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Lara & Uri #2

Devil Among Us

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A New York synagogue is leveled by an explosion on Yom Kippur. Hundreds are killed and maimed. An investigation indicates Jewish members were responsible. But were they? Simultaneously, the threat of an organized Muslim Brotherhood attack on Israel looms on the horizon. FBI agent Lara Edmond and Mossad field agent, Uri Levin, lead characters in Winnick's debut novel, East Wind, are assigned the dangerous task of solving this new attempt to stop the U.S. from providing aid to Israel.PRAISE FOR WINNICK’S FIRST NOVEL, EAST the genre of international spy thrillers from Daniel Silva and Vince Flynn, Jack Winnick's East Wind is a fast-paced, page-turner novel involving a credible Muslim terrorists have penetrated the U.S., detonated one small nuclear dirty bomb in a major U.S. city and are threatening further attacks if the U.S. does not cease its support for Israel.- Lee Bender, Philadelphia Jewish VoiceOnly from an engineer with over 40 years of experience in nuclear and chemical engineering could an international terror plot thriller be so detailed and effective. - Gerard Casale, Jr., Shofar MagazineA riveting thriller with real world connections, East Wind is a fine read, and highly recommended.- Midwest Book ReviewBook Cover by Richard Lucas, Dancing Tornado Design

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2013

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About the author

Jack Winnick

10 books15 followers
Jack Winnick was born in Chicago, went to college at the Universities of Illinois and Oklahoma, and received a PhD in Chemical Engineering. He went on to become a Professor at Georgia Tech for over 20 years, teaching as well at The University of California, Berkeley,and UCLA. He has also worked as an 'Expert' in the field of Manned Spacecraft at NASA and as consultant in the oil refining, aerospace, nuclear and power industries. He is the author of an internationally-used text on Thermodynamics and holds several patents in the field of Electrochemical Engineering.

After a lifetime of scholarship on Middle East affairs, he has published numerous editorials on Middle East policy in widely-read media including two for "The Hill." Winnick has traveled to the Middle East as Project Director for a United States government program to improve interactive technology with Arab countries.

His first novel, "East Wind" (Fireside Publications, 2010), was followed by a sequel, "Devil Among Us," (2013), and "Devil in False Colors" (2016).

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5 stars
72 (38%)
4 stars
52 (27%)
3 stars
42 (22%)
2 stars
13 (6%)
1 star
8 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
6 reviews
December 31, 2016
Not well written

The book is written as if it's for 5th grade students, to much Hashbara will not recommend this book for anyone.
14 reviews
October 29, 2023
Devil Among Us by Jack Winnick is the book in the Lara and Uri series but can be read as a standalone. In Devil Among Us, we meet back up with FBI agent Lara Edmond and Mossad agent Uri Levin as they attempt to solve the mystery as to why a Jewish family would blow up the synagogue they were members of on Yom Kippur. Devil Among Us takes place a few years after the first book. Lara now lives in New York and works in the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Uri has since been sidelined to desk work due to his injury at the end of the previous book. They haven’t seen each other in years. Fate (well, their bosses) bring them back together to stop another terroristic threat.

I enjoyed this book. One improvement of this book over the first was that the author left out exactly when this book was taking place. Unlike the first book, which was published in 2010 and takes place in 2013, Devil Among Us was published in 2013 and set "a few years" after the first. We know the book is set after the publication date, but we don't know the exact date. That allows the reader to suspend some disbelief if recent historical events aren’t acknowledged or if fictitious events are added. I also appreciated that the terrorists had a completely new scheme. I found the book to be quite enjoyable, and I love Lara and Uri.

It didn't live up to my expectations from reading the first book, and I have some criticisms. The author made a caricature of a few groups and relied on stereotypes; for example, the Texans’ dialogues were a little exaggerated, and terrorists' descriptions seemed to lean heavily on stereotypes. There weren’t enough scenes of Lara and Uri’s relationship development. There were plenty of chapters of the two together, but those were mostly work-related. I would have liked to see more of their reconciliation instead of it feeling like they picked up right where they left off. I also wasn’t a fan of using military time when it wasn’t used to give orders. I may be nit-picking a bit with that, but I don’t want to convert time in my head. Some chapters were also so specific about the weaponry used that it was a little overwhelming.

I rate it 4 out of 5 stars. It seems professionally edited. I enjoyed the story overall, but I was a little disappointed. It was good but not as good as it could have been.

Most adults that enjoy action-packed mysteries would enjoy this book. The romantic scene was mild, but the action scenes were a bit gory, but not so gory that it would be too bothersome. Fans of the first book would enjoy this as well. While his book can be a standalone novel, I still think it would be best to read it as a series. The first book gives a little more context to some of the characters making Devil Among Us more enjoyable, but I doubt anyone will dislike this book if they didn’t read the first.

I received this book for free to review through Online Book Club.
Profile Image for Valerie.
50 reviews1 follower
June 16, 2020
An orthodox Jewish family proudly walk to services at their New York City synagogue greeting friends along the way. Later, they are revealed to be the suicide bombers who strategically blew up the synagogue killing hundreds of their fellow worshipers and neighbors. Why would this seemingly ultra-orthodox family do such a thing? As the facts emerge a Muslim terrorist plot is revealed. Not so shockingly, the facts reveal the support of “religious right” Christian leaders highly placed in the U.S. government. The book is interesting as it lays out the strategies of the terrorist leaders and their backers.
This book is the second in a series of which the main protagonists are Uri, a Mossad agent, and Lara, an American FBI Special agent who also happen to be lovers. Together they unravel the evil plot and save the world. Since this is a series it clarifies to me why the ending is not completely satisfying. The tale must continue in the next episode.
The book gets slow when the author gets bogged down in details of historical battles and too many forgettable names. I think the story is very good but could be refined with careful editing. There are some syntactic errors throughout the book that are distracting but not too jarring, such as a “satisfied puff of smoke.” The author uses the same general but pointed description for several of the characters, “short in height but well-dressed”, “short and corpulent”, “diminutive height.” It seems as if the author has a physical “type” for most of the “bad guys”.
In summary, this is a story of strategy and war with just enough spice in the narrative to keep you reading in hope of more excitement. In the end, my hopes were not gratified.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 because the plot is interesting and the book is very well-researched. I cannot give a perfect score because I found some descriptions to be repetitive, and the syntactic errors were distracting. People who like military strategy or war stories might like this book. As a disclaimer, I do not like this type of story. This review is my own, was unsolicited and I received no compensation other than the free book download for writing the review.
Profile Image for Kayla Whitehead.
52 reviews9 followers
May 16, 2020
A New York Synagogue is destroyed by an explosion. Hundreds of innocent Jewish families are injured or killed. As an investigation ensues, evidence points to Jewish involvement. However, are the investigators getting the right information? Simultaneously, a brotherhood of Muslims is planning an attack that will ultimately destroy Israel and much worse cause another major war. FBI agent Lara Edmond and Mossad Field Agent Uri Levin are on the case and are met with much resistance as they try to stop the terrorist attacks and solving this new attempt to stop the U.S. from providing aid to Israel. While also trying to decipher their feeling for each other. Will they be able to rekindle their relationship and stop the next terrorist attack?


The Devil Among Us is Jack Winnicks second book in a series. However, reading the previous book is not required. FBI agent Lara Edmond and Mossad Field Agent Uri Levin are the main characters in Winnick's debut novel, East Wind. These main characters are well laid out with enough background information to help paint the picture for the readers.


I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters. Lara and Uri seemed to really connect and the author did a good job of portraying them as professionals but yet also as professionals that cared for each other on a deeper level. I was really pulling for their story throughout the book.


One of my dislikes of the book was the use of so many different groups and political standpoints. Several times I had to stop and reread, simply because so much political jargon was being used. I do feel that readers who have a background in politics, a veteran, or former law enforcement would find this an enjoyable read.

Taking into consideration my likes and dislikes, I am giving a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. I did find the book enjoyable despite my lack of knowledge in politics. The plot was well laid out,the characters were interesting and there were few errors throughout. Due to some gruesome details and few bits of profanity I do not think this book would be suitable for young readers.
4 reviews
August 16, 2020
The Devil Among Us by Jack Winnick is the second book of the "Lara And Uri" series. Lara Edmond, an extremely intelligent FBI agent, and Uri Levin, an experienced Mossad agent, have to work together in order to stop a terrorist attack from causing Americans to withdraw support from Israel which would lead to the deaths of thousands of Jews. However, unlike in the first book of the series, they are not certain who their enemy truly is. Is it an Arabian terrorist organization, a radical group of the Jewish population, or American oil tycoons? The two lovers and friends are determined to find out.

I was happy to see that the second novel in the Lara And Uri series delves deeper into Lara's psyche. Although the story was focused more on Uri, Lara's combat skills and intelligence is displayed and utilized much more frequently. I also enjoyed the author's inclusion of details relating to the religious and political motives for the conflicts in the Middle East. The book both taught and entertained me.

I disliked the author's portrayal of Americans in the Southern states. Characters from this region have rather exaggerated and ridiculous accents. I found it hard to focus on the story because of this embellishment in vernacular.

I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars. While I enjoyed learning more about the conflicts in the Middle East, about which I was before largely ignorant of, the author also included a large amount of unnecessary information. This distracted me from the plot and was rather hard to read. However, I did enjoy the plot, and the action scenes were very interesting.

I would highly recommend this book to those who are interested in the conflicts in the Middle East. I would also recommend the novel to those who are searching for an entertaining way to learn more about religions and violence in the Middle East. This book would also interest people who like military weapons and tactics.
Profile Image for Diana Pilsbury.
28 reviews3 followers
September 23, 2020
Exciting Read

This is an exceptional book. Even though it's the 2nd book it stands in its own. It helps you understand a lot about the different extremely groups in what countries in the Middle East. It can be a little violent in the different terrorist attacks. Some get a little descriptive while others are implied. The only thing that might be offensive to some, is how the different religions are talked about. If you can't except the truth about some of the extremist religion then I wouldn't suggest you read this book. I really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Katrina Cherry.
10 reviews
July 1, 2023
Great.book but for the average Joe hard to follow until the end.

I enjoyed reading this book however it was rather hard to follow unless you are savi in foreign politics and how they effect the United States.
The last 30% of the book when it was all put in to context of who is who and where the history or Arab nations and the US and the rest of the world come into play was very much worth getting to the conclusion.
I have a hard time with the spelling, pronounced Arab cities, the leaders and history itself. Since its not something I read about regularly.
Profile Image for Edward B. Weinstein.
1 review
January 23, 2018
I enjoyed the story line as very realistic. The characters were well defined. My main objection to the novel were the several references to "liberal " Jewish groups sympathetic to terrorist groups. While the Reform movement has objections to the refusal by the orthodox rabbis in recognizing Reform marriages, there is no hesitation in supporting the survival of Israel. I took offense in the phrase "self hating Jews". This is a derogatory reference to the Reform movement.
1 review
December 27, 2023
Action-packed with a twist

I received this book for free from my online book club and in return to give a review.
I will have to admit I did learn a lot about International history. I am seriously thinking about going ahead and completing and reading the series. I did like the part where the author made it very clear on Israel's enemies and that some of them could be Christian this was very enlightening
Profile Image for tiffany.
12 reviews
June 28, 2024
Different

This book I wasn't sure I would like. After a couple pages the action started. This book focuses on Jewish culture and looks at how people target them and what their reasons are. Action packed story that keeps you guessing with an underline romance that doesn't take over the story.
Profile Image for Julie  Whitley.
208 reviews12 followers
April 2, 2020
Fast-paced international thriller

Lara and Uri meet again to unravel a sinister plot to destroy Israel physically and politically. Working together, they expose the imposters and their plans, but at what cost? You’ll have to read for yourself! It is an exciting read.
Profile Image for JeNom Makama.
63 reviews7 followers
June 27, 2020
Absolutely gripping and exciting.

More gripping, more exciting!

This sequel is a more intricately and beautifully woven tapestry of terrorism and counter-terrorism, fuelled by love for God and country.

Every lover of espionage will love this.
Profile Image for grace schwabline.
25 reviews1 follower
July 22, 2022
Amazing thriller

Lara, an FBI agents, gets teamed up with Uri, an agent of Mossad. They are tasked with finding the location and nuclear bomb threat. This tale includes gore, science, and some romance.
2 reviews1 follower
May 8, 2023
devil among us

This book spent too much time on the politics of the Middle East diluting the action and strategy of the two main characters. I did not think this book had sufficient action or strategy to hold my interest.
Profile Image for B.W. Harold.
9 reviews2 followers
December 14, 2020
I found Lara and Uri’s story with this book. I enjoyed it so much I went back and read East Wind. I recommend the book if you enjoy NCIS or Tom Clancy books.
Profile Image for Julie - One Book More.
1,334 reviews238 followers
April 20, 2020
http://onebookmore.com/2020/01/24/115/

Devil Among Us is a suspenseful international thriller!

Lara and Uri team up again after hundreds are murdered in a New York synagogue bombing. Upon investigation, the pair suspect that the bombing is tied to other terrorist plans.

Can they figure out who is behind the bombing? And does this incident have larger implications?
Lara and Uri must work together to figure out who the devil is among them.

This page-turner will keep you on the edge of your seat!


Favorite Parts:
- It is fast-paced and has a ton of action
- The plot is well-developed and intense
- It is suspenseful
- Lara and Uri! They are a great team!

Recommendations:
Readers who like international spy thrillers will love this book.

Check out my full review here:
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
1 review
May 9, 2022
Middle East

This book moved along at a fast pace . It was discriptive, easy to follow.and interesting throughout the book. Readers with knowledge of the Middle East would find it a great read.
15 reviews
October 6, 2015
Great start, slow ending

This was a follow up to East Wind and I wanted to follow the main characters. The book started out great, but got bogged down in the last third with and endless list of unrememberable names and needless battle detail. Repetitive descriptions also detracted from the novel.
Profile Image for marvin shults.
173 reviews6 followers
July 16, 2016
Can you believe, No profanity.

Excellent book , a real page turner. Great plot and fast moving, you won't want to put the book down. Looking forward to the follow uo, already on my Kindle
Profile Image for Jeff Levy.
13 reviews
August 30, 2016
Average

It was ok. I like the two main characters but there were several long parts that were boring. I thought the plot was clever, but right before the battle when uri was with Sharon felt like a sleeper.
Profile Image for Stevetrap.
3 reviews
February 12, 2019
Love the cover, love the entire book.
It is a really good book.
I did not have the paperback thou.

Best of luck for Winnick and his future books!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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