James R. Benn Follow

James R. Benn is the Dilys, Barry, and Sue Federer Historical Mystery-award nominated author
of the popular Billy Boyle WWII mystery series, four stand-alone works, and a short story
collection. His novel The Blind Goddess was long listed for the 2015 Dublin IMPAC Literary
Award. He also won the 2018 Al Blanchard short story contest.

Benn is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and has a master’s degree in library science
from Southern Connecticut State University. He worked in the library and information
technology fields for over thirty-five years before leaving to write full-time.

Benn and his wife Deborah Mandel live on the Gulf Coast of Florida. He is a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Author’s Guild.

Benn cites two quotes which have informed his writing career. The first is from Mary Heaton
Vorse: “The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.”
The second comes from novelist Rachel Basch "The story has to move down, as well as
forward."

The Billy Boyle series, published by Soho Press, has been hailed as “meaty, old-fashioned, and
thoroughly enjoyable,” by the Seattle Times. The New York Times called it “spirited wartime
storytelling”, while the Wall Street Journal called the series “A fast-paced saga set in a period
when the fate of civilization still hangs in the balance.”

Bookpage awarded Benn’s 2023 release, Proud Sorrows, a starred review, stating “The mystery
is first-rate, the dialogue is period correct and the series as a whole is the best set of wartime
novels since those of the legendary Nevil Shute.”
Publisher’s Weekly also gave Proud Sorrows, a starred review, calling it “Masterful” and
declaring “Benn combines the best elements of traditional small-town mysteries and WWII
thrillers, developing a firm sense of place and never letting the suspense flag. This long-running
series shows no signs of fatigue.”

The 19th Billy Boyle novel, The Phantom Patrol, will be released in September 2024.