From Publishers Weekly
Land packs a load of information and action into his fifth thriller (after 2001's Keepers of the Gate), in which Palestinian-American detective Ben Kamal and his unlikely partner and lover, Israeli detective Danielle Barnea, battle a female Sierra Leone rebel leader with global designs. On the plus side are Kamal and Barnea, both touching and accessible characters with enough backstory to make them interesting, but not too much to overexplain them (although in Kamal's case it becomes a near thing, especially in flashback scenes from his father's life). There are also some sharp political insights into how prospects in the Middle East have deteriorated since the series began; as Kamal's friend and mentor Colonel al-Asi grimly recalls, "The cooperative ventures you and Barnea worked on were symbols of peace when it still seemed possible." The action scenes are as plentiful and professionally rendered as ever, ranging this time from Israel's West Bank and a doomed Russian town to a bloody Sierra Leone landscape where the rebel leader (known as the Dragon) trades her country's uncut diamonds for weapons of supreme terror. But Land interrupts the flow of his narrative by constantly cutting from one set of players to another each cut is soon predictable by its length and by the cliff-hanging clich‚s that end most chapters. There's also an impossible-to-kill villain, whose near-magic reappearances will irk readers. Established fans will probably overlook the flaws, but newcomers might wonder what the previous fuss was all about. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
The fifth Ben Kamal-Danielle Barnea novel begins with the partnership between the Palestinian and Israeli detectives in disarray. Danielle is in jail, accused of murdering a superior officer. Can Ben help her clear her name? And can Kamal and Barnea defeat an evil warlord before she destroys the governments of the Western world? As usual, the story's plot is somewhat James Bondish--the villain, who calls herself the Dragon, plans to finance her evil plans with "blood diamonds," unfinished stones smuggled into Israel from Africa--but the author never lets it go too far over the top. Similarly, the narrative gets a bit cartoony ("The Dragon gnashed her teeth and waited"), but Land always pulls it back from the brink of disaster. Kamal and Barnea, the Palestinian cop and the Israeli pakad (chief inspector), make a good team, and the author peppers the novel with insights into Middle Eastern culture. Despite its flaws, this is a solid entry in a series that consistently uses setting as an integral part of the story. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
The West African country of Sierra Leone has long been known as a diamond-rich area. With civil war ripping the heart out of the country, all aspects of life there are unstable. Worst of all, guerrilla rebels, in their lust for the resource-rich land, have sunk to depravity and terrorism to evict people from the country.

It's into this maelstrom of political and emotional turmoil that Ben and Danielle must go. The leader of the rebels, a fanatical and charismatic woman known only as the Dragon, is not content with ravaging her own country. She plans a final coup that will perfect her power and topple Western governments-unless Ben and Danielle can stop her in time.



Back Cover Copy
Critical Acclaim for Keepers of the Gate by John Land

"Land stands head and shoulders above his competition."-The Boston Book Review

"A strongly plotted, impressively solid new entry."-Kirkus Reviews

"This is a big, complex mystery propelled by a genuinely compelling plot and its likable lead characters. We enjoy watching these smart, efficient detectives sort out what's what and we enjoy watching the author have fun with his bigger-than-life plot, carefully calculating how far he can go without turning his story into a cartoon . . . . A lively and well-told yarn, sure to please fans of high-concept thrillers."-Booklist

"A labyrinthine tale of conspiracy and deception . . . . Land is adept at gauging the unique effects the Mideastern culture and history will have on the emotions and motivations of his protagonists."-Publishers Weekly

"Land's pacing is masterful, giving the reader a sense that he is watching an action movie. And he depicts the very real Israeli-Palestinian conflicts with clarity and poignancy . . . . Another spectacular, fast-paced, suspense-filled thriller from Land, one that will keep you up at night turning the pages. Keepers is a keeper."-The Providence Sunday Journal

"Few writers capture the conflict and turmoil of the Middle East like thriller author Jon Land. Land has done it again in Keepers of the Gate, a novel of suspense about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, murders, Nazi hunters, Holocaust survivors and biotech research . . . . Land captures the complex and tumultuous nature of the Arab-Israeli conflict without making sweeping indictments on either side . . . . Land gives the reader a little more in Keepers of the Gate, an engaging thriller with a more personal touch than his previous works."-The Charleston Post and Courier

"International intrigue and double feints are par for the course in this thrilling tale. Be advised, when you think you've figured it out, Land has more surprises in store . . . . A white-knuckled read. Land has packed eight days of action into this tersely written, well-plotted work which races towards its surprising conclusion."-BookSense

"Keepers of the Gate will keep you turning pages until the Gatekeepers are finally uncovered at the risk of Ben, Danielle, and their child's life. Land is one of a few authors who seem to have beaten the mid-story slump that plagues many writers in the mystery/adventure genre. The action stops only long enough for the reader to catch a breath, and the plot twists faster than a mid-summer tornado."-The Cape Coral Daily Breeze

"Whoever thinks that elements of a suspenseful murder mystery, a dramatic love story, and an insightful political thriller can't be intertwined into a novel has yet to read Jon Land's latest page-turner, Keepers of the Gate . . . . The dynamics of this novel excel to an extraordinary level. Mr. Land knows how to make you keep the pages turning, and he uses suspense to its utmost degree."-The East Bay Window

"A brilliantly conceived, ingenious tour-de-force. The best book yet from a writer at the absolute top of his game."-Bookviews

"Keepers of the Gate is even tighter than its predecessors with more twists than a Six Flags roller coaster and immensely more enjoyable. It was far more exciting than the latest from Ludlum, Clancy, or any of the other writers in this genre. This book stands out in a sea of mediocre offerings and is definitely this spring's must read."-The Jewish Herald

"Land is coming into his own with the Ben Kamal series, reflecting a maturity of craft most authors struggle to convince us they have and fail. With Keepers of the Gate, Land hits his stride . . . . He's given us genre that manages to capture the elusive human factor."-The Boston Book Review on Keepers of the Gate

"Jon Land writes exciting and believable political thrillers in the tradition of Clancy and Cornwall . . . . The theme of Keepers of the Gate is universal, yet heart-wrenching so that readers will understand the motives of the key players, whose flaws make them so human. Mr. Land is a great storyteller who enriches his audience with every novel he writes."-The Midwest Book Review



About the Author
Jon Land is the author of four previous novels in this series, The Pillars of Solomon, The Walls of Jericho, A Walk in the Darkness, and Keepers of the Gate. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"The West African country of Sierra Leone has long been known as a diamond-rich area. With civil war ripping the heart out of the country, all aspects of life there are unstable. Worst of all, guerrilla rebels, in their lust for the resource-rich land, have sunk to depravity and terrorism to evict people from the country." It's into this maelstrom of political and emotional turmoil that Ben and Danielle must go. The leader of the rebels, a fanatical and charismatic woman known only as the Dragon, is not content with ravaging her own country. She plans a final coup that will perfect her power and topple Western governments - unless Ben and Danielle can stop her in time.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Land packs a load of information and action into his fifth thriller (after 2001's Keepers of the Gate), in which Palestinian-American detective Ben Kamal and his unlikely partner and lover, Israeli detective Danielle Barnea, battle a female Sierra Leone rebel leader with global designs. On the plus side are Kamal and Barnea, both touching and accessible characters with enough backstory to make them interesting, but not too much to overexplain them (although in Kamal's case it becomes a near thing, especially in flashback scenes from his father's life). There are also some sharp political insights into how prospects in the Middle East have deteriorated since the series began; as Kamal's friend and mentor Colonel al-Asi grimly recalls, "The cooperative ventures you and Barnea worked on were symbols of peace when it still seemed possible." The action scenes are as plentiful and professionally rendered as ever, ranging this time from Israel's West Bank and a doomed Russian town to a bloody Sierra Leone landscape where the rebel leader (known as the Dragon) trades her country's uncut diamonds for weapons of supreme terror. But Land interrupts the flow of his narrative by constantly cutting from one set of players to another each cut is soon predictable by its length and by the cliff-hanging clich s that end most chapters. There's also an impossible-to-kill villain, whose near-magic reappearances will irk readers. Established fans will probably overlook the flaws, but newcomers might wonder what the previous fuss was all about. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews