“Ruin Value” Is Launched

My new thriller, Ruin Value, has its official pub date as October 1. To celebrate, I thought I would share some of the pre-pub critical response so far. But first, a brief synopsis:

Nuremberg is a dead city. In the aftermath of World War II, two-thirds of its population has fled or is deceased, with thirty thousand bodies turning the ruined industrial center into a massive open grave. Here, the vilest war criminals in history will be tried. But in Nuremberg’s dark streets and back alleys, chaos rules.

Captain Nathan Morgan is one of those charged with bringing order to the home of the war crime trials. A New York homicide detective who spent the war in Army intelligence, he was born to be a spy—and now, in 1945, there is no finer place for his trade than Nuremberg. As the US grapples with the Soviets for postwar supremacy, a serial murderer targets the occupying forces. Nathan Morgan may be the perfect spy, but it’s time for him to turn cop once more. And to aid him in his investigation he frees the former head of the Nuremberg police, Inspector Beck, from wrongful incarceration.

REVIEWS:

“The story is solid and suspenseful …but it’s the relationship between Morgan and Beck, two men who don’t like or trust one another, that makes the book such a rich, powerful read. Fans of WWII mystery fiction should consider this one mandatory reading.” David Pitt, Booklist

“Capt. Nathan Morgan, an NYPD homicide detective, and Chief Insp. Werner Beck, a former German Kripo investigator … make a promising sleuthing pair.”   Publishers Weekly

Included in Kirkus Review’s “Last Chance: 10 Criminoous Yarns to Get You Through 2013″

“Ruin Value remains a bold piece of writing and a very pleasing serial killer investigation and thriller. It’s well worth reading.” Thinking about Books

” I could almost taste the fear and dust and decay as I read it. … Definitely a case of right book at the right time!” Col’s Criminal Library

“Perfect for  readers of  historical crime fiction who like mysteries set in immediate postwar Europe and for readers who might be looking for a new crime writer who can whip up a good plot and keep it going consistently throughout the book… it’s rich in setting and the crime is well plotted.”      Crime Segments

“The unlikely duo of Morgan and Beck get the job done despite some friction in their teamwork. The writing is terrific and brings post-war Nuremberg vividly to life. The main characters are interesting and likeable, and the author does a very good job of working with the post-war setting instead of disguising modern characters and attitudes in 1945 attire.”    At the Scene of the Crime

 

INTERVIEWS:

Read my interview with the Big Thrill

Read Full Post »

The WWII Novels of James R. Benn: Billy Boyle at Your Service

The eighth title in James R. Benn’s excellent “Billy Boyle” series, A Blind Goddess, is just out, and Publishers Weekly bestowed it one of the magazine’s prized starred reviews, noting: “The superior plot and thoughtful presentation of institutional racism directed against American soldiers about to risk their lives for their country make this one of Benn’s best.”

For those unfamiliar with the books, they feature the exploits of Boyle during World War II in Europe. A detective on the Boston Police Department when the war begins, Boyle ends up on the staff of General Eisenhower and deals with murder and mayhem in a time when sanctioned homicide is happening on a grand scale.

Read Full Post »