The Rumor Game/Thomas Mullen

The Rumor Game is set in Boston in 1943 and features as central characters a Jewish activist journalist (Anne) and an Irishman (Devon Mulroy) who works for the FBI.

Both are conflicted.

Anne wants to be more involved in exposing rising anti-semitism, chiefly inflicted by the Irish community, and Devon discovers his rich father is behind it.

Given it is 1943 – and the Americans have invaded North Africa, taken Sicily and established a toe-hold in Italy – I was surprised that isolationism was still prevalent.

I had thought gung-ho ‘The Yanks are coming’ was the mood music.

The incident being investigated by Devon is the killing of Abraham Wolff who works in a munitions factory.

Was it an anti-semitic attack?

Was it linked to the disappearance of automatic rifles from the factory or Wolff being prepared to give evidence of racism in the company?

To add complications, which the author likes to do, it transpires that Anne’s younger brother Sammy was having an affaire with the deceased’s wife. Add to this corrupt police and mafiosi.

Inevitably Anne and Devon get romantically involved but the relationship does not survive Devon’s decision to protect his father.

It’s a pacy novel which would make a decent film but somewhat overplotted.