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Hunting the Devil
When Dr. Jessica Hemings volunteers for a medical mission in Rwanda, she becomes entrapped in the maelstrom of Rwandan politics and the enmity between Hutus and Tutsis. Her Tutsi features plunge her into the Rwandan Genocide. Dr. Cyprien Gatera, Jess’s superior and a Hutu radical, commandeers her clinic, slaughters her patients and her adopted sons, then forces her to treat his wounded. She escapes and survives three weeks in hiding before finding refuge at Benaco refugee camp in Tanzania.
There, Jess vows revenge. She searches for Gatera with the help of Michel Fournier, a French lawyer-turned-war-correspondent, and Dr. Tom Powell, her long-time lover. When an unknown informant passes information to Jess about her nemesis, she returns to Rwanda, despite warnings from the Belgian Secret Service that Gatera plans to assassinate her. In their final showdown, Jess must decide if revenge is best served cold—or not at all.
There, Jess vows revenge. She searches for Gatera with the help of Michel Fournier, a French lawyer-turned-war-correspondent, and Dr. Tom Powell, her long-time lover. When an unknown informant passes information to Jess about her nemesis, she returns to Rwanda, despite warnings from the Belgian Secret Service that Gatera plans to assassinate her. In their final showdown, Jess must decide if revenge is best served cold—or not at all.
500 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2019
7 people are currently reading
1287 people want to read
About the author
Suanne Schafer
10 books1,012 followersSuanne Schafer, a retired family practice physician, completed the Stanford University Creative Writing Certificate program in 2014. Her short works have been featured in magazines and anthologies. Her debut women’s fiction novel, A Different Kind of Fire, explores the life of a nineteenth century bisexual artist living in West Texas was released in November 2018.. Hunting the Devil, her second novel, involves a physician caught up in the Rwandan genocide and will be released September 15, 2019. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 34 reviews
September 19, 2019
This looks seriously awesome!
April 25, 2018
Hunting the Devil is an excellent example of what I love most about reading. Through the lives of fictional characters, we can explore real world events. This book is at once riveting, soul-searching, and heart-aching. Schafer made me feel like I had a front row view of the atrocities in Rwanda, yet smoothed it by placing it from the viewpoint of a woman who loved the people so dearly. It sparked an interest in a subject I knew little about, and compelled me to find out more. Always the hallmark of excellent writing. I look forward to reading more from her!
May 11, 2018
Someone told me Hunting the Devil was a tour-de-force and while I agree, I think that summary needs a few more words.
Gut-wrenching. Jessica Hemings, a young doctor travels to Rwanda to serve as an obstetrician in a remote area and finds herself caught up in a genocide. She witnesses and suffers horrifying atrocities but survives. She leaves behind everything when she escapes and finally makes her way to a refugee camp in Tanzania. What follows is a years long quest for justice.
Honest. Schafer pulls no punches. What Jess, the main character experiences and witnesses is not suggested, but laid out on the page and the reader can’t turn away. I wasn’t just reading a story, I became a witness to the atrocities and the aftermath. Suffering from PTSD, the only thing that keeps Jess hanging on is finding a war criminal and bringing him to justice and at times it seems she’s hanging on by a very thin thread.
Powerful. This is a story of a woman who claws her way back from the worst kind of adversity with no explanations and no apologies. Written with such immediacy, Schafer pulled me in and kept me enthralled to the very end.
Gut-wrenching. Jessica Hemings, a young doctor travels to Rwanda to serve as an obstetrician in a remote area and finds herself caught up in a genocide. She witnesses and suffers horrifying atrocities but survives. She leaves behind everything when she escapes and finally makes her way to a refugee camp in Tanzania. What follows is a years long quest for justice.
Honest. Schafer pulls no punches. What Jess, the main character experiences and witnesses is not suggested, but laid out on the page and the reader can’t turn away. I wasn’t just reading a story, I became a witness to the atrocities and the aftermath. Suffering from PTSD, the only thing that keeps Jess hanging on is finding a war criminal and bringing him to justice and at times it seems she’s hanging on by a very thin thread.
Powerful. This is a story of a woman who claws her way back from the worst kind of adversity with no explanations and no apologies. Written with such immediacy, Schafer pulled me in and kept me enthralled to the very end.
July 4, 2021
Hunting the Devil is a hard look at one woman’s quest to take on prejudice, corruption and the harrowing reality of political injustices in a country she can’t seem to get out of her system. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, rooting for this brave and rebellious woman who, despite unspeakable loss, refused to become a victim and who found her way to freedom through her bold actions and conviction. You don’t want to miss this one!
March 13, 2020
Hunting the Devil
Author : Suanne Schafer
398 pages
Publication date: October 20, 2019
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Description:
When Dr. Jessica Hemings volunteers for a medical mission in Rwanda, she becomes entrapped in the maelstrom of Rwandan politics and the enmity between Hutus and Tutsis. Her Tutsi features plunge her into the Rwandan Genocide. Dr. Cyprien Gatera, Jess’s superior and a Hutu radical, commandeers her clinic, slaughters her patients and her adopted sons, then forces her to treat his wounded. She escapes and survives three weeks in hiding before finding refuge at Benaco refugee camp in Tanzania.There, Jess vows revenge. She searches for Gatera with the help of Michel Fournier, a French lawyer-turned-war-correspondent, and Dr. Tom Powell, her long-time lover. When an unknown informant passes information to Jess about her nemesis, she returns to Rwanda, despite warnings from the Belgian Secret Service that Gatera plans to assassinate her. In their final showdown, Jess must decide if revenge is best served cold—or not at all.
📘{My thoughts}📘
Have you ever read a book and when you finished wished you could give it more than 5 stars ? This is me with this book.
Hunting the Devil was
absolutely a fantastic suspenseful and thrilling read. It totally had me gripped!!! I loved the story from beginning to end.
Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down.
It is very well written and fast paced. It is totally an expertly crafted story .The characters are well developed and the plot well done . You feel every emotion of the characters as you turn the pages. All of the scenes were perfectly described.I felt like I was right there during every part of the story.
I loved the writing style of this author and the pace in which she wrote the book. Suanne Schafer's writing style is engaging and fearless .
This heart racing, horrifying compelling story
will have you quickly flipping the pages. Once I started the book I was so drawn in that I could not put it down until I read the last page. I devoured this intense, suspenseful book in just one day. I started this book early in the morning and stayed up til i finished it. That's how good it was. I really could not put it down ! The short chapters all end in a way that keep you turning the pages.
Definitely looking forward to this authors next book.
I can not wait to see what she comes up with next. If you are looking for a page turner that keeps you glued to the pages until the end, then this book is for you. As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get !
Author : Suanne Schafer
398 pages
Publication date: October 20, 2019
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Description:
When Dr. Jessica Hemings volunteers for a medical mission in Rwanda, she becomes entrapped in the maelstrom of Rwandan politics and the enmity between Hutus and Tutsis. Her Tutsi features plunge her into the Rwandan Genocide. Dr. Cyprien Gatera, Jess’s superior and a Hutu radical, commandeers her clinic, slaughters her patients and her adopted sons, then forces her to treat his wounded. She escapes and survives three weeks in hiding before finding refuge at Benaco refugee camp in Tanzania.There, Jess vows revenge. She searches for Gatera with the help of Michel Fournier, a French lawyer-turned-war-correspondent, and Dr. Tom Powell, her long-time lover. When an unknown informant passes information to Jess about her nemesis, she returns to Rwanda, despite warnings from the Belgian Secret Service that Gatera plans to assassinate her. In their final showdown, Jess must decide if revenge is best served cold—or not at all.
📘{My thoughts}📘
Have you ever read a book and when you finished wished you could give it more than 5 stars ? This is me with this book.
Hunting the Devil was
absolutely a fantastic suspenseful and thrilling read. It totally had me gripped!!! I loved the story from beginning to end.
Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down.
It is very well written and fast paced. It is totally an expertly crafted story .The characters are well developed and the plot well done . You feel every emotion of the characters as you turn the pages. All of the scenes were perfectly described.I felt like I was right there during every part of the story.
I loved the writing style of this author and the pace in which she wrote the book. Suanne Schafer's writing style is engaging and fearless .
This heart racing, horrifying compelling story
will have you quickly flipping the pages. Once I started the book I was so drawn in that I could not put it down until I read the last page. I devoured this intense, suspenseful book in just one day. I started this book early in the morning and stayed up til i finished it. That's how good it was. I really could not put it down ! The short chapters all end in a way that keep you turning the pages.
Definitely looking forward to this authors next book.
I can not wait to see what she comes up with next. If you are looking for a page turner that keeps you glued to the pages until the end, then this book is for you. As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get !
December 1, 2020
Suanne Schafer creates compelling fiction from an unspeakable event – the genocide in Rwanda. As a physician herself, she clearly knows how to craft a story based on a medical point of view. Readers follow protagonist Dr. Jessica Hemings as she fights for her life while struggling to find justice in a world turned upside down. A suspense novel with political overtones, Schafer boldly shines a light on a tragedy that should never be forgotten.
July 2, 2019
Intense and gut-wrenchingly honest, I am so blown away by this incredible story that Suanne Schafer has written. Although I was familiar with the Rwandan genocide of 1994, this book places us right in the center of that conflict and gives us a disturbingly intimate look at the unspeakable atrocities that took place during this time. The novel follows one woman’s journey as she suffers and witnesses the most heinous crimes against humanity, yet finds the courage to seek justice for herself and for others. Given that nearly a million Rwandans were brutally murdered within a span of 3 months, the subject matter no doubt makes this an emotionally difficult book to read at times. However, Suanne’s unflinching depiction of the terrors faced by both the Tutsi and Hutu victims is palpable and gripping and forces us to take note of the consequences that occur when we, in the West, choose to turn a blind eye to the suffering of those in forgotten regions of the world. Powerful and deeply moving. I cannot recommend this book enough.
November 14, 2019
This book was difficult to write. I essentially lived in the horrors of the Rwandan genocide for two years, reading many first-hand accounts from Rwandans who survived the turmoil and from people like Roméo Dallaire, the United Nations commander there at the time, and physicians who worked in the Rwandan health care system and on medical missions. I think it's an honest look at a biracial person's struggles. Jessica Hemings combines my own medical background with my biracial son's attempts to deal with his dual ancestry.
May 7, 2018
Dr. Jessica Hemings is already struggling with her racial identity when on a medical mission to Rwanda, her Tutsi-like appearance makes her a target for Hutus bent on ethnic genocide. Suanne Schafer is unflinching in her portrayal of the absolute evil of some of the participants in the Rwandan conflict. She speaks of unspeakable things with obvious knowledge and without sugar coating.
August 27, 2019
A dark and riveting novel, Hunting the Devil tells the story of a young American physician who travels on a medical mission to Rwanda and is caught up in the horrors of the Rwandan genocide. There is an unblinking exposure of the tremendous evils committed against innocent men, women, and children. The main character needs to summon all of her inner strength to hunt down a war criminal. The book is wonderfully written and gives life to a critical time in history.
August 30, 2024
A powerful and richly woven thriller that takes place in Rwanda. The story centers on Dr Jessica Hemmings, a Black American doctor who goes to work there in the maternity clinic and experiences the genocide firsthand. To the Hutus, her features mark her out as a Tutsi and she is targeted from the very beginning. Through Jessica, we see just how far the hatred of genocide can go. The fear and the aftermath, which simmers even when the fighting has stopped, and how many perpetrators slip through the net and live as ordinary citizens, often given asylum in other countries. Although it is a harrowing read, there is also romance; a romance that took her to Rwanda in the first place. After everything she endures, she is finally able to find herself and love again. The author is a doctor herself, and her medical knowledge combined with her experience in Africa, is clearly evident making the events even more real. I learned a lot from this book.
April 26, 2021
I opened this book and was dropped into Rwanda as propaganda convinces Hutus and Tutsis--who have lived as neighbors, not necessarily knowing one another's tribal affinity--to hate one another. I joined Dr. Jess as she opens a clinic to birth babies and attend to emergencies. Dr. Jess (from the U.S.) soon learns that her supervising doctor, a Hutu militant, believes her to be a Tutsi or at least a Tutsi sympathizer. He morphs into an adversary bent on eliminating her, and the book's pages fly by as she runs for her life.
I especially enjoyed Dr. Jess's relationships with the two men in her life--realistic and touching portrayals for a woman trying to stay alive and sane in a place gone crazy with blood lust.
With a few minor exceptions, author Suanne Schafer adhered closely to Rwanda's hundred-day genocide. ( I reported on this tragedy's aftermath for an NGO and researched it while doing so.) My only wish would be that Schafer had more heavily emphasized the role of hate media (in this case, radio) in creating and amping up vitriol and violence--a theme of relevance in many places today, including in the U.S.
I especially enjoyed Dr. Jess's relationships with the two men in her life--realistic and touching portrayals for a woman trying to stay alive and sane in a place gone crazy with blood lust.
With a few minor exceptions, author Suanne Schafer adhered closely to Rwanda's hundred-day genocide. ( I reported on this tragedy's aftermath for an NGO and researched it while doing so.) My only wish would be that Schafer had more heavily emphasized the role of hate media (in this case, radio) in creating and amping up vitriol and violence--a theme of relevance in many places today, including in the U.S.
May 1, 2020
First, I want to stress that I am very stingy with giving 5/6-star ratings. I save my top scores for the very best books I read, those that will stay with me for a long time, comforting me or haunting me.
“Hunting the Devil,” by retired physician Suanne Schafer, is a marvelous piece of writing. The plot and action are tense and the characters are realistic. There are none of those annoying editing oversights that I see too frequently in modern novels. Since this book’s setting is a war, there is a considerable amount of violence, including murder and rape, but the author never misuses the violence merely to titillate any prurient interests. I feel compelled to give this warning to readers who have past traumas that could be triggered by reading these sections.
The setting is in Africa, in the middle of the genocidal war in Rwanda. I remember when this occurred, but at the time, it seemed far away; the news about it was sketchy in my part of the world. This book took me into the heart of the war. It showed the craziness, selfishness, inhumanity, and cruelty--but also kindness and honor--that are manifested during such a time.
The heroine of this book, Dr. Jessica Hemings, is a woman with a good heart, who finds herself working in a place and time where it is difficult and sometimes impossible to make morally correct decisions. Her terrifying experiences vividly reveal the human cost of war.
When the narrative brings Jessica briefly back to the United States, I feared for her future. I sensed the story could go in several directions, and I did not want to see this brave, complex woman choosing one of the common and somewhat trite paths to resolution that I often find in novels. I actually put the book down for a short while, until I could face whatever came for her, whether or not I approved. Happily, when I resumed reading, I found her story was far from over, and there was still more meaningful work for her to do in Africa. I should have trusted the author to keep Jessica true to her character.
My only frustration with the book was the quick ending. In last weeks that are recorded, Jessica again fought her way through dangers and challenges. I would have loved to hear more details of those experiences.
I look forward to reading more of the author’s works in the future.
I purchased this book for myself from Amazon. I was not paid or rewarded to write this review.
“Hunting the Devil,” by retired physician Suanne Schafer, is a marvelous piece of writing. The plot and action are tense and the characters are realistic. There are none of those annoying editing oversights that I see too frequently in modern novels. Since this book’s setting is a war, there is a considerable amount of violence, including murder and rape, but the author never misuses the violence merely to titillate any prurient interests. I feel compelled to give this warning to readers who have past traumas that could be triggered by reading these sections.
The setting is in Africa, in the middle of the genocidal war in Rwanda. I remember when this occurred, but at the time, it seemed far away; the news about it was sketchy in my part of the world. This book took me into the heart of the war. It showed the craziness, selfishness, inhumanity, and cruelty--but also kindness and honor--that are manifested during such a time.
The heroine of this book, Dr. Jessica Hemings, is a woman with a good heart, who finds herself working in a place and time where it is difficult and sometimes impossible to make morally correct decisions. Her terrifying experiences vividly reveal the human cost of war.
When the narrative brings Jessica briefly back to the United States, I feared for her future. I sensed the story could go in several directions, and I did not want to see this brave, complex woman choosing one of the common and somewhat trite paths to resolution that I often find in novels. I actually put the book down for a short while, until I could face whatever came for her, whether or not I approved. Happily, when I resumed reading, I found her story was far from over, and there was still more meaningful work for her to do in Africa. I should have trusted the author to keep Jessica true to her character.
My only frustration with the book was the quick ending. In last weeks that are recorded, Jessica again fought her way through dangers and challenges. I would have loved to hear more details of those experiences.
I look forward to reading more of the author’s works in the future.
I purchased this book for myself from Amazon. I was not paid or rewarded to write this review.
December 29, 2019
Suanne Schafer demonstrates once again that she knows how to write novels that defy genre boundaries and engage on many levels. Hunting the Devil, her most recent publication, is a historical war story that takes place in Rwanda, but also holds elements of a medical thriller and an unconventional romance complete with love triangle. The cinematic experience of reading this important book is still with me weeks after reading the last page.
Dr. Jessica Hemings, an American medical doctor, is in Rwanda to establish a clinic to treat poor Rwandans when civil war breaks out. With her biracial American features, Hutu paramilitary identify her with the Tutsi population they are committing atrocities upon, so her life is in danger. After her twin babies are killed, Jessica escapes across the country while planning revenge upon the murderer of her children.
The short chapters with initial place names and dates make a complex book easy to follow. Schafer’s descriptions are apt and illuminating, but never drag down the pace of the story. An ex-physician, she knows how to write about medical issues in a way that is believable and comprehensible to the layperson. The interpersonal relationships and inner landscapes of the main characters are well drawn. Unlike a lot of writers, Schafer even writes sex scenes well.
I knew so little of the Rwandan Civil War when I began this book. Since finishing it, I’ve done some more reading. Schafer has cast this devastating and enthralling story upon a well-researched setting. In doing so, she introduces her readers to an event in history that needs a prominent place in our understanding of world history. She does this through an action-packed can’t-put-it-down storytelling style. I have been recommending the book to family and friends. When anyone asks me how I could read about the atrocities, I explain that as a reader one becomes so caught up in Jessica’s experience that one is compelled to keep going. There is no going back. And for that I am so grateful. The book changed me forever.
Dr. Jessica Hemings, an American medical doctor, is in Rwanda to establish a clinic to treat poor Rwandans when civil war breaks out. With her biracial American features, Hutu paramilitary identify her with the Tutsi population they are committing atrocities upon, so her life is in danger. After her twin babies are killed, Jessica escapes across the country while planning revenge upon the murderer of her children.
The short chapters with initial place names and dates make a complex book easy to follow. Schafer’s descriptions are apt and illuminating, but never drag down the pace of the story. An ex-physician, she knows how to write about medical issues in a way that is believable and comprehensible to the layperson. The interpersonal relationships and inner landscapes of the main characters are well drawn. Unlike a lot of writers, Schafer even writes sex scenes well.
I knew so little of the Rwandan Civil War when I began this book. Since finishing it, I’ve done some more reading. Schafer has cast this devastating and enthralling story upon a well-researched setting. In doing so, she introduces her readers to an event in history that needs a prominent place in our understanding of world history. She does this through an action-packed can’t-put-it-down storytelling style. I have been recommending the book to family and friends. When anyone asks me how I could read about the atrocities, I explain that as a reader one becomes so caught up in Jessica’s experience that one is compelled to keep going. There is no going back. And for that I am so grateful. The book changed me forever.
November 16, 2019
Like the cover says, "Hunting the Devil" is intense, powerful and heartbreaking. It is a top-notch thriller.
With gorgeous prose and beautiful turns-of-phrase, Ms. Schafer's narrative sweeps you along through this epic tale. It is ultimately about justice, revenge and...love.
This book really makes you FEEL.
Centering around the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, it is difficult to read at times, but it's an important and rewarding read.
Jessica Hemings is an OB-GYN physician from Philadelphia who volunteers to open a health clinic in Kirehe, Rwanda in 1994. She finds the conditions deplorable.
She does make good friends with the people she work with but her new boss, the despicable Dr. Cyprien Gatera, treats her like crap.
Gatera is a Hutu and Jessica resembles a Tutsi and she's a woman.
Practically a double no-no in the male-dominated society.
Hutu and Tutsi are the warring factions in the "conflict".
After witnessing the atrocities first-hand and the murder of her two adopted sons by Gatera, Jessica is forced to escape.
She vows revenge.
She meets French journalist Michel Fournier and they help each other though the devastating turmoil. Together they witness man's inhumanity to man.
This is the story of Jessica's search for truth and justice. She owes to her children, her friends and to the country she fell in love with...Rwanda.
This book is absolutely wonderful.
Thanks to the author and Novel network Book chat for the copy. <3
With gorgeous prose and beautiful turns-of-phrase, Ms. Schafer's narrative sweeps you along through this epic tale. It is ultimately about justice, revenge and...love.
This book really makes you FEEL.
Centering around the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, it is difficult to read at times, but it's an important and rewarding read.
Jessica Hemings is an OB-GYN physician from Philadelphia who volunteers to open a health clinic in Kirehe, Rwanda in 1994. She finds the conditions deplorable.
She does make good friends with the people she work with but her new boss, the despicable Dr. Cyprien Gatera, treats her like crap.
Gatera is a Hutu and Jessica resembles a Tutsi and she's a woman.
Practically a double no-no in the male-dominated society.
Hutu and Tutsi are the warring factions in the "conflict".
After witnessing the atrocities first-hand and the murder of her two adopted sons by Gatera, Jessica is forced to escape.
She vows revenge.
She meets French journalist Michel Fournier and they help each other though the devastating turmoil. Together they witness man's inhumanity to man.
This is the story of Jessica's search for truth and justice. She owes to her children, her friends and to the country she fell in love with...Rwanda.
This book is absolutely wonderful.
Thanks to the author and Novel network Book chat for the copy. <3
November 25, 2019
“Beware that when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster.” This quote from Nietzsche resonates strongly in Suanne Schafer’s Hunting the Devil. Set during the Rwanda genocide of 1994, it is the story of Dr. Jessica Hemings, a biracial American physician whose adopted Tutsi children are brutally murdered by Dr. Cyprien Gatera, a former colleague turned mass murderer. In pursuing justice through Europe, Tanzania, and the corpse-littered villages of Rwanda, Dr. Hemings must wrestle monsters of her own and pray that her humanity survives her quest. This book contains unflinching depictions of violence and is probably not suited for everyone. But for those willing to be bruised by the truth, it is a compelling read.
October 14, 2019
Hunting the Devil grips the heart and mind from the first page to the last. Jess Hemings is a biracial American physician who narrowly escapes with her life in war-torn 1990s Rwanda. As Jess seeks to avenge the deaths of her children, she overcomes obstacle after obstacle while navigating to survive the fear, violence, deprivation of the era. Closing in on justice, Jess come to terms with losses and love in a most unexpected way. Schafer’s extraordinary storytelling skills make the reader empathize with the characters. Helping readers understand dark days of terror in Rwanda make this a politically important work of fiction.
December 1, 2019
I have never read Suanne Schafer. Hunting The Devil is my first book of hers. All I can say is WOW, what a fantastic author! This books has horror, suspense, mystery, murder and a love story all rolled into one. Suanne was able to tie it all together. She sure did open my eyes! I guess I have been living in a turtle shell because I did not realize that genocide still exists in this day and age. This book made my heart ache, and I could not think of anything else. For me that is a sign of a great book! I am now recommending Hunting The Devil to everyone I know!
January 15, 2020
Hunting the Devil is an emotional page-turner that takes us into the world of the Rwandan genocide through the eyes of volunteer Dr. Jessica Hemings. This story is compelling and holds your attention from start to finish, with evil, murder, violence, fear, vengeance, and some romance.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
January 23, 2020
This is the 1st book I've read written by Suanne Schafer; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
November 11, 2019
A medical / Political/ Romance book. The woman in this book is seeking justice/ revenge for her family and her clinic that saves people. Very tense great and heartbreaking book. Can't wait for another one by her!!!
June 15, 2020
Haunting. Powerful. Eye opening. I am in awe that an author can put such a difficult topic into clear, logical prose and keep me turning the pages. Schafer is gifted. Jessical Hemings is unforgetable.
October 9, 2019
A heroine like no other- I relived the events and tragedy of Rwanda and the indomitable spirit of a young woman determined against all odds to bring justice to the horror. Excellent book.
November 6, 2019
An eye opening book. Excellent story,
Gritty characters ,heart pounding drama.
Recommend.
Gritty characters ,heart pounding drama.
Recommend.
November 8, 2019
On my want to read list - my friend's daughter is married to a Foreign Service officer who is stationed in Rwanda.
December 9, 2025
Suanne Schafer demonstrates once again that she knows how to write novels that defy genre boundaries and engage on many levels. Hunting the Devil, her most recent publication, is a historical war story that takes place in Rwanda, but also holds elements of a medical thriller and an unconventional romance complete with love triangle. The cinematic experience of reading this important book is still with me weeks after reading the last page.
Dr. Jessica Hemings, an American medical doctor, is in Rwanda to establish a clinic to treat poor Rwandans when civil war breaks out. With her biracial American features, Hutu paramilitary identify her with the Tutsi population they are committing atrocities upon, so her life is in danger. After her twin babies are killed, Jessica escapes across the country while planning revenge upon the murderer of her children.
The short chapters with initial place names and dates make a complex book easy to follow. Schafer’s descriptions are apt and illuminating, but never drag down the pace of the story. An ex-physician, she knows how to write about medical issues in a way that is believable and comprehensible to the layperson. The interpersonal relationships and inner landscapes of the main characters are well drawn. Unlike a lot of writers, Schafer even writes sex scenes well.
I knew so little of the Rwandan Civil War when I began this book. Since finishing it, I’ve done some more reading. Schafer has cast this devastating and enthralling story upon a well-researched setting. In doing so, she introduces her readers to an event in history that needs a prominent place in our understanding of world history. She does this through an action-packed can’t-put-it-down storytelling style. I have been recommending the book to family and friends. When anyone asks me how I could read about the atrocities, I explain that as a reader one becomes so caught up in Jessica’s experience that one is compelled to keep going. There is no going back. And for that I am so grateful. The book changed me forever.
Dr. Jessica Hemings, an American medical doctor, is in Rwanda to establish a clinic to treat poor Rwandans when civil war breaks out. With her biracial American features, Hutu paramilitary identify her with the Tutsi population they are committing atrocities upon, so her life is in danger. After her twin babies are killed, Jessica escapes across the country while planning revenge upon the murderer of her children.
The short chapters with initial place names and dates make a complex book easy to follow. Schafer’s descriptions are apt and illuminating, but never drag down the pace of the story. An ex-physician, she knows how to write about medical issues in a way that is believable and comprehensible to the layperson. The interpersonal relationships and inner landscapes of the main characters are well drawn. Unlike a lot of writers, Schafer even writes sex scenes well.
I knew so little of the Rwandan Civil War when I began this book. Since finishing it, I’ve done some more reading. Schafer has cast this devastating and enthralling story upon a well-researched setting. In doing so, she introduces her readers to an event in history that needs a prominent place in our understanding of world history. She does this through an action-packed can’t-put-it-down storytelling style. I have been recommending the book to family and friends. When anyone asks me how I could read about the atrocities, I explain that as a reader one becomes so caught up in Jessica’s experience that one is compelled to keep going. There is no going back. And for that I am so grateful. The book changed me forever.
September 13, 2021
Suanne has written a masterpiece about the genocide of the Hutus on the Tutsis in Rawanda in 1994. Jess recently became a doctor and volunteers to serve in Africa. She wants to serve the underserved in this third world country. She arrives at the hospital and realizes she is not liked even though she is also a woman of color. The genocide begins and she is targeted as a Tutsi by the Hutus at the hospital. The book is intense and gut-wrenching in describing the massacres and her peservence in finding justice and revenge for what happened to her and the 800,000 Tutsis that were murdered. This is a book that grabs you and never lets go. I will never forget the horrors that has been done to innocent people because of their race, nationality, religion, etc. There are devils living among us. This is a book that is a page turner and should be read by everyone.
May 27, 2024
I’ve had this book on my TBR list after reading this author’s A Different Kind of Fire a few years ago, and I was excited to get a free copy on Amazon to recognize the 30th anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide in 1994 that tragically extinguished over 800,000 lives. I typically shy away from reading upsetting content, but the author did a good job of describing events while not not making them overly descriptive, and the story is largely thriller-based with short, easy to read chapters and a strong female protagonist who readers will root for from the beginning. An engaging work of historical fiction! 8/10.
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