The Devil's Due: An Irish Historical Thriller (30 page)

I am indebted to many people for their assistance, support and encouragement in bringing
The Devil’s Due
to life. Jennifer Stolarz, Pat Galizio, David Leahy, and Jeff Beyer all read early drafts and provided their thoughts, corrections and perspectives. Without them, this book would still be an unfinished manuscript.

During a visit to Ireland, Doctors John O’Callaghan and Gavin Wilk of the University of Limerick were gracious enough to spend time with me and answer my numerous questions, as was local historian Thomas Toomey. I am also indebted to Cpl. Andrew Lawlor, who works for the Irish Military Archives, for providing my grandfather’s military records and steering me towards other research sources such as the witness statements by IRA soldiers, now published online.

To get a better sense of the IRA and the war, I read numerous accounts by the men who fought it, including
My Fight for Irish Freedom
by Dan Breen,
Guerilla Days in Ireland
by Tom Barry,
When Youth Was Mine
by Jeremiah Murphy and
Victory and Woe
by Mossie Harnet.

I also read historical perspectives including
The Battle for Limerick City
by Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc,
Limerick’s Fighting Story, 1916-1921, Told By The Men Who Made It
, published by The Kerryman in 1948 and John O’Callaghan’s
Revolutionary Limerick
.

Movies such as
The Wind That Shakes the Barley
, written by Paul Laverty and directed by Ken Loach, and Neil Jordan’s historical biopic,
Michael Collins
, as well as the many documentaries on the
Rebels of Ireland Channel
on YouTube helped fill in the blanks.

The Dead Republic
by Roddy Doyle and
Children of the North
by M.S. Power provided a glimpse into The Troubles that continued to plague Ireland well after the time frame of my book. David O’Donoghue’s
The Devil’s Deal
shed light on the links between German Military Intelligence and the IRA in the 1930s and 1940s, a little known chapter in Irish history that could have greatly altered Ireland’s course.

To get a sense of the Irish experience, I also read
Angela’s Ashes
by Frank McCourt and
Don’t Wake me at Doyles
by Maura Murphy.

I owe many thanks to my editor, Faith Black Ross, to my graphic designer, Lindsey Andrews, and to Amani Jensen and Maggie Elms, for providing another set of eyes.

Again, the advice and counsel I received was outstanding and any mistakes in the finished work are mine and mine alone.

While the above people and sources were invaluable, my ability to pick up a pen and write in the first place would never have been possible without the support of Mona, Kaitlyn, Kyle and Matthew.

Thank you all.

L.D. Beyer
is the author of two novels, both part of the Matthew Richter Thriller Series. His first book, In Sheep’s Clothing, was published in 2015 and was the #1 bestseller for Espionage Thrillers, Assassination Thrillers and Terrorism Thrillers on Amazon Kindle.

Beyer spent over twenty-five years in the corporate world, climbing the proverbial corporate ladder. In 2011, after years of extensive travel, too many missed family events, a half dozen relocations
—
including a three-year stint in Mexico
—
he realized it was time for a change. He chose to chase his dream of being a writer and to spend more time with his family. 

He is an avid reader and, although he primarily reads thrillers, his reading list is somewhat eclectic. You’re more likely to find him with his nose in a good book instead of sitting in front of the TV.

Beyer lives in Michigan with his wife and three children. In addition to writing and reading, he enjoys cooking, hiking, biking, working out, and the occasional glass of wine.

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