by Sybil Johnson
I recently watched the documentary series, World War II with Tom Hanks. All 20 episodes. It was interesting and enlightening. WWII had been covered a bit in school, but not to the extent the documentary did. Just not enough time in class to cover so many details.
I’ve always found the period interesting. It was a horrific time and one that changed the world dramatically. Maybe I also find it interesting because I have a couple uncles who served in the European and Pacific theaters. They both came back and lived for a long time after. Not that they talked about it much, or at all. I think that is typical of those who fought during that period.
I like reading about the period and its aftermath in mysteries. I’ve read a number of them recently. I’m not talking about those written during the 40s and 50s, though I have read a lot of those. I’m talking about ones written fairly recently that are set during WWII or after.
Here are three series I think are particularly good:
1) The Homefront Sleuths series by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley
I don’t remember how I discovered this series, but I absolutely love it. These are set in an English village starting in 1941. The first is The Blackout Murders. It’s told from multiple POVs, which works well for the story. The characters are interesting and varied. I get a feel from the story for what it was like to live in England during the period. So far I’ve read 7 out of the 12 and have liked them all.
2) An American in Paris series by Colleen Cambridge
These are set in Postwar Paris. The main character is Tabitha Knight who has moved from the U.S. to Paris to live with her French grandfather. Her best friend is Julia Child, yes that Julia Child. That aspect of the books is quite fun. A lot of the mysteries deal with the aftermath of the war and the German occupation of Paris. Some very serious topics.
3) Japantown Mysteries by Naomi Hirahara
Clark and Division is the first book in this series. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It’s a good mystery plus it gives you a feel for what it was like to be a Japanese-American during WWII.
It’s 1944 and Aki Ito has been released from incarceration in Manzanar and sent far away from her home in California to Chicago. She is searching for the truth about her older sister’s death.
This part of U.S. history has always made me sad. I learned about it in high school because a history teacher recommended I read Farewell to Manzanar, a memoir published in 1973 by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. The U.S. concentration camps were never covered in class. He felt I should know.
Does anyone have any books set during WWII or its aftermath you think are particularly good?
