the luck and wherewithal they can muster to stop a sinister plan and bring about the kind of measure of truth that will keep them alive and all the Allies happy.
ROAD OF BONES was quite a read! I had a feeling that I was going to really enjoy this when I read the synopsis and it mentioned the all-female Russian fighter pilot group the Night Witches. I'm familiar with them because of a song by one of my favorite heavy metal bands so it was great to see them play a small but vital role in the plot.
With James R. Benn bringing back a familiar face that would definitely cause strife for both Billy and Kaz, the ratcheted up tension made the already claustrophobic feel of being essentially trapped on the Russian airbase that much more intense for me. And like Billy, I was frustrated by the idea of having to have a predetermined outcome be what you actually found out guiding your investigation. But in 1944 with the very possibility of the Russians leaving the Allied Forces, the needs of the many wins out, I guess.
There were a lot of great characters introduced in the novel and some great callbacks. The Russian officer Sidorov had a great arc, and I liked the Russian female aide Maiya, who's reverence for the Night Witches was endearing. And as always, you can't help but enjoy the easygoing way that Billy, Kaz and Big Mike interact with each other.
There's plenty of fireworks as well as a great and plot twisting mystery in ROAD OF BONES and readers will do themselves a great favor by digging into this book as soon as possible.
December 24, 2021
The setting of this book is Operation Frantic which was a plan for American bombers to bomb targets deep in German territory from Britain and then land in Soviet territory. From there they would make a bomb run to bases in Italy. And from there a bombing run back to the UK.
It was a good idea in theory but the Soviets were mistrustful, unhelpful and inefficient. The main goal wasn't even the damage to German targets but to open up the idea of trust between allies and eventually set up bases in Eastern Siberia in order to bomb Japan. In the end the US abandoned the idea because the Soviets were so unhelpful and because the island hopping campaign had already provided bases close enough to bomb the Japanese mainland.
The book does a great job of recounting the atrocious Soviet behavior towards the Americans and the terror and horror of living in the Soviet Union at that time. It really reminds me of one of the Ramage or Bolitho books where he had to go to early Revolutionary France where no one could speak their mind, anyone could be denounced and killed, where left was right and up was down if the party said so.
Spoilers ahead.
In the plot Billy Boyle is sent to the air base to solve the murders of an American sergeant and a NKVD officer. He runs into numerous difficulties due to Soviet and NKVD intransigence. I never find any of the Billy Boyle crime mechanics very enthralling and it's the same in this case. The background, the setting, the character studies are what makes this book good. The crime itself ends up being to do with wartime smuggling and theft, which was common and pretty much unstoppable.
Overall a very good military history fiction book and ok crime book.
It was a good idea in theory but the Soviets were mistrustful, unhelpful and inefficient. The main goal wasn't even the damage to German targets but to open up the idea of trust between allies and eventually set up bases in Eastern Siberia in order to bomb Japan. In the end the US abandoned the idea because the Soviets were so unhelpful and because the island hopping campaign had already provided bases close enough to bomb the Japanese mainland.
The book does a great job of recounting the atrocious Soviet behavior towards the Americans and the terror and horror of living in the Soviet Union at that time. It really reminds me of one of the Ramage or Bolitho books where he had to go to early Revolutionary France where no one could speak their mind, anyone could be denounced and killed, where left was right and up was down if the party said so.
Spoilers ahead.
In the plot Billy Boyle is sent to the air base to solve the murders of an American sergeant and a NKVD officer. He runs into numerous difficulties due to Soviet and NKVD intransigence. I never find any of the Billy Boyle crime mechanics very enthralling and it's the same in this case. The background, the setting, the character studies are what makes this book good. The crime itself ends up being to do with wartime smuggling and theft, which was common and pretty much unstoppable.
Overall a very good military history fiction book and ok crime book.
August 22, 2021
Billy Boyle is in a British bomber, flying from London to Poltava Air Base in Russia, where he and Big Mike are to help solve a murder after their bombing mission in Germany. Big Mike was going with Billy, but the plane he was in was shot down near the Russian border. Billy sees five parachutes (there were ten men in the plane!). When Billy gets to Poltava, he finds he is supposed to work with a Russian NKVD agent Sidorov, a man who had been at the Russian Embassy in London awhile, and Billy and Kaz really disliked him.
Billy wants to find Big Mike, and finally gets permission to interview a guard who might know about the murders he is investigating as well as looking for Big Mike. He ends up flying with a female pilot in a biplane, and it only holds two people. They stop to refuel, and end up flying with the Night Witches to bomb Germany. When he gets to Zolnia where the guard is supposed to be, the guard is out with a penal unit finding mines. However, he does rescue Big Mike.
Things become much more complicated when Billy and his team find that there is probably some stealing of morphine and thieves selling supplies mixed up in the murders. Big Mike is sent to Tehran to a better hospital, and Billy and Kaz are a team again. However, there is a lot of excitement, shooting, flying, and work before they can close on their assignment.
Billy wants to find Big Mike, and finally gets permission to interview a guard who might know about the murders he is investigating as well as looking for Big Mike. He ends up flying with a female pilot in a biplane, and it only holds two people. They stop to refuel, and end up flying with the Night Witches to bomb Germany. When he gets to Zolnia where the guard is supposed to be, the guard is out with a penal unit finding mines. However, he does rescue Big Mike.
Things become much more complicated when Billy and his team find that there is probably some stealing of morphine and thieves selling supplies mixed up in the murders. Big Mike is sent to Tehran to a better hospital, and Billy and Kaz are a team again. However, there is a lot of excitement, shooting, flying, and work before they can close on their assignment.
September 9, 2021
3.5 stars
Those familiar with this World War 2 series know that the author presents a different area of the war with each book. Billy started out as staff to his "Uncle Ike" in London during the Blitz, but has been to Algeria with the Allied invasion, Sicily, German-occupied Rome, the Normandy invasion, the Solomon Islands -- he is an investigator and gets sent wherever there is trouble.
This time out he winds up in Russia. The plot is somewhat implausible, but the atmosphere of distrust, double dealing, and desperation is well-conveyed. Billy is joined by his Polish aristocratic friend Kaz in looking into the murders of two soldiers -- one American, one Russian. Everything in Russia is political and no one can trust anyone, even those supposedly on the same side.
Those of us who have read the entire series have watched Billy, who started out as a 22 year old Boston cop, age beyond his years and harden as years of war take their toll. His friend Kaz, whose family has been wiped out by the Germans and the Russians and whose lover was killed, is even more cynical.
There's lots of action in these books, but the human cost is presented clearly, and the times of despair and darkness. Thanks to the author and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Those familiar with this World War 2 series know that the author presents a different area of the war with each book. Billy started out as staff to his "Uncle Ike" in London during the Blitz, but has been to Algeria with the Allied invasion, Sicily, German-occupied Rome, the Normandy invasion, the Solomon Islands -- he is an investigator and gets sent wherever there is trouble.
This time out he winds up in Russia. The plot is somewhat implausible, but the atmosphere of distrust, double dealing, and desperation is well-conveyed. Billy is joined by his Polish aristocratic friend Kaz in looking into the murders of two soldiers -- one American, one Russian. Everything in Russia is political and no one can trust anyone, even those supposedly on the same side.
Those of us who have read the entire series have watched Billy, who started out as a 22 year old Boston cop, age beyond his years and harden as years of war take their toll. His friend Kaz, whose family has been wiped out by the Germans and the Russians and whose lover was killed, is even more cynical.
There's lots of action in these books, but the human cost is presented clearly, and the times of despair and darkness. Thanks to the author and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 7, 2021
And Billy Boyle carries on.....
This time we are at a US base in the USSR, another historical aspect of WWII that very few Americans are aware of. American bombers leave western Europe, bomb the Germans, and fly to the USSR to refuel, resupply, and bomb them again on the way home. Unfortunately there's a murderer afoot, killing both a US and a Russian soldier in a warehouse full of supplies. Billy (and eventually Kaz and Big Mike) are brought in to solve the murder from the US side, teaming up with an old friend/enemy representing the communists. Can they solve the mystery and preserve the delicate balance between the reluctant allies?
This chapter seems to focus more on the historical aspects than on the mystery. I'm not saying that the history isn't interesting, this might be some of the best lessons learned so far in this series, but it seems like the murders are just there to get Billy from historical point to historical point. No involvement of Diana Seaton, barely a mention of Kaz's sister, all of the characters seem stuck and don't move forward at all. And (as is becoming common in this series) the solution seems a bit of a letdown.
This time we are at a US base in the USSR, another historical aspect of WWII that very few Americans are aware of. American bombers leave western Europe, bomb the Germans, and fly to the USSR to refuel, resupply, and bomb them again on the way home. Unfortunately there's a murderer afoot, killing both a US and a Russian soldier in a warehouse full of supplies. Billy (and eventually Kaz and Big Mike) are brought in to solve the murder from the US side, teaming up with an old friend/enemy representing the communists. Can they solve the mystery and preserve the delicate balance between the reluctant allies?
This chapter seems to focus more on the historical aspects than on the mystery. I'm not saying that the history isn't interesting, this might be some of the best lessons learned so far in this series, but it seems like the murders are just there to get Billy from historical point to historical point. No involvement of Diana Seaton, barely a mention of Kaz's sister, all of the characters seem stuck and don't move forward at all. And (as is becoming common in this series) the solution seems a bit of a letdown.
January 6, 2024
#16 in the former Boston police detective now U.S. Army Captain Billy Boyle ("nephew" of General Eisenhower and is his chief investigator) and investigative partner Lieutenant "Kaz" Kazimierz WW II mystery series.
This story provides some insights as to what it must been like to deal with Russians during WW II.
It’s September 1944 and the tide of WW II is turning in the Allies favor. Operation Frantic, a shuttle bombing mission has started by American bombers in England. They fly bombing missions over Germany then continue onto fields in the Ukraine. They return via missions across Southern Europe to Italy and then back to England. Billy Boyle is sent to the heart of the USSR to solve a double-murder of a Russian and an American at a Ukraine base. Billy is brought in to investigate, and he's paired, at the insistence of the Soviets, with a KGB agent (who has an unpleasant history with Billy) who has his own political and personal agenda.
This story provides some insights as to what it must been like to deal with Russians during WW II.
It’s September 1944 and the tide of WW II is turning in the Allies favor. Operation Frantic, a shuttle bombing mission has started by American bombers in England. They fly bombing missions over Germany then continue onto fields in the Ukraine. They return via missions across Southern Europe to Italy and then back to England. Billy Boyle is sent to the heart of the USSR to solve a double-murder of a Russian and an American at a Ukraine base. Billy is brought in to investigate, and he's paired, at the insistence of the Soviets, with a KGB agent (who has an unpleasant history with Billy) who has his own political and personal agenda.
October 28, 2021
Billy and his team (Kaz and Big Mike) are sent to Poltava in the USSR, to investigate a double murder of a Soviet and American officer. Right away new information since I was not aware that we had a joint air base there in WWII.
It’s the fall of 1944 and the US and GB are increasingly disillusioned with Stalin but also increasingly desirous of keeping his support for the upcoming reckoning with Japan.
Mike’s plane goes down en route so Billy has to look for him as well as try to solve the mystery. And neither US nor Soviet locals are particularly interested in helping.
The problem is intriguing, the protagonists as always fascinating, and we get to meet an old acquaintance from London. He has been helping to dig the Road of Bones of the title. Benin’s books are reliably good; this is super!
It’s the fall of 1944 and the US and GB are increasingly disillusioned with Stalin but also increasingly desirous of keeping his support for the upcoming reckoning with Japan.
Mike’s plane goes down en route so Billy has to look for him as well as try to solve the mystery. And neither US nor Soviet locals are particularly interested in helping.
The problem is intriguing, the protagonists as always fascinating, and we get to meet an old acquaintance from London. He has been helping to dig the Road of Bones of the title. Benin’s books are reliably good; this is super!
April 19, 2022
This book took place around September 1944. Billy Boyle is sent to the Soviet controlled Ukraine to solve a double murder at a critical point in World War II. Tensions between the Americans and Russian allies are high, when two intelligent agents are found dead, one is American and the other one is Russian. Billy is brought in to investigate this incident and is paired up with at the insistence of Soviets, with a KGB agent who has his own political and personal agenda. The author has done quite a lot of research on World War II and this time era. The book is fast paced and has lots of fighting. The author tells you about a regiment of young woman flying at night at very low altitudes, bombing hundreds of German installations. The Germans called them the Night Witches. I think anyone who is interested in World War II stories will find this book and author is a must read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 5, 2024I love the Billy Boyle books. I love the way his cop street smarts work to solve mysteries within the War. But this one was hard for me to keep track of the who and the why. There was plenty of suspicion to go around and Benn conveys the dread and paranoia of Stalin's Russia extremely well. The whole country was living in fear. Stalin obviously had no regard for human life. Though the research and ambience were, as usual, perfect, there were so many double and triple crosses, it was hard to keep everything straight. Lots of action, though, and well described. His books are an original mixture of accurate history, intriguing situations, well developed characterizations and action. It's just that this one was too complicated for me; I didn't like it as much as the previous Billy Boyle novels.
June 2, 2021
One of many in a series of mysteries involving the protagonist, a special investigator for the US military, this is an interesting read. There are US traitors, a "honeypot" trap, victims of Stalin's regime, drug dealers, and other characters and tropes from the WWII era and foreshadowing the Cold War. The most interesting thing to me was the apparent but unacknowledged/unrequited love the protagonist, Billy Boyle, has for one of his teammates, Big Mike. Boyle has a female love interest, but she's mostly forgotten in this story, and for the first half of the book Boyle is focused on rescuing Big Mike, but then seems uncomfortable in his presence. A set-up for a queer romance? I'm not sold on the protagonist--he's kind of a jerk--but maybe I'll read some of the others in the series.
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