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.




Friday, October 16, 2015

Printing Company and 2012 Review

I mentioned last week, I think, that the printing company which prints for Melange Books, (and my Killer Series, Killer of Killers and Killer Eyes,) has been advertising on several online sites. These sites include USA Today, FaceBook, SJ Mercury News, and many more. I clicked on one of them out of curiosity, and found through the link Find Reviews for Previous Versions the first review Killer of Killers received, dated back in 2012.

I was impressed with how the writer of this review worded the review, because it is exactly how I would like readers to perceive the main character, Trent Smith. The reviewer compares Trent Smith to Charles Bronson and Chuck Norris, who are well known to Hollywood audiences as tough good guys. Or good tough guys. Which is what I used to consider "cool" characters.

The only thing is the martial art in question is Budo Ju Jitsu, not Bodu Ju Jitsu, but what the heck. It's a great review. Here it is cut and pasted from the Lulu website:


By Melange Books, LLC
Sep 22, 2012
Dan spanton's review of Killer of Killers by Mark DeRobertis Sep 18, 12 
Charles Bronson was five nine. Chuck Norris is five ten. Trent Smith could stand between them and blend in perfectly. He's five nine and a master sensei of Bodu ju jitsu. Smith has left the martial arts academy, and the teacher, Shoji, who mentored him. He's become a rogue vigilante, but not for money. His mission is to give justice to the innocent victims of murder. The world he now enters contains a dark mirror image of his teacher Shoji. This evil counterpart is a man named Soriah, who controls a team of extraordinary assassins. Soriah possesses a miracle drug that repairs cellular damage quickly, and may prolong life indefinitely. Trent Smith must not only contend with Soriah, but also with a voluptuous blond detective named Samantha Jones. Jones wants him behind bars, but first she wants to sleep with him. Life is rough. The action scenes alone make KILLER OF KILLERS a must-read. I'm generally a fan of copfiction, and I can't remember when I've read fight scenes with this much impact. DeRobertis has an eye for detail, and readers who enjoy the authenticity of skillfully drawn settings and characters won't be disappointed.

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