The Devil’s Due

Beyer’s historical novel displays a formidable grasp of the events surrounding the fight for Irish independence. Frank Kelleher, falsely accused of murder and treason, steals a passport and flees Limerick, Ireland, for New York City in December 1920, leaving behind his fiancée, Kathleen. Frank’s stay in New York City is jarringly brief. When he learns of Kathleen’s pregnancy, he returns home. Little has changed in the few months since his absence. Despite a cease-fire, Ireland continues to be in turmoil, and Frank remains a target of both the British and the Irish Republican Army. Frank’s personal losses and the reawakening of a childhood trauma add welcome drama to the narrative, which at times can be limited by its strict adherence to historical chronology. Beyer (In Sheep’s Clothing) capably conveys Frank’s conflicting feelings of devotion to his home territory. An author’s note shares that Frank’s story is loosely based on that of Beyer’s Irish grandfather. (BookLife)