Book Review #37: Hill of Secrets

***Note:  This book is not in the public domain.  --Tim

Hill of Secrets: An Israeli Jewish Novel is the second novel written by Michal Hartstein. Michal is a female Israeli author. The book is about a recently divorced female Israeli lawyer turned police officer who is given her first case as a lead investigator investigating an apparent murder/suicide of a religious family. After th investigation gets going, the police department’s IT specialist discovers a threat letter that appears the the husband that was suspected killing his family before turning the gun on himself was blackmailing somebody. It makes them start to wonder if it was a murder/suicide or a straigh out multiple homicide.

This story had some good and interesting parts to it and many Israeli towns are mentioned. The author also mentions several Jewish words and gives an explanation of them to her readers that are not Jewish. The problem that I have with it is that she does several interrogations, each comprising a chapter, where each person she questions gives pretty much the same answers. It’s not until over half way into the book before she starts finding out some different and more interesting information. I feel that she wastes a lot of space a words, just different people saying the same thing.

Purchase Links:

This book can be purchased in various formats from the following sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hill-Secrets-Israeli-Jewish-mystery-ebook/dp/B00LYVK4TG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493998722&sr=8-3&keywords=Michal+Hartstein

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hill-of-secrets-michal-hartstein/1119985112?ean=9781500577889

Tim’s Rating: ***

(Three out of five stars)

I’m off to read another book. Check back periodically for more book reviews.