The Page 69 Test: "The Ninth Circle"

Friday, August 28, 2026

"The Ninth Circle"

James R. Benn is the author of the Billy Boyle World War II series, historical mysteries set within the Allied High Command during the Second World War. The series began

with Billy Boyle, which takes place in England and Norway in 1942.

Benn applied the Page 69 Test to his new novel, The Ninth Circle, the twenty-first installment of the Billy Boyle series, with the following results:

From page 69:
“What are you doing here?” I said to Cordano from the backseat. Max was up front clutching his wounded arm while Kaz and I bookended our semiconscious passenger.

“What’s he doing here?” Cordano said, crooking a thumb in our general direction. He drove slowly, his eyes straight ahead as two cop cars passed, sirens wailing. Cordano knew how not to look guilty behind the wheel.

“I wanted my chance at him before the cops hauled him off,” I said. “Max, how’re you doing?”

“A bullet went through my arm, courtesy of that bastard you brought along. How do you think I’m doing? I’m in pain and wish I had the strength to throttle him,” Max said. “Remember the list of contacts in Sinclair’s file?” I said. “Look.” I raised Rafael’s arm, hoping that Rafael was his name. An angry, thick, ropey scar ran from his elbow to his wrist. Max turned to look, wincing in pain.

“Lots of people have scars,” Max said. “Myself included, once this heals up.”
Chaos! Page 69, which kicks off Chapter Eleven, highlights the aftermath of an assassination attempt in Havana, Cuba, where Billy Boyle has been sent at the request of Commander Ian Fleming of Royal Navy Intelligence. A local spy, Max, who works for the British has been wounded and after the shooter has been taken down, he’s bundled into a car along with Max, who is not pleased.

The Ninth Circle tells a story of spies, hidden agendas, and betrayal. The Page 69 Test highlights the aftermath of sudden, unexpected violence, which mirrors the opening chapter of the book. There’s a touch of exasperated humor in Max’s sardonic last line, which reflects the confused situation Billy finds himself in. The browser test is vindicated!

Maxmillian ‘Max’ Fox is an important character, not only for the plot, but for what he represents. In May 1939, the German liner St. Louis sailed from Germany for Cuba. On board were over nine hundred Jews, mostly German, fleeing the Third Reich, armed with transit visas sold by the Cuban Director-General of Immigration. What they did not know was that Cuba now required a bond of five hundred dollars for visa holders to disembark. Only twenty-eight passengers—those holding valid entry documents—were allowed off the ship. One of them was Max. I’d always wondered how those twenty-eight people fared, and the character of Max, marooned in a strange land, served as a way to explore that notion and illuminate this sad story. The St. Louis had to return to Europe, and many of the passengers ultimately perished in the Holocaust.