The Kaboom Boys

A Call to War, Book 1

By: Don Keith, Elaine Hume Peake

Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross

A historical saga of courage, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.

“ … a true WW2 adventure …”—Nicholas Griffin, author of The Year of Dangerous Days

With the specter of the Great Depression behind him and the horrors of Nazi-occupied Europe ahead, Edward Hume leaves his Pennsylvania coal mining town to volunteer as one of the first US Army bomb demolition captains in the Second World War. Trained alongside the RAF in the English countryside, Hume takes command of an eclectic team of misfits, tasked with the perilous job of defusing unexploded bombs in the heart of Europe’s fiercest battlegrounds.

Their chances of survival are slim—most soldiers with this assignment don’t make it past ten weeks.

The group’s journey culminates at the ancient and mystical Mont Saint-Michel, left abandoned by the Nazis in the chaotic aftermath of D-Day. Hume and his squad face not only a deadly cache of jettisoned bombs but also treacherous tides, quicksand, and maritime mines. With each successful defusing they save countless lives and inch closer to victory. But the cost of failure looms large, as they witness the devastating consequences of explosives left unattended.

With the war intensifying, Edward and his men find themselves caught between their duty and their humanity, knowing that each mission could be their last.

Based on real events, Elaine Hume Peake and Don Keith deliver a gripping, cinematic tale of bravery and sacrifice, capturing the relentless perseverance of the men and women who answered the call to war. Perfect for fans of Lee Jackson’s After Dunkirk series and Mark Sullivan’s Beneath a Scarlet Sky.

©2025 Elaine Hume Peake and Don Keith (P)2025 Recorded Books

Accurate and Exciting

This book does an awesome job capturing the nerves and adrenaline of bomb disposal work. It is fascinating learning about the culture and practices that are still around today in modern EOD.

Informative and Exciting Read

I did not know much about the bomb squads during WW2. The author told a very compelling story with great character development.