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Beware This Boy (Tom Tyler Mystery Series) Paperback – June 3, 2014

by Maureen Jennings (Author)

4.1 327 ratings

Book 2 of 3: Detective Inspector Tom Tyler Mystery

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This second book in Maureen Jennings' terrific new mystery series brings England during World War II vividly alive: a must for fans of the author's own beloved Murdoch Mysteries and of Foyle's War.
The summer of 1940 had been a dark one for England, and even darker for DI Tom Tyler's personal life. When several young women doing dangerous war work are killed in an explosion in a Birmingham munitions factory, Tyler is quick to help out. But as he talks to the remaining employees, the owner, and others connected with the factory, divisions begin to appear, and Tyler fears that what first seemed a tragic accident may be the result of something much more sinister, organized, and far-reaching.
The rich sense of England during the era of the Blitz, pitch-perfect dialogue, and vivid characters -- not least the rough-around-the-edges charmer Tom Tyler -- make Beware This Boy another classic page-turner from master storyteller Maureen Jennings.

Editorial Reviews

Review

• "Amazingly vivid and terribly real. . . . When [Jennings] takes the story underground during an air raid . . . readers might want to duck their heads and take cover." -- New York Times Book Review
• "Great historical detail, solid characters and a really good plot . . . another winner for Jennings. Fans of the Foyle's War TV series should rejoice." -- Globe and Mail
• "As fine a piece of historical mystery writing as [you are] likely to come across. An extraordinary piece of storytelling." -- Hamilton Spectator
• "It's among Jennings' gifts that all her people are painted in full colours, each comprehensibly human, [and] Tom Tyler is the most complete and human of them all -- smart, empathetic, yearning, mournful and fair. . . . Verges on classic war-fiction status." -- London Free Press

About the Author

Born in England, MAUREEN JENNINGS emigrated to Canada as a teenager. The first Detective Murdoch mystery was published in 1997. Six more followed, all to enthusiastic reviews. In 2003, Shaftesbury Films adapted three of the novels into movies of the week, and four years later the Murdoch Mysteries TV series was created; it is now shown around the world, including in the UK, the United States (as The Artful Detective), and much of Europe, as well as on Canada's national broadcast network, CBC TV. The Detective Inspector Tom Tyler series, set in World War II-era England, got off to a spectacular start with 2011's Season of Darkness, followed by Beware This Boy in 2012. Maureen lives in Toronto with her husband, their two dogs, Varley and Murdoch, and their cat, Willie. Visit www.maureenjennings.com.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ McClelland & Stewart (June 3, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0771043198
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0771043192
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.84 x 7.99 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #408,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,198 in Traditional Detective Mysteries (Books)
- #4,333 in War Fiction (Books)
- #4,433 in Historical Mystery

Customer Reviews:
4.1 327 ratings

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4.1 out of 5

327 global ratings

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Iva Lilie

Another wonderful book from Maureen Jennings!

Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2022

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What I love is Ms. Jennings description of details. It brings my mind to the scene. I feel as I am part of the story. I love all of her books.

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Ray Cornbill

Excellent backdrop of WW2 Birmingham with good plot

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2012

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"Foyle's War" fans will like the detective and the backdrop. Accurate portrayal of life, events and people, during the bombings of Birmingham and everyday life working in the factories.
The story ( sabotage, murder, spies) will keep you paying attention to the storyline but the backdrop should intrigue young people not familiar with life at that time and will be nostalgic for older readers.
The portrayal of the Birmingham accent was not dead on but then one might need a lexicon and interpreter to attain that !!.

4 people found this helpful

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gg

World War II Novel

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2013

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I am a huge fan of Maureen Jennings books and I guess I'm a die hard fan of the 1890's sleuth, 'Murdoch'. Therefore, it pains me to critique the 1940's Inspector Tom Tyler. The best I can say of 'Beware This Boy' is that it is trite and I'm truly, truly sorry to use that harsh word but it's the only one that comes to mind.

The story kind of slogs along with Inspector Tyler going to the big city to catch a criminal who has just bombed a munitions factory, killing and or maiming innocent women and men. He laments about his life along the way but ultimately, he catches his man, a communist, no less. Ms. Jennings does a good job of describing an air raid and the decimation that results from it. Of course there are several other characters, all well-described, but not really interesting to me. There was a love interest as well and that was okay to read. But I don't want to give away too much info in case you want to read the book.

I wasn't crazy about what happens with the character 'Brian' as he was a bit jumpy to begin with and as his life unfolded, he seemed claustrophobic. Later on, he was made to be a bully and a killer (I won't go into more detail on that). At any rate, it didn't make sense for this particular character to go that way. Maybe I misunderstood something, I don't know.

I liked the fact that this story was told about WWII and the horror which followed. Ms. Jennings is very good at that, but the story itself, well, meh.

2 people found this helpful

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Wilma K. Heberling

but with a nice twist in the cast of characters

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2014

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Very different from the usual Maureen Jennings ' fare, but with a nice twist in the cast of characters!

Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2014

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Great book from the creator of the Murdoch Mysteries (Artful Detective). This is one of her other detectives.

One person found this helpful

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Rhonda

Since ordering one of her books I have read a few of hers and have enjoyed them all very much

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2014

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I got on to Maureen Jennings through her Murdoch Mystery series on TV. Since ordering one of her books I have read a few of hers and have enjoyed them all very much.

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barbara bailey

HOLDS ONE'S INTEREST FROM PAGE 1 UNTIL THE END.

Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2014

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Excellent detective novel, fast moving, always engrossing. Maureen Jennings never disappoints.

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Loves2Read

Interesting era but uneven plotting...

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2015

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I have read all three of this detective series. I find myself perplexed. The main character is interesting--a pseudo Foyle given the era of the plot-but the writing is very uneven. I read "Beware the Boy" last although it is #2. The beginning of the novel is almost leasurely with many characters and a couple of love angles and 3rd column sabotage but the pacing is weird. There is so much "investigation" that really goes no where and the ending of the book comes like a bat out of hell--as if the writer discovered she had to be done in 8 pages and wrapped the main story line up.
But there are several plot lines/character involvements that are just stopped--no resolution whatsoever...
Maybe that might happen in reality of a war zone, but it is highly UN-satisfying in a novel when the writer has supposedly the freedom to wrap up all story lines...
It is very frustrating to read a novel with such uneven plotting and character development. I chose these based on the WWII war at home connection and found many of the details and insights interesting. But the writing is so uneven---it is difficult to reconcile when this woman has written MANY novels.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Jeannie S Jones

A good read by a talented writer.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2020

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This was the second book in the trilogy and I had been given the first and last. It was a very good book on it's own but made the other two much more enjoyable. A talented writer and for me a time in Englands' history that I find very moving to read about.

Barbara Bissett

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on February 4, 2016

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I really enjoy reading is book a lot and I will get of Maureen Jennings