Former Lyme Resident James R. Benn Releases 20th Billy Boyle Mystery Sept. 23

The latest Billy Boyle World War II mystery by former Lyme resident James R. Benn hits the shelves Sept. 23. 

“A Bitter Wind,” published by Soho Press, marks the 20th release in the series about an Irish-American cop from Boston who helps his “uncle” Ike Eisenhower in sensitive WWII military investigations in overseas Europe. 

The book description details Boyle’s journey from the Cliffs of Dover on Christmas Day in 1944, where he discovers the first of two dead bodies, to the wild mountains of Yugoslavia. The mystery is described by the publisher as a fascinating look into the secretive world of WWII radio espionage. 

Benn lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with wife Deborah Mandel, according to his biography on jamesrbenn.com. They have two sons and seven grandchildren 

A graduate of the University of Connecticut, he went on to receive a master’s degree in library science from Southern Connecticut State University. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Author’s Guild. 

Benn worked in the library and information technology fields for over 35 years before turning to full-time writing in 2011. 

Readers will have the chance to learn more from the author himself at two upcoming events on the shoreline.