Thomas Mullen tells the tale of 1940s Boston and Cambridge in his latest historical thriller where American anti-semitism and nationalism set the tone during WWII. Like his novel, Darktown, set in 1940’s Atlanta which featured the first black police officers in the city and the racism they endured, in The Rumor Game, Mullen takes on anti-semitism in New England during the war, especially by the Irish. Mullen has proven himself as a writer with impeccable research and accurate portraits of that period in American history.

The story revolves around Anne, a Jewish reporter who writes a column debunking rumors of a wartime nature, and Mulvey, an Irish FBI agent who knew each other as kids and reunite to try and solve the murder of a Jewish munitions worker. Surprisingly, some Americans were so Anti-Semitic that they sabotaged the American war effort under the guise of Christian Nationalism. The level of isolationist sentiment and violent response is quite reminiscent of what is happening in the US today.

The two protagonists of the novel uncover plots and murders revolving around Nazis, hatred and extremists which should not surprise us today, given how history does seem to repeat itself. The Rumor Game is a remarkable historical tale of political and police corruption, one we all should read to better understand current affairs. And it is a captivating story in its own right. My rating 4 of 5.

This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. The Rumor Game will be published on February 27, 2024.

Interesting historical fiction that centers on a little explored aspect of the WWII Homefront-antisemitism, fascism, and isolationism. Anne, a reporter, and Devon, an FBI SA, alternately tell this story set in seething Boston in 1942. In some ways (regrettably actually) it's a bit of a second chance romance between the two, who have known one another for years even as Devon has worked his way through a slew of women. The best parts of this are the mystery-who killed the factory worker and who is promoting the false information-and the atmospherics. Both Anne and Devon are outsiders in their profession but what makes them different elsewhere makes them a stronger team. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Don't miss the author's notes. Here's hoping we see another outing for these two.

(rounded up from 4.5)

Thomas Mullen has a way of writing that pulls you into a story quickly. I loved his Blind Spots and I loved The Rumor Game too, which was a very different kind of story.

The Rumor Game takes place over a short period of time in the wartime summer of 1943 in Boston - and specifically in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. The main female character is Anne Lemire, who writes a column for the fictional newspaper, The Boston Star, in which she debunks various rumors, some of which sound ridiculous but were believed by a large number of people. And then there are the hurtful rumors, mainly focusing on the Jews of Boston, accusing them of all sorts of things - blaming them for the US being in the war at all, and then profiting from it, for example. The publisher’s blurb didn’t prepare me for how much the story centered on antisemitism. This was a major subplot of the story and it resonated with me, especially given the recent rise in antisemitism that we are experiencing in 2024. In addition to that, Mullen explores how much isolationism and fascist sympathy there still was in that area (and in other parts of the US, of course, but this book looks mainly at Boston). I didn’t realize that there was still so much isolationist sentiment in 1943. I found that fascinating and disturbing.

The other main character is Devon Mulvey, an FBI agent who is working to prevent sabotage of the local wartime industrial efforts. He is one of the very few Irish Catholic FBI agents. Lemire, on the other hand, is the product of the marriage of a French Canadian Catholic man and an Eastern European Jewish woman, the latter identity not being revealed until Anne was in her teens. Because of that identity becoming known, her family was then shunned in parts of Dorchester. Her younger brother Sammy has been beaten up by local thugs because of his identity - and he’s not the only one.

All of this was eye-opening to me. My husband grew up in another similarly ethnic part of Boston, but his mother grew up in Dorchester and reading this story made me wish so much that she was still alive so I could talk to her about her experiences at that time!

There’s a murder of a Jewish munitions worker that Devon winds up investigating and of course his path and Anne’s path cross. There are mob ties, racism (including discrimination in hiring at the munitions plant) and plots to create chaos in the city.

I moved back and forth between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Megan Tusing. She did a great job with both the female and male voices and the various accents.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Mullen’s new novel takes place in Boston, shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. With the US set to join the war effort, anti-Semitism is at an all time high as fearful citizens look for a scapegoat to blame for America’s ground offensive in Europe. Anne, a reporter for a Boston newspaper, is trying to root out and eliminate the source of hate-speech propaganda against the Jewish population while Devon, an FBI agent, is looking to track down a stolen shipment of rifles from a wartime munitions plant. Are the two cases connected?

I’m a big fan of Thomas Mullen’s Darktown trilogy and was lucky enough to meet the man at Bouchercon a few years back, albeit briefly. When I saw his newest novel up for grabs on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance. That said, a few years ago, I had hit my limit on books surrounding the Second World War and needed an extended break. Given that this one takes place in Boston, I figured that was far enough removed from the horrors of the front lines and concentration camps for me to re-enter the era.

A population scarred by the tremendous loss suffered from the first World War is reluctant to send their best and brightest to fight in Europe again. Rather than find an enemy in Germany, the rage is directed at the victim as anti-Semitism rises in the community. That’s not to say it’s less heartbreaking than some of the books I’ve read in the past, but it’s an easier read that some of the heavier experiences I’ve had in the last few years.

As I read on, I was happy to see that THE RUMOR GAME is at its heart a detective novel with the struggles and strains of the war effort as a backdrop. The twists and turns throughout the story had me intensely focused on who knew what and when, who was involved, and how this would shake out for Devon and Anne.

THE RUMOR GAME is a strong mid-20th century era whodunnit featuring good old fashioned “boots on the ground” detective work on the part of the two leads. Given that I cut my teeth as a reader on mystery novels, it was nice to revisit the genre with such a solid outing on the part of an experienced author.

Master storyteller Thomas Mullen returns following Blind Spots and his Darktown trilogy (loved)— Darktown, Lightning Men, and Midnight Atlanta with his latest, THE RUMOR GAME— A riveting crime novel set in Boston during WWII—A perfect blending of crime, mystery, and American history.

Some of Mullen's previous books are set in Atlanta, where he currently resides, tackling racial injustices. THE RUMOR GAME is set in Boston, where he has family roots, with another riveting novel based on several pro-Nazi, anti-Semitic organizations that existed in the US after the country entered WWII.

Many members were arrested in 1940 by the FBI for hoarding weapons (some stolen from the National Guard Armory) and plotting to assassinate Jewish politicians. (Facist and Communist groups). Also, the distribution of anti-Semitic hate sheets contributes to hostile and violent environments.

The novel features and alternates between two main characters: Anne and Devon.

Anne Lemire, Jewish and raised Catholic, is an anti-fascist activist and reporter who writes for the Rumor Clinic but is tired of writing unimportant stories and wants to dig deeper into more in-depth topics. Her job currently is chasing down harmful war rumors.

She learned over the years through her reporting that there were different kinds of mistruths. Some are born of ignorance and lack of understanding of the world. Some were harmless, more mistakes than lies, until they were repeated often enough to convince a critical mass of people, in which case they became dangerous. Some lies were well-camouflaged, and some were obvious. The good news for her was that with each falsehood, there was the reward of chasing down and disproving. She loved her job.

Agent Devon Mulvey, Catholic, a handsome, philandering FBI agent who is quite the charmer and sleeps with married women whose husbands are at war. (he thinks confessing will make it ok). He is a bit of an outcast. He is to prevent industrial sabotage and spy on clerics with suspect loyalties. He is investigating a case of stolen munitions that ended in murder.

Anne's teenage brother, Sammy, is beaten up by an Irish gang targeting the city's Jews, and the national security concerns surrounding the fatal stabbing of Abraham Wolff, an employee of Northeast Munitions, bring Devon onto the case along with the Boston Police Department.

Devon finds himself at odds with the whole BPD, including his cousin, another officer.

The two intersect with the joint cases. They have known one another from childhood and are not sure they can trust one another, but they wind up in a romance complicated by their family involvements. From Nazi flyers to counterfeit rations stamps, hoarding/stealing weapons, and corruption.

THE RUMOR GAME is meticulously researched, and the novel gives off a noir vibe with the time era and the smashing front cover, which draws you in. I loved Anne's character - tenacious and resourceful.

Masterfully written, the novel covers highly charged topics of prejudice, hatred, violence, and murder. The author has done his homework as usual with an extensive Author's Note, the inspiration behind the novel, and essential resources for further reading—an ideal book club pick.

This is the 6th book I have read by the author, and I thoroughly enjoy his writing and tackling important controversial topics of our history and how they collide with our present day. I highly recommend the author and all his books!

Mullen's inspiration (for Harold & Anne's project) ignited from a story from Arnold Beichman, 1943, "Christian Front Hoodlums Terrorize Boston Jews" in NY's PM Magazine.

He mentions some aspects of Anne's character were inspired by the Journalist Frances Sweeney, an Irish American writer who dedicated her life to exposing Fascists both before and during the war and who wrote a short-lived column debunking war rumors for the Boston Herald —until it was shut down via pressure from the Office of War Information which claimed the column did more harm than good. These stories and more will have you going down a rabbit hole to learn more!

AUDIOBOOK: I was fortunate to read the e-book and listen to the audiobook narrated by the talented and favorite Megan Tusing for an outstanding performance and listening experience. She made the characters come alive with emotion and suspense.

Thank you, St. Martins's Press, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley, for a gifted ARC and ALC for an honest opinion. #SMPInfluencers #CoverCrush

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Pub Date: Feb 27, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
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I had a hard time deciding on a rating for The Rumor Game. As far as the story goes, I would give it 3-3.5 stars, but because it seems to be very well researched, based on some true facts and tackles head-on a sentiment in the United States during World War II that is not easy to face, I decided to give it 4 stars.

Anne is a reporter writing a newspaper column call The Rumor Game, chasing down rumors floating around in Boston. She has her sights set on bigger goals, however, and her personal history fits right into it. She was raised as a Catholic and only found out after her father’s death that her mother’s family is Jewish. She is still coming to terms with this and how the treatment of her and her family by those considered friends – and the church - changed when this became known. This in part drives her to investigate the persecution and physical violence being done to Jewish families in Boston. Devon is a G-Man, an FBI agent whose job is to try and prevent sabotage in the area and to root out spies and sympathizers. His father pushed for him to become an agent and stay out of wartime action overseas. Unfortunately, this means that Devon is viewed by many as a slacker who cunningly avoided any real action.

Anne and Devon are not very likable characters. Anne hasn’t embraced being Jewish except when it suits her. She is reckless and endangers those she enlists to help her, has a constant chip on her shoulder over not receiving the recognition she believes she deserves, and definitely is looking for more exposure and rewards. When we meet Devon he has just finished seducing yet another woman whose husband is away fighting; he’s not a very honorable man. He is clever and a bit slippery and seems to do just enough to get by. He and Anne are brought together to try to get to the bottom of the murder of an immigrant. They come together, break apart, come together . . . not sure if there will be more to this relationship or not.

As noted, this book is obviously well researched and spotlights the rampant antisemitism in play in Boston and throughout the US at the time. It also addresses espionage, organized crime and domestic fascism, but it’s slow moving and while you feel the author is trying to build suspense to – something – the story often meanders along without a clear point as its goal.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for providing an advance copy of The Rumor Game via NetGalley. It is thought-provoking and I enjoyed it, but the attention to detail becomes too much detail and often overwhelms the story; I think perhaps this would have been a better book if it had been non-fiction anecdotes focusing on how Jews were treated at that time. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Thank you so much for this ARC! As a Bostonian I was really interested in this setting. The book was meticulously researched, but I found the pacing slower than I normally prefer, and the characters not as engaging as I'd like. I wish the characters had crossed paths earlier in the story, which I think would have kept my interest a little bit better.

I do like Mullen's writing a lot, but overall the book was slow for me. I look forward to his next one though and still think this will have a lot of fans!

My first thought when I finished this book was, “ Is this a series because I’m going to need some closure?”

This mystery was strongly grounded in history, and I felt it had a solid and well-researched background. The mystery was well done and I didn’t guess all of the murder mystery details well into the book. I also liked the main characters, reporter Anne and FBI S/A Mulvey. Because of this, I wanted some sort of resolution for this couple.

I especially appreciated the epilogue, which laid out which parts of the story were based on historical fact. I know it’s historical fiction, but I appreciate the author providing this type of background.

The world is at war, Pearl Harbor has been attacked, and the U.S. is taking up arms. In Boston, Devon Mulvey is an Irish Catholic FBI agent bored with his usual assignment of doing background checks. When a man is found murdered in an alley, he eagerly begins investigating. Anne Lemire was raised Catholic and had even gone through Confirmation before finding out her family is actually Jewish. She’s an investigator of a different sort. She’s a journalist writing a column called, “The Rumor Clinic.” She tackles rumors circulating throughout the community and investigates them to find out the truth.
The author has done a masterful job of taking actual people and events from history and making a compelling story. It’s highly relevant to what is going on in the world today. It’s about anti-Semitism and pro-fascist groups operating in the U.S. It’s about how women were treated and the prejudice they endured. It’s a great story. The only disappointment for me was the ending. I found it unsatisfying. I wanted to know more about the two main characters and what happened to them. 4.5 stars

This was an intriguing book that dealt with aspects of the second world war here in America that I hadn't often thought about. Set in Boston in 1942, it follows FBI agent Devon Mulvey and reporter Anne Lemire.

Devon investigates industrial espionage, and anti-USA sentiment, trying to uncover fascist groups. He is Irish Catholic and as such always slightly on the outside of his group of coworkers. Anne is desperate to become a serious investigative journalist in a time when women were not welcome in that world, and has managed a take a step up from the usual women's reporting to work on a column called the Rumor Clinic, where she investigates and disproves rumors that damage the war effort.

While trying to track down the publication of Nazi propaganda, she crosses path with Devon, who is investigating a murder. Slowly they begin to work together, each trying to determine whether they can trust the other. Anne is from a Jewish background, and there are a lot of antisemitic feelings in the city at this time. Her brother may be involved in some activities he shouldn't be involved in, and Devon's family may also be involved with groups that they shouldn't be involved with, so both have a lot to lose.

The book painted a very gritty view of Boston at the time, with all the different factions, from the mob, the unions, the Nazi sympathizers, and the fascist groups all trying to take hold during a time of rationing and austerity. It didn't surprise me to discover that the book was based on real events and people, and the author did an excellent job of immersing us in that world.

I loved Anne's strong, independent character. While very intelligent I also found her very naive about how the work that she did may affect her family and herself. I felt that this was probably quite realistic for a woman at that time. Devon was a very likeable but flawed character.

I enjoyed the writing in the book, I felt it was very well done. I look forward to reading more by this author.

The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen is a World War II historical mystery thriller set in Boston Massachusetts during 1943. I have read a lot of World War II novels but it was refreshing to read one that takes place on our own shores. Mr. Mullen does an excellent job of re-creating life during the war on the east coast of the United States. The historical details that are described creates an atmosphere that is essential to the plot. Every action and reaction the main characters undertake reflect Boston at that time.

The mystery portion of the novel explores the use of disinformation and the power to control the masses. The two main characters are very interesting. Anne Lemire is a reporter writing a column for the local newspaper called the Rumor Clinic. In this column she tries to dispel rumors that are circulating throughout Boston and beyond. She is battling a ton of disinformation, salacious rumors, gossip and anti-semetic assaults. Unfortunately her editor does not think her ideas are newsworthy. The second character is Devon Mulvey who is an FBI agent working in the Boston field office. His main task is preventing industrial sabotage in the factories that are aiding the war effort. Agent Mulvey is investigating a fatal stabbing of an employee of the Northeast Munitions factory.

Their separate investigations lead them to meet and converge. They wind up investigating dangerous connections which involve domestic espionage, subversion and organized crime.

Mr. Mullen does an excellent job creating his characters. There is a depth to both of the main characters that make the story believable. His settings are well written and you can easily picture downtown Boston with its factories and poor neighborhoods. The action is a bit slow at the beginning but picks up toward the last third of the book.

I would like to thank Mr. Mullen, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Book and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen is a highly recommended historical mystery set in Boston during WWII. It is 1943 and reporter Anne Lemire is investigating disinformation while FBI agent Devon Muvey is preventing industrial sabotage.

Annie Lemire writes the newspaper column The Rumor Clinic. In it she debunks various seditious rumors, gossip, and disinformation running rampant around town. Although her editor isn't interested in the story, Anne is also investigating antisemitic assaults on teens by Irish gangs and printed propaganda being spread around the city. Special FBI Agent Devon Mulvey is investigating national security concerns including the fatal stabbing of an employee of Northeast Munitions, Abraham Wolff. Their investigations lead them to meet each other. It turns out they knew each other as children. More importantly, their investigations actually converge and careen toward dangerous connections to organized crime, espionage, and domestic subversion.

Mullen's does an excellent job capturing the historical details and atmosphere in the setting, which is essential to the plot. All the actions the characters undertake and all the areas of Boston they encounter reflect the city and the times in which they live. This is a mystery that also explores the use of disinformation and power to control the people enmeshed in the struggle for domination. Although the action does move at a slower pace through much of the beginning of the novel, the last quarter mark a gripping turn and a heart-stopping pace.

The narrative is consistently interesting throughout the novel. There are several mysteries and questions that need to be answered and it is the search for all the answers through the investigations undertaken by Anne and Devon that will hold your attention even when the pace feels slow. The interest is in seeing the intersection of the two complicated investigations and anticipating the merging of them. The romance between Anne and Devon is secondary to the action and intrigue they are embroiled in investigating. Thanks to Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

In 1942 Boston, World War II has left its mark. Most of the men are off fighting, rationing is in full swing, and as the war rages on, anti-Semitism at home rages with it. Due to his job with the FBI, Agent Devon Mulvey hasn't been sent off to fight, instead remaining at home surrounded by his large Irish Catholic family. It was always Devon's father's ambition to see his son join the FBI, but despite all that, Devon still doesn't seem quite fulfilled.

Anne Lemire isn't feeling very fulfilled herself. One of the few female reporters for the Star, she writes a column called The Rumor Clinic, dispelling wartime misinformation. However, while Anne wants to explore the nasty anti-Semitic rumors that are swirling, her male boss would much prefer if she wrote silly fluff pieces - so, she'll just have to write her own stories behind his back, if she really wants to get the truth out there.

When Devon and his partner are called to investigate the murder of a Jewish factory worker, they discover that the dead man has a drawing of a swastika in his pocket, hinting he may have been targeted due to his religion. Devon's investigation leads him to Anne, his old childhood acquaintance, and the story she's been investigating about anti-Jewish propaganda. Realizing there may be a link between their investigations, the two of them work together to find out the truth. The truth, however, just might come at a grave personal cost...

I found this World War II thriller to be very well-researched, without being too info-dumpy, and it tackled a lot of themes that are - sadly - still incredibly relevant to modern society. There is an author's note at the end explaining some of Thomas Mullen's inspiration for the work.

I liked Anne as a main character, and though she was - like many good intrepid mystery-thriller heroines - a bit reckless at times, I admired her determination, courage, and commitment to truth. As for Devon, I did not get on with him quite as much. In his very first scene, we learn that Devon is...let's say, a bit of a Lothario, and though he does question some of his life choices later on in the narrative, I got off on the wrong foot with him. I just couldn't get over how icky some of his internal monologue made me feel at the beginning.

I did think there were some good reveals and twists in this book, and if the premise sounds interesting to you, I would encourage you to read it. My 3-star rating is due both to not getting on with one of the main characters, as I mentioned, and my entirely subjective reading preferences.

I liked the idea of it and the different aspects of the murder...like is it a regular, war related, religion. There could have been so many suspects and motives.

I just thought the pacing was kinda slow and I tended to wander some. It didn't keep me interested all the time.

I read a lot of WWII fiction so it is great when I find a different story. The Rumor Game is a murder mystery set during WWII in the U.S. - Boston to be exact. It features a female reporter and an FBI agent.

I haven't read a lot of U.S. homefront stories so it is nice to see what was happening in the U.S. at the time. I've learned that anti-semitism and fascism were rampant. This book focuses on these issues.

I enjoyed the characters and while this reads like a stand-alone, I wouldn't mind a sequel just to continue to follow the lives of the characters.

The female reporter, Anne, was raised Catholic but when her father dies she discovers that her mother is Jewish. She doesn't feel that she really fits into either world now. She is determined to fight injustice and uncover the truth. She writes a column called The Rumor Clinic where she debunks war-related misinformation. Her latest rumor hits a little too close to home and is much more dangerous than anything else she's covered.

Devon is an Irish-American Catholic FBI agent. As he is considered an existential war worker (he investigates possible cases of industrial espionage), he won't be joining up but that still weighs heavy on him as his brothers-in-law have enlisted. Irish-American Catholics are still looked down on during this period and he is one of the few in the FBI. He doesn't feel like he fits in either the community he grew up in or the FBI.

I knew Anne's and Devon's paths would cross and I anxiously waited for it to happen. I knew that there was something deeper to their cases and I couldn't wait to see what direction the plot would take. I wasn't expecting the chemistry between Anne and Devon. They work really well together.

The murder mystery is complicated, with a number of twists and turns. There are so many socio-political aspects at play in this plot that you aren't sure if this is just a random stabbing or if there is something more nefarious at play.

It was a book that I wanted to sit down and read big chunks of at a time. When I finished it though, I was kind of sad as it was over. I want to know what happens next for Anne and Devon.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/02/the-rumor-game-by-thomas-mullen-review.html

An aspiring young woman reporter in Boston during World War II, whose name is Anne, attempts to expose antisemitism and a domestic fascist plot in World War II Boston. Anne crosses paths when an FBI agent, whose name is Devon, investigating a murder linked to espionage at a weapons plant. The novel’s characters have personalities that are complex, although messy. This heightens the suspense in the plot by always putting the reader on the edge of a concern that the characters will not defeat the villains. The Rumor Game is an exquisitely crafted story. Its plot comes together in a calibrated fashion, but the message, if one thinks a message is necessary, is clouded by moral ambivalence.

Review by Mark Zvonkovic, author of A Lion In The Grass

I have been a fan of Thomas Mullen's since first reading Darktown and Lightning Men. His latest book, The Rumor Game is a historical mystery which is set in Boston during WWII that is atmospheric, well-researched and tackles large social issues.

The strength of this story is in its historical perspective and atmosphere -- the warring factions, the high-running emotions and tensions of the time. Inspired by true events, this is a story about corruption, rampant anti-Semitism, fascism, domestic terrorism, sexism and disinformation about Jewish Bostonians which lead to violence in the streets.

Where the book faltered for me was its characters and pacing. I loved the idea of reporter Anne Lemire and FBI agent Devon Mulvey, who are both outsiders in their fields, but the execution of their characters fell flat with a forced feel to their bond and a superfluous romance. The very large secondary cast and slow pace added to a muddled feel and despite brief bits of tension, the story was too slowly paced to be suspenseful and I found myself skimming pages.

I continue to be a fan of Mullen's and regularly recommend his Darktown series and while I loved the atmosphere and appreciated learning a new perspective of the impact of WWII and how it affected people on this side of the Atlantic, the suspense fell a little short for me in this book.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Minotaur and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

THE RUMOR GAME is set in Boston during World War II. Annie Lemire writes The Rumor Clinic which debunks the many harmful rumors floating around town. Most are just gossip mixed with fear and ignorance. Annie is tired of chasing rumors and wants to tackle something bigger. When she begins looking into attacks on Jews by Irish toughs, she doesn't get much support from her editor.

Special Agent Devon Mulvey is one of the few Irish Catholics with the FBI. He's dealing with internal prejudice which hampers his investigation into the murder of a Jewish man who worked at a munitions plant. His brief is to look into preventing industrial sabotage which means that he can't interest his partner or anyone else in the FBI about the murder.

Devon and Annie grew up in the same Boston neighborhood but lost track of each other over the years. When they meet again over the same murder case, they are coming from wildly different points of view. Annie learned she was half-Jewish when her father died. Ostracism forced her family to move out of the area. Devon's family moved out too when his father made enough money.

Now they find their investigations uncovering things neither of them want to learn which alter their viewpoints about events. Devon doesn't want to acknowledge that his father and cousins could be part of a plot to force the US not to take the fight to Europe. Nor does he want to acknowledge that the campaign against local Jews is being orchestrated by those same relatives. Annie isn't sure who to trust, but knows that it isn't the Boston Police and maybe it isn't Devon.

This was an engaging thriller about a piece of the activities on the Home Front that I hadn't heard about before. I enjoyed the story and the characters.

This is a story filled with hate, prejudice, and bigotry and the fight to overcome evil. A plucky, tenacious newspaper columnist in Boston, and the local lothario, who is a Special Agent with the FBI, work together to solve a murder and the mystery surrounding unexplained events occurring around them. They run across gangsters, crooked cops, shifty businesses, and devious plots.

The context of the storyline felt shadowy and sinister. However, even though it was interesting at times, and well written, I wasn't drawn in and the narrative did not hold my concentration or interest. Hopefully, this novel will appeal to other readers more.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.

Devon was an agent of the FBI, to root out any attempts to sabotage the war effort.

Anne writes for The Rumor Clinic, she writes about Rosie Riveters’ and the safety issues.

Unfortunately, I did not engage with the story.

Thank you Thomas Mullen, Minotaur books, and NetGally for reading the ARC.