Some fifty years later, an American group of archaeologists were again working in the Judean desert. When their entire group of fourteen are found murdered, the National Police of Israel, and the Shin Bet are called in to investigate. National Police Commissioner Hershel Giott is responsible for directing the operation. Giott, in failing health and due to retire soon, enlists the aid of Chief Inspector Danielle Barnea to investigate the crime. As the highest ranking woman in the police department, and outspoken in manner, Danielle’s male colleagues do not think very highly of her, adding to her problems in dealing with the case. On another front, Palestinian policeman Ben Kamal has taken a personal interest in the case when he learns that his nephew was part of the archaeological team that was slaughtered.

Ben and Danielle, although on opposite sides politically and religiously, work together well, in addition to fostering significant emotional feelings for each other. They quickly discover that the so-called archaeological dig was a cover for an entirely different reason for a foray into the desert. This mission was the result of some rather unlikely alliances between political and religious groups. The ultimate discovery of the real reason for the mass slaughter of a seemingly innocuous group of archaeologists leads Ben and Danielle on a chase that threatens their lives more than once.

The first third of A Walk in Darkness is an informative read. It is chock full of data about Israel and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The distrust with which each side views the other even reaches the point where the Palestinians are afraid to use unknown computers to read data on discs for fear the Israelis have a way to gain access to that information. Various personalities of the ranking officials apparently play a major role in an individual’s ability to advance in the police hierachy, a situation probably not unique to them, but undoubtedly made more difficult by the strained relations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

For the action aficionado there is plenty of material to entertain. However, the action rapidly escalates toward sensationalism. In many circumstances I questioned the possibility that such situations could occur. In one instance, Danielle has been kidnapped and is being held hostage in Newfoundland. Her captors are in the process of throwing her, imprisoned in a casket-like container, off a ship. They get word from their superior that they are to send her to Rome. They haul her back on the ship, get her on a plane and deliver her to Rome all within eight hours. That sounds like a very tight schedule to me! In another scene, Danielle is being pulled out of a helicopter while it is in flight by another woman. Danielle manages to not only escape the clutches of the other woman, causing the other woman to fall to her death, but also pulls herself back into the helicopter. Pretty strong woman! Oh, did I mention that she is three months pregnant at the time?

While it is possible for the reader to develop some empathy for Ben and Danielle, the characters, in general, are stereotypical. the obvious villains with their single minded determination to attain their goals are numerous. The good guys, such as Danielle’s mentor, Giott, seemingly have few faults. The major conflict which develops from Ben and Danielle’s disparate religious and political beliefs cause the usual heart-wrenching problems. As one volume in the continuing adventures of Ben and Danielle, the tension is important, and to the author’s credit., he does not spend much time rehashing the previous outings in the series.

The premise for A Walk in Darkness - that Jesus did not die on the cross, is an interesting one. Initially, Mr. Land presents an intriguing situation, but the total implausibility of the numerous action scenes weakens the force of the novel.

--Andy Plonka