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Miriam bat Isaac #2
The Deadliest Hate
From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate." Socrates
When Miriam starts out to trace the leak of an alchemical secret that surfaces in first-century CE Caesarea, Judean terrorists target her for assassination.Can she discover who is responsible for the leak while eluding the assassins and protecting a secret of her own?
But who is really trying to kill Miriam? Is it a case of mistaken identity, or is her
late fiancé’s ex‐scribe, now an assistant to the Procurator of Judea, seeking to avenge
an old grudge? Or is her heartthrob’s half‐brother, a Judean patriot who inherited
his mother’s mania, afraid Miriam knows too much?
Miriam will need your help! Don't let the assassins overtake her!
When Miriam starts out to trace the leak of an alchemical secret that surfaces in first-century CE Caesarea, Judean terrorists target her for assassination.Can she discover who is responsible for the leak while eluding the assassins and protecting a secret of her own?
But who is really trying to kill Miriam? Is it a case of mistaken identity, or is her
late fiancé’s ex‐scribe, now an assistant to the Procurator of Judea, seeking to avenge
an old grudge? Or is her heartthrob’s half‐brother, a Judean patriot who inherited
his mother’s mania, afraid Miriam knows too much?
Miriam will need your help! Don't let the assassins overtake her!
190 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
June Trop
19 books42 followersJune Trop and her twin sister Gail wrote their first story, "The Steam Shavel [sic]," when they were six years old growing up in rural New Jersey. They sold it to their brother Everett for two cents.
"I don't remember how I spent my share," June says. "You could buy a fistful of candy for a penny in those days, but ever since then, I wanted to be a writer."
As an award-winning middle school science teacher, June used storytelling to capture her students' imagination and interest in scientific concepts. Years later as a professor of teacher education, she focused her research on the practical knowledge teachers construct and communicate through storytelling. Her first book, From Lesson Plans to Power Struggles (Corwin Press, 2009), is based on the stories new teachers told about their first classroom experiences.
Now associate professor emerita at the State University of New York at New Paltz, she devotes her time to writing historical mysteries with a connection to early science. Her heroine, Miriam bat Isaac, is based on the personage of Maria Hebrea, the legendary founder of Western alchemy, who developed the concepts and apparatus alchemists and chemists would use for 1500 years.
June lives with her husband Paul Zuckerman in New Paltz, where she is breathlessly recording her plucky heroine's next life-or-death exploit. The Deadliest Lie is her first novel. Her second novel, The Deadliest Hate has won Honorable Mention in the 2016 New York Book Festival.
Visit June on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/June-T... and on her website http://junetrop.com, click on her contact page, and enter her contest to win a free book.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 14, 2016
THE DEADLIEST HATE, the second book in the Miriam bat Isaac Mystery Series, is a fast-paced historical novel set in Caesarea as the tensions build between the Jews and the Romans.
You’ll meet many of the characters you encountered in THE DEADLIEST LIE including Judah, Phoebe, and Miriam’s twin brother, Binyamin, who’s become an accomplished gladiator in these two years since the end of the first book.
The book stands alone, although I was glad to have had the extra insight into the characters that I got in the first book.
I’ve given this book five stars because it has romance and suspense as well as a satisfying mystery. The mystery is more elaborate than in THE DEADLIEST LIE, but as with the first book, it gives the reader the opportunity to live in an authentic historical setting.
Your eyes will fly over the pages as you experience the conflicts, jealousies, and grudges of the all-too-human characters.
You’ll meet many of the characters you encountered in THE DEADLIEST LIE including Judah, Phoebe, and Miriam’s twin brother, Binyamin, who’s become an accomplished gladiator in these two years since the end of the first book.
The book stands alone, although I was glad to have had the extra insight into the characters that I got in the first book.
I’ve given this book five stars because it has romance and suspense as well as a satisfying mystery. The mystery is more elaborate than in THE DEADLIEST LIE, but as with the first book, it gives the reader the opportunity to live in an authentic historical setting.
Your eyes will fly over the pages as you experience the conflicts, jealousies, and grudges of the all-too-human characters.
July 8, 2016
Author June Trop has found a unique setting for a murder-mystery: Ancient Caesarea. In her second book documenting the adventures of potential alchemist Miriam Bat Isaac travels from her home in Alexandria to the country made famous in the New Testament shortly after the events documented in those writings.
I confess – at first, reading some of Ms. Trop's descriptions, I thought that she was simply showing off the results of her research into the millieu she set her tale. Soon, I realized that my initial impression was premature – the author was, in fact, successfully painting an image of the environs in which Miriam was wandering. Looking through this relatively short book, it was easily possible for the reader to close their eyes and picture themselves in Judea during the Roman occupation.
I was not able to embrace the characters in this book as easily as in some others. It's definitely not a requirement that a reader love the characters in order to fully enjoy a book, but I certainly prefer those in which the protagonists touch a pleasant tone within me. This could be due to the fact I jumped into the second book in this series. (I had no trouble following the plot or understanding the characters; the book avoided a common fault in series).
In summary – I enjoyed this book, but I did not absolutely fall in love with it. Still, I would like to read the first book in the series, and would be interested to see if my first impression wavers when future books are released.
RATING: 4 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was suggested that “an honest review would be appropriate” upon winning.
I confess – at first, reading some of Ms. Trop's descriptions, I thought that she was simply showing off the results of her research into the millieu she set her tale. Soon, I realized that my initial impression was premature – the author was, in fact, successfully painting an image of the environs in which Miriam was wandering. Looking through this relatively short book, it was easily possible for the reader to close their eyes and picture themselves in Judea during the Roman occupation.
I was not able to embrace the characters in this book as easily as in some others. It's definitely not a requirement that a reader love the characters in order to fully enjoy a book, but I certainly prefer those in which the protagonists touch a pleasant tone within me. This could be due to the fact I jumped into the second book in this series. (I had no trouble following the plot or understanding the characters; the book avoided a common fault in series).
In summary – I enjoyed this book, but I did not absolutely fall in love with it. Still, I would like to read the first book in the series, and would be interested to see if my first impression wavers when future books are released.
RATING: 4 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was suggested that “an honest review would be appropriate” upon winning.
June 4, 2016
Author June Trop has found a unique setting for a murder-mystery: Ancient Caesarea. In her second book documenting the adventures of potential alchemist Miriam Bat Isaac travels from her home in Alexandria to the country made famous in the New Testament shortly after the events documented in those writings.
I confess – at first, reading some of Ms. Trop's descriptions, I thought that she was simply showing off the results of her research into the millieu she set her tale. Soon, I realized that my initial impression was premature – the author was, in fact, successfully painting an image of the environs in which Miriam was wandering. Looking through this relatively short book, it was easily possible for the reader to close their eyes and picture themselves in Judea during the Roman occupation.
I was not able to embrace the characters in this book as easily as in some others. It's definitely not a requirement that a reader love the characters in order to fully enjoy a book, but I certainly prefer those in which the protagonists touch a pleasant tone within me. This could be due to the fact I jumped into the second book in this series. (I had no trouble following the plot or understanding the characters; the book avoided a common fault in series).
In summary – I enjoyed this book, but I did not absolutely fall in love with it. Still, I would like to read the first book in the series, and would be interested to see if my first impression wavers when future books are released.
RATING: 4 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was suggested that “an honest review would be appropriate” upon winning.
I confess – at first, reading some of Ms. Trop's descriptions, I thought that she was simply showing off the results of her research into the millieu she set her tale. Soon, I realized that my initial impression was premature – the author was, in fact, successfully painting an image of the environs in which Miriam was wandering. Looking through this relatively short book, it was easily possible for the reader to close their eyes and picture themselves in Judea during the Roman occupation.
I was not able to embrace the characters in this book as easily as in some others. It's definitely not a requirement that a reader love the characters in order to fully enjoy a book, but I certainly prefer those in which the protagonists touch a pleasant tone within me. This could be due to the fact I jumped into the second book in this series. (I had no trouble following the plot or understanding the characters; the book avoided a common fault in series).
In summary – I enjoyed this book, but I did not absolutely fall in love with it. Still, I would like to read the first book in the series, and would be interested to see if my first impression wavers when future books are released.
RATING: 4 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was suggested that “an honest review would be appropriate” upon winning.
May 25, 2016
I loved this book. I won it from good reads giveaways and it turned out to be a genre I never get, but what a read. I read a lot 10 or more books a week and I have never gotten so wrapped up in a story. The descriptive passages were so mesmerizing, I was transported to ancient Rome the sights, sounds, and smells seemed so real. A marvelous author. Even if you think you are not interestecd in this type of book read it anyway. You will not be sorry. Good job June!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews