The Refusal Camp: Stories

Written by James R. Benn

Narrated by Peter Berkrot and James Shippy

In his first-ever collection, the award-winning author of the Billy Boyle World War II mysteries presents an eclectic mix of new and previously published mystery stories rife with historical detail and riveting wartime storytelling.

“The Horse Chestnut Tree” explores betrayal and murder during the American Revolution. In the speculative work “Glass,” an atomic supercollider and the breakdown of the time-space continuum change the lives of two cousins devoured by greed. “Vengeance Weapon,” a historical thriller about an enslaved
Jewish laborer working at the Dora concentration camp, looks at how far someone will go to get revenge. And for his Billy Boyle fans, Benn delivers “Irish Tommy,” a police procedural set in 1944 Boston featuring Billy’s father and uncle.Full of terror, action, amusement, and bliss, The Refusal Camp is a must-have
collection from a crime fiction veteran at the height of his career.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9781705088173

James R. Benn

James R. Benn is the author of the popular Billy Boyle World War II mystery series. The debut title, Billy Boyle, was a Dilys Award nominee and one of Booksense’s top five mysteries for 2006. Subsequent titles have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, and two have been tagged as “Killer Books” by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. Benn lives in Hadlyme, Connecticut, with his wife, Deborah Mandel. For more information, visit his website at www.jamesrbenn.com.

Reviews for The Refusal Camp

[blbooks-14314 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First sentence: I rejoice in the Sabbath. Not for the words of the English preacher or for the hardwood bench in the rear of their Sunday god's church. Premise/plot: James R. Benn's The Refusal Camp is a collection of short stories. It's a blend of history, mystery, and war--for the most part. Not all stories fit into a neat category. The stories span centuries. The stories are as follows: The Horse Chestnut Tree The Two Neds Glass Red Christmas The Refusal Camp Irish Tommy Billy Boyle: The Lost Prologue The Secret of Hemlock Hill Vengeance WeaponThe Refusal Camp, the title story, features the girlfriend of Billy Boyle in her undercover identity. Irish Tommy features Billy Boyle's father and uncle. The Lost Prologue to the novel Billy Boyle does not feature Billy Boyle. It does tie into the first book, but, Billy Boyle himself is not present. The other stories are definitely stand-alone stories. (I think ALL of the stories can be read that way.)My thoughts: I would rate the story "Glass" to be FIVE STAR all the way. It is one of the BEST, BEST, BEST short stories I've read in years. I highly recommend seeking out this story. Even if it's your own story to read from this collection, it's worth a check out from the library.Plenty of the stories I would rate as four stars. The characterization is there. Many are oh-so-human. It's hard not to get attached to the characters and their stories. The stories can be a little dark and gritty. Not for shock value, at least I don't think so, but because war is horrifying and traumatic. My least favorite story is probably The Secret of Hemlock Hill. I didn't personally want to read about over-enthusiastic "archaeologists" or "historians" dig up graves to see if they can find Civil War era stuff to sell.