Mercy
Row Clann: Book 2 in the Mercy Row Series
Genre:
Historical Fiction, Crime
The
Byrne family fights two wars. One for the freedom of the world and the other
for the survival of their family. It's 1943 and America and its allies are at
war with Germany and Japan. As World War 2 rages, the Byrne family must send
their sons to war in Africa, Europe and the Pacific, while they fight a war at
home instigated by old enemies, internal greed and new foes.
The Byrne children's ability to protect and grow the family, and the North Philadelphia K & A Gang, is tested with violence, sorrow and love.
The Byrne children's ability to protect and grow the family, and the North Philadelphia K & A Gang, is tested with violence, sorrow and love.
My Review:
I was worried when I was asked to read Mercy Row Clann that I wasn’t going to be able to adequately follow the story line, as I hadn’t yet had a chance to read the book’s prequel Mercy Row. But as soon as I started to read I knew that this enthralling story was an absolute stand alone! The book centers around the multi-fronted perils of two Philadelphia crime families during World War II. The story line weaves through the deep cultural roots of the Italian-American & Irish-American’s legacies as they fight to stay together in a competitive and cutthroat joint illicit business. All of Mr. Hallman’s individual characters are impressively complex; even the periphery characters. There is one thrilling scene where Mr. Hallman is writing from the point of view of a German bomber pilot as he’s strafing an American ship! The plot ties itself up neatly and left me super stoked to go back and read Mercy Row and I anxiously await the next installment. This book kept me intrigued from start to end, and I highly recommend it as not only an exciting read, but also a cool peek into the lives and history of native Philadelphians from a native Philadelphian who actually is writing from his own experiences!
I was worried when I was asked to read Mercy Row Clann that I wasn’t going to be able to adequately follow the story line, as I hadn’t yet had a chance to read the book’s prequel Mercy Row. But as soon as I started to read I knew that this enthralling story was an absolute stand alone! The book centers around the multi-fronted perils of two Philadelphia crime families during World War II. The story line weaves through the deep cultural roots of the Italian-American & Irish-American’s legacies as they fight to stay together in a competitive and cutthroat joint illicit business. All of Mr. Hallman’s individual characters are impressively complex; even the periphery characters. There is one thrilling scene where Mr. Hallman is writing from the point of view of a German bomber pilot as he’s strafing an American ship! The plot ties itself up neatly and left me super stoked to go back and read Mercy Row and I anxiously await the next installment. This book kept me intrigued from start to end, and I highly recommend it as not only an exciting read, but also a cool peek into the lives and history of native Philadelphians from a native Philadelphian who actually is writing from his own experiences!
Author's Biography - Harry
Hallman
Hallman was born in 1944 and raised in the Kensington section of North
Philadelphia. That was a year before World War II ended. He was influenced by
the stories told by returning servicemen and the proliferation of war movies
that were shown on the then new invention of the television. With the influence
of movie heroes such as John Wayne, and real heroes like Audie Murphy, he
gained a healthy respect for his mother and father's generation and their
sacrifices. His uncles on his mother's side both served in WWII, one in the
Army and one in the Navy.
Hallman's father was Harry Hallman, Sr., a champion billiards player
who also owned a poolroom called Circle Billiards, located at Allegheny
Avenue and Lee Street. The younger Hallman spent many hours after school at his
father's poolroom and watching his father play in other poolrooms in
Philadelphia and New Jersey. The people he met, some belonging to the real
K&A Gang, influenced his writing of the Mercy Row series.
He served four years in the U.S. Air Force, including two tours in
South Vietnam, as a photographer. He is married to Duoc Hallman, whom he met in
Vietnam, and has two children, Bill and Nancy, and one grandchild, Ava.
Hallman is a serial entrepreneur who has created several marketing
services and digital media companies and continues to work as a marketing
consultant.
Look for the continuation of
the Mercy Row and Mercy Row Clann story with book three in 2015.
Keep informed at
www.mercyrow.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mercyrownovel.
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