It takes some time for author Land to set the stage for this story. Danielle is introduced while taking a statement to finish the paperwork on the suicide of a young student. She begins to suspect the suicide is in reality a murder. Finally, it becomes apparent that this is one in a series of deaths and that the deaths are connected. The common link - both the Israeli and Palestinian deceased children attended the same school. Then there are additional murder victims who are all Holocaust survivors.

Paul Hessler is a survivor who is in Israel demonstrating his company’s new anti-missile defense system. Hessle, who heads a huge multinational conglomerate, began as a Nazi labor camp escapee. His plan is to donate the cost of the technology to Israel and recoup those costs from future sales to the U.S. His son Ari is with him, and is executed in his father’s presence. Paul believes the assassin was trying to kill him not his son

Hessler asks for Danielle to be the chief investigator for his son’s death, but she is quickly replaced by the Mossad. Ben emerges as the Palestinian lead detective on the investigation of the Palestinian school deaths. Danielle and Ben’s paths cross and they are thrown together as their investigations go international and become intertwined.

There is a lot going on in this book, and the author switches scenes quickly to move the story forward. In many cases, the dialogue is just barely sufficient to advance the story.

Keepers of the Gate is action driven rather than character driven. So much is happening that there is scarcely time for the reader to make as emotional commitment to the principal characters. Readers of the prior novels involving Ben and Danielle have the advantage of already seeing them as complete persons.

Told within the context of the tensions now existing in the Middle East, Keepers of the Gate is cast as a political thriller but its plot includes many other ingredients. Suspense aficionados will recognize many of the plot lines, but Land gives the old, a modern look. While originality alone is not sufficient to carry the book, the fact that Land has integrated these old tired plots with some new twists makes it an enjoyable read.

--Thea Davis