A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2023

"Benn's Billy Boyle series has enchanted readers for many years and Proud Sorrows is an excellent addition. Benn is a master of suspense; his work builds to the end and never loosens its grip upon the reader. Even if this is your first Billy Boyle Mystery you will find Proud Sorrows a satisfying read!"
--Charles Todd, author of the Inspector Rutledge mysteries and the Bess Crawford mysteries

"Perfect for fans of WWII fiction and historical mysteries, the Billy Boyle series is always a favorite. Not only is this a compelling mystery, but the level of historical research makes this a fascinating window into one of the most tumultuous times in modern history."
--Barnes & Noble

"A thrilling and ingenious plot . . . [Proud Sorrows] is in many ways Benn's most beautifully conceptualized and realized book."
--The Day

"An exhilarating and often emotional adventure."
--Beth Kanell, Stories That Matter

"The dialogue, settings, and the many characters all feel authentic. Tension builds to a rousing conclusion in Boyle's Poirot-like quest to find the killer or killers and the motives . . . An interesting page-turner about little-known aspects of WWII."
--Historical Novels Review

"Benn's meticulously plotted and suspenseful books are always full of historical detail and character development with a great mystery at the center."
--Mystery Scene

"Benn has a sure hand with pacing, and his way with character is nothing short of brilliant. This is an incredible series, worthy of being savored."
--Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

"The mystery is first-rate, the dialogue is period correct and the series as a whole is the best set of wartime novels since those of the legendary Nevil Shute."
--BookPage, Starred Review

"Masterful . . . Benn combines the best elements of traditional small-town mysteries and WWII thrillers, developing a firm sense of place and never letting the suspense flag. This long-running series shows no signs of fatigue."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"This long-running series grows in breadth and depth with every installment."
--Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the Billy Boyle Mysteries

"Full of action, humor and heart."
--Louise Penny

"This book has got it all--an instant classic."
--Lee Child

"Billy Boyle has been to some awesome places in James R. Benn's adventurous World War II series . . . As historical detective series go, this one is extremely well tended by an author who clearly dotes on his hero. As do we."
--The New York Times

"Consistently entertaining."
--WWII Magazine

"Fans of historical mysteries and World War II buffs will savor Evil for Evil . . . Rich in its exploration of Irish history and politics, this is also a character study of brash young man trying to balance personal, family, and political loyalties while staying true to himself."
--The Boston Globe

"James Benn has written a gripping and entertaining mystery (think early Ken Follett), but also--and perhaps just as importantly--he realistically and sensitively explores the rarely discussed race relations and power struggles in the U.S. Armed Forces in World War II Britain. A thrilling read."
--Susan Elia MacNeal, author of His Majesty's Hope and the Maggie Hope mystery series

"What a great read, full of action, humor and heart . . . Equal parts spy thriller, war story and murder mystery, with a dollop of romance that's never sweet, this is just a terrific book. More please!"
--Louise Penny

"A harrowing adventure that delivers on suspense and, quite movingly, on emotional registers too."
--Megan Abbott

"It is a pleasure marching off to war with the spirited Billy Boyle. He is a charmer, richly imagined and vividly rendered, and he tells a finely suspenseful yarn."
--Dan Fesperman, author of Winter Work

"A triple dose of excitement with a murder mystery within a spy thriller within a World War Two adventure story. . . . A 'rattling good read.'"
--Rhys Bowen

"Pervasive racism in the U.S. Army during WWII frames Benn's excellent eighth Billy Boyle whodunit . . . 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."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A smart, fast-paced, action-packed historical mystery series replete with liberal dashes of humor and romance providing broad appeal to readers of military history, thrillers and mysteries. He deftly combines a mélange of edge-of-your seat suspenseful situations with historical accuracy and engaging literary references."
--BookTrib

"The painstaking research is evident, the story crackles with life, and the overlay of fictional characters onto very real historical events is seamless."
--Bookpage