Like a thousand suns...: #BookReview!!! The Alcoholic Mercenary by Phil Hughes #HistoricalFiction #CrimeFiction #BlogTour @Phil_Hughes

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Alcoholic Mercenary - was ever a book so aptly named. Set in 1979 this novel explores the darker side of Naples. There are powerful criminal gangs who operate in much the same way as the mafia and must not be crossed at any time (it is all rather Godfatherish)! The powerful leaders of the gangs have a great deal of influence, and they come down heavily on anyone that they think betrayed them. They are cruel and ruthless. Boccone has to tread carefully. His brother, Beni, is in prison but the prison is not a safe place for Beni to be. Boccone will do everything he can to secure his brother's safety, although Beni discovers that when push comes to shove, he can go to lengths he never thought he could before (desperate men are known to do desperate things). Likewise, Boccone has to go to terrible lengths to prove that he is loyal, but at all times his goal is clear - he has to save his brother. I don't know how I felt about Boccone as he certainly does not shy away from doing horrendous acts. He is cold and calculated, but he certainly kept me turning those pages.

Running alongside Boccone's story is that of Special Agent Rachel Welch. Rachel is a character that I instantly warmed to. She is intelligent, bright as a button and is exceedingly likeable - although her colleagues don't share that view. Rachel certainly knows how to pick her battles, and her cool composure certainly helps when she is faced with blatant disrespect because she is a woman. I thought Rachel's depiction was very telling of the era. Rachel also has to make the painful decision between her career and her husband.

The non-stop action in this book was utterly compelling from beginning to end. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this novel and I am sure you will too.

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.

You can pick up your copy on Amazon This novel is available on #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.

Social Media Links: