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Omar Yussef Mystery #2
The Saladin Murders
This eagerly awaited follow-up to 'The Bethlehem Murders' finds our teacher-turned-detective in one of the deadliest areas in the Middle East - the Gaza Strip.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Matt Rees
33 books192 followersI'm an award-winning writer of international thrillers, mysteries, and historical fiction. I'm giving away a FREE ebook THE THRILLER CHECKLIST, a no-nonsense guide to get your thriller written. Get it here: http://bit.ly/2r2jciK.
My novels have grown out of my career as a Middle East correspondent, which took me into culture very different from my own, and my love of history, which takes me into times very different from now. But those places and times aren't so completely different. I love to examine the emotions that connect you and me to people who live in distant places or distant times.
My books have been dramatized for BBC Radio and published in 25 languages. Along the way I picked up some major awards (a Crime Writers Association Dagger in the UK and a National Jewish Book Council finalist in the US)) and some nice compliments: major authors have compared my writing with the work of Graham Greene, John Le Carre, Georges Simenon and Henning Mankell.
My novels have grown out of my career as a Middle East correspondent, which took me into culture very different from my own, and my love of history, which takes me into times very different from now. But those places and times aren't so completely different. I love to examine the emotions that connect you and me to people who live in distant places or distant times.
My books have been dramatized for BBC Radio and published in 25 languages. Along the way I picked up some major awards (a Crime Writers Association Dagger in the UK and a National Jewish Book Council finalist in the US)) and some nice compliments: major authors have compared my writing with the work of Graham Greene, John Le Carre, Georges Simenon and Henning Mankell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
December 3, 2014
There is no single, isolated crime in Gaza. Each one is linked to many others, you'll see.
In Gaza, nothing is what it seems. The truth will be far below the surface. You can't predict how deep it will go, but you can be sure that it will reach out to touch other victims and other crimes. (p. 30)
Chinatown! That's what this book reminded me of--without the sex and incest but with more corpses piling up. Life is cheap if you're a Palestinian. The head honchos who gain the good graces of the Europeans or the American ambassador or the UN can then do with impunity whatever they want with those for whom they're responsible since it'll be invisible, and can be as corrupt as they want to be. And the foreigners know it, too, but still they play a game in which many are expendable.
Omar Yussef's...hands shook with rage.... "You put out an order for me to be killed."
"That was a lesser thing than the murder of [...]. Do you think anyone at the United Nations would worry about your death? ... Even so, [...'s] killing will come to nothing. If the UN found out that I was involved with his death...their diplomats would hush it up."
"One of their colleagues is dead."
"Oh, yes, you might expect them to want justice for their departed comrade. But they'd be far more concerned about the peace negotiations. They aren't about to blame a senior member of the Revolutionary Council for the murder. ... The UN will close its eyes to this (and) agree that it was the result of some internal battle between criminal gunmen...." (pp. 324-325)
This is the second outing for Omar Yussef, history teacher turned crime solver. He's in his late 50s and usually feels every minute of it. In his politically radical youth he spent time in jail--Jordanian, not Israeli--and subsequently had kept his head down.
Just recently, though, my anger at the way our people are governed began to outweigh my fear... (p. 174)
In Omar Yussef the author has given us a very human protagonist. One moment he's strong and clear-sighted; after a few indignities--no, make that traumas--he feels feeble and is left searching for his former toughness. One thing he is not is cowardly, facing down death with regularity this time around. The action covers the span of a week, while a dust storm blows and the bullets fly, until he finally emerges but without some whom we wanted to be accompanying him. The reader has to accept Omar Yussef is tougher than he himself knows.
A Grave in Gaza sat on my shelf for four or five years. I had some ambivalent feelings about the first book, The Collaborator of Bethlehem; although the author was looking at inter-Palestinian clashes, I was suspicious he was sitting in the background saying all the problems were "caused" by Israel. The website I found back then didn't dissuade me of that attitude, as I recall. And that's why this second installment sat on the shelf so long. It's a better book, though, and the author's current website doesn't sound angry.
The poor author is trying something damnably difficult. He decided Westerners see Palestinians simplistically--either as terrorists or as victims. So he wants to challenge that perception, to reveal them in all their complexity. But maybe people don't want their perceptions changed. I think maybe they don't, and that that's why the books aren't being read. People who side with Israel don't want to see Palestinians as human beings. People who side against Israel don't want to see any Palestinians as corrupt and turning against each other--or, in fact, as fully responsible and fully human whether good or evil. The first book was released to favorable reviews; about 1300 readers have added it on Goodreads. This one that I'm now reading has about 600 reviews. The trend is down-hill, which is unusual for books of its caliber.
This book was out of date at birth. Published in 2008, it must have been in the pipeline when Hamas took over Gaza the prior year. So in the book Fatah is still running the show. Although that didn't bother me (and I learned from it anyway) I'll look forward to seeing what the author has done to get back up-to-date.
Matt Beynon Rees was born in Wales and lives in Jerusalem. He was previously the Jerusalem bureau chief for Time.
May 20, 2021
"It might be unknown when and how death comes, but in Gaza there should be no surprise that it’s on its way.”
'So many ways to die. So much suffering, so much to be feared. So many people ready to take another’s life.'
All the time this breath slowly chills, until death. Every exhalation is an expulsion of some
part of our finite store of life, and also a sigh of relief that the grave is closer by one tedious, depressing pulse.
“No indignity should surprise us in Gaza, Abu Ramiz.”
The way death finally took a man seemed always to be a grisly surprise in a place like this. To be alive was
to know the constant threat of death and the macabre reality of its arrival. But even beyond that moment there was no peace, not even when your bones were almost crumbled to dust.
In any case, you forget, Abu Ramiz, this is Gaza. The odds are against a peaceful death.”
“Gaza has a special relationship with the dead.”
“If there’s one thing my life has taught me, it’s that killing is easy and dying is easier. Suffering is hard.”
When you’re a victim, there’s no room in your life for other people’s suffering, he thought.
“Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn,”
people from the West, like me, have a very simplistic view of what’s right and wrong here in the
Middle East. We believe good must triumph over evil, but then we back bad men, when it’s politically convenient. James never accepted that, because he cared deeply about the land and its people. So I will always remember
him, here in his grave in Gaza.”
'So many ways to die. So much suffering, so much to be feared. So many people ready to take another’s life.'
All the time this breath slowly chills, until death. Every exhalation is an expulsion of some
part of our finite store of life, and also a sigh of relief that the grave is closer by one tedious, depressing pulse.
“No indignity should surprise us in Gaza, Abu Ramiz.”
The way death finally took a man seemed always to be a grisly surprise in a place like this. To be alive was
to know the constant threat of death and the macabre reality of its arrival. But even beyond that moment there was no peace, not even when your bones were almost crumbled to dust.
In any case, you forget, Abu Ramiz, this is Gaza. The odds are against a peaceful death.”
“Gaza has a special relationship with the dead.”
“If there’s one thing my life has taught me, it’s that killing is easy and dying is easier. Suffering is hard.”
When you’re a victim, there’s no room in your life for other people’s suffering, he thought.
“Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn,”
people from the West, like me, have a very simplistic view of what’s right and wrong here in the
Middle East. We believe good must triumph over evil, but then we back bad men, when it’s politically convenient. James never accepted that, because he cared deeply about the land and its people. So I will always remember
him, here in his grave in Gaza.”
January 14, 2019
Not much of a mystery but more a spotlight onto the spiderweb of Palestine. People are not good or bad, heroes or villains, but are simply desperate, occasionally outwardly ideological, but always fighting for survival.
February 17, 2019
From his earlier novel set in Bethlehem, it was apparent that Mr. Rees clearly knows the region intimately. He does not disappoint in the second of the Omar Yussef series set in Gaza. Teeming with conspiracies, corruption and desperation, the Gaza pictured here is not for faint hearts. One sympathizes with ordinary Palestinians who are resigned to their fate and look to the future with no hope. The mystery itself is somewhat superfluous and the protagonist, a weary teacher walks through the dusty streets of the desert while bombs, bribes and treachery abound. The casual meetings of a humble schoolteacher with the bigwigs of the PLO and the Palestinian Councils stretch plausibility but doesn't really affect the history and the atmosphere, which is the main takeaway from this series. Recommended!
September 25, 2013
Warming to this series, where nothing really seems to happen, but the persistent investigator eventually solves the mystery.
The "detective" is a UN history teacher from Bethlehem, Omar Yussef who is sent to Gaza to carry out a school inspection.
The mystery is why a part time UN school teacher,and university lecturer, Eyad Masharawi is arrested and how his imprisonment relates to the kidnap of another UN worker.
Rich in the politics of this trouble piece of land, where life is a struggle and death is just a breath away. The writing is descriptive, informative and over flowing with characters you wouldn't wish to meet on a dark night. Yet it is into this conflict of warring factions and gun-totting militia that Omar Yussef probes and unsettles those who would rather their secrets were buried in the sand.
Often tense but with wonderful comedic moments, the body count rises and you fear for the one voice demanding the truth.
Respectful of the people of this land these stories bring the trouble to a new audience and make the reader think again about simple political truths, good v evil and a righteous cause.
The "detective" is a UN history teacher from Bethlehem, Omar Yussef who is sent to Gaza to carry out a school inspection.
The mystery is why a part time UN school teacher,and university lecturer, Eyad Masharawi is arrested and how his imprisonment relates to the kidnap of another UN worker.
Rich in the politics of this trouble piece of land, where life is a struggle and death is just a breath away. The writing is descriptive, informative and over flowing with characters you wouldn't wish to meet on a dark night. Yet it is into this conflict of warring factions and gun-totting militia that Omar Yussef probes and unsettles those who would rather their secrets were buried in the sand.
Often tense but with wonderful comedic moments, the body count rises and you fear for the one voice demanding the truth.
Respectful of the people of this land these stories bring the trouble to a new audience and make the reader think again about simple political truths, good v evil and a righteous cause.
October 9, 2010
The second Omar Yussef mystery, in which the UN school history teacher travels to Gaza with a Scot and a Swede to inspect UN schools. Learning that a teacher has been arrested for collaboration, they take it upon themselves to investigate. But with groups of gunmen such as the Saladin Brigades, Military Intelligence, and Provisional Security all jostling for power, Gaza is a very dangerous place. The Swede is kidnapped and the UN pulls out, leaving Omar to try to piece together a very complex puzzle of corruption at the school, betrayal, torture, a stolen missile, and many graves in Gaza.
It's absolutely astonishing and admirable how much drama Rees manages to fit into this story: high suspense, plot twists, and danger (as no character, no matter how lovingly developed, is safe from a gunman or a roadside bomb); but he also paints a rich portrait of Arabic culture, the precariousness of life in Palestine, the sense of family and the sense of danger. Rees infuses his characters with human frailties and motives, even as he sheds light on the pervasive corruption – this is truly a world in which Omar is right to suspect everyone, even his friend the police chief. Erudite, gritty, and full of twists, this is a superb political mystery.
It's absolutely astonishing and admirable how much drama Rees manages to fit into this story: high suspense, plot twists, and danger (as no character, no matter how lovingly developed, is safe from a gunman or a roadside bomb); but he also paints a rich portrait of Arabic culture, the precariousness of life in Palestine, the sense of family and the sense of danger. Rees infuses his characters with human frailties and motives, even as he sheds light on the pervasive corruption – this is truly a world in which Omar is right to suspect everyone, even his friend the police chief. Erudite, gritty, and full of twists, this is a superb political mystery.
July 26, 2013
Rees' book, an Omar Yussef Mystery, takes us deep into the gritty, corrupt, discouraging world of Gaza. Omar Yussef, from Bethlehem, accompanies several UN dignitaries on their quest to inspect UN sponsored schools in Gaza.
What they discovery is misery, corruption, and nepotism on a vast scale. The infighting between rival Gaza politicians/police destroys their ability to present a united from to Israel.
The story includes death and danger through which the intrepid investigator Omar Yussef weaves his way. Unhappily, Rees, I'm sure accurately uses a variety of names and titles for his characters in keeping with Arab usage. How this bewildering switching between unfamiliar names, double names, and titles of repect left me scratching my head about who is who. Hence my reduced evaluation. Otherwise it would be a valuable book to read in understanding the Palestinian and the Israeli conflict.
What they discovery is misery, corruption, and nepotism on a vast scale. The infighting between rival Gaza politicians/police destroys their ability to present a united from to Israel.
The story includes death and danger through which the intrepid investigator Omar Yussef weaves his way. Unhappily, Rees, I'm sure accurately uses a variety of names and titles for his characters in keeping with Arab usage. How this bewildering switching between unfamiliar names, double names, and titles of repect left me scratching my head about who is who. Hence my reduced evaluation. Otherwise it would be a valuable book to read in understanding the Palestinian and the Israeli conflict.
September 25, 2011
Don't usually read mysteries/thrillers but enjoyed this one. Was struck by the way the history-professor detective could barely keep up with unfolding events. He often felt less like an agent than a tumbleweed blowing in fierce winds. The main character is really Gaza itself, as well as a giant dust storm (khamsi) that dominates the story's timeline. The author is a journalist who lives in Jerusalem & so knows at least somewhat whereof he speaks. If I learned anything from reading this book, it has to do with the complexities of human and political relations in that part of the world, which isn't exactly new news. Good to be reminded though, as a corrective to what's available in American and western news media. Must have been satisfying for a journalist to be able to tell a more complex and layered story than news formats allow.
June 6, 2008
These bleak mysteries are difficult to read in the sense that youd don't want to believe the circumstances are true, but you know they are. Wonderful writing and I love the main character. I really hope there are people like him in the Palestinian territory. It would be hard to hang on to your ideals in such a bleak place.
July 9, 2011
A Grave in Gaza is an even more satisfying read than the first book in the Omar Yussef series with a sprinkling of dark humor -- but how could humor be light under the daily circumstances in the Gaza Strip? The pace of the plot, the motives of the characters, and the atmosphere of the locale worked in this book to create a story that I kept me involved to the conclusion.
June 22, 2010
Je reste une nouvelle fois touché par la perspicacité, l'intégrité de "l'Agent O." Omar Youssef, ce vieux professeur d'Histoire, avec ses forces et ses faiblesses,qui s'improvise détective pour la cause d'un peu de justice dans un monde en plein conflit politique.Je suis impatient de lire sa prochaine aventure.
May 7, 2009
Omar Yussef is really a likeable character; a doting grandpa, who has the mettle to discern and confront a cynical world. Once again, a sad, yet enjoyable story which gives a taste of the nuances of life in and around Palestine.
April 19, 2014
This book is the second in this series, so I was not familiar with the characters and some references to the first book were not something I could relate to; still, I liked this book very much and really want to read more from this author.
April 12, 2022
The Palestine Quartet by Welsh journalist Matt Rees skillfully explores the dynamics of Palestinian and Israeli society during the Second Intifada (2000-2005). In four novels published from 2007 to 2010, Rees plumbs the depths of the conflict that roiled the tiny Mediterranean land, with echoes still heard today. Each of the four books is structured as an amateur detective story, with Palestinian high school history teacher Omar Yussef in the role of sleuth. A Grave in Gaza, the second of the four novels, shifts the scene from Omar Yussef’s home town of Bethlehem to Gaza. There, in the company of two United Nations officials, he becomes caught up in a complex murder case involving high-level corruption and the criminal gangs that double as Islamic activists.
CRIME IN GAZA DURING THE PALESTINIAN INTIFADA
Omar Yussef arrives in Gaza with Magnus Wallender, the director of the many United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools in Palestinian refugee camps. There, they meet with James Cree, the Scots director of security for UNRWA in Palestine. (Omar Yussef is the principal of the Girls’ School in UNRWA’s Dehaisha refugee camp in Bethlehem.) They have come to conduct an inspection tour of UNRWA schools in Gaza. But the trio is immediately confronted with a crisis: one of their local teachers has been arrested by the secret police and charged with spying for the CIA.
PALESTINIAN SECRET POLICE, THE UNITED NATIONS, AND THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL AUTHORITY
Eyad Masharawi teaches part-time at the school in Shati refugee camp. He also works part-time as a lecturer at Al-Azhar University. Masharawi is an outspoken critic of the government and the university administration. He had uncovered evidence that the university president was selling degrees to members of the secret police so they could gain promotion. It’s clear that the charge of espionage is absurd. After all, the head of the secret police himself collaborates closely with the CIA.
Omar Yussef and his two UN companions set out to gain Masharawi’s release. Soon, they stumble onto two seemingly unrelated crimes. Graves in a World War II British cemetery have been desecrated. And a secret police officer has been murdered. But are these crimes in fact unrelated to the jailing of Eyad Masharawi? Omar Yussef soon begins to see connections—and the stakes rise higher and higher as the Palestinian National Authority becomes involved as well. As his investigation proceeds, both Omar Yussef and his companions will find themselves targeted for death.
ABOUT ARAB NAMES
Omar Yussef’s full name is Omar Yussef Sirhan, but he is known among his fellow Arabs as Abu Ramiz, or Father of Ramiz, his son. Arab characters in this novel are routinely identified in this fashion, although they are sometimes addressed by their first and middle names, too. For many Western readers this may take a little getting used to.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Welsh novelist and journalist Matt Rees covered the Middle East and lived in Jerusalem for 20 years. He was TIME‘s Jerusalem bureau chief from 2000 until 2006, writing award-winning stories about the Palestinian Intifada. Rees also worked as Middle East correspondent for The Scotsman and Newsweek. He is the author of nine novels and one work of nonfiction. Rees is best known for the Palestine Quartet, the four Omar Yussef novels published from 2007 to 2010.
CRIME IN GAZA DURING THE PALESTINIAN INTIFADA
Omar Yussef arrives in Gaza with Magnus Wallender, the director of the many United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools in Palestinian refugee camps. There, they meet with James Cree, the Scots director of security for UNRWA in Palestine. (Omar Yussef is the principal of the Girls’ School in UNRWA’s Dehaisha refugee camp in Bethlehem.) They have come to conduct an inspection tour of UNRWA schools in Gaza. But the trio is immediately confronted with a crisis: one of their local teachers has been arrested by the secret police and charged with spying for the CIA.
PALESTINIAN SECRET POLICE, THE UNITED NATIONS, AND THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL AUTHORITY
Eyad Masharawi teaches part-time at the school in Shati refugee camp. He also works part-time as a lecturer at Al-Azhar University. Masharawi is an outspoken critic of the government and the university administration. He had uncovered evidence that the university president was selling degrees to members of the secret police so they could gain promotion. It’s clear that the charge of espionage is absurd. After all, the head of the secret police himself collaborates closely with the CIA.
Omar Yussef and his two UN companions set out to gain Masharawi’s release. Soon, they stumble onto two seemingly unrelated crimes. Graves in a World War II British cemetery have been desecrated. And a secret police officer has been murdered. But are these crimes in fact unrelated to the jailing of Eyad Masharawi? Omar Yussef soon begins to see connections—and the stakes rise higher and higher as the Palestinian National Authority becomes involved as well. As his investigation proceeds, both Omar Yussef and his companions will find themselves targeted for death.
ABOUT ARAB NAMES
Omar Yussef’s full name is Omar Yussef Sirhan, but he is known among his fellow Arabs as Abu Ramiz, or Father of Ramiz, his son. Arab characters in this novel are routinely identified in this fashion, although they are sometimes addressed by their first and middle names, too. For many Western readers this may take a little getting used to.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Welsh novelist and journalist Matt Rees covered the Middle East and lived in Jerusalem for 20 years. He was TIME‘s Jerusalem bureau chief from 2000 until 2006, writing award-winning stories about the Palestinian Intifada. Rees also worked as Middle East correspondent for The Scotsman and Newsweek. He is the author of nine novels and one work of nonfiction. Rees is best known for the Palestine Quartet, the four Omar Yussef novels published from 2007 to 2010.
February 28, 2018
Κριτική στα Ελληνικά πιο κάτω...
Actually 31⁄4/5, but I always round up in favor of the authors. I had high expectations from this book because we don't often get to read a crime/mystery novel set in Gaza and the events described on the book are inspired by real events and the author has spend years living in the area.
But while I'm sure the violence and corrupted politics and rival gangs depicted in the book are strongly rooted to the reality of Gaza, I felt the author never managed to give some extra depth and credibility to the story. While reading, I couldn't help but to get a sense of watching an action movie, full of stereotypical characters and predictable/cliché twists. The developments were far too superficial, there were the usual emotional scenes and up and downs one would expect from tons of similar formulaic novels and I think there was somehow more telling than showing.
It's not that I found this book bad or something, just not as great as I though it'll be. It held my mild interest, but didn't strongly grabbed my attention, so it took me longer than expected to finish. An okey-ish read when you are in the appropriate mood...
Μυθιστόρημα εγκλήματος/μυστηρίου που λαμβάνει χώρα στην Λωρίδα της Γάζας, γραμμένο από κάποιον που έχει ζήσει αρκετά εκεί και βασισμένο σε αληθινά γεγονότα. Ακούγεται αρκετά υποσχόμενο, έτσι δεν είναι;
Δυστυχώς το βιβλίο χωρίς να είναι κακό, δεν δικαίωσε τις προσδοκίες μου. Το βρήκα πολύ στερεότυπο, με όλα τα κλισέ που ακολουθούν τα αστυνομικά του είδους ή οι αντίστοιχες ταινίες δράσης, με πολύ στερεότυπους χαρακτήρες, καθόλου αληθοφανή πλοκή, σκηνές δράσης εκεί που τις περιμένεις, συγκινητικές σκηνές εκεί που τις περιμένεις, διακυμάνσεις στην ένταση εκεί που τις περιμένεις κι έναν συγγραφέα που πάντα τον διέκρινες να κινεί τα νήματα στο βάθος. Σίγουρα τα βασικά στοιχεία της ιστορίας με την υπερβολική βία, την διαφθορά, τις αντιμαχόμενες συμμορίες και πολιτικές κλίκες βασίζονται στην πραγματικότητα, αλλά θα περίμενα κάτι πιο πρωτότυπο από τον συγγραφέα.
Δεν είναι ότι βρήκα αυτό το βιβλίο κακό, απλά δεν το βρήκα ιδιαίτερα καλό. Μου κράτησε το ενδιαφέρον ως ένα βαθμό, αλλά το διάβασα πολύ πιο σιγά απ΄όσο θα περίμενα, καθώς δεν το βρήκα και συνταρακτικό. Ένα ΟΚ βιβλίο όταν είναι κανείς στην ανάλογη διάθεση.
31⁄4 /5 αλλά πάντα στρογγυλεύω την βαθμολογία υπέρ του συγγραφέα.
Actually 31⁄4/5, but I always round up in favor of the authors. I had high expectations from this book because we don't often get to read a crime/mystery novel set in Gaza and the events described on the book are inspired by real events and the author has spend years living in the area.
But while I'm sure the violence and corrupted politics and rival gangs depicted in the book are strongly rooted to the reality of Gaza, I felt the author never managed to give some extra depth and credibility to the story. While reading, I couldn't help but to get a sense of watching an action movie, full of stereotypical characters and predictable/cliché twists. The developments were far too superficial, there were the usual emotional scenes and up and downs one would expect from tons of similar formulaic novels and I think there was somehow more telling than showing.
It's not that I found this book bad or something, just not as great as I though it'll be. It held my mild interest, but didn't strongly grabbed my attention, so it took me longer than expected to finish. An okey-ish read when you are in the appropriate mood...
Μυθιστόρημα εγκλήματος/μυστηρίου που λαμβάνει χώρα στην Λωρίδα της Γάζας, γραμμένο από κάποιον που έχει ζήσει αρκετά εκεί και βασισμένο σε αληθινά γεγονότα. Ακούγεται αρκετά υποσχόμενο, έτσι δεν είναι;
Δυστυχώς το βιβλίο χωρίς να είναι κακό, δεν δικαίωσε τις προσδοκίες μου. Το βρήκα πολύ στερεότυπο, με όλα τα κλισέ που ακολουθούν τα αστυνομικά του είδους ή οι αντίστοιχες ταινίες δράσης, με πολύ στερεότυπους χαρακτήρες, καθόλου αληθοφανή πλοκή, σκηνές δράσης εκεί που τις περιμένεις, συγκινητικές σκηνές εκεί που τις περιμένεις, διακυμάνσεις στην ένταση εκεί που τις περιμένεις κι έναν συγγραφέα που πάντα τον διέκρινες να κινεί τα νήματα στο βάθος. Σίγουρα τα βασικά στοιχεία της ιστορίας με την υπερβολική βία, την διαφθορά, τις αντιμαχόμενες συμμορίες και πολιτικές κλίκες βασίζονται στην πραγματικότητα, αλλά θα περίμενα κάτι πιο πρωτότυπο από τον συγγραφέα.
Δεν είναι ότι βρήκα αυτό το βιβλίο κακό, απλά δεν το βρήκα ιδιαίτερα καλό. Μου κράτησε το ενδιαφέρον ως ένα βαθμό, αλλά το διάβασα πολύ πιο σιγά απ΄όσο θα περίμενα, καθώς δεν το βρήκα και συνταρακτικό. Ένα ΟΚ βιβλίο όταν είναι κανείς στην ανάλογη διάθεση.
31⁄4 /5 αλλά πάντα στρογγυλεύω την βαθμολογία υπέρ του συγγραφέα.
March 18, 2021
(1.5)
An unusual story with an interesting plot, you might think. However, this book keeps next to nothing of what it promises.
First of all, the characters, their actions and the whole storyline, really, feels very generic. The pacing is volatile and almost as inconsistent as the main character´s actions and personality.
What´s more, I did not enjoy the writing of this book at all: The main character is obnoxious and at the same time very prosaic, and the writing style in general is very disjointed and quite frankly very bland and repetitive.
Also, I have never read a book where so many characters were described as having "wet eyes." Like, what is that even supposed to mean?!? What are wet eyes?!?
What´s more, I do not enjoy the author´s portrayal of Arabs in general and the people of Gaza in particular. It gets very pejorative in a not quite subtle way, making it apparent from page 1 that the book is written by a non-arab white guy and that he doesn´t have the most diversified view of whom ae writes about.
With all of this said, the author did a passable job of conveying the hopelessness and desperation of the situation and the people in Gaza, though that, too, tends to veer off into repetitiveness instead of painting a whole and nuanced picture.
All in all not a great take on Middle Eastern politics.
If you are interested in the topic, I suggest you check out more authentic books with a better representation of the conflicts and mentalities of the people involved.
An unusual story with an interesting plot, you might think. However, this book keeps next to nothing of what it promises.
First of all, the characters, their actions and the whole storyline, really, feels very generic. The pacing is volatile and almost as inconsistent as the main character´s actions and personality.
What´s more, I did not enjoy the writing of this book at all: The main character is obnoxious and at the same time very prosaic, and the writing style in general is very disjointed and quite frankly very bland and repetitive.
Also, I have never read a book where so many characters were described as having "wet eyes." Like, what is that even supposed to mean?!? What are wet eyes?!?
What´s more, I do not enjoy the author´s portrayal of Arabs in general and the people of Gaza in particular. It gets very pejorative in a not quite subtle way, making it apparent from page 1 that the book is written by a non-arab white guy and that he doesn´t have the most diversified view of whom ae writes about.
With all of this said, the author did a passable job of conveying the hopelessness and desperation of the situation and the people in Gaza, though that, too, tends to veer off into repetitiveness instead of painting a whole and nuanced picture.
All in all not a great take on Middle Eastern politics.
If you are interested in the topic, I suggest you check out more authentic books with a better representation of the conflicts and mentalities of the people involved.
August 10, 2021
I have a major issue with this book which I believe is the core of the real schism between the West and Islam. Throughout, Rees literally uses the term "Allah" in reference to "God". This usage gives the notion that the divine power worshiped by Muslim is called Allah which is different from God (supposedly worshiped by Christians). If we agree that all monotheistic religions believe in one divine power, the usage of the name of that power should only differ in the translation. Even the Arabic term "Allahu Akbar" can be easily translated to "God is great". I do not see the logic behind such an ambiguous utilisation when (1) in the same book, in the last couple pages, the term God, not Allah, is being used, and (2) a literal translation of the Arabic "Good Morning", and its response thereof, is used as "Morning of joy, Morning of light"; then why not use the literal translation of the Arabic term Allah as God?
Such translations do not impress readers, but for Arabic speakers like myself, they are a total turn off.
Such translations do not impress readers, but for Arabic speakers like myself, they are a total turn off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2018
“In Gaza, nothing is what it seems. The truth will be far below the surface. You can’t predict how deep it will go, but you can be sure that will reach out to touch other victims and other crimes. You can’t solve all the crimes in Gaza.”
With these words an old friend tries to warn the unlikely history teacher sleuth Omar Yussef from digging around the Gaza Strip for evidence to exonerate a Palestinian professor accused of spying. A former Jerusalem Bureau Chief for Time, author Matt Beynon Rees take readers into the Gaza Strip for a look inside the bribes, murders, and pay back killings that defy belief. And yet the novel is based on actual deaths, changing identities and crafting a story while remaining close to life in what some describe as the world’s largest prison. This book will not be for everyone, but I quite enjoyed this second Omar Yussef mystery.
With these words an old friend tries to warn the unlikely history teacher sleuth Omar Yussef from digging around the Gaza Strip for evidence to exonerate a Palestinian professor accused of spying. A former Jerusalem Bureau Chief for Time, author Matt Beynon Rees take readers into the Gaza Strip for a look inside the bribes, murders, and pay back killings that defy belief. And yet the novel is based on actual deaths, changing identities and crafting a story while remaining close to life in what some describe as the world’s largest prison. This book will not be for everyone, but I quite enjoyed this second Omar Yussef mystery.
September 2, 2020
Matt Rees' books do not make me want to live in Palestine. There is corruption and people dying and an ominous, often in the background, army of occupation. History teacher Omar Yussef is sent to Gaza on a UN school inspection from his home town of Bethlehem. He is bit out of his element in Gaza, although his police-chief friend, Khamis Zeydan, is also visiting Gaza at a conference and he quickly makes other friends. There are many characters, some die, some are corrupt and all are trying to survive.
The story is well written, complicated, and quickly paced. Like the first Omar Yussef mystery, I felt like I got a glimpse of life in Palestine, but there were also times when I thought the book was contrived. This would not stop me from reading the next in the series, but all the death might.
The story is well written, complicated, and quickly paced. Like the first Omar Yussef mystery, I felt like I got a glimpse of life in Palestine, but there were also times when I thought the book was contrived. This would not stop me from reading the next in the series, but all the death might.
October 6, 2018
I'm glad I gave this series a second chance because this story started to get interesting once I hit the halfway point and had the various Palestinian factions straight. Most of the action takes place during a four-day dust storm when Omar Yussef and a UN colleague from Sweden visit Gaza to audit the refugee camp schools. Rees describes that dust storm so vividly his readers are left gasping for air.
The twisty plot would have been unbelievable -kidnapping, arms smuggling, torture, car bombing, murder, murder, murder - if Rees hadn't established such a powerful sense of setting. The Gaza Strip is definitely not on my bucket list but I'm glad to have spent a few hours exploring it with Omar Yussef.
The twisty plot would have been unbelievable -kidnapping, arms smuggling, torture, car bombing, murder, murder, murder - if Rees hadn't established such a powerful sense of setting. The Gaza Strip is definitely not on my bucket list but I'm glad to have spent a few hours exploring it with Omar Yussef.
June 19, 2020
to read about your culture and community from the point of view of an outsider is always fascinating . Rees has not fallen into the cliches when describing the life (or actually more about death) in a hot spot like Gaza . judging this book as a thriller it has no flawless narration , but i can not hide my affection by a writer who knows exactly what he is talking about . Mystery is not the best part of this vivid intake to the life of Palestinians under occupation , but i wonder why such novel is not translated to arabic while you could see a lot of ARAB - Defying books translated every single day .
June 7, 2018
I really enjoy the character, Omar Yussef, and having recently been to Israel and the West Bank, I find the descriptions and the feeling of life there spot on. And although this book, which takes place in Gaza was written prior to its 2008 publication, as far as I know nothing has changed there and perhaps has only gotten work.
Looking forward to reading the next book, which takes place in Nablus, which I also visited. I also visited the refugee camp in Bethlehem where Omar Yussef or Abu Ramiz lives.
Looking forward to reading the next book, which takes place in Nablus, which I also visited. I also visited the refugee camp in Bethlehem where Omar Yussef or Abu Ramiz lives.
September 24, 2019
A really good good book detailing a jailing of a UN employee the kidnapping of another UN employee and various attempted murders on the main character, who is also employed by the UN but is a Palestinian from Bethlehem.
The book takes place in the Gaza Strip in around 2010 and it was a explosive disaster even then
The author knows his subject and the area well as he was a middle east correspondent for 10+ years in Israel for Time magazine. The book was a great intro to what a mess this part of the world is and why.
The book takes place in the Gaza Strip in around 2010 and it was a explosive disaster even then
The author knows his subject and the area well as he was a middle east correspondent for 10+ years in Israel for Time magazine. The book was a great intro to what a mess this part of the world is and why.
November 19, 2021
I read this some time ago, perhaps not long after I acquired it in 2020. Unfortunately, I no longer remember details.
Omar Yussef, representing the UN, is sent to the Gaza Strip to inspect UN schools. His new boss is kidnapped and he is stuck trying to secure his freedom as well as the freedom of a teacher there. He runs into difficulties on several fronts, not least because he is Jewish. He is not safe there but is determined to see the situation through.
I remember liking the book but I wish I had written about it sooner so I could explain more about why.
Omar Yussef, representing the UN, is sent to the Gaza Strip to inspect UN schools. His new boss is kidnapped and he is stuck trying to secure his freedom as well as the freedom of a teacher there. He runs into difficulties on several fronts, not least because he is Jewish. He is not safe there but is determined to see the situation through.
I remember liking the book but I wish I had written about it sooner so I could explain more about why.
September 29, 2017
Esperaba algo un poco más documental y no una historia "Dan Brownezca" , que además de no ser imparcial , ya que coloca a los israelitas como víctimas todo el tiempo y a los palestinos como los malos y provocadores, trata de dar otra imagen del conflicto que considero es muy diferente en realidad. No lo recomiendo si lo que buscas es informarte un poco más de lo que pasa en Gaza, y no lo recomiendo si quieres leer una buena historia de acción.
January 2, 2020
This book is essentially a murder mystery. For whatever reason, I've never been particularly into mystery novels; this one was interesting though. Takes place in Gaza - as the title would suggest. It is well written, and the story moves at a nice pace. I did enjoy the complexity of the political regime giving rise to the mystery, and I was a fan of the ending. I would recommend for anyone who likes mystery novels.
October 16, 2020
Oh dear. I do normally stay away from books dealing with Palestine and Israel. And this book reminds me why. Such an interesting place to write about but the realism of corruption is unpleasant to read about. Especially in these days when all the politicians are showing just how woefully ignorant they are. Unable to recommend to the normal crew.
December 2, 2016
2.5 stars. I certainly could feel the tension in Gaza as I was reading this book. But I could not keep all the different factions straight (and maybe that is just how it in in Gaza). But I like Omar Yussef as a protagonist this time just as much as I liked him in the first book in the series.
May 9, 2019
These series are really nice to read.
October 21, 2022
Intriguing. Complicated.
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