By: Ronald H. Balson
ISBN: 9781250065858
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Publication Date: 9/15/2015
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars
From Ronald H. Balson, author of Once We Were Brothers, Saving Sophie is the powerful story of the lengths a father will go through to protect his daughter and an action-packed thriller that will take you on an unforgettable journey of murder and deception, testing the bonds of family and love.
Jack Sommers was just an ordinary accountant from Chicago-that is, until his wife passed away, his young daughter was kidnapped, and he became the main suspect in an $88 million dollar embezzlement case. Now Jack is on the run, hoping to avoid the feds long enough to rescue his daughter, Sophie, from her maternal grandfather, a suspected terrorist in Palestine.
With the help of investigative team Liam and Catherine, and a new CIA operative, a secret mission is launched to not only rescue Sophie but also to thwart a major terrorist attack in Hebron. But will being caught in the crossfires of the Palestine-Israeli conflict keep their team from accomplishing the task at hand, or can they overcome the odds and save countless lives, including their own?
My Review
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Love the cover! Following Once We Were Brothers, Ronald H. Balson returns with another riveting page-turner, SAVING SOPHIE — A child kidnapping, terrorist activity, ransom, and an embezzlement. Chicago PI Liam Taggart and his fiancée, lawyer, Catherine investigate an act of embezzlement, plus terrorism. A Jewish accountant Jack Somers, has been hiding in Hawaii after misdirecting $88 million—a business transaction, while trying to save his six year old daughter, Sophie. She has been kidnapped by his late wife’s Palestinian father—a suspected terrorist. Jack is a partner with the prestigious Chicago law firm Jenkins & Fairchild, he marries, concert pianist Alina-- against the wishes of her father, Arif al-Zahani, a prominent Palestinian physician. After they marry and have a daughter, his wife suffers a sudden illness and dies. The grandparents have not been active in Sophie’s life; however, after the death of their daughter, they fight for sole custody of her. They lose out; however, granted visitation rights. Then Sophie disappears. Sommers, happens to be involved in a deal with one of his clients, and diverts $88 million of funds, while escaping under the radar to Hawaii. Now, he is on the run—from the feds, while in a race against time to rescue his daughter. A man questions his faith, how God would take his wife, and destroy his family? What is His grand plan? His daughter has been stolen, and he has been reduced to a common thief. He has lost his self-respect and everything which is dear to his heart. A complex story of a desperate father seeking to save his daughter. He will do anything to protect her. A compelling read; full of suspense, mystery, and intrigue. Legal fans will also enjoy - From Chicago, Hawaii, to the Middle East. A well-researched and fast-paced novel, and a courageous little girl caught in the crossfire. Where love proves to be stronger than hate.
With the author's own background as an attorney with a Chicago firm, and trial practice taking him into courts across the US, and internationally---his expertise, legal insights, and passion are reflective throughout the pages of his two extraordinary books.
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About the Author
When he’s not writing books, Ron is a practicing attorney with the firm of Stone, Pogrund & Korey in Chicago. He has been a civil litigation attorney for forty-three years. He was an adjunct professor of business law at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business for twenty-five years and was a frequent lecturer in the federal bar certification course and in trial advocacy seminars.
The demands of his legal practice have taken Ron into courts all across the United States and Canada, and for deposition testimony all across Europe and Asia. A few years ago, Ron became involved in a commercial dispute concerning telephone service in Poland. Numerous trips to Warsaw and southern Poland provided the inspiration for his first novel, Once We Were Brothers. Ron’s love of history and his travels to the Middle East provided the motivation for his second novel, Saving Sophie.
During the Once We Were Brothers book tour, Ron was introduced to several survivors of the World War II concentration camps. Of all the stories of courage and determination, one woman’s story was so moving that it formed the basis for Karolina’s Twins, Ron’s third book due out in 2016
Ron was a finalist for the Harper Lee Award for Legal Fiction in 2014 and a finalist for the Premio Bancarella Italian Literature Award in 2014. He was an honoree at the Chicago Public Library Foundation’s Carl Sandburg Literary Award dinner. Website
