Finding Sheba

Omar Zagouri #1

by H.B. Moore

For centuries, historians have speculated that the Queen of Sheba is nothing more than a seductive legend; but when undercover agent Omar Zagouri finds a tomb in a tunnel beneath Jerusalem, he unearths cryptic clues that may lead to the queen’s final resting place.

This discovery, if authentic, could throw into question the governmental claim to the Holy Land—and prove the Bible false. Wealthy collectors, ruthless archaeologists, and officials from Egypt, Ethiopia, Israel, and Yemen scramble to find and lay claim to the secret site.

Dr. Richard Lyon of Brown University, the world’s leading expert on the queen, is found murdered in his office, setting off a chain of deadly events. Omar desperately works to piece together the puzzle to locate the queen’s burial ground, fearing another assassination will take place. He teams up with one of Lyon’s protégées as well as with his ex-girlfriend, agent Mia Golding, in order to unravel the truth about the queen, expose a murderer, and reveal a timeless story of love, revenge, and sacrifice.

Revised edition: This edition of Finding Sheba includes editorial revisions.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Adventure, Historical, Thriller, Suspense

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 5, 2013

About the author

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than seventy publications. She writes historical novels and thrillers under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

Please join Heather's email list at: HBMoore.com/contact

Blog: MyWritersLair.blogspot.com

Website: HBMoore.com

Twitter: @heatherbmoore

Instagram: @authorhbmoore

Facebook: Heather B. Moore All About Books

Literary awards: 2019 Maggie Award Winner, 6-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 4-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner

Alternate Goodreads Page: Heather B. Moore

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 3 out of 5]

A race to find Queen Sheba’s final resting place.


Queen Sheba’s story is definitely the most interesting part in this book and that historical part is very fascinating. The rest reads like a pretty good treasure hunt thriller with an undercover agent and an archaeologist. I think the historical part did overshadow the rest of the story a little bit but not too much.

[KaleidoscopicCasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3

I went into this book with zero knowledge of the historical significance or stories relating to the Queen of Sheba. Heard of her, yep, but that's about it. As such, I cannot speak to the potential historical accuracy of the book so my review is based entirely on how much I personally enjoyed it.

I never read The Da Vinci Code, but I did see the movie, and Finding Sheba felt like watching The Da Vinci Code. There were even fade to black moments. The different POVs brought the story together in unexpected ways but in the beginning of the story it felt like there were just too many plotlines to follow.

What the author did very well was build suspense in each of the stories individually and in the overall connection between the characters. I read a short story with the same MC a few months ago and based on that short, I think I was expecting something slightly different, but that's not to say I was disappointed with the book.

Omar Zagouri, an undercover Israeli agent assigned to the recovery of ancient artifacts, is the main character of this series and I was introduced to him a few months back in Beneath. I thought he was an interesting and unusual choice for a lead so I added this book to get more of a feel for the series. I'm glad I did, but there were a couple of things that stood out to me as I was reading.

The style was a double edged sword- The frequently alternating POVS made the story move quickly and added to the suspense, but it got a bit confusing with the constant switching. I think that either leaving us with one character just a little bit longer or having one less primary point of view would have made a big difference, especially in the beginning. Once the storyline began pulling characters together and there was less switching it became much easier to keep the locations and other details straight.

Too many POVs- While reading the story it was initially very difficult to tell which of the characters were the primary. Here are the different POVs:
1)Omar Zagouri At the beginning of the story he is undercover at several different digging sites as a laborer. This is supposed to be his last assignment after having already turned in his resignation at work. His ex fiancee is now dating his boss so he has had enough and just wants away from the situation. I had a little background on this from the short story I read and went into the story knowing he was my focus. If I hadn't had that knowledge ahead of time, I may have thought the MC was a different character.

2)Jade Jade is an graduate student studying archaeology who was supposed to spend the summer in Egypt as a research intern with her major professor. But her professor is murdered so she will instead be dong the work with a handsome french Egyptologist named Lucas. Although this storyline did help move the plot along with their expertise, I felt like the romance angle overpowered the suspense in their story until their paths crossed with Omar's later in the book.

3)Alem Alem's story was the least fleshed out but his character ends up playing a very interesting role in the big picture (to explain more than that would be headed into spoiler territory so I am going to leave him a bit of a mystery). I think for me, his character added an interesting dimension to the story but I feel like Alem could have just as easily been a graduate student interested in the history of his people and homeland. He could have gotten his dream research assignment and it would have cut out one of the POVs. Aside from the potential romance with Lucas the story would not have lost anything.

4)Nicaula This was actually my favorite story in the book. This is Queen Sheba's story and I loved how this young woman was shown to have such strength in the face of great adversity. She is creative, smart, intriguing, decisive,... seriously I could go on and on but basically she is all of the things that an ancient people could hope for in the leader of their people. Hers is also a tale of a great romance.

The chemistry between two of the primary characters fell a little flat for me- I think this may genuinely just be me personally but I didn't care much for the relationship between Omar and Mia and they should have been my favorite based on what I assume will be reoccurring roles in the series. I actually found Omar's chemistry with the female lead in the short story I read to be more interesting. I also think that Nicaula's story may have overshadowed Omar and Mia so munch that their relationship seemed too inferior for consideration in comparison.

Overall I did really enjoy this book and I could very easily see these characters making the leap from the book page to the big screen.


Disclosure: I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading about Omar and Mia in A Timeless Romance Anthology: Autumn Collection, I expressed a desire to read more of these two characters. Shortly thereafter, I received an offer from the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Safe bet on their side, I suppose, as I already liked those two a great deal.

The book got off to a slow start for me, however, though that may be a perceptual issue on my side. The book has a number of viewpoint characters (including one from three thousand years ago) and Omar and Mia start off broken up, so it could just be that I was working against my own expectations, there. At any rate, while initially sluggish, when the story grips you, it grips tight and doesn't really let go until the very end. Moore has a real talent for keeping the plot going at break-neck speed without stinting on important character development. The result is a story that pulls you as much into the personal lives of its people as it does into their actions and activities.

I also liked what Moore did with fictionalizing the past. What started off as somewhat jarring (the past scenes act as a break in the main action, though they have a pull of their own as well), the conceit helped the reader keep pace with the important elements of the archeological plot-points in a way that would have been difficult to maintain otherwise. And those archeological parts were important to the tension necessary to drive the story. Given the region and the political implications of the Queen of Sheba to so many opposed forces (particularly as a part of confirming or controverting the holy texts of religious traditions based there), it was important that readers track the significance of the finds and know what they mean beyond what is possible with the suppositions and guesses that normally accompany archeological data.

So as you can see, I enjoyed the book. There's a depth of detail that suggests pretty good research and understanding of both the region and its history (though having King Solomon feasting on tomatoes was an uncharacteristic gaff) and the action was rock-solid without compromising on character development. Well-done.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

For every novel I have written, there is a story behind the writing, and there is also a story behind the publication. Finding Sheba has extensive stories on both accounts. I’m a “discovery writer” or a “pantser writer.” This means I often don’t know what will happen next in the story. I’ll sit down to write and read the pages I wrote the day before and hope (crossing fingers) that I can pick up where I left off and come up with something interesting.

Finding Sheba will be released in August 2013, but if you can believe it, I started the first draft of this book in 2005. I had two historical novels out by then and was working on my third. I remember doing a book signing at the Provo mall and walking into the bookstore. On the front display was The DaVinci Code, which I’d read and loved, but even more interesting was the fact that there were a half dozen books surrounding The DaVinci Code written about the novel… trying to explain the symbolism behind Dan Brown’s story, busting the myths, or commenting on some of the theories brought out in the novel.

I thought to myself: “Wow, how would it be to write a book in which others write books about the subject matter to explain in more detail the theories in my novel.” Of course this was a pipe dream and who knows if someone will ever do that for Finding Sheba, but it set my imagination on fire as I tried to come up with a story that had fantastic arguments on both sides.

I settled on the queen of Sheba because, first, she’s a queen! And not only that, her story is told in the Bible, which not everyone believes is a true and accurate historical account. This meant that I already had a subject that was debatable. In a conversation with my father (who happens to be a Biblical scholar, convenient for me, yes), he said there was no archaeological evidence that the queen of Sheba ever existed. In fact… there’s no archaeological evidence that King Solomon, or his father, King David, ever existed either. This means that if these kings didn’t exist then Israel’s claim to the Holy Land is a false claim.

So I thought… what if evidence was found? Indisputable evidence? Then I turned that on its head… but what if, first… evidence to the contrary was found? I found a fascinating book by Nicholas Clapp called Sheba: Through the Desert in Search of the Legendary Queen. Mr. Clapp explained some of the theories behind the queen’s life and the different countries that claim her as their own (Yemen, Oman, Egypt, and Ethiopia).

Now all I needed was the main conflict… why was it important to find the tomb, and what obstacles would be thrown in the way? Since I could see that plot getting too big to wrap my arms around, I decided to Plot. For the very first time. I’d written six novels (3 unpublished at the time, and those will remain so), but had never officially plotted or outlined any scenes. This would be different, and I was determined to make decisions in advance and to follow them. It worked all right for about five or six chapters, then I started to deviate. And before I knew it, I wasn’t following my plot at all.

In fact, I had written 200 pages and realized that something major was missing. I had Jade, the American woman trying to complete her professor’s work; Alem, the Ethiopian on his own personal quest to find the queen he was descended from; and the queen’s own story, told in flashbacks in time . . . but I needed a character to tie Jade and Alem together, and to set the conflict in motion, and to get the country of Israel involved. Omar Zagouri was then created, and true to his character, he then promptly took over as the main character.

550 pages completed the first version of the novel, which I titled Queen. I sent the manuscript (printed out) to several friends and started working on revisions. I started querying agents and publishers. I attended the RWA in SLC and in a bold move handed over three chapters to a visiting agent. The second day at the conference she said, “I’m hooked, send me the rest.” I did, and when she finished reading it, she told me she didn’t like the ending.

I spent the next several months thinking about her comments and deciding to revise. About 150 pages disappeared and a different 100 pages materialized. I sent the book back to the agent, but she never replied. Still, I was satisfied that I had a stronger story. I found a couple of writing contests to enter and Queen won the grand prize in one of them. Part of the prize was agent representation with a respected agency out of NYC. I was more than excited, and decided this was it.

It was now 2008, and I had written other novels that were being published with my regular publisher. My agent told me that Queen was too long. I needed to cut 100 pages before she could shop it. So… I did… word by word, analyzing scene by scene, characters, plot. Finally in 2009, the submissions began. No one offered in the first round. So we sat on it for a while. The economy was dipping lower and lower and major publishers were laying off editors by the dozens.

My own publisher in Utah was going through major changes, sales were dropping, and people weren’t buying books like they used to.
I continued attending writers conferences and meeting with editors, trying to find if Queen would be a good fit for one of their publishing houses. There were some highs and lows… several phone calls from editors in NYC, and I thought, “I’m so close! This is really it!”

We’re now in 2011 and the ebook market is taking off like crazy. Some publishers are even considering releasing books as ebooks first. I’m still writing and publishing for my publisher and now I have nine books out with them. But thoughts of Queen won’t leave me alone. I decided, though, that my agent had given it enough time and work, and that I needed to shelve it. We both needed to move on. It had been through the rounds, and for whatever reason, the timing wasn’t there. I wasn’t convinced I’d self-publish it or do another major revision so that it could fit in with my very-conservative publisher… so I did nothing.

In the summer of 2012, I was planning out marketing for my first contemporary romance novel that was coming out in a few months. I realized that all of my other novels were historical thrillers, and written under H.B. Moore. Now, Athena (The Newport Ladies Book Club series) would be coming out, and published under Heather B. Moore. Since Amazon makes authors with two pen names separate those author pages, if someone looked up “Heather B. Moore” they’d find two inspirational non-fiction books and Athena. If someone loved Athena, they’d have nothing else to read that compared.

I wanted to put out another romance, contemporary or historical. But if I wrote a full novel then it would take months to write and a year or two to come out. This would not help me with crossover sales with Athena. Then I thought about writing something short… but could I do it? I’d written a short story to go with Queen for a thriller anthology. Maybe I could write a short romance.

One of the things I dread as an author is self-promotion: “Buy my book!” Putting out a short romance would just add to that… and it would now be “Buy my self-published novella!” To get around that, I thought about doing an anthology. I’d find other authors to write a short romance as well. Then it wouldn’t just be “me” shouting from the roof-tops. We’d be able to cross-promote and share readership.

But who could I ask? And did this mean I needed a publishing company imprint? And how do I choose the covers? Make all the publishing decisions? Edit? Design? I knew I didn’t want to do it solo. I went through my mental list of author friends, ones who could help with those decisions, help navigate the romance genre, and were fantastic writers as well with publishing experience in that genre. So I met with Annette Lyon and Sarah M. Eden, who both agreed to be on the board for Mirror Press. We put together A Timeless Romance Anthology series, first release would be October 2012. We invited three other authors to contribute for a total of six novellas in one anthology.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because… once I became an indie publishing Kindle author it meant that I received the KDP newsletters. In November, the featured publisher/author was Aaron Patterson of StoneHouse Ink. I read about his publishing success and the more I read, the more I realized that his company would be a perfect fit for Queen. Even though the book hadn’t been queried for over a year, I dug out my pitch sentence and crafted a letter to Aaron.

During this same time, my husband and I had been working on house plans with a designer named Aaron as well. So to my surprise, Aaron Patterson called me, saying he was from StoneHouse Ink. (Aaron + StoneHouse = house designer? Patterson is also a name of a builder in my area). He said he wanted to talk about my book. (Why did my architect want to talk about my book? Was he a fan?)

I finally clued in that I was talking to the publisher I’d just queried that day, but then after hanging up, wasn’t quite sure I’d just been on the phone with a publisher who’d offered to publish Queen. Even though we’d talked about contract terms, release dates, and the all-important cover—which we both agreed we were cover snobs—I don’t think I was 100% sure it was all real until I received an email with a contract attached.

Life is often ironic, and when I learned that Queen would be coming out summer 2013, a few months after my newest release Esther the Queen, I started posting on my Facebook page that my two novels about Biblical queens would be out in the same year. From the replies, I realized that my readers were confused about which book was which. Some thought my Queen book was really Esther the Queen, or that they were the same book. Of course, it was all perfectly clear in my mind, but I wondered if I’d be spending the next several years explaining it over and over in endless blog posts, interviews, or Facebook clarifications. I realized that although I’d lived and queried Queen for seven years now, the title had to change.

And Finding Sheba was born.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! I loved this book! Three different storylines are woven into one. It's basically a race to find the tomb of the Queen of Sheba. We first meet Omar Zabouri, who is an undercover Israeli agent. His story intersects with Mia, his ex-girlfriend, and Alem, who meets Omar in Yemen.

Next we meek Nicaula, the Queen of Sheba, in 964 B.C. in Southern Arabia. We learn her story throughout the book and it's fascinating. (I wish there had been footnotes so I would know what part of her story is factual.)

Finally, we meet Jade, who is in Cairo. She's an intern working with Dr. Lyons, who was actually found dead in his office, so she is now working with the handsome Dr. Lucas Morel, an Egyptian scholar.

The plot is too complicated for me to try to summarize. I thought the book was well written and well researched. There were lots of moving parts and I was confused just a couple of times but it didn't take away from the overall story at all. Omar is angry with his ex-girlfriend, Mia, for breaking up with him and then dating the boss. He is able to learn quite a bit about her and their relationship and realizes that he's more at fault about their breakup than he originally thought. I loved Nicaula's story. It sounds glamorous to be a queen but in reality, it can be lonely and sometimes you have to give up what you want for the good of your people. Her story actually made me quite sad. Jade is trying to prove her worth to her family and she's attracted to Lucas but he might not be the great guy she hoped he was. This is a book I highly recommend reading!!

Content: A few swear words

Mel's Shelves

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

How a thriller SHOULD be written The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working. To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds. – William JamesThe history of the Jews has been written overwhelmingly by scholars of texts – understandably given the formative nature of the Bible and the Talmud. Seeing Jewish history through artifacts, architecture and images is still a young but spectacularly flourishing discipline that’s changing the whole story. – Simon SchamaUndercover special agent for the Israeli Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Ancient Artifacts Omar Zagouri may not agree with all of the decisions of his government regarding their treatment of his Arab neighbors. But protecting his people, and their culture, from jihadists and weapons smugglers means setting aside his misgivings – even when his neighbor dies from internal bleeding when she delivered a baby and couldn’t be taken to a hospital because breaking curfew meant death for her family. No, life in Israel and Palestine can be hell – but this particular undercover operation will be something more than even Omar expected.It is hard to believe, today, that these lands of bombs and guns, oppression and violence, was once a jewel of the world. A land of beauty and learning, knowledge, wealth and beauty, even amidst the sands and dunes of barren lands. Now buried civilization, forgotten until discoveries, some chance, some planned, reveal the lost beauty and culture of an amazing world.Recent archaeological discoveries in the Mahram Bilqis (Mahram Bilkees, “Temple of the Moon Deity”) in Mareb, Yeman support the view that the Queen Sheba ruled over southern Arabia, with evidence suggesting the area to be the capital of the Kingdom of Sheba.But who was she, really? Records are thin, stories sometimes wildly exaggerated. Or are they? For Omar, while working undercover in a tunnel between Israel and Jerusalem, has broken through a wall and into a tomb – a tomb which may very well change the history of the world, and of the underpinnings of Christian, Jewish and Muslim beliefs. The discovery, if authenticated, could throw into question the governmental claim to the Holy Land—and prove the Bible false.Different countries claim to be the motherland of Sheba – all with their own names for the queen – Bilqis in Yemen, Makeda in Ethiopia, or possibly an Egyptian queen. But these aren’t the real questions, though all these countries are willing to commit the most horrendous crimes in order to prove their claim. But what is even more at risk, and is a political bomb that could explode not only across the Middle East – but across the world. For not only is Sheba brought into question – but also the very existence of King Solomon. And should King Solomon be proven to have not existed, the whole underpinning of Biblical history will be brought into question. For while there are no actual, physical records of the existence of Solomon, a crypt accidentally located by Omar and a group of workers clearing a tunnel may prove that, rather than Solomon, his supposed reign was actually during the time of King Melech Tambariah – son and grandson of Kings Melech Turug and Melech Amariel. And a statue found in Aksum, Ethiopia entwines the names of Tambariah and Azhara – the Queen of Sheba and her King? If so, a chain of political events will destroy everything from the ownership of Israel to the veracity of Christianity itself – Solomon, the Ark of the Covenant – everything.History’s written from what can be found; what isn’t saved is lost, sunken and rotted, eaten by earth. – Jill LeporeThe Bible holds David and Solomon to be the founding kings of ancient Israel and to be ancestors of Jesus Christ. The Quran portrays all three men as prophets. Yet, though current archaeological efforts are underway, there is no archaeological evidence that King David or his son, King Solomon, ever lived or ruled over Israel. If it could ever be proved that these kings never existed, then Israel’s claim to the Holy Land is mistaken.Quotes, statements and Biblical history pertaining to Solomon is, not surprisingly, a collection of ideas designed to forward the original beliefs of Christianity. Wisdom, kindness, justice. Whether Solomon does or does not exist, belief is everything – and proving that beliefs are wrong . . .Finding Sheba is that best possible of all world in the thriller realm. A thoughtful ‘what-if’ story based on meticulous research by an expert in her field. It is very well written, literate, and offers that most rare and beautiful of writing skills – both knowledge and creativity. From ancient history to modern desert tribes still living as they did centuries ago; to the lost city of Ubar, the Atlantis of the Desert, the fabled lost city, celebrated in both the Koran and “A Thousand and One Arabian Nights” as the center of the lucrative frankincense trade for 3,000 years before the birth of Christ, (and recently found by satellite imagery – how cool is that?) reality and supposition blends and turns, highlighting the darkest of history, the cruelties of the modern day, and religions and beliefs based in self mutilation and torture, mahogany and brutality, cannibals and kings.The so-called lessons of history are for the most part the rationalizations of the victors. History is written by the survivors. – Max LernerAnd when whole religions, belief systems, political systems – hell, as Douglas Adams would have it, Life, The Universe, and Everything – relies upon unsubstantiated and tales written by the victor, well the rationalizations and politics may very well end up standing on their heads.“Just believe everything I tell you, and it will all be very, very simple.’“Ah, well, I’m not sure I believe that.” ― Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and EverythingI received Finding Sheba from the publisher in return for a realistic review. If you are at all interested in Middle Eastern history and the questions of whether or not Biblical history truly is “history” I can’t recommend this book highly enough for an unusual, beautifully creative thriller.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading Finding Sheba it was like Heather Moore had blended her talent with historicals and contemporary all into one book. We have a story thread of the Queen of Sheba and what's going on in her life after her father dies and she goes on a mission to avenge his death. I was so fascinated with the way she was portrayed and the theories that were put forward on her life and what could have happened. The research was impeccable and I really was pulled into wanting to know more about her.

The second storyline was Omar Zagouri, an undercover Israeli agent who hates his boss, misses his ex-girlfriend and has to find the remains of the Queen of Sheba before the antiquities criminal organization does. If he doesn't, the political ramifications could be irreversible and deadly. I loved how real he felt, how many flaws he had, and the relationship he had with Mia. So, so good.

The third storyline was Jade the American archaeologist whose professor is murdered, but she still goes on the internship to the Middle East anyway. She meets up with Lucas, an Egyptologist, who also has his own theories of what happened to the Queen of Sheba. They criss-cross into several countries trying to unravel the clues and artifacts left behind until they realize their own lives are in danger. It's definitely a storyline where you don't know who to trust and the reader experiences a whole range of emotions with Jade.

At first I liked one storyline better than another and was tempted to skip ahead to that storyline's parts, but I'm glad I didn't. There were beats to each story that by about fifty pages in made it impossible to put down. The suspense and the romance in all three stories had me up until one in the morning turning pages just to see what would happen. And the end did not disappoint. There was so much emotion wrapped up in all of the stories I felt drained, satisfied, and excited for the next Omar Zagouri adventure to start. Heather has really raised the bar. I don't know how she will outdo this book with her next one, but I know she will. I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves great suspense, with a splash of romance. And it's almost like you're getting three stories for the price of one, too, so win/win for everyone!

Originally reviewed on http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! Where do I begin? There's too much going on for me to give a synopsis of the book without me getting everyone confused. There are 2 different present-day stories going on at the same time plus flashbacks of the Queen of Sheba's life, but it all intersects and comes together for a fantastic ending.
There's the story of Nicaula, who becomes the Queen of Sheba at 15 years of age, when her father is killed. Her story is told throughout the book and intertwines with the other storylines as they race to find her tomb.
There's Omar Zagouri who's sent undercover for Israeli Intelligence; he meets Alem while undercover on a dig site. Omar is a great character and he and Alem become friends. Mia, Omar's ex-girlfriend who's also an Israeli agent gets in on this storyline too. They rescue each other at least once in the book. Think James Bond in Egypt.
The second present-day storyline is Jade Holmes, a grad student at Brown University who's supposed to be Dr. Lyons' research assistant. Dr. Lyons is murdered at the beginning of the book, and she ends up working with (and falling for) the handsome Dr. Lucas Morel, an Egyptian scholar when she goes to Cairo.
There's so much going on with different factions all vying to prove the Queen of Sheba's tomb is in their country. A lot of action and some romance too. This is the first book in the Omar Zagouri series and my first time reading this type of book. I really got into the story and was surprised I didn't get confused by everything going on in Egypt, Jerusalem, Yemen, etc. I feel Nicaula's story doesn't detract from the other storyline, but adds to it. I would definitely recommend this book and can't wait to read about Omar's next adventure.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I finished reading the first chapter, I knew this was going to be good and well-written. There are three different points of view that we follow throughout the book. I thought the author did a really good job in organizing these so that it was easy to follow what was going on. I also liked the way she paced her information. At the beginning I was wondering why it would be such a big deal to know exactly where Queen Sheba was buried and then her character asks the same thing and gets her answer. Perfect timing.

The plot was pretty well paced. There were a few lulls for me and a few places where some of the information felt a little unnecessary to me. Besides these though, there were some fairly intense and suspenseful moments, but it wasn't tense the whole time, which was also nice. Sometimes I can get a little stressed out reading and this didn't do that to me. I wasn't exactly sure who each character could trust all the time and who was actually going to turn out to be a love interest. I also wasn't sure exactly what would be found about Queen Sheba in the end. I love when stories can surprise me, or at least keep me guessing.

I really liked all the characters. I liked how each one was introduced into the story and their back story. I wasn't quite sure how much each character was going to be involved, who would end up together, and who would make it out at the end. It was definitely suspenseful in that regard.

If you're looking for a good Adult Suspense novel, then I would definitely recommend picking this one up!

Content: Clean, except for some innuendo and violence.
Source: Tour host, which did not affect my review in any way.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't always like modern and historical stories interwoven- I usually find one boring and distracting to the other, but not in this case! I loved the viewpoint of Nicaula, the legendary Queen of Sheba, eagerly anticipating her next account and discovering where her passionate story led. The modern viewpoints are chock full of action and intrigue- switching from one character to another to give a well-rounded perspective of the puzzle pieces that seem random but work their way together by the end.

Omar is a cross between Indiana Jones and James Bond; Mia a female version of that in her own right as an amazingly skilled agent. Their missions overlap and they end up rescuing each other, uncover corruption in several high-ranking officials, and gather evidence to solve the mysteries of the tombs. Omar is full of angst over their recent break-up which brings some humorous tension between him and his boss, her new boyfriend that he suspects stole Mia from him.

I also enjoyed the perspective of Jade, an American graduate student who studied under Dr. Lyon who traveled to the Middle East to gather research for her thesis, and Alem, a Ethiopian seeking to validate his family's relation to the royalty of the Queen. There is a reasonable amount of violence, a couple mild swear words, and a reference to Omar and Mia living together when they had a relationship. I highly recommend this book to fans of The Da Vinci Code and similar ancient historical thrillers.

(Thank you to Ebooks For Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book was packed full of interesting things. I want to call it a historical thriller but it wasn't really fully historical because obviously it's fiction and it wasn't really a thriller because it wasn't scary or anything but it thrilled me. :) Hum, is that clear as mud? Historical Thriller.

At first I was a bit confused because there are quite a few different characters, all in different places doing different things. It took me awhile to get to know the characters enough that I felt like things were coming together in my head. I really did love how all these characters are all on different paths taking them to the same place where they all collide in great climactic force. It was, well, thrilling.

I love books based on historical things, even loosely. What an amazing job Ms. Moore has done with research, making this book feel so believable. I loved the Queen of Sheba story that was interwoven through the book. I feel like that could have been stretched even longer to a whole book of it's own and I would have gladly bought into it.

This was just a very satisfying read. I loved it.

Content: some violence, including a human sacrifice that was somewhat graphic.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this race to find the missing tomb of the queen of Sheba, history comes forward to contemporary times. Moore weaves emotion and life into every word so that I feel like I am part of the story rather than just reading about it.
Finding the tomb means many things to many different factions. It could be the discovery of a century. But some people would do anything to keep the tomb hidden. The backstory of this ancient queen is heartbreakingly beautiful and is woven so well into the tale that you're never drawn out of the book by the shifts in time and character. With lives on the line of the people willing to kill or die to keep their secrets and others willing to kill or die to uncover those secrets and others still willing to kill or die for love, you have a thrilling romantic masterpiece.
Loved it!

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Sheba has the perfect mix of all of my favorite plot points. In this novel you'll experience thriller aspects, murder, suspense, and high-speed chases. There's also some great romantic tension and plenty of historical underpinnings which, as usual, are right on the money. H.B. Moore's incredible grip on the middle-east, both past and present, is fascinating. The characters move through this story and into the daylight as Moore develops realistic feelings, emotions, and tensions throughout the novel.

I give Finding Sheba 5 stars--it's impressive, fast-paced, and a perfect respite from everyday life!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying I didn't like this book for the first couple chapters. It was all over the place with the introduction of too many characters and too much going on. There was no build up you just jump in with two feet and go. So I will give a little explanation that might help any who might give up. The first story line is Omar's and then Jade's and Alem's and my personal favorite Nicaula's each person has there own separate story. Nicaula is another name for the Queen of Sheba and I thought Heather did a beautiful job with her story, some of the language was not exactly bible language but if it was who would read it. Omar is an agent working for the government and Jade is a student and Alem is just a guy following his grandmothers wishes. The way all these characters were presented was odd and rushed. I felt like I didn't know what was going on at all and I really didn't want to read it till I read Nicaula's story and then I was hooked. I wanted to finish to see what happened with her and then I got more interested in the characters and then the love interests were brought in and the story got great. It is fast paced and fun to read. I hope there is a sequel. It is set up to be with no cliff hanger ending. Everything wraps up very nicely and then on the last page you get the set up for the sequel and that was well done. Sexual content: some kissing,passionate kissing, reference to woman being raped but it is very subtle.
Violence: There are killing, bombings, a little torture but nothing too detailed, gun shot wounds and snake bit. There is a lot of people just holding guns in this book. A bunch of people get killed by being chopped up, some men gets there hands chopped off.
Language:none

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it!

Suspense, biblical teachings, ancient tombs, and a love story in one book! I loved it!

Moore has a way of bringing stories about the ancient world to life. This book brings contemporary and ancient together in a seamless story.

[C.J. Anaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Sheba focuses on different nations fighting to discover the final resting place for the queen of Sheba. Omar and Mia, two Israeli operatives are trying to find the culprits responsible for the attempted assassination of the Coptic Pope while Jade and Lucas, are hot on the trail of clues to the Queen's resting place. The story follows several different characters who all meet up in the end with their own pieces of the puzzle adding to the bigger picture, which is, in my opinion, pretty darn awesome.

This thriller by H.B. Moore was simply astounding. The exhaustive research the author must have done, and the wonderful attention to detail painted a vivid picture of every location she introduced the reader to. The historical information about the peoples, the varying cultures and their beliefs concerning the queen of Sheba's role in their history provided the perfect setting for an intriguing race to find the queen's final resting place. Is she in Egypt, Yemen or perhaps Ethiopia? You'll have to read this book to find out.

The stakes are upped when a radical group known as the AWP, a glorified thieving organization, threatens the lives of everyone involved. They have incredible resources and corrupt men in high places, and figuring out whom to trust is only part of this harrowing adventure.

Alongside this gripping tale, the author carries us back in time to tell the story of Nicaula, the queen of Sheba, and shares the most epic love story of all time. She takes the legends and stories and creates a living, breathing young girl with relatable worries, fears and heart stopping love. This addition to the novel was masterfully woven into the storyline. I couldn't help, but imagine what it must have been like for such a young woman to rule a kingdom during a period of time when women were treated like possession or cattle to be bought and sold to the highest bidder. I'm a sucker for strong female characters and this book is chalk full of them.

H.B. Moore is an author I plan to cyber stalk. That came out creepy, but I stand by my statement. With her clean, concise writing style and flawless storytelling, I couldn't help but belly-dive into this book. I've caught the bug. I'm now completely obsessed with my own personal quest for finding Sheba, and perhaps that's exactly what the author wanted to share with us. A burgeoning desire to dive into our history and explore the what ifs of our past. If so, H.B. Moore has more than accomplished her task. I highly recommend this book to all fans of history, thrillers and epic love stories.

[M R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moore delivers a heart-pounding race through ancient landscapes and modern intrigues as an epic hunt for the Queen of Sheba’s final resting place leads to the truth behind the legends. The discovery of a hidden tomb leads to the attempted murder of the Coptic Pope and pulls a diverse cast of characters into a quest across the deserts of Saudi Arabia in order to find clues they hope will prove the existence of key historical figures mentioned in the Bible. Along the way, they face death, desert pirates, scheming men set on making sure the truth is never found, and loss of their very heritage and beliefs in a journey that spans across thousands of years.
I loved, loved the way history and mystery collided in this book! The details provided about the fascinating areas and their historical significance captivated my imagination, and added a touch of possible reality to this work of fiction. Even though the Queen of Sheba remains veiled in semi-myth, I felt the events of her life as they unfolded in this book could have happened. I came to adore her strength of character, and her ached for her sufferings as she attempted to lead her people at such a young age.
It speaks a lot about the queen's power that she is able to capture so much attention thousands of years after her death. The cast of characters that come together to try to piece together the story of her life were each fascinating in their own right—from the student attempting to find evidence to support her thesis to the special agent with an attitude problem. Their different storylines expertly wove in and around each other throughout the book. When they all converged, things exploded in surprising ways. The entire book was a poignant combination of reflecting on the beauty of the past and longing for hoped for futures. The murder, intrigue, and constant ducking and dodging death all added elements that kept me riveted. The ending made me cry a bit, which I've never done with a thriller before. Excellent read!


Man, it is so hard to write this review without spoiling anything. It is great! If you enjoy political thrillers, ancient mysteries, and spicy love stories, this blends all three. Enjoy!

*I received a free kindle copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took notes while reading this book, and I can't find them - Yikes! So I will come back and update this review when I find those notes...

I almost got lost in the first three chapters of this book... We went from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island to North of Jerusalem to Southern Arabia in 964BC. But I'm glad I stayed with the book because it was a great, great story!

Omar Zagouri is an Israeli intelligence officer working undercover. He works for the same company as his ex-girlfriend, Mia, and hates his new boss, David Levy. When Omar finds himself working with Mia, he realizes that she is the only person in his work that he trusts completely. Even though she left him and completely broke his heart, he would still do anything to protect her. The more time he spends with her the more he realizes that their break-up may have been partly - or even mostly - his own fault.

Jade is a 24-year-old college student working on her thesis. When Dr. Lyon (the college professor she interned for) died suddenly she finds herself with a new "guide" when she goes to Egypt to work on her thesis - Dr. Lucas Morel, an Egyptologist and devoted follower of the late Dr. Lyon. She finds herself immediately attracted to the handsome scholarly Frenchman, but doesn't know who she can trust. Especially when she learns that Dr. Lyon didn't just die -- he was murdered because of something he knew.

Meanwhile we learn about Nicaula, the Queen of Sheba - her rise to power and her life as the Queen of Sheba. I have no idea how historically accurate her story was, but it was a really interesting story and I was definitely drawn into it.

I don't remember the reasons why so many terrorist groups were willing to kill to keep the truth about the Queen of Sheba from being known. If and when I find my notes, I may be able to add that to my review! ;)

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love Heather Moore's characters and storytelling. "Finding Sheba" was no exception. She weaves a beautiful tale full of adventure and romance. I also really enjoy learning about history from Heather. She helps me understand what different cultures, times, and places are like.

I did feel a little lost some of the time though. I think that is because I knew almost nothing about the Queen of Sheba before I started reading this book. Most of the other historical fiction I have read by Heather is based on scripture stories that I am very familiar with. I know just when we have moved away from known history and into possible fiction. Her telling of the story helps me see the story from a different perspective, which I love.

In "Finding Sheba" I kept asking myself which parts were historical and which parts were fiction. I really didn't know. I found myself doing internet searches to find the answers. Sometimes I could figure it out, but usually I ended up with more questions.

I just read Heather's comments about writing "Finding Sheba" on goodreads. This cleared up a number of things for me. I wish I had read the comments before I read the book. It helped confirm a thought that I had previously. I wish she had chapter notes explaining where her ideas came from and what is truly history. Her comments tell me that we really know very, very little about the Queen. So - maybe all I needed was an intro clarifying that for me.

Even with my struggle to figure out what we really know about the Queen, I still really enjoyed the book. I learned a great deal and fell in love with the characters. As always, I look forward to more books by Heather B. Moore.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
It's hard to know where to start on this book, because there were so many characters involved. We have Mia and Omar who work intelligence for the Israeli government, French archeologist Lucas Morell, and American grad student, Jade, and then the Queen of Sheba, King Solomon, and their contemporaries. The story focuses on archeologist, governments, and modern-day pirates all searching for the tomb of the Queen of Sheba, in order to verify her existence and that of King Solomon.
There was action, mystery, history, and a little bit of romance. I found myself most drawn into the fictional life of the Queen of Sheba. She was a strong character, especially in the face of tragedy. I enjoyed the story, was pulled in by the action and history.
My only complaint was the switching viewpoints. I like staying with one character, or even two, but in this case there were three to four perspectives. I would just settle in with my characters, then have to trade them for new characters in another time or location. I know for other people the multiple viewpoints are an advantage. It is like getting four stories for the price of one ;).
It took until halfway though the book for me to get really invested, and then I stayed up way too late NEEDING to finish.
I'd recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, archeology, and espionage (as it had elements of all three). I am glad that I "found" Sheba.

Content: clean, mild language and torture

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley.com, in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the thought of writing a book stresses me out, even if I'm not the one doing the writing. That's exactly how this book was, mainly because so much research had to have gone on to put this together and the fact that there are a couple of different stories going on, some modern and one way in the past, and they all intertwine to weave together. That takes some serious talent!

There were several characters, all trying to find the truth surrounding the Queen of Sheba. Some were good and some weren't. There were times when I wasn't sure who was on which side, but it was interesting to see the way all of these characters were introduced and the paths they all took to discover the information. One part of the story followed the Queen of Sheba and I wasn't sure how that tangent was going to all play out and what answers these characters would find.

The setting was interesting--the Middle East. I don't know a lot about that area and felt that a pretty good picture was painted of what life is like there.

If you like a story with historical elements, adventure, and mystery/suspense, you're sure to enjoy this one!

Content: Clean romance (kissing, some innuendo that is clean for an adult); mild language (a few mild words); moderate violence (a fairly graphic sacrifice, and a few other events); some religious elements (ancient religious customs, etc). Clean for a more mature reader.

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

[Rachel DeVaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Finding Sheba” by Heather Moore is a romantic, tragic, thriller book all rolled into one. I can’t imagine how many months it took the author to gather historic information about Queen Sheba and the Middle East to make it seem as accurate as possible. It took me a couple chapters to really get into the story line because it kept jumping from character to character and their particular story. However, by the end of the book the characters all came together so it made more sense why the book was written that way. I got so involved in the characters stories that I didn’t want to put my kindle down. I didn’t know who to trust, who was telling the truth, and who would be the betrayer. I liked the history aspect and using the bible as their reference during the quest. It was so intriguing to read what really happened to Queen Sheba and how secrets can alter or change the course of history and peoples heritage. I can’t wait to read more adventures involving “Omar Zagouri”. Oh-and I think this book would make an awesome movie!! ;-) (I received this book free to do a review, but all opinions and thoughts are my own)

[Nikki Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Finding Sheba” is such an amazing book! I definitely give it 5 stars and recommend it to all! It is a suspenseful romantic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat while you flip page after to find out what will happen next. Although this book is written from multiple views, it is interesting to learn everyone’s stories and see them all come together in the end. I LOVED how you get so sucked in that it is very hard to put down, which is what killed me about this book because I was having a hard time finding the time to read it. The bible references and being able to learn about the Queen of Sheba just added to the intrigue of the book. Before this book I have to admit, I didn’t know much about her and now… I find her simply fascinating. Thank you so much Heather for creating a book that is such an amazing read! I can’t wait to read the next “Omar Zagouri” book.

[A.L. Sowards]

3.5 stars, rounding up. I like history and I like suspense novels, so I thought this one would be a good fit for me. The main plot revolves around searching out the Queen of Sheba’s tomb, a find of historical significance, and something several groups are willing to kill over. I liked the beginning and I liked the end. The middle was OK. I was surprised that Mia and Omar had lived together, unmarried. There weren’t any details, but since the author writes lots of clean romance, I was a little disappointed at the moral relativism. Overall, Moore is an experienced writer, so her books are well crafted. This one was worth reading for the adventure and the history.

[❀Aimee❀ Just one more page... · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this book were amazingly written. I was on edge, reading feverishly through the thrilling moments. Who doesn't love an archaeology thriller?

There was a character I just couldn't stand. I can't tell you how many times the college student glanced at her mood ring to figure out how she felt. I was ragey every time she did it. She was an idiot when it came to understanding modesty and basic safety in Egypt.

I loved the POV from the Queen of Sheba, the constant adventure, and all in all I enjoyed the ending.

Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Taffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINDING SHEBA is a mix of intrigue, adventure, history, romance and a mysterious queen. Moore writes in a way that weaves history into the plot without taking the reader out of the story. And she writes in such a way that I almost believe I am in the scene, from the smells to the sounds to the sights. Very well done!

Thanks to netgalley for the read!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

After a rather slow and somewhat confusing start while all the diverse characters are introduced, this story suddenly ratchets up the suspense and dives into a thrill of a ride!

Read full review in the November 2013 issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously one of the best books I've read in a long time! There was plenty of action to keep me on edge and wanting to read more! I loved that it's told from 3 different views and it all comes together in the end. It kind of reminds me of The Da Vinci code with all the history and the way they have to uncover where the Queen of Sheba was buried.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather has proven time and time again what an amazing author she is. This book is no exception to her talent. The characters are engrossing and I loved the way Finding Sheba is told.

[Erika B. (SOS BOOKS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fast becoming a Heather B. Moore fan! The more I read books written by her the more I find I like them! She offers romance and adventure! What more could you ask for?! :D