William Michael Boyle

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For the Irish dramatist and short story writer (1853-1923), see William Boyle (Irish writer).

William Boyle (born 1978) is an American author of character-driven literary crime fiction.[1] Boyle is a native of Brooklyn, New York and the borough forms the backdrop for much of his work.

William Boyle, press photo

Reception[]

When Boyle's debut novel, Gravesend, was reissued, the longtime crime fiction reviewer of the New York Times, Marilyn Stasio, noted Boyle's use of local dialect.[2] A U.K. review from The Guardian also cited the book's idiomatic dialogue and blue-collar setting, drawing a parallel with Elmore Leonard.[3]

In its review of The Lonely Witness, Publishers Weekly noted the gritty realism of Boyle's Brooklyn milieu.[4]

New Orleans Review examined the variety of themes that inform Boyle's approach to crime fiction in its discussion of his short-story collection, Death Don't Have No Mercy.[5] In another look at that anthology, the Clarion-Ledger, a leading newspaper in Boyle's adopted home state of Mississippi, touched on the commonality of Boyle's work with Southern forebears Flannery O'Connor and William Gay.[6]

France's oldest daily newspaper, Le Figaro, compared Boyle to Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos, among others.[7] Gravesend was nominated among foreign authors for France's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in 2016.[8] In addition, it was one of five finalists in the novel category for the Prix SNCF du Polar.[9] The French news weekly L'Express also cited it as one of the 10 best crime novels of that year.[10]

The U.K. has also recognized Gravesend. It was shortlisted for the John Creasey CWA New Blood Dagger in 2018.[11]

Boyle's reputation has been growing in his homeland as well. The Lonely Witness was singled out by the New York Post in June 2018.[12] George Pelecanos name-checked The Lonely Witness a couple of months later in the New York Times,[13] followed shortly by Stasio's review of Gravesend.

Stasio also had praise for Boyle's 2019 comic crime caper, A Friend Is a Gift You Give Yourself, upon its release in March 2019.[14] On the cover of the U.K. edition, Roddy Doyle singled out the strength and humor of the female characters.

Boyle's 2020 novel City of Margins -- set almost entirely in South Brooklyn -- drew plaudits from Stasio once again. She focused on his character studies, which featured "a mixture of affection and despair worthy of a Bruce Springsteen song."[15]

Bibliography[]

Boyle is the author of the following novels:

  • Gravesend (originally published in 2013, French-language edition published in 2016, reissued in the U.S. in 2018): ISBN 978-1681778495
  • Tout Est Brisé, or Everything Is Broken (2017; released only in French to date): ISBN 978-2351781616
  • The Lonely Witness (2018): ISBN 978-1681777955
  • A Friend Is a Gift You Give Yourself (2019): ISBN 978-1643130583
  • City of Margins (2020): ISBN 978-1643133188

He has also written a short story collection:

  • Death Don’t Have No Mercy (2015): ISBN 978-1940885193

References[]

  1. ^ Cogdill, Oline H. APNews.com May 1, 2018
  2. ^ "Yo, Ray Boy: Crime Novels that Speak in Local Voices" - Marilyn Stasio's review of Gravesend
  3. ^ Forshaw, Barry The Guardian, February 2, 2018
  4. ^ Publishers Weekly review of The Lonely Witness
  5. ^ May, James New Orleans Review 2015
  6. ^ Purdie, Ellis Clarion-Ledger August 8, 2015
  7. ^ Corty, Bruno Le Figaro, April 7, 2016
  8. ^ Thomas, Vincy Livres Hebdo September 20, 2018
  9. ^ SNCF press release, October 11, 2016
  10. ^ Ferniot, Christine L'Express, April 1, 2016
  11. ^ The John Creasey New Blood Dagger Shortlist 2018
  12. ^ Dawson, Mackenzie New York Post, June 4, 2018
  13. ^ Pelecanos, George New York Times, August 23, 2018
  14. ^ Stasio, Marilyn New York Times, March 1, 2019
  15. ^ Stasio, Marilyn New York Times, March 20, 2020

External links[]

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