If you follow me on Twitter or follow Off-the-Shelf Books, you'll know that I'm writing Jewish-themed crime fiction and I've made it my mission to read more Jewish-themed books this year. While I won't read all of the books on my list before next weekend(!), I will still be reading them throughout 2019. Here are three more Jewish-themed reads - more to come soon!
To Kill the Truth by Sam Bourne
Published in hardback by Quercus on 21 February 2019
Publisher's description
Someone is trying to destroy the evidence of history's greatest crimes.
Academics and Holocaust survivors dead in mysterious circumstances. Museums and libraries burning. Digital records and irreplaceable proofs, lost for ever.
Former White House operative Maggie Costello has sworn off politics. But when the Governor of Virginia seeks her help to stop the lethal spiral of killings, she knows that this is bigger than any political game.
As Black Lives Matter protestors clash with slavery deniers, America is on a knife-edge and time is running out. This deadly conspiracy could ignite a new Civil War - but who stands to gain most from the chaos?
To Kill the Truth is certainly a thriller of the modern world. With clear roots in the David Irving trial, the book is filled with twists and turns, politics, technological warfare, fake news, racism/antisemitism and holocaust denial. It's a follow up to last year's To Kill the President (which I admit I haven't read), with a focus on pace and thrills to provide a high-octane rollercoaster read.
To book a ticket for Jonathan Freedland (Sam Bourne)'s Jewish Book Week event, click here.
The Courier by Kjell Ola Dahl
Published in paperback by Orenda Books in March 2019 (ebook out now)
Publisher's description
In 1942, Jewish courier Ester is betrayed, narrowly avoiding arrest by the Gestapo. In a great haste, she escapes to Sweden, saving herself. Her family in Oslo, however, is deported to Auschwitz. In Stockholm, Ester meets the resistance hero, Gerhard Falkum, who has left his little daughter and fled both the Germans and allegations that he murdered his wife, Åse, who helped Ester get to Sweden. Their burgeoning relationship ends abruptly when Falkum dies in a fire.And yet, twenty-five years later, Falkum shows up in Oslo. He wants to reconnect with his daughter. But where has he been, and what is the real reason for his return? Ester stumbles across information that forces her to look closely at her past, and to revisit her war-time training to stay alive…
The Courier is a literary spy thriller, perfect for John Le Carré fans, and a very welcome addition to the Nordic Noir genre ... So much tension bubbles away under the surface. But this is far more than just a thriller and a murder mystery. It's also a heartbreaking read, as Ester learns more about what happened to her family and her childhood friend. The ending brought tears to my eyes but also a strong sense of resolution. To read my full review, click here.
The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom by Beth Miller
Published by Bookouture in March 2019
Publisher's description:
She followed her heart to change her life, but she didn’t realise how much she left behind…
Eliza Bloom has a list of rules: long, blue skirt on Thursdays, dinner with mother on Fridays, and never give your heart away to the wrong person. Nothing is out of place in her ordered life…
Then she met someone who she was never supposed to speak to. And he introduced her to a whole world of new lists:
New foods to try – oysters and sushi
Great movies to watch – Bambi and Some Like It Hot
Things I love about Eliza Bloom
New foods to try – oysters and sushi
Great movies to watch – Bambi and Some Like It Hot
Things I love about Eliza Bloom
Eliza left everything she knew behind for him, but sometimes love just isn’t enough. Especially when he opens a hidden shoebox and starts asking a lot of questions about her past life. As the walls Eliza has carefully constructed threaten to come crashing down, will she find a way to keep hold of everyone she loves, and maybe, just maybe, bring the two sides of her heart together at last?
My verdict
The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom is a story of identity, love, choice and family. Eliza (or Aliza) Bloom runs away from her religious Jewish life to marry Alex, a non-Jewish man. Years later, her teenage daughter unlocks family secrets to reveal that moving on (and leaving the past behind) wasn't so straightforward after all. Eliza breaks the taboos and traditions of her religion to try new foods and new experiences, determined to please her new husband (who wants to introduce her to the 'wonders' of the 'real world'). This provides a good introduction to Orthodox Judaism (especially the more religious communities) for those who know little about it. It isn't always easy reading though, as Eliza struggles with her new identity and is torn between her old life (love for Judaism and her family, especially her grandfather, Zaida) and her new life (love for Alex and the excitement he provides). Some of her 'new experiences' did make me cringe, having been brought up with many of the Jewish traditions myself. This is an easy read, with a well-rounded mix of laughs, sensitivity and sadness. The book also raises interesting questions though, such as 'Is the grass always greener?' and 'Is it wise to make spur-of-the-moment life-changing decisions without knowing the full facts?'
So that's it for now! But I have many more Jewish-themed books on my list and will reading (and reviewing) them over the coming months. So do pop back to Off-the-Shelf Books for more updates!
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