Kate Jessica Raphael

I really enjoyed the depiction of the daily lives of Palestinians and their everyday interactions with their community — and with Israelis. Politics and conflict overshadowed everything — transportation, work, family gatherings, friendships — but normalcy survived. The plot lost steam about halfway through, though. I also couldn't bring myself to care much about Chloe, the American activist character.

Raphael weaves a complex mystery that takes you to an unexpected, but not unbelievable, conclusion. The setting is fascinating, as Raphael explores the complexities of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, both political and cultural. This is the second book, and I hadn't read the first one, but that caused me no difficulties. I now look forward to reading the other books in the series.