Will iconic images recorded in the grooves of an ancient vase unite the Holy Land or rip it further apart?

THE VASE

A novel by Mark M. DeRobertis

Muhsin Muhabi is a Palestinian potter, descended from a long line of potters. His business is run from the same shop owned by his ancestors since the day his forebears moved to Nazareth. The region's conflict saw the death of his oldest son, and rogue terrorists are in the process of recruiting his youngest in their plot to assassinate the Pope and Israeli prime minister.

Professor Hiram Weiss is an art historian at Nazareth’s Bethel University. He is also a Shin Bet operative on special assignment. With the help of fellow agent, Captain Benny Mathias, he plans to destroy the gang responsible for the death of his wife and only child. He puts a bomb in the ancient vase he takes on loan from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.

Mary Levin, the charming assistant to the director of Shin Bet, has lost a husband and most of her extended family to recurring wars and never-ending terrorism. She dedicates her life to the preservation of Israel, but to whom will she dedicate her heart? The brilliant professor from Bethel University? Or the gallant captain who now leads Kidon?

Harvey Holmes, the Sherlock of Haunted Houses, is a Hollywood TV host whose reality show just flopped. When a Lebanese restaurant owner requests his ghost-hunting services, he believes the opportunity will resurrect his career. All he has to do is exorcise the ghosts that are haunting the restaurant. It happens to be located right across the street from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.




Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Russian Scientist in Killer Eyes

I just read an article about Russian scientists and their amazing advances in medical treatment. Here's the link. And I'm feeling now more than ever that the story in Killer Eyes is validated. Because in Killer Eyes, the prominent scientist working on the wonder drug Eternity is a Russian scientist. But he's not working with stem cells, like this article is about. He's a nuclear physicist and a specialist in nuclear medicine. Still, the fact that he's Russian gives my story in Killer Eyes even more authenticity than I already believed it had.

The first scientist introduced as early as the prologue in Killer of Killers was Samuel Bernstein. By the name one might conclude he was a Jewish scientist of, say, Eastern European, or perhaps even German descent. (Not unlike an Albert Einstein.) The next scientist who took over after Bernstein's demise in Killer of Killers was a nerdy WASP scientist named Jason Benson. Imagine the large spectacles, small framed body, and baggy clothes. But in Killer Eyes it's the Russian nuclear physicist named Vladimir Blitzkin who runs the show.

But Blitzkin is no weak looking nerd like Benson, nor is he an older type dude like Bernstein. He's a big, burly guy. Oh, there is another scientist in Killer Eyes who has a prominent role. That would be William Mann, who Trent seeks out because Dr. Mann was a former associate of Bernstein's.

And in case any readers of Killer of Killers are wondering, the two Chinese scientists, Doctors Wong and Lee are back, too. They were introduced in Killer of Killers and they appear in Killer Eyes as well. But it's kudos to the research and advances made by Russian scientists is why I made the latest and perhaps greatest scientist in my Killer Series a Russian. Hope you agree.

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