Aurore

Hurley’s solid sequel to 2016’s Finis-terre continues his credible re-creation of the WWII era in Europe. As a teenager, Billy Angell, a Quaker, wanted nothing more than a career on stage. He channeled that passion into increasingly prominent acting parts, including a run on Broadway. But after a German bomb destroyed the Quakers’ London meeting house and killed his theater mentor, Billy lost his faith and joined the war effort. By 1943, Billy has reached the rank of staff sergeant, serving as a wireless operator for Bomber Command. He survives his hazardous last mission, a bombing run over Hamburg that inflicts massive damage on the enemy and takes a toll on his flight crew as well. Then, in an unexpected and dramatic turn, Billy is recruited to fight the Nazis covertly, as a member of MI5. He’s dropped into occupied France as part of a risky operation to fool a high-ranking German intelligence officer. Hurley’s capable and understated characterization makes his lead’s story plausible and engaging. (Oct.)