The Red Horse

massive stone structure constantly off to my left, its towers and turrets visible above the treetops and across the lush green lawns. My memory is hazy too. I don t remember how I got here, although I recall waking up in an ambulance.
     Before that, all I remember is France. Paris, to be exact. But everything is jumbled up, like in a dream, where things look familiar but nothing makes sense. I know this place isn t a dream, because nothing looks familiar and nothing makes the slightest bit of sense.
     It isn t a dream or a nightmare. No, it s worse.
     Why?
     The answer to that one was coming up ahead. The gravel walkway sloped downhill as it curved around the rear of the scattered buildings. I hadn t even counted them all. There was the main building, four stories of sandstone set down in front of a green lawn, with a tall clock tower at the center. Wings extended off either end at right angles, like giant arms, encompassing a smattering of smaller buildings, all covered in the same sooty stone, soiled by the chimneys spouting coal smoke into the gray skies.
     A service road cut across the path ahead. The gate was set in the woods, part of the security fence guarded by soldiers. I d caught a glimpse of them a few times as they opened the gate to let in trucks bringing supplies. Their forest-green berets marked them as elite Commandos. I didn t look in their direction anymore. They might think I was planning an escape.
     Which might not be a bad idea if I knew where to go.
     I quickened my pace as I passed the stone pillars that once had marked the entrance to the grounds. I could see the old metal sign that had greeted visitors; it was rusted a

dangerous race to find a
killer and avert a crisis in the fight against Hitler . . . Chilling echoes of One Flew over the Cuckoo s Nest and The Prisoner reverberate in every twist and turn of Billy Boyle s life-or-death mission to unmask a plot in the thick of WWII."
Tom Straw, seven-time New York Times bestselling author writing as Richard Castle

"Superlative . . . Benn maintains a high level of tension throughout, and his admirable but flawed lead will engage even first-time readers. This fair-play whodunit stands comparison with the best classic mysteries." 
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"[A] multilayered plot . . . Benn's latest caper has fascinating historical roots and nicely balances action and investigation." 
Kirkus Reviews 

"Once again, Benn draws on little-known aspects of WWII to construct a fascinating wartime thriller . . . Benn skillfully adapts those elements into a compelling variation on a locked-room mystery, delivering another detail-rich novel sure to entrance those who relish deep dives into WWII history."
Booklist

"Shortly after a medically induced sleep cure has Billy on the road to recovery, two more murders take place in quick succession and he s in an almost impossible situation; trying to avoid suspicious hospital administrators and figure out who s the killer, while not falling victim to him and, oh yeah, regaining his own health, in this twisted, suspenseful and surprising WWII mystery that ll leave readers hunting for all the other novels in this outstanding series.  You won t be disappointed!"
Mysterious Book Report

"Well polished, paced with suspense and surprises, and historically trustworthy . . . As [Benn] lays out the war, on multiple fronts, he also lays out the strength of friendship and loyalty. His books are a smooth blend of both facets, and worth every minute of exhilarating reading. You won't need to devour the other Billy Boyle titles before this one, but give yourself the great pleasure of catching up with them afterward." 
Kingdom Books

Praise for When Hell Struck Twelve

An especially fine example of Benn s long-running series . . . the emotional journey that is evoked by the talented Benn along the way is strong, vivid, and completely authentic.
Mystery Scene Magazine

Vastly entertaining, decidedly literary . . . Benn writes with a brutal and evocative skill about the grim and bloody reality of a situation and environment reflecting the cumulative cost of war.
The Day
 
U.S. Army detective Billy Boyle is still one of the coolest characters out there.
Suspense Magazine

I ve read every book in James R. Benn s series, reviewed most of them, loved all of them, and this is the best one yet.
BookPage, Starred Review