An Ice Cream War by William Boyd (Penguin)

by Patrick O'Connor

THERE have been plenty of novels which have used the First World War as a backdrop but this offering by acclaimed British writer William Boyd takes a look at the little known East African campaign and shows how it impacted on several characters.

Before conflict erupts, American expat Temple Smith is on good terms with his German half English neighbour Erich von Bishop but then has his plantation burnt by von Bishop and becomes a penniless refugee, forced to join the British forces.

Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd (Bloomsbury)

by Patrick O'Connor

ONE of the few decent things on British television over the Christmas period was a 1940s spy thriller called Restless, adapted from a book written by the acclaimed novelist and screenwriter William Boyd.

It was such a cracking yarn that I sought out another Boyd offering, Ordinary Thunderstorms.