I received an advance review copy of this novel thanks to the fine folks at NetGalley, the publisher and the author in return for an honest review.

While this book is a work of fiction, it is based upon historical fact as during the interwar years and the early years of World War II as domestic concerns in the United States, including unemployment and national security, combined with prevalent antisemitism and racism, helped to shape Americans’ responses to Nazism and willingness to aid European Jews. Anti-Semitism and isolationist groups are causing major problems in WWII era Boston in this intriguing thriller.

The Rumor Game is high-intensity novel set against the backdrop of World War II-era Boston, this novel masterfully captures the tension and unease of a city divided by wartime suspicions and fascist elements. With compelling characters, intricate plotting, and a richly detailed historical setting, Mullen crafts a story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

It has an intelligent, strong and capable female protagonist, a flawed but likable male protagonist, mystery, intrigue, suspense, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. The author's notes are interesting and informative, and are truly appreciated.

I believe that this would be a tale that would be enjoyed by both fans of historical fiction and criminal reads, as I found this book to be less of a thriller and, while still a solid read, to be more of a crime read as the story delves into the criminal underbelly of Boston in a time where fear, intimidation and racism were running. rampant.

As far as rating this book, I would easily give this a solid four stars out of five, as it certainly opened my eyes when considering the context and the atmosphere of the era.

As with most of my literary ramblings, this is just my five cents worth.

While this is a fictional read, there is a lot of truth built into this book.
This is WWII time, and we are in an area of the country that wants us to isolate from what is going on in the rest of the world, and the spread of hate for a religion.
We are given a bit of romance, family drama, and actual gangs beating up and hurting others, we thought this was only in Europe.
This is an eye opener for me, yes, my family lived in this area at that time, and yes, they were of the same faith and nationality. Sad.
I found this a page turner, and had a hard time putting it down, and it helped me understand remarks made in the past! I love the the drama of romance against family, and we are there for the decisions!
Don't forget to read the author's notes!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin's Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

In The Rumor Game, Thomas Mullen masterfully transports readers to a tumultuous World War II-era Boston, weaving a captivating narrative that blends historical authenticity with heart-pounding suspense. Mullen's latest offering is not just a thriller; it's a profound exploration of the impacts of disinformation and power, making it profoundly relevant to our contemporary world.

Beyond the captivating world of 1940s Boston, I loved reading about Anne and Devon and watching their stories and backgrounds intertwine. This is a side of WWII that I haven't read a lot about and I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh perspective! A must-read for fans of historical thrillers and anyone interested in the ever-relevant battle against misinformation.

Thank you to Minotaur for my advanced electronic copy via NetGalley.

During World War II, reporter Anne Lemire does her bit for the war effort by tracking down harmful rumors and disproving them in her Boston newspaper column. While she sees the value in disproving rumors that could damage morale on the home front, she keeps angling to write about something bigger that will help bring down the fascist elements at home as well as abroad. So when her story about Nazi propaganda brings her in league with Special Agent Devon Mulvey of the FBI who is investigating a murder case, she finally gets her chance. The trail they follow involves espionage, domestic infighting between cultural groups, and the mob, and even pulls in secrets they would rather stayed hidden.

From the first line I was sucked into this hard-boiled, honest look at World War II-era Boston and its different ethnic groups and hard underbelly. The prejudice, hate, fear that fuel disinformation from the powerful and powerless alike are eerily similar to today. These are fully human protagonists who are operating in a very real world of intrigue and grit, and of hopes and dreams and heroism. I was highly invested in both Ann and Devon's stories, aching to see if they would solve anything and if life would get better. In the end I found it to be thought-provoking and evoking of just the right atmosphere to deliver a powerful message.

I love Mullen’s series set in post-war Atlanta featuring black police officers (“Darktown” is the first). I was surprised to see that his new book is set in wartime Boston. The racial tension in this book is not black/white, but isolationists targeting Jews.

Reporter, Anne Lemire, writes a column in the local paper called “Rumor Clinic” where she attempts to disprove misinformation – some of it Axis propaganda designed to create fear or weaken morale. (For example, permed hair on munitions workers does not cause explosions.) She’s also investigating antisemitism targeting Jewish-owned businesses and assaults of Jewish citizens after dark. Meanwhile, Irish Catholic Devon Mulvey is an FBI agent tasked with preventing industrial sabotage. He is looking into the murder of an arms factory worker who was set to testify in a Fair Employment Practice Committee hearing.

Anne and Devon’s paths cross as they track down leads in their respective investigations. Along the way, the reader learns about the home-grown fascists and their activities during this period of history. At times, the book felt like a fictionalized account of some of the events described in Rachel Maddow’s podcast “Ultra” and book “Prequel: an American Fight Against Fascism.” I appreciate that the author crafted a WWII novel featuring a less-examined aspect of the genre.

I wonder if Mullen plans a series. Hope so.

This book is told from two POV‘s one is Anne, a female Jewish reporter who has a gossip column that dispells rumors instead of creates them it is before America entered Europe in World War II intentions are high racism is at a peek and pamphlets saying negative things about the Jewish community are going around. There given out publicly as if everyone hates the Jews. She told this before but when her own brother Sammy gets beat up by Irish kids from the next neighborhood it hits a little too close to home. Unfortunately her editor Harry doesn’t want to run columns on pro minority groups because that isn’t his main audience. And is tenacious however and decides to investigate these pamphlets and the gang bangs her self. The other POV is FBI agent Devon he is an Irish Catholic one of only two on the force in him and his semi racist partner Lou go to investigate a murdered Jewish man The man was a German refugee working at an ammunition plant after they go to speak to Aliana the man’s wife Devon knows she is hiding something but what it is will blow the case wide open. His partner wants to blow it off it’s just another dead to do but Devon has more integrity than that at least when it comes to his work he does. When it comes to his pleasure he loves drinking in women and no small quantity and it doesn’t matter if they’re married or not. This is such a good book end it has so many intriguing tentacles and like an octopus it has many. I was not expecting where this book was going to go and like all books with different POV‘s when the two come together I knew there was going to be sparks but OMG poor Devon has the embarrassment of his priest preaching about Jewish hate but then the hate gets a little too close to home for comfort and OMG this is an awesome awesome read! I absolutely love this book I want to say I thought this book was a thriller and not a cop drama but I am so glad I read it it was so good I know I said that but if you love historical mystery set in World War II that’s intelligently done then you’ll definitely love The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen I want to thank Saint Martin’s press and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Historical fiction set in Boston just before the US enters WWII. Ann is a young, Jewish journalist who is trying to battle fascism and anti-Semitism in her community. Devon is a young Irish-Catholic FBI agent whose own family is too bigoted for his comfort.

I found the story to be slow-moving and somewhat boring: I had a hard time connecting with the characters; the moments of both romance and suspense were not developed very well; and the ending just glossed over everything that the book had been building up to.

Based on the author's notes, a number of the characters and events were based on real people and events, and it seems to have been well-researched.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

The Rumor Game
By Thomas Mullen

This is a novel, but it is based on true situations that arose across America during the period leading up to and following Pearl Harbor and our entry into World War II in both the Pacific front and in Europe. It exposes some hard truths about the existence of pro-Nazi and anti-Semitic factions which worked to stymie FDR and keep us out of the war.

The depth of the hatred and readiness to commit violence portrayed here is startling – as is the fact that local politicians, police, and even federal agencies were complicit. The story here involves a leftist half Jewish newspaper reporter named Anne and her interaction with Devon, a former Irish childhood acquaintance and current FBI agent in Boston. Their mutual attraction and the many stumbling blocks in the way of their relationship highlight the social problems of the time.

I found this book both captivating and eye-opening. And the abrupt ending without clear resolution made the story much more believable. I would recommend this book to readers interested in the reality of what was going on at that time.

This is an entertaining, well-written, historical fiction crime thriller., which is based on actual persons and events. It has an intelligent, strong and capable female protagonist, a flawed but likable male protagonist, mystery, intrigue, suspense, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. The author's notes are interesting and informative, and are truly appreciated. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Mr. Thomas Mullen, who provided me with an advance reader copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

This historical fiction novel takes place in Boston during WWII and paints a very different picture than I have usually seen in other WWII stories. Boston is filled with rumors, hatred and factions fighting each other for power. Not exactly a united effort to rally the country around the flag. Thomas Mullen has presented a compelling and thought-provoking tale, not unlike what we continue to face today. This thriller is well worth the read and further contemplation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for the chance to read early.

As anyone can see, this novel, a fictionalized tale based on incidents that occurred in Boston in or around 1943, was very slow reading for me, not because of poor writing, but because I kept seeing much of our current history in what we were being told. Anne is a reporter who has Jewish family members and has begun investigating antisemitism and pro-Nazism in Boston. Devon is an FBI Agent who is of Irish ancestry during the days of Hoover’s FBI. They come together over the murder of a man who was involved in the theft and sale of a case of military weapons from their manufacturer. The plot is intense and the compilation well done. Thanks to Net galley and Minotaur Books for an ARC for an honest review.

The book more so focuses on the life of people left behind in the war. A suspenseful WW2 era thriller novel. Nothing groundbreaking, but an enjoyable quick read. I'll be interested to see if the author continues writing these mysteries as there's potential for a whole series if well thought out.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Rumor Game. The author really captured the feel of the time period in this historical thriller. The characters were well written and the story well laid out. I enjoyed reading from Anne's perspective and found her to be quite a daring character.

This was a bit of a slow burn as the two main characters don't connect until the book is a third complete As historical fiction, the book does a good job setting the atmosphere for WWII era Boston. However, I couldn't get invested in the characters mainly because of my visceral response to the ugliness of ordinary people depicted,. I realize that it is an accurate reflection of the time, but in Some ways it was too close to some of the current polarization in our society.

In WWII Boston, Anne Lemire, a woman reporter, is trying to make a name for herself by researching and frequently dispelling rumors going around the town on various subjects. FBI agent Devon Mulvey is assigned to preventing industrial sabotage, but on his own, he is spying on Catholic priests who may have “suspect loyalties”. When Anne’s investigation into Nazi propaganda throws her across Devon’s investigation of a murdered dock worker, the two begin a very dangerous liaison that leads them into investigating organized crime, espionage, and antisemitism in the city. Quite an original historical thriller.

Anti-semitism and isolationist groups are causing major problems in WWII era Boston in this intriguing thriller.

Anne Lemire is a college-educated, forward thinking young woman working for a Boston newspaper. She has managed to carve out a niche for herself, rising above the usual “women’s interest” topics to write a column called the Rumor Clinic. In it, she chases down war-related rumors that seem silly or downright harmful to disprove them. She has just exposed a story that WAACs are getting pregnant and receiving abortions at a military training area down in Georgia….turns out that a disgruntled would-be suitor was just making up a nasty story to get back at the girl who didn’t return his affections, but had Anne not nipped that rumor in the bud, many families might have been reluctant to let their daughters join the war effort. While she’s pleased that she straightened that out, she knows that she is capable of more meaningful work. One story that is not being taken seriously by either the press or the police is the recent rash of attacks against Jewish people in her neighborhood. Anne herself, though raised to believe she was Catholic, had discovered upon her father’s death that she was, in fact, Jewish. Her family at that time was treated unfairly by their neighbors and ended up moving, so she is quite aware of the negative view that many hold of Jewish people. When her younger brother is attacked for a second time, Anne feels she has no choice but to investigate. Her path will soon cross that of Devon Mulvey, a Special Agent with the FBI who has been tasked with keeping an eye on defense contractors in the area to prevent sabotage and espionage, as well as monitoring priests at local area churches who may hold anti-war views. The former task is not much of a challenge for Mulvey, but the latter makes him a bit uncomfortable. He and his family are Catholic, so spying on priests (some of whom he has known as a parishioner) is pulling at his loyalties. He is one of the few Catholics hired by the FBI, whose college-educated recruits have historically been Protestant, and is aware that many of his co-workers don’t entirely trust him because of his background. The local police, whose ranks include a great many Irish Catholics like Mulvey and in fact have more than a few of his relatives in their ranks, don’t think much of Mulvey for eschewing the police force in favor of the FBI. Like Anne, though for different reasons, Mulvey has a foot in two camps but is accepted by neither. Mulvey avoided being drafted for the war because of his job and is looked down on by many in his circle for not “doing his duty”…and feels guilty about it himself. The fact that he finds himself bedding more than a few women whose husbands are away fighting just adds to his self recrimination. When a Jewish man who worked at a munitions factory is found dead, Anne and Mulvey, who knew one another in their early years, meet and find that their investigations coincide. They also become immersed in possible saboteurs, organized crime and local fascists….any of whom could be involved in the factory worker’s death, and all of whom want to stop them from continuing their investigations. By any means necessary.
I found The Rumor Game to be an excellent read on two levels, both as a mystery and as a historical novel. As someone with roots in the Boston area and its Irish Catholic community, I was readily drawn into the locale portrayed here. It is a city whose problems with race relations have long been known, and in this novel those issues are much at play. The two main characters of Anne and Mulvey are interesting in their complexity, their education setting them apart from many in their own families and communities, and both also are atypical for their gender in some of their choices. Anne is not married and working a career not generally thought of as appropriate for women, while Mulvey has not enlisted in the military despite having no physical impediments. Mulvey’s family has members who do not accept Jewish people as equals and are emphatically against the US entering the war in Europe, and both of those positions run counter to Mulvey’s job. Of the two, I thought the character of Anne was more thoroughly portrayed, but as a pair they were well matched. Neither fully trusted the other, but felt a mutual attraction nonetheless. The mystery of who killed the factory worker and who is behind the attacks against members of Anne’s community is well-paced and presents a variety of possible villains and motives for the crimes. Some unexpected twists and moral ambiguities are sprinkled throughout, and I had fun trying to guess the conclusion. Readers of Mr. Mullen’s previous works will likely enjoy this outing, as might readers of Dennis Lehane, Nelson DeMille and Joseph Kanon. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of The Rumor Game in exchange for my honest review.

Solid 3.0 stars for this one. Rather long and drawn out, but I still managed to finish it. The ending left something to be desired for me.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Unfortunately, this book could not keep my attention and it was a DNF. I’d tried for a few weeks but had barely made a dent and was just disappointed that I wasn’t able to form a connection with either of the main characters.

I could tell this book was incredibly well researched, but the pace just didn’t keep my interest and there were so many side plots it was hard to keep things straight.

Thomas Mullen writes a good but not great historical WW2 story with The Rumor Game which is hard to say because I can see that Mullen has a passion for history but his characters are lacking overall in this story.

The Rumor Game, set in WWII era Boston, has a murder to solve, several complicated characters, and a feisty heroine who reminds me somewhat of Rosalind Russell in the gender flipped version of Front Page. There is also an FBI agent who has much to hide from his employers. While the crime was somewhat intriguing, what I really liked about this was its lack of conventionality, its focus on the times and the anti-semitism rampant in Boston at the time. Definitely a different kind of novel from the usual of the genre.