Little Wars: Reviews & Testimonials

I grew up in a small town and I was fascinated at this behind the scenes look at politics, business, corruption, and crime in a small town in America during the final days of World War II. J. David Bethel does a great job as he slowly pulls back the curtain on small-town life and the machinations that go on in backrooms and country clubs across America even today. I loved this novel and found it relevant now even though it is set in the past. The writing is great, and the story unfolds at a pace that keeps the reader engaged to the last page. This is a sweeping, well-written look at corruption and crime and how it seeps into the fiber of American life.

The writing brings Little Wars to life and it does this with the use of great characters like Milton Adams, Peter Dillon, and Wynn Bradford. This review is not long enough to list them all because there are so many of them. But rest assured, J. David Bethel writes them beautifully. They all do their part to move the story forward while painting a very real and accurate picture of American life, not only of the era in which the story takes place but even today. Little Wars is a great murder/mystery. It is a great portrait of life and crime in small-town America. But most of all, it is a great read.

Ray Simmons

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Readers' Favorite

Like all of Bethel’s previous novels, Little Wars puts the reader right into the pages of the novel. His descriptions of the settings and characters create a world that the reader inhabits fully. In this instance, it’s small town America during the final days of World War II when a family is murdered and the investigation uncovers a world of profiteering and political corruption. The research about this period in our history, which includes references to the war in Europe and the activities on the home front, add to the experience in reading this wonderful novel. I haven’t read anything as good in a long, long, long time.
Laura Gwilym

John David Bethel gets better with each of his novels and Little Wars is the best yet. The novel drags the reader in from the outset with the murder of an entire family. Set in rural America during the final few days of WW2, the author then peels back the curtain which includes a number of subplots including profiteering and political and corporate corruption. The description of the rural setting puts the reader smack center of small town life and his description of the characters makes one believe they are in the room with each of them. As with all of his novels, the dark underbelly of life is revealed and there is not a pat conclusion, but there is a very compelling one. I can’t wait for his next novel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Amazon Review

Readers Love Little Wars