Howard Kaplan's writing style detracted from the central elements of the story. I finally picked up “To Destroy Jerusalem” (digitally) a few months ago but just kept wrestling to complete reading. The story line was interesting; the ending predictable. I am a big fan of all things “Israel” just not this book. I am, as always, grateful to NetGalley.

I wanted to like this, I like the premise of it and I thought it had a lot of potential but I do feel it got a little lost along the way. I thought it wasn't quite plausible at times, occasionally bordering on the utterly unbelievable. Perhaps there was a little too much global travel with some of the twists and turns only half explored. The idea behind it was good but I do feel it might have benefitted from a little more time at the drawing board.

To Destroy Jerusalem
by Howard Kaplan
HK Books
General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 23 Oct 2018
I am reviewing a copy of To Destroy Jerusalem through HK Books and Netgalley:
A book that is action packed from start to finish, full of action, Intrigue and Suspense.
After a Neutron Source, a component necessary for triggering an explosion is stolen from New York the CIA calls on a legendary Mossad field agent named Shai Shaham.


In order to trace the stolen neutron source, Shai needs to locate where and how those behind the theft are obtaining the plutonium so he heads to Amsterdam to meet Ramzy Awwad, the Palestinian agent who Shai had been ordered to kill after a mission they worked on together ended. He isn't sure if Ramzy is more likely to help stop the plotters or join the Palestinian people in the midst of the first intifada (uprising) in the Occupied Territories.


This book is set in 1990 and tells of a terrifying plot that tells of a terrifying plot that spans the world from Rio de Janiero to war torn Beirut, all the way to the West Bank. As Shai hurries to avert catastrophe, he unearths a link to the underground intifada in Jerusalem, and he tracks the conspirators until they thwart him with an ingenious plan to bridge the heavily fortified northern border into Israel.


Will Shai be able to depend on Ramzy to help stop this horrific attack or will the entire world be put on the line?


I give To Destroy Jerusalem four out of five stars.


Happy Reading!

Fast-paced and full of intrigue, Destroy Jerusalem was a spy novel on steroids. Being a Jewish American, I love reading books about Israel, spies and espionage. I loved being taken all over the world to chase down bad actors who threatened the Jewish state. Destroy Jerusalem was a little outrageous for me - which is why I am rating it 3 stars - but it was still a fun read. There were a lot of characters in the book that I found a little hard to follow - and ones that I didn't particularly care about - but again, it was a fun read and one that really showcases just how complicated the Arab-Israeli conflict really is.

What a hugely interesting book. It’s a subject I’m very interested in. Lots to be learned from here. Can see this being a huge hit

Very detailed account of the Middle Eastern conflict, but I found the storyline hard to follow. There were too many different characters that were not engaging to me. Also there was a romance going on with some soft core porn, and that's not my type of book at all.

A gripping read and works as a stand alone; I didn't even realise until the end that it was part of a series.

Thankyou to NetGalley, HK books and the author, Howard Kaplan, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of To Destroy Jerusalem in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
Well. I was not expecting the storyline to be so realistic and close to current headlines. I thought the storyline was well written and gripping with engaging characters. I was hooked from the start.
Well worth a read.

To Destroy Jerusalem by Howard Kaplan – 5 Stars
Publisher: HK Books
ISBN: 9781723912351

This is the first book I’ve read in the series and had no problem reading it as a stand-alone novel. All characters were adequately introduced requiring no prior book knowledge.

The explosive relationship and plight between the Israelis and the Palestinians was fairly addressed. Though an Israeli agent, Shai Shaham understood and empathized with the Palestinians issues. Through his eyes I furthered my acceptance of the delicate situations and relationships that exist today.

Impressive was the detailed history and geographical depictions of the area which added to the realism and provided a continuous image of the location and environment as the story progressed. Although I know little about constructing a nuclear bomb, I felt the fear, chills, and suspense -- the author’s explanation was certainly credible.

My only negative was that I found some sentences awkward, requiring me to reread them several time before I finally assumed the meaning and continued on.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It was suspenseful and yielded essential information required to better understand and envision the issues between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Reviewer: Nancy

A well written book about a plot to destroy Jerusalem. A plan is hatched to force the Israelis out of Jerusalem and make way for the Palestinians to reclaim the land. Reads like a Daniel Silva book which is a big plus. Well researched book that makes you feel as you are in Israel helping thwart the potential attack. The protagonist Shai Shaham is a bit unorthodox in his ways but his tenacity helps save his country from annihilation.
Thank you Howard Kaplan and HK Books for the ARC for my review.

Action thriller that never stops. Fast paced spy thriller. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

Definitely a topic torn from today's headlines, and a thought-provoking summation of the actual enemies Israel faces and has faced throughout history. The protagonist reminds me a bit of the Israeli hero in the Daniel Silva novels, and Mr. Kaplan's tale is of the same superior quality in content and writing style. This was the first Kaplan novel I've read, but it certainly won't be the last. Great read.

This is the fourth in a series? And it turns out to be good? Now I have to go get the other three??? Readers foul here! Very well crafted story and the time travel back to the 90's doesn't not drag at all. Great pacing to carry the characters and plot along.

The vast majority of people seem to mistakenly assume that if a book has not been picked up by one of the big publishing houses then it mustn't be any good. Well, let Howard Kaplan show you just how wrong you can be! A criminally underrated self-published author, but boy, does he know what he's doing! This is the fourth novel in the critically acclaimed Jerusalem Spy Series. One of the aspects of the synopsis I was particularly drawn to was the unusual setting of the Middle East, an area of the world that has experienced many problems and much airtime over the past decade, and having already held an interest in this particular locale, I couldn't wait to dive right into this. The Middle East is actually only one of the places in which the story takes place as it moves between lots of different areas of the globe, and each location is exquisitely described and wonderfully vivid as a result. I am overjoyed to be able to spread the word and hopefully help in some small part towards a greater readership. This is a writer who should be on every reader's bookshelf if they enjoy adrenaline-fuelled ....... , action aplenty and edge-of-your-seat, heart in your mouth stories - Man, this was one of the most unexpected and exhilaratingly exciting surprises of the whole year!

There is something for everyone in To Destroy Jerusalem

Amongst the topics explored are nuclear weapons, shady dealings, politics, warfare, middle eastern countries and cultures, intelligence, terrorism, bomb-making, fate and nationalism.

This is so damn action-packed making it fast-paced and easy to engage with from first page to last, and the plot is scarily plausible in nature, with a plethora of thrills and spills and so many moments that the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up! It's incredibly difficult, almost impossible to explain how exceptional this book truly is, so all I will say is make sure to grab a copy, especially if you're a fan of espionage or original thrillers! I fail to see how you could possibly be disappointed.

Well written, deftly plotted and endlessly compelling - a perfectly flowing piece of fiction. This was so addictive, and I found that it was impossible to put down. I recommend setting some time aside before you begin as you will want to be able to follow it through to the conclusion in a maximum of two sessions. There are some fantastic, unpredictable twists and turns throughout, and at times my heart was beating like a drum! Each and every character brings something worthwhile and intriguing to the overall story and are very believable.

Many thanks to HK Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Review: To Destroy Jerusalem by Howard Kaplan. #NetGalley @KaplanHow #AmReading #Books #BookReview #Spy #Fiction #Espionage #Terrorism #NuclearBomb #Thriller #SpyThriller #Suspense

This book took me a long time to read and I am usually a quick reader. It is very technical at times and I had to reread many sections to be able to follow it. It reminded me of David Silva ( the Gabriel Alon series). I had a difficult time following the book as it switched back and forth between characters and locations. Some of the book seems very realistic and other times it just seems a little too simplistic that everything suddenly falls into place. Definitely a thriller.

This was a good book, a thriller full of twists and turns in the plot and filled with interesting characters. I can't recommend it enough for those of you that like thrillers.

Shai Shaham is the head of an Israeli intelligence team that learns that a Palestinian scientist working at UCLA has purchased plutonium from a source in Brazil, and Shai fears that he intends to build a nuclear weapon. The story follows Shai and his team from the sale in Brazil, to Los Angeles and then to London in pursuit of the plutonium and the scientist who wants to assemble a bomb in Israel. There are many close calls, almost successes and the action doesn't end until the last pages of the book.

This was an expertly written novel with lots of setting research. We are taken to the holy land through Lebanon and I really felt like I was in the camps with the Palestinian terrorists and in Jerusalem with the perpetrators. There is a completely believable explanation on how the atomic bomb is built, in addition to great description of the process the Palestinians must go through to get the materials for the bomb. I felt like I was reading David Balducci at times, so good is the tension in the book. And Shai as a character is not your typical svelte international agent, but a dedicated Israeli with a weight problem.

This book will entertain you for hours. Highly recommended. 5/5 stars. Read this and other reviews of upcoming books at bookgeist.blogspot.com.