As Book Three of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy begins it is 1914 and Billy is in Chicago with his wife, the former Baroness Katharina von Schreiber living a sedate and comfortable life after years of adventure and tragedy. That changes with a single telephone call that yanks Billy and Katharina back into a life of havoc and peril.Persuaded by a powerful old friend to go undercover for the … for the U.S. government the two find themselves in Mexico during the height of the violent 1910-1920 revolution. There they grapple with an assortment of German spies, Mexican revolutionaries, devious political operatives, and other malefactors.
Subsequently, tragedy strikes and Billy vanishes leaving family and friends to wonder what happened to him. Where is he? Is he dead or alive? What provoked his decades-long disappearance? In The Lost Years of Billy Battles, those questions are answered, and the mystery behind Billy’s inexplicable disappearance is ultimately revealed.
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Outstanding historical novel written by a journalist who was a former foreign correspondent. The entire trilogy is top notch.
‘The Lost Years of Billy Battles’ is our final instalment in a wonderful trilogy that began with the first adventure-filled years of the title character’s life. The third book is just as compelling as the first two, with Billy’s great-grandson once again taking from his relation’s journals to bring his story to its worthy conclusion. Whilst I would suggest reading books 1 and 2 first as they do go in order (and they are brilliant reads) it is not totally necessary as you get a little recap at the beginning, which serves as a great refresher before getting right back into Billy’s life. We join him in Chicago in 1914, living an idyllic life with his wife, but as with Billy, trouble is never far away. He disappears whilst undercover in an extremely turbulent Mexico, and as the weeks turn to years, his family begin to lose hope that he will ever return. What really happens during the lost years of Billy Battles?
Once again, Ronald E. Yates has conjured up an imaginative, well-researched and thrilling story, with a protagonist no one could fail to love. I’m hoping there may be a few more journals of Billy’s for grandson Ted to find, as I would love more books in this saga.
Prose wrote with perfection, a story well researched while being historically accurate and characters that readers can call a friend. These traits alone, make for a fascinating read of any story, and typically you only get one of them. Book 3 of the Billy Battles trilogy, has them all and mystery and intrigue. You won’t go wrong with this story. I just recommend reading the first two books, in which case, you will form a bond like no other with the characters only to discover it is the last of the series. A great trilogy, one to reread again and again.
The Lost Years of Billy Battles: Book 3 in the Finding Billy Battles Trilogy by Ronald Yates is just as engaging and entertaining as the first two installments in this series. Billy Battles has led an interesting life to say the least, but finally he seems settled in Chicago, married and with a young daughter. Disaster and turmoil are always nearby however in Billy’s life, and this certainly proves true in this latest book. This book takes the reader on another journey in Billy’s life, with all of its various escapades and permutations. Yates has a way of combining an interesting story with history, creating memorable scenes, as well as characters that you come to feel you know. Billy is such a character, and you can’t help but root for him in every way. Fully captivating with a great blend of history, suspense, and turmoil that is often present in one’s life. This book is strongly recommend not only for its historical acumen, but for a depth of character that is rarely found in modern day fiction.
Did an intensive review on OnlineBookClub. Absolute gem of a novel!