Daniel Davidsohn's Blog

“A Goddess Among Men by Daniel Davidsohn is a compelling story with a fascinating setting in the Amazon rainforest. It starts in 1907 when Julian Welch and Alan Reid meet and eventually start Reid & Welch. After the death of Julian, the company is left to Alan and Christel, Julian’s daughter. Christel is subjected to the harshest treatment and experiences a lot of trauma from Alan. But she is determined to survive and her invincible will sees her through the trying period. She wants a future that is different from her painful past, so she gets to work on it. When the past catches up with her, she will have to choose to be a victim of the sins of her father or to shape her destiny differently.

This is a novel that is complex in plot and character. It is written in prose that is fluid and compelling, with imagery that grips the imagination of the reader, transporting them to unique places in the Amazon. The characters are sophisticated and elaborately developed. Daniel Davidsohn lays down a powerful background to the story and with deft handling of plot, he moves on to develop a protagonist that readers will root for. The themes of corruption, family, and redemption are expertly developed in this spellbinding read. A Goddess Among Men is a story that follows one woman’s strength amidst the vicissitudes and challenges that life throws at her, refusing to be broken by pain. The realism and humanity infused into the characters had me feeling as though I was with people I already knew.” — Romuald Dzemo, author of You Can’t Be a Failure

“Harvesting rubber in the Amazon jungle was a growing and profitable venture in the early twentieth century. An Englishman, Julian Welch, and an American from Texas, Alan Reid, met in Manaus, Brazil. During their first working venture in the jungle, Julian contracted malaria and married the nurse who brought him back to good health. Julian and Alan formed a partnership and became wealthy entrepreneurs. But corruption and greed permeated the industry - and the partnership. When Julian dies, he leaves specific directions for the care of Christel, his baby daughter. However, Alan has another plan that has devastating consequences for Christel. A Goddess Among Men, written by Daniel Davidsohn, chronicles the fascinating life of this daughter.

This book is written in three parts – the early twentieth century; 1948; and 1978. Each time period is described in detail and includes changes in the lives of native Amazon tribes, the lives of the wealthy in New York City and other countries, and corporate power. The character of Christel develops and changes over the years and is an accurate portrayal of an abused person. The author also shows resilience, generosity, and strength of the human spirit with her and other characters in the story. The writing is crafted skillfully, especially as the characters move forward, decades at a time. The plot also has dramatic shifts, engaging the reader throughout the novel. This book is a page-turner, a very compelling read. Author Daniel Davidsohn has written a gripping, complex novel in A Goddess Among Men.” — Deborah Lloyd, author of Believe and it is True

A Goddess Among Men is a work of fiction in the family saga and interpersonal drama sub-genres and was penned by author Daniel Davidsohn. Set in varying and juxtaposing landscapes, from the wilds of the Amazon rainforest to the cut-throat world of high society in New York, this is a drama like no other. Our central figure is Christel, who is raised by one half of an incredible duo of men who build an empire out of a chance meeting in the Amazon in 1907. Growing up as an heiress is harder than it seems, and when it is Christel’s turn to face the results of the deeds of the men who raised her, a lifechanging choice awaits.

Readers who enjoy literary-style writing, but with all the turns and twists of a full drama plot are certain to devour this lavish and exciting work by author Daniel Davidsohn. One of the most impressive elements for me was the character development of Christel herself, who could so easily have followed the tropes of a typical beautiful lead female, but has several layers of depth and emotional heartache that she works through as the novel unfolds. The plot is revealed at a great pace to maintain intrigue for the sins of the past, but it also has plenty of surprises and revealing interactions along the way that astute fans will pick up on. Overall, A Goddess Among Men is a very enjoyable work and is not to be missed by fans of high-quality writing and accomplished drama.” — K.C. Finn, Author of The Mind's Eye

“A Goddess Among Men by Daniel Davidsohn takes us on an over a century-long journey through the lives of three generations of what was to become a very rich and powerful family. When Julian Welch was dumped on an Amazonian dock by the ship taking him on his journey to seek his fortune in Brazil, he could hardly have envisaged where that voyage of discovery would eventually lead him and his family. Once the meek and mild Julian meets the ruthless and determined fortune-seeker Alan Reid, the die is cast that will lead the pair deep into the Amazon jungle in search of the wealth-generating and sought-after rubber tree but most importantly, in a search for their destiny and future. From Brazil to New York and places in between, this pair will build their burgeoning empire into a formidable player in the world financial markets but at what personal cost to Julian, Alan, and their descendants?

A Goddess Among Men is a fascinating tale of derring-do in the untamed wilds of the Amazon rain forest. Daniel Davidsohn has a writing style that is smooth, fluid and compelling. I found this story impossible to put down and completed it in just one sitting. The author’s descriptive prose of especially the rainforest, its flora, and fauna, as well as its native peoples, transported me there. I was beside the two men as they fought against horrifying deprivation and local political corruption to establish themselves in an industry where a few made a fortune and the rest either perished or were paupers, struggling along trying to survive each day. I particularly enjoyed the strong female leads in the story, especially the women that would steal Julian’s heart. All the characters were flawed and yet the author was able to arouse the reader’s sympathy and empathy even for the thoroughly crooked and, at times, despicable Alan Reid. If you like stories of generational power and wealth, this one will be right up your alley. I thoroughly enjoyed A Goddess Among Men and can highly recommend it to a wide audience.”— Grant Leishman, Author of Just A Drop in the Ocean

May 2020

This author, who has experimented in film and has written several screenplays, brings the creative skills he has in those areas into this psychological thriller i.e. he makes it easy for readers to see the action in Leave Her Out as if they were watching a movie on the big screen. And what an interesting cast of characters! There’s Anthony Morris, now retired former president of the USA, Morris’s VP, Mohe, of native Indian descent, and his unsmiling, shaman-like father who sees and senses what others can’t. And there’s Morris’s long-estranged daughter, Stella, now a very successful and rich lawyer who rejected what her father stood for even before he became president. There’s also Morris’s supposedly good friend and advisor, Charles Dulles, who moves in unusual ways and has some mysterious, even dangerous contacts. In short, there’s a sea of characters around Morris, who now just wants to be left in peace to write his memoirs…a book he wants given to Stella on his demise. But suddenly his memoirs are of great concern and confusion to all these characters, who scramble to understand why Morris has written them in the way he has, and are fearful of who might be hurt by the contents.

As Morris pens his story, and the author shares that in bits and pieces along the way - a story within a story - in Stella’s world things are being turned upside down as she finds herself defending a company that she now realizes is as crooked as a company can be. She removes herself from the case and, in doing so, plunges herself into danger. When she suddenly and inexplicably disappears, Morris pulls out all the stops to find her, forgetting the animosity that existed between them over the years. Events topple over each other, people inexplicably start dying, and Morris, though he’s unsure of whom to trust, starts putting others before himself for the first time in years. Before readers start hurtling toward the last page, Davidsohn gives them quite a look up the staircase to the top and behind the closed doors of high political office. It’s not a comforting sight, but it sure makes for great reading, along with a fast-moving plot and psychological thrills. Oh, there’s some romance too, just to keep everything in balance. Well done, Mr. Davidsohn!

Early on in Leave Her Out, a post-political thriller if you will, Daniel Davidsohn introduces a host of highly unique and interesting characters to whet the reader’s appetite for a really good story; including an ex-President of the USA, his ex-Vice President and close friend, Mohe, a Native American, a strongly independent and estranged ex-daughter of the President, and a shy but quite ambitious young female co-gym-worker-outer with the aforementioned estranged ex-daughter. All within the first several pages. Not to mention that moment in Chapter One when the ex-President vanishes – quite literally – from a casual viewer’s eyes. And the mysterious helicopter, of course. So, your appetite is whetted, right? Good; you must be breathing. And the President’s sudden bizarre request for a mental exam? You didn’t really think that was it, did you?

The innate cynicism of Daniel Davidsohn’s engrossing and electrifying thriller, Leave Her Out, should be jarring, or at least depressing, for the more optimistic reader. Instead, it lends ironic freshness to a story where all the characters are flawed, especially the ex-President, but who are also merely human in their wants and needs and positive intentions. Even the villains share humanity. But it is the incredibly unpredictable plotting and unusual situations that will most beguile any veteran of thriller reading. Davidsohn keeps his twists so credible that one wonders why he does not see them coming, as if they are just the most natural next thing to happen. Very difficult to categorize or compare this book, you see. If you are in the mood for something quite unique in a rather over-worked genre, Leave Her Out will thoroughly satisfy your craving.

MAY 2018

Daniel Davidsohn's New Novel, "The Karma Code," Takes Readers on Whirlwind Odyssey Filled With Murder, Greed and Mystery

June 15, 2017 -- Daniel Davidsohn (http://www.danieldavidsohn.com/) announces the publication of his newest international thriller, "The Karma Code," which will be available on Kindle on June 29.

"The Karma Code" unfolds in Davidsohn's typically fast-paced style. When an American research scientist is murdered in a remote Finnish village, his distraught niece is determined to bring those responsible to justice. She calls on Boston private investigator Harry Walker, and together the two of them set off for Scandinavia. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Candice and Harry have a target on their backs.

What follows from this setup is a race for survival across Finland, Scotland and the U.S. Everyone has the same objective - to seize the murdered researcher's controversial experiment, known as the Karma Code, which has the power to access a surviving human consciousness and predict an individual's fate.

Academic research into the paranormal is not confined to the pages of fiction, and Davidsohn took inspiration for "The Karma Code" from some of these little-known investigations at prestigious institutions. For example, the University of Virginia's Department of Perceptual Studies continues to explore topics like reincarnation, near death experiences (NDEs) and communications with the deceased. In addition, the VERITAS and SOPHIA projects at the University of Arizona have conducted similar inquiries.

The jury is still out on the reality of paranormal phenomenon - which is no doubt part of what makes it such appealing and provocative subject matter for works of fiction. Moreover, proof of such phenomenon and its practical implications would be extremely valuable. It's natural, then, that Candice and Harry are being hotly pursued in "The Karma Code": The knowledge they carry is worth killing for.

The US Review of Books offers a strong recommendation for "The Karma Code," saying "the author's plot is intricately woven. His characters, both good guys and bad, seem real, human, vulnerable, and refreshingly devoid of super powers--well, physical super powers anyway. Davidsohn has a cinematic style that keeps things tense, taught, and once the game's afoot, terminally in high gear. If you've got a thing for thrillers, you'll likely enjoy breaking 'The Karma Code.'"

Chico Xavier, the "Brazilian Edgar Cayce", wrote 450 historical novels and non-fiction books, sold over 50 million copies and claimed that he was not responsible for a single word written on his books. They were written by the spirits who used him as a medium, he explained. Chico lived a humble life and donated all of his royalty money to the needy since his early days as a writer. He worked as a public servant during the day and wrote at nights. He was challenged by the church, by scientists, by the media and by powerful figures. He was never "debunked". Was he the real deal when it comes to mediums? I believe so.