Read my #BookReview of The Alcoholic Mercenary by Phil Hughes #HistoricalFiction #Crime @Phil_Hughes_Nov @maryanneyarde

The Alcoholic Mercenary

By Phil Hughes

Publication Date: 30th April 2022. Publisher: PerchedCrowPress. Page Length: 350 Pages. Genre: Historical Crime

They said, “See Naples and then die!”

Rachel had thought it was to do with the natural beauty of the place. A misconception she soon lost after climbing down from the C130 troop carrier. The suspicious death of her predecessor, followed by the murder of a sailor, and an enforced liaison with a chauvinistic and probably corrupt cop saw to that.

“See Naples and then die!”

Some said the saying was anonymous. Some attributed it to Goethe. Still, others said it was Lord Byron, or maybe Keats. When the young brother of a mercenary hitman became her main suspect, Rachel leant towards Keats. Didn’t the poet die here? Somewhere near, for sure. Probably coined the phrase on his deathbed.

And then, the cherry on the top of her ice cream soda, she could smell grappa on the breath of the mercenary when she interviewed him. The only thing worse than a violent man: a violent man who drinks.

The only thing worse than a violent man who drinks: a violent man who drinks and considers himself Rachel’s enemy.

Book Rating:

📚📚📚📚📚⭐ = A book in a million

📚📚📚📚📚 = I could not put this book down. I Highly Recommend it.

📚📚📚📚 = A really great read.

📚📚📚 = It was enjoyable.

📚📚 = It was okay.

📚 = Um...! 😕

Book Review

The Alcoholic Mercenary

📚📚📚📚📚 = I could not put this book down. I Highly Recommend it.

The historical mystery genre is one that I always enjoy, so I was very much looking forward to reading The Alcoholic Mercenary by Phil Hughes. The blurb of this novel was very convincing and I suspected that as soon as I started to read I would soon become swept up in the story. I am very rarely wrong, and once again I was right. This novel is everything that a historical mystery should be.

Special Agent Welsh's job is not made easy. It is the late 1970s and misogyny is seemingly unrelenting at work, and her husband cannot contain his jealousy when she is promoted. On top of this she wants to find out exactly what happened to her predecessor, but every time she broaches the subject a metaphorical door is slammed in her face. Rachel is a very strong and determined woman (you would have to be to carry on with the way she is treated), yet she also came across as very real. She silently seethes at her treatment and yet hides it behind a mask of indifference. She does not suffer fools gladly and she always has an inkling of when she is being played. I really enjoyed reading about Rachel. She is one of those characters that you can really get behind.

Nicola Di Cuma "Boccone" was a character that really helped to keep this story moving forward. Boccone's brother, Beni, is in prison but the danger comes from his brother's boss, a crime lord that thinks Berni has broken the code, and even a prison will not keep him safe from recompression. If his boss wants him dead he might as well dig a grave. Boccone understands the danger he is in and he wants to make sure his brother remains safe. And so, he enters a tangled web of lies, ambition, and murder and he becomes embroiled in the criminal gangs. I found Boccone endlessly fascinating, the choices he makes and the problems he faced made this book a truly gripping read. I am really looking forward to reading more books by this very talented author.

You can pick up your copy of this book on Amazon and #KindleUnlimited.

Phil Hughes

Although educated in Classical Studies, Phil is the author of several historical crime novels. Having spent many years living in the Mafia infested hinterlands of Naples, Phil bases his novels on his experiences while living there. Much of what he includes in his stories is based on real events witnessed first-hand.

 

Having retired from writing and editing technical documentation for a living, Phil now lives in Wexford with his partner and their border terriers, Ruby, Maisy, and the new addition Ted. He writes full time and where better to do it than in the Sunny South East of Ireland.

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