The Devouring

The historical basis for events is ‘The Devouring’ traces the flow of gold into ‘Neutral’ Swiss banks during the NAZI era. Through the strong, new Roma character, Lasho, readers understand that extermination did not just apply to Jews. The book’s title is a translation of the Roma word for this campaign. However, refugee gold and Jewish gold flows into Switzerland where it is devoured by Bank vaults. The plot ‘sickens’ as an actual instance of avarice is explored: the head of the International Red Cross, based in Switzerland, is the owner of Alusuisse, a manufacturing company doing business with Germany. Far from being ‘humanitarian’, this businessman bought Ukranian slave labor from the Gestapo for use in one of his German factories. Benn once again opens our eyes to the reality of the War, this time exploring Neutrality and how it was used by all sides.

One of the best Billy Boyle mysteries ever and, trust me, I love em all The Devouring is part war story (Billys plane gets shot down behind enemy lines) and part cops n robbers police story (Billy and Kaz are assigned to track down Nazis trying to sneak gold into and out of supposedly neutral Switzerland) Along the way they encounter such real-life good guys as future CIA chief Allen Dulles, and one-time baseball star Moe Berg. As always, Billy matures a little in this adventure having to process being an eyewitness to a train carrying boxcars full of political prisoners to slave labor camps (or worse) and discovering one of his new pals is a homosexual Kaz, too, gets the shock of his adult life when he discovers that something he has believed about his family may not be entirely true Id call this one is a real page-turner but thats a rather hackneyed expression, and theres nothing hackneyed about James R. Benns wonderful prose. A stunning, thought-provoking book! (NOTE: PAPERBACK EDITION IS DUE OUT AUGUST 7!)

As an investigator for General Eisenhower during WWII, Billy Boyle has seen action in North Africa, Italy, France and the Pacific. Each of James R. Benn’s novels incorporates an actual event from the war and in The Devouring he places Billy and his fellow investigator Kaz in Switzerland to assist the OSS with Operation Safehaven. This operation was conceived by the Treasury Department and the OSS to prevent the Nazis from accessing the gold and treasures that they placed in accounts in neutral countries.

Their assignment begins with a plane crash in France and a narrow escape with the assistance of Lasho, a gypsy on a one man vendetta against the Germans. Once they reach Switzerland they must contend with an uncooperative banking system, the gestapo and German sympathizers. They quickly discover that neutral Switzerland is often not as welcoming as they thought.

This is the twelfth adventure for Billy Boyle and Benn’s novels have always placed the reader right in the center of the action. This is one series that I have followed from the first book and I look forward to seeing what Billy will face next.

I have read every book in this series to date. I enjoyed this one as much or more than any of the previous books. The one just before this had felt somewhat “campy.” I did not feel that way about this book. It has intrigued my interest in Switzerland’s role in WWII. I guess that is one of the great things about good fiction is that it makes you want to know more about the facts that underpin that place and time. Read this. You will not be disappointed.

The book “Devouring” is another stellar addition to the Billy Boyle series by James R. Benn. This time, Billy and Kaz travel to Switzerland and the book is an eye opening view of its “neutral” position during World War II. As always, it is expertly researched and is full of chills and excitement. Some major international institutions are tarnished and the truth behind Switzerland’s compliance with Nazi Germany is horrifying. This installment should be read by everyone who is interested in the European Theater of Operations. I eagerly await the next installment.

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