Fran Lewis’s review of “Dig Two Graves” by Hend Salah
Contact: Sherri@SherriRosen.Com
Jezebel White hates people in general and is only concerned with running her business and seeking attention for her own self-centered purposes. Tossing feelings aside and never focusing on the needs of others, it is her wants, needs, and desires that are first and foremost, and those working for her had better bend to her will. She is a female who is seeking attention from and is always plotting to use others who have what she wants, whether it’s information, a victim that needs dealing with, money, or just power. Jezebel could care less about hurting anyone or their feelings: she would rather toss anyone aside, even those that are hired to care and protect her, as if she has created an invisible and impenetrable shield that will never be broken through or marred. She is stunning, can lure anyone into her den, but she is filled with hate, deception, and the fear of ever letting her guard down. Enter her world and meet a team that will bend over in so many ways to protect her while she creates her next move, deals with her clients, and destroys anyone that gets in her way. She is a killer, profiler, and psychologist hired to deal with those that have committed immoral acts and need to be dealt with in her own brand of justice. She relishes in her own glory each time she takes and locks up a victim, she hears only what she wants to hear and shuts out outer voices and noises that hinder her thinking or dare to challenge her authority or way of thinking. Detective Wilson is after her for the disappearance or murder of a young girl and finds himself the recipient of her wrath. So, why does he back down, and why does he leave when she dismisses him? She is fearless at times and yet visions come into play, her past becomes engulfed in the present, and the author shares bits and pieces of her childhood, her life, and what might have brought her to where she is today.
Destroying other humans is her goal at times, but within this story there are secrets that will be revealed that will change the events at the start of the novel and forever play a role in the life of Jezebel. Someone killed a young girl and she is being blamed for the death, but is she really guilty? Scenes that are graphic, cemetery plots that uncover the bodies of many, and one man finds a hidden truth that he did not know existed. Revenge comes easily to the characters in this novel as we meet Lanyard who stalks her, wants to bring her down and frame her for the murder of the Elias girl, but someone else enters the picture later on and things begin to change, and her perspective will be clouded as Jezebel has to face some ultimate deceptions and deletions in her life.
Athena Elias is at the heart of what happens first, as Jezebel is accused of killing her or making her disappear. As you see her at an event that she created with 11 families of girls that are gone in one family, Athena’s is missing. Jezebel created this event to make it seem as if she had any empathy for the families, but in reality she did not. Bugsy Marcel works for her and yet he could not be trusted as events will play out that he might have killed this young girl, but when his relationship with her is revealed you wonder why he would commit this act even though he claims innocence.
Cold, heartless, unrelenting, as Amir and Hanem enter her office, she dismisses Bugsy but for how long?
Throughout the novel jezebel’s mood changes from anger to highly volatile and enraged. Rarely does she consider the consequences of her actions. Thinking she’s invincible and never wanting to show weakness, she faces the ultimate challenge when another harsh Truth comes out. Many have suffered at the hand of an unknown killer. Many have lied to her and suffered. Jezebel’s memories and visions bring to light events she’d rather block from her mind, and yet even discounting Abel Amir and Hansen’s feelings and loyalty to her, she never waivers and remains cold and emotional disconnected.
Then she comes face to face with her father in Cairo and events lead up to her uncovering a note and other things left for her, but the inheritance means nothing to her and the motivation behind it will shock readers when revealed. A story about blind justice, revenge, and unrequited hate and distrust. Family discord and cold-hearted and blooded murders that will haunt your dreams when you close your eyes. The creatures that are present and take lives have sharp talons and are hungry for blood. Sharp, deadly, and just as blunt and cold as Jezebel can be.
What does she focus on when dealing with revenge? How does he find her way after dealing with her father? What is the truth behind the events that will unravel her life and that of others?
Asher Wilson, the detective, seems tied to her, but why? What is his motivation for wanting to help her? There is something that no one knows but will be revealed when the time is right.
Revealing that Athena is dead brings controversy and discussion between Amir and Hanem, but knowing where her body was found and determining that it was Bugsy’s gun brings out the wrath in Jezebel, but did he really kill her, and if so, why?
Innermost fears are revealed in the flashbacks that the author shares from events that scarred Jezebel’s life and turned her into this mercenary and hardcore adult. Watching what was done to others and herself, hiding behind her own fears, trepidations and becoming immune to love, caring, and any kindness, she created a wall of ice that could and would never be penetrated to prevent her from being emotionally vulnerable.
A confrontation and the loss of someone dear to her brings more issues to light, and Jezebel has to question her choice of direction and the fact that she considers herself a villain, but in reality is that what she really is?
How can someone convince themselves that replacing innocent people with others who deserve punishment is saving souls of these innocent people and sending those that are wicked below where they belong? Emotions run the scale from cold, to warm, to hot, and then overflow as Jezebel learns harsh a reality that will change her perspective and a hidden truth that will bring everything to light and cause her to make a life-changing decision. Amir, Hanem, Athenia, Annie, Wilson, Adel, and many others suffered at the hand of someone whose presence remained hidden until it was revealed. Jezebel faces off with a dangerous and diabolical killer and she has to make a life altering decision, but what will it be: Life; Death; Who Lives; Who Dies; whose names will be written on the headstones when they DIG TWO GRAVES?
Characters that are bold, cold, deceptive, and cruel, and one Jezebel whose life was filled with hate, revenge, discord, and not really ever facing who or what she was. Author Hend Salah allows readers inside the mind of someone that is basically lost in a world she created and created by others for her… until?
Fran Lewis: Mj network, Just reviews
Tags: authors, book publicity, books, Hend Salah, horror, mystery, publicist nyc, publicity nyc, sherri rosen, Sherri Rosen Publicity Int'l, sherri rosen publicity nyc, women
This entry was posted on Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 5:54 am and is filed under Clients. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
