Review by Bilbo47 -- Devil Among Us by Jack Winnick
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Bilbo47
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Review by Bilbo47 -- Devil Among Us by Jack Winnick
[Following is a volunteer review of "Devil Among Us" by Jack Winnick.]
The international spy thriller, Devil Among Us, by Jack Winnick, is a gripping, action-packed page-turner. It is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone.
A powerful explosion rocks a Brooklyn, NY synagogue during a Yom Kippur service. Hundreds of Jewish worshipers are killed or maimed on this holiest of days. Special Agent Lara Edmond, of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTL), is assigned with investigating the bombing. She is partnered with her old lover, Uri Levin, the Mossad field agent she hasn’t seen since their last adventure. It’s thought that members of the temple, émigrés from Israel, were responsible for the attack. But is this the case? And is there something even more sinister brewing? A larger, more diabolical plan?
Lara and Uri, the heroes from Winnick’s debut novel, East Wind (2010), travel to Texas to solve the mystery of the bombing. But they uncover an insidious plan that forces them to travel to Israel. They must use all of their skills and training to stay alive.
Jack Winnick is a gifted storyteller. The reader is introduced to a large cast of characters, both big and small. Winnick gives each one a distinct personality and voice. His descriptions are colorful and detailed. The story moves along at a quick pace, and there are no boring passages.
Winnick utilizes his deep knowledge and understanding of the Middle East to craft a scenario--the planned obliteration of Israel by a combined Muslim threat— that is not beyond the realm of possibility. I am impressed by the author’s command of the subject matter. With over 40 years of academic and technical experience, Winnick makes it easy for the reader to understand the complicated dynamics of the Middle East. It’s wonderful to feel like you’ve learned something without being aware of the process.
Devil Among Us is well-written and a must-read for any lover of suspense, mystery, or thriller novels. However, I was annoyed by the author’s constant misuse of the possessive adjective and other small errors. It detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
The book has little profanity and only a few romantic interludes that are tastefully restrained. Winnick instead relies upon the nuanced interplay between Lara and Uri to show their affection for each other. I appreciated this because I’m not a fan of romance novels. However, the book may not be suitable for younger readers or for those who don’t like graphic violence.
Regrettably, I can only rate this terrific book 3 out of 4 stars. The quality of the plot and the attention to detail are superior. But this book needs more thorough editing. Despite this criticism, I enjoyed Devil Among Us so much that I”m going to read the first book in the series and hope that there is a third one coming out soon.
******
Devil Among Us
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The international spy thriller, Devil Among Us, by Jack Winnick, is a gripping, action-packed page-turner. It is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone.
A powerful explosion rocks a Brooklyn, NY synagogue during a Yom Kippur service. Hundreds of Jewish worshipers are killed or maimed on this holiest of days. Special Agent Lara Edmond, of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTL), is assigned with investigating the bombing. She is partnered with her old lover, Uri Levin, the Mossad field agent she hasn’t seen since their last adventure. It’s thought that members of the temple, émigrés from Israel, were responsible for the attack. But is this the case? And is there something even more sinister brewing? A larger, more diabolical plan?
Lara and Uri, the heroes from Winnick’s debut novel, East Wind (2010), travel to Texas to solve the mystery of the bombing. But they uncover an insidious plan that forces them to travel to Israel. They must use all of their skills and training to stay alive.
Jack Winnick is a gifted storyteller. The reader is introduced to a large cast of characters, both big and small. Winnick gives each one a distinct personality and voice. His descriptions are colorful and detailed. The story moves along at a quick pace, and there are no boring passages.
Winnick utilizes his deep knowledge and understanding of the Middle East to craft a scenario--the planned obliteration of Israel by a combined Muslim threat— that is not beyond the realm of possibility. I am impressed by the author’s command of the subject matter. With over 40 years of academic and technical experience, Winnick makes it easy for the reader to understand the complicated dynamics of the Middle East. It’s wonderful to feel like you’ve learned something without being aware of the process.
Devil Among Us is well-written and a must-read for any lover of suspense, mystery, or thriller novels. However, I was annoyed by the author’s constant misuse of the possessive adjective and other small errors. It detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
The book has little profanity and only a few romantic interludes that are tastefully restrained. Winnick instead relies upon the nuanced interplay between Lara and Uri to show their affection for each other. I appreciated this because I’m not a fan of romance novels. However, the book may not be suitable for younger readers or for those who don’t like graphic violence.
Regrettably, I can only rate this terrific book 3 out of 4 stars. The quality of the plot and the attention to detail are superior. But this book needs more thorough editing. Despite this criticism, I enjoyed Devil Among Us so much that I”m going to read the first book in the series and hope that there is a third one coming out soon.
******
Devil Among Us
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Date Farm by Jack Winnick
