A Black East Wind

by Jack Granfers

September 1943.Ten thousand American GIs descend on the North Devon Coast to train for the D-Day landings, risking their lives by day, drinking and dancing by night. Hundreds die in the perilous amphibious exercises on the local beaches and Atlantic surf. As the assault training intensifies, tensions rise between local residents and the Americans. A bitter rivalry develops between one GI and a British soldier over a local girl. During the only joint exercise between British and American troops, just days before their departure for Normandy, that same GI is reported missing under mysterious circumstances. His body is never found.

Three decades later, at the behest of her dying father, an investigative journalist, Amy Ridd, niece of the missing GI, arrives in Devon from Boston to 'discover the truth' behind her uncle's disappearance. She retains Nick Webber, a former golf pro turned private investigator to help her solve a case colder than a New England January day. Their investigation uncovers a tragic love story and wartime secrets buried for over thirty years.

A Black East Wind is the first in a series of Webber- Ridd Agency cold cases set on the North Devon Coast.

"Fact and fiction intertwined make this a cracking read!"

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2022

Reviews

[Brian Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Was in 2 parts, part 1 was set during the war with American troops training on N Devon beaches for D Day. Part 2 was about solving the mystery of something that happened during the war. All the more interesting, because I live in the area where it was set.

[Neill Ginn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. Loved knowing all the locations in and around Woolacombe

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed the story, with a bit of polish in writing style and wording it would have been 4*.
A good first novel!