Review of "Beat The Devils: A Novel" by Josh Weiss

In this alternative history novel, it's 1958 and Joseph McCarthy is President of the United States.

Joseph McCarthy

McCarthy and his Republican Party believe that communists, Russian spies, and Soviet sympathizers have infested America, and McCarthy is determined to ferret them out of the government, universities, movie industry, and other walks of life.



McCarthy is also rabidly anti-Semitic and enthusiastically persecutes people of Judaic origin. To get rid of 'unwanted elements', McCarthy's acolytes on the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) - called Hueys - arrest, beat up, torture, imprison, and deport commies and Jews.

One of McCarthy's most visible targets is the film industry, which now consists largely of a single studio called the 'United American Pictures Studio', that puts out anti-communist movies and other propaganda.



One of the few big film stars still working is Humphrey Bogart, who's now a drunk that makes films such as ' It Came From Planet Communist' and 'The Communist Kind.' Most of these films have a similar plot - a Communist, be it a spy or space alien, tries to ruin the American way of life and the brave democracy-loving hero (Humphrey Bogart) stops them cold in their tracks.



In this atmosphere, disgraced film director John Huston and journalist Walter Cronkite are found shot to death in Huston's house.


John Huston


Walter Cronkite

LAPD Detective Morris Baker - a Jewish Holocaust survivor from Czechoslovakia who lives in a dingy apartment, is always drunk on peach schnapps, and has nightmares about being tortured in concentration camp - is assigned the case.



However two HUAC Inspectors show up and take over the inquiries.



Before Baker leaves Huston's house, however, he finds a note in Cronkite's clenched fist that contains the words "Beat the Devils" and "Baker."

The Hueys characterize Huston and Cronkite as a pair of Commie-loving lavender lads (gay men) and essentially bury the investigation. Detective Morris Baker won't let it drop, however, and - as he unearths clues about a liberty-loving group working against McCarthy - Morris is continually harassed and tormented by HUAC minions.



As the story unfolds we learn that various groups - including one led by former Nazi scientist Wernher von Braun, who is now working for the United States aerospace industry - have hatched a plot to frame Detective Baker for a horrific crime. The ultimate goal is to turn the American people against Jews in the United States.


Wernher von Braun

The novel takes the form of a mid-1900s noir, with a beleaguered hero that interacts with a beautiful mysterious woman.





Thus the book contains the requisite sex scenes and a protagonist that's clunked on the head, kicked, beaten with a baseball bat, has his teeth knocked out, shot at, etc. The book has an over-the-top comic book vibe, but it's an interesting plot and a wake-up call about extremists gaining power in America.

Thanks to Netgalley, Josh Weiss, and Grand Central Publishing for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars