Die Säulen des Salomon

Ben Kamal and Danielle Barnea #2

by Jon Land

Ben Kamal hasn't investigated a case since his last assignment with Danielle. But missing children in his native West Bank rekindle his interest in his career, reminding him of his own lost children.Danielle Barnea had put her career on hold as well, until a personal tragedy left her with nothing else to turn to. Her first case is the apparently random murder of a Jerusalem shopkeeper who was also one of Israel's earliest war heroes.What Ben and Danielle don't know, can't know, is that their separate investigations are linked by a secret born of the blood that forged a nation. As decades of white slavery around the world bear their bitter friut, the secret has the power to topple governments and explode the Middle East into a maelstrom of chaos and destruction.To stop history from being rewritten, Ben and Danielle must follow a dangerous path to a truth that no one wants revealed and that someone has already killed to keep hidden behind the Pillars of Solomon .At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Middle East

399 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1999

About the author

Jon Land is an American author of thriller novels and a screenwriter. He graduated from Brown University in 1979 Phi Beta Kappa and Magna cum Laude. He often bases his novels and scripts on extensive travel and research as well as a twenty-five year career in martial arts. He is an associate member of the US Special Forces and is an emeritus board member the International Thriller Writers. John currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Reviews

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing plot.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in the series and occurs about 18 months after the conclusion of the first. Israeli Danielle Barnea and Palestinian Ben Kamal were not able to maintain their relationship because of the conflicts between their nations. Now they are brought back together when the cases they are each working on are connected.
Ben is investigating at missing girl which leads to the discovery of many children going missing and human trafficking. Danielle is investigating the death of a man who was important on the birth and building of Israel. She learns a lot about the past and how it is connected to the present.
Ben's work is hampered by government rules but he finds some assistance from an unlikely source. The case becomes very personal for him when a friend is killed and it is his way to prove himself after having been benched for the past year or more.
Lots of tension between the two countries. The investigations takes them farther afield into Jordan and to the U.S. Myths surface along with some secrets. Really well developed characters and the author brings out a lot of history of the region and discusses the problems between the countries both politically and religiously.
Both main characters have lots of personal issues they are dealing with and it is part of what motivates them in their jobs. Both are very dedicated but also get very frustrated with their bosses and the beaurocracy they have to deal with.

[Foxglove · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really good writing of a terrible plot. I’m wincing every time someone calls Daniella Pakad, I’m horrified by the bad accents and the resolution made no sense.
Yet I was gripped

[Steve]

I read this entire series which was a worthwhile effort

[Paula Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pillars of Solomon is the second book of the Ben and Danielle series. Eighteen months have passed since their last adventure and brief love affair. The found it too difficult to maintain a Palestinian and Israeli love affair.

The unexpectedly meet up again to solve a case. Again their adventure is set amid the tensions that exist in the Middle East.

Part of the focus of this book is a white slavery trade and with that a threat to the new prime minister of Israel. Jon Land puts many twists and turns into his stories. His understanding of the tension between the Israeli and Palestinians is realist and adds to the story line.

Our star-crossed lovers find one another again, but you know the road won't be easy.

[Robert Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite having broken off their personal relationship, Palestinian Ben Kamal & Israeli Danielle Barnea are again thrown together when two apparently totally unrelated cases, an Israeli murder and a kidnapped Palestinian teenager have their causes connected in the distant past. Terrific read. Events occur in Jerusalem, Jericho, Petra in Jordan, Haifa, an island in the Mediterranean, various refugee camps, kibbutzs, aboard 2 different derelict ocean freighters, and a home in Connecticut. An excellent second book in the series.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part was intriguing, set within contemporary Israel and Palestine, helping the reader imagine the conditions. As the book continues, it becomes more typical of the genre and less interesting. Still worth reading for a different mystery - a book for when you don't have energy for something more complicated.

[Ed Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Kamal is working on missing Palestinian children. His path crosses with Danielle Barnea as who is investigating the death of a Jewish merchant. It doesn't take long for them to discern that their cases are connected. At the heart of the investigation is a so-called mythical character named al Safah.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was very interesting as I had not been awear of the history of Palestine and Israel in this context. The story is very well done, tho a bit confusing in the end. It is amazing how the "directed" media can change the perspective of history.

[Wilma Rebstock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never get enough of Danielle and Ben...

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting police procedural with a dash of history and wonderful characters. On to the next.

[Bill Curry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story line. Keeps you guessing until the end. An easy book to read.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben & Danielle #2

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced and intriguing....