Hip Set", by Michael Fertik

A murder mystery

In a few words:

This fiction is of Oscar Orleans a Congolese refugee in Israel. His knowledge of Hebrew makes him the perfect liaison to the African refugee community living in the worst Tel Aviv’s ghetto.

The drama:

When the body of a young South Sudanese has been found murdered, his old friend Inspector Kobi Sambinsky of the Asylum Units calls on him for help. What is known is that the 18 years old shared the unusual name, Kinga, with a controversial most dangerous warring faction from eight years earlier. Oscar and Sambrinsky set out to find out what happened to the poor man.

Venturing into the heart of Tel Aviv’s Sudanese underground populated with violent mob will prove to be a challenge for Kobi and Oscar.

My thoughts:

Because my lack in knowledge of Israel languages and cultures I struggled with terms and orientation and find reading this novel to be somewhat a challenge...at least at first.

The narrative incorporates current issues such as immigration and Russian mafia into a fast- paced police detective work. “Hip-Set” is discipline and doesn’t deal with stereotypes characters rather they project genuineness of people who live in the secular world with all their aspirations: good and bad.

The main players are Oscar Orleans, Detective Kobi Sambinsky, Officer Angelika Cone, Pastor Michael Alou Kuur Kuur and Ruben Dumanovsky, the alleged Russian immigrant.

From the start we are introduced to Oscar and later on to the alleged Russian mobster and getting to know them is an in-depth examination into religion, immigration, myth and murder. Near the end, the narration smoothly brings us into the world of ancient times giving us an insight on the myth of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon hidden treasure and the prized gold chain. But where did this sidebar lead to?

In the last scene it all comes to fruition and I will let you read the book to find out.

Happy reading.

I received a free copy of this book and I leave a voluntary review, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

"The Resistance Girl" by Mandy Robotham

Bergen, Norway 1942

Rumi Oristad and her fellow resistance fighters smuggle British agents, fugitives and supplies across the North Sea into Nazi-occupied territory. It is an unforgettable journey of young people risking it all for a movement against Hitler’s regime. The story in this WW11 fiction could possibly have happened and marvels in its descriptions. The bravery of sailors risking their lives on the Shetland bus to help those escaping the Nazis is incredible so are the heartbreaking accounts told by Norwegians.

In alternate chapters, the narration moves between Rumi and Jens, a young British man she rescued from a drop. The two tell their story in vivid details along the way we are drawn into an intriguing and informative read that includes the disturbing Lebensborn maternity program Himmler’s had created. Rumi and Jens helped two young women in their late semester escape via the Shetland bus. The panic and anxiety is palpable. It is easy to get invested in their survival.

It is evident the author loves her subject and know how to penned and exciting story. Her characters are nicely defined so much so that we want their mission to succeed whether is sending a coded message or freeing someone from a difficult situation or even having a quiet moment in the cold snowy mountains....The are many characters POV’s in his wonderful story to captivate us (Peder,Marjit, Selig, Anya,Rubi, Karl, Fru Nesse) to name a few contribute to make this novel a captivating read.

“The Resistance Girl” is an absorbing read, once started hard to put down. The everyday survival, the fear, the suspicions are well captured so is love, family and friendship. Well-said.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via Netgalleys for my thoughts: this is the way I see it

"Postcards From Beyond Reality", by Bernard Jan

The Selected Poems of Michael Daniels

This is a cocktail of melancholy, sorrow and desire written by the author in character with his hero from his novel “Cruel Summer”, which tells a gripping story of Michaels Daniels an abused teenager and poet in Manhattan. Taken from Michael’s book of poetry, selected poems are shared with us.

These literary postcards dive into the mind of a teenage writing about his dreams, longings and passions. They are very sad, touching and nostalgic, even suicidal. I was much moved by his thoughts. The rhymes reflect failed relationships and sad memories and his words smoothly pull us into a very sad world.

At the end of the book we have a wonderful explanation where the inspiration for this book came from. I would suggest reading “Cruel Summer” first. You would enjoy the poetry book much more.

Poetry is not my favourite genre and by far but when Mr. Jan offered his latest to read I simply couldn’t refuse knowing how I enjoyed his other books. Taking a chance he did and good for him. Not that I love poetry more but reading “Postcards from Beyond Reality” was a very good experience and a great introduction. Thank you Bernard you opened my eyes to something deferent.