Synopses & Reviews
Hes Homeland Securitys biggest nightmare. More than a decade after 9/11, someone is setting off fire bombs in Chicago using untraceable cell phones. The international terror channels are silent. An unknown group calling itself the Islamic Freedom Federation takes credit for the bombings and demands the release of Hassan Al-Shahid, a University of Chicago graduate student whose plan to set off a bomb at the Art Institute was thwarted at the last minute by Detective David Gold and his long-time partner, Detective Paul Liszewski. Their heroic efforts had cost Liszewski his life and put Gold in the hospital. The FBI and Homeland Security believe the new bomber is a “lone wolf”—a freelancer who operates off the grid. That makes him even more dangerous.
Meet Detective David Gold. Hes a third generation native of South Chicago—the hardscrabble neighborhood of steel mills, smokestacks, and steeples near the Indiana border. Hes also one of Chicagos most decorated homicide detectives.
Meet Golds new partner, Detective A.C. Battle. Hes a native of Mississippi whose family moved to Chicago to escape the Jim Crow South. He grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes—the penal colony of high rises across the Dan Ryan Expressway from Mayor Daleys house and Comiskey Park
Gold is still suffering from the aftereffects of Liszewskis death when he receives a Medal of Valor on the steps of the Art Institute. During the ceremony, a car bomb explodes across the street, killing one passerby and showering pedestrians with shrapnel and glass. A moment later, Gold receives a cryptic text message: “It isnt over.”
Its just the beginning. Untraceable car bombs are detonated at the Wrigley Field El station, Millennium Park, the Museum of Science and Industry, OHare Airport, the Hyde Park train station, and the upscale Rush Street area near North Michigan Avenue. The best minds at Chicago PD, the FBI, and Homeland Security cant trace him, but the evidence points toward members of Chicagos Islamic community. Within a day, the bomber accomplishes the seemingly impossible: a single person has shut down a major U.S. city.
As the explosions continue and the death toll mounts, Gold and Battle are drawn into a desperate cat-and-mouse game against a brilliant and cunning mind. THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR is a timely, compelling, and, at times, terrifying read by a master of suspense. From its opening scene to its stunning climax, Siegel writes a lightning paced thriller capturing the complexity and fears of the post-9/11 world. Along the way, he gives his readers an insiders look at Chicagos colorful neighborhoods—from the high rises of the Magnificent Mile to century-old churches where mass is still celebrated in Polish to the ivy-covered buildings at the University of Chicago to crumbling old synagogues and gritty seafood shacks next to the ghostly expanses of vacant land where the steel mills once stood.
Sheldon Siegels critically-acclaimed best sellers have won over readers around the world for their unforgettable characters, insider knowledge, riveting suspense, crackling dialogue, and touches of genial humor. His nuanced, character-driven page-turners transcend the “thriller” or “suspense” genres and provide compelling insight into the souls who populate the criminal justice system, as well as poignant commentary on contemporary society. In THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR, Siegel combines the characterization of Michael Connelly with a setting made famous by Sara Paretsky. David Gold and A.C. Battle will take their place among the most memorable characters in contemporary crime fiction. Of his most recent book, a reviewer said, “Its a good year when Sheldon Siegel produces a novel.” In THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR, so it is again.
Review
“Action packed from beginning to end. THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR is a ‘cant put it down novel. Read it for the suspense, but also read it for the introduction of a new fascinating hero.”--Huffington Post.
""Siegel, who hails from Chicago, makes the most of the setting…. Put this one on your Windy City crime-fiction list."" --Booklist
“Chicago Detectives David Gold and A.C. Battle are strong entries in the police-thriller sweepstakes, with Sheldon Siegels new THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR, a smart, surprising and bloody take on the world of Islamic terror. As a crazed bomber threatens to shut down Americas third-largest city, the Chicago cops, the FBI, Homeland Security and even the military desperately sift through every available clue to the bombers identity, reaching for a climax that is both shocking and credible. New York Times bestselling author Siegel tells a story that is fast and furious and authentic.”--John Sandford. New York Times Best Selling Author of STOLEN PREY and the Lucas Davenport Prey Series.
“Sheldon Siegels THE TERRORIST NEXT DOORhas all the indicators of a bestselling thriller - fast action, characters you think youve met in real life, bold storytelling and clever plotting. The great city of Chicago comes alive under his spell, and the woes of that city in THE TERRORIST NEXT DOORturn out to be the woes of our republic. Excellent.”--T. Jefferson Parker. New York Times Best Selling Author of THE JAGUAR and THE BORDER LORDS.
“Sheldon Siegel blows the doors off with his excellent new thriller, THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR. Bombs, car chases, the shutdown of Chicago, plus Siegels winning touch with character makes this one not to be missed!”--John Lescroart. New York Times Best Selling Author of THE HUNTER.
“Sheldon Siegel knows how to make us root for the good guys in this heartstopping terrorist thriller, and police detectives David Gold and A.C. Battle are a pair of very good guys. Wed like to see them again.”--Thomas Perry. New York Times Best Selling Author of POISON FLOWER.
“Sheldon Siegel has outdone himself in this, his first true thriller. The rough underbelly of Chicago is evoked and comes to life as poetically and profoundly as in Carl Sandburgs insider view. THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR will go down as the scariest, most chilling portrayal of what can happen to life in a normal Midwestern city if one small cog goes haywire. A real power play.”--Katherine Neville. New York Times and International Best Selling Author of THE EIGHT and THE FIRE.
“THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR is a terrific, old-fashioned thriller. Sheldon Siegel again demonstrates why he is considered a master story teller with the likes of John Sanford and Scott Turow. THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR is a taught, tense, action-packed thrill ride that starts on page one and puts a stranglehold on the reader to the explosive end.The tension is palpable as Detective David Gold races through the streets of Chicago to stop an unknown terrorist before the next bomb detonates. I love Siegels Mike Daley series, and David Gold is destined to be just as addictive. Im already waiting for the next book in the series!”--Robert Dugoni. New York Times Best Selling Author of THE CONVICTION.
“Sheldon Siegels tale of cataclysmic terrorism is so realistic, well-drawn and deliciously chilling, I wanted to send the book to all my friends—especially those who work in Homeland Security. Women will lose their hearts to Detective David Gold. THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR kept me up late into the night, frantically turning the pages to get to the dramatic conclusion. A terrific thriller by a master of the craft.”--Allison Leotta. Best Selling Author of LAW OF ATTRACTION.
“I hate Sheldon Siegel. He makes it look so easy. Deftly turning his attention from courtroom battles to terrorist plots, he delivers a page turner with a heart, and the love affair is with the great city of Chicago and the people who call it home. Great fun and a terrific read, THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR delivers a killer story at a breakneck pace with characters you wont forget. How does Siegel get away with it? Seriously, I hate the guy.”--David Corbett. Award-winning author of THE DEVILS REDHEAD.
“From the first page—when the blind, smelly, homeless man turns out to be a young, physically fit terrorist who is determined to blow up Chicago—I was hooked. THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR moves through Chicago at a fast pace. Now I happen to love Chicago, and I thought I knew it, but as I joined Detective David Gold in the chase, I got to look behind the facades into the soul of the Windy City.Gold is a marvelous character. Hes smart, brave, and conflicted. But Chicago is also a major character and as the action moves from The Art Institute to the South Side, from the cop cars to the churches, from the smallest take out joint to the fanciest spots, the terrorist keeps taunting Gold and the reader.I cant wait to start telling my customers about this gem. It will keep you up nights and keep you thinking about David Gold, Chicago, and THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR all day long.”--Elaine Petrocelli. Book Passage. Corte Madera, California.
Synopsis
Eighteenth Dynasty Egypt is peaceful and prosperous under the dual rule of the Pharaohs Amenhotep III and IV, until the younger Pharaoh begins to dream new and terrifying dreams.
Ptah-hotep, a young peasant boy studying to be a scribe, wants to live a simple life in a Nile hut with his lover Kheperren and their dog Wolf. But Amenhotep IV appoints him as Great Royal Scribe. Surrounded by bitterly envious rivals and enemies, how long will Ptah-hotep survive?
The child-princess Mutnodjme sees her beautiful sister Nefertiti married off to the impotent young Amenhotep. But Nefertiti must bear royal children, so the ladies of the court devise a shocking plan.
Kheperren, meanwhile, serves as scribe to the daring teenage General Horemheb. But while the Pharaoh’s shrinking army guards the Land of the Nile from enemies on every border, a far greater menace impends.
For, not content with his own devotion to one god alone, the newly-renamed Akhnaten plans to suppress the worship of all other gods in the Black Land.
His horrified court soon realise that the Pharaoh is not merely deformed, but irretrievably mad; and that the biggest danger to the Empire is in the royal palace itself.
Synopsis
Meet Detective David Gold. He's a third generation native of hardscrabble South Chicago. He's also one of Chicago's most decorated homicide detectives.
Meet Gold's new partner, Detective A.C. Battle. He's a native of Mississippi whose family moved to Chicago to escape the Jim Crow South. He grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes, the penal colony of high rises across the Dan Ryan Expressway from Mayor Daley's house and Comiskey Park.
Here's their first challenge. More than a decade after 9/11, someone is setting off fire bombs in Chicago using untraceable cell phones. An unknown group takes credit for the bombings and demands the release of Hassan Al-Shahid, a University of Chicago graduate student whose plan to set off a bomb at the Art Institute was thwarted at the last minute by Gold and his long-time partner, Paul Liszewski. Their heroic efforts had cost Liszewski his life and put Gold in the hospital.
Shocked and grieving, Gold rallies to receive a Medal of Valor on the steps of that same Art Institute. During the ceremony, a car bomb explodes across the street and moment later Gold receives a text: ""It isn't over.""
The FBI and Homeland Security believe the new bomber is a ""lone wolf' -a freelancer who operates off the grid. That makes him even more dangerous. More car bombs are detonated at the Wrigley Field El station, Millennium Park, the Museum of Science and Industry, O'Hare Airport, the Hyde Park train station, and the upscale Rush Street area near North Michigan Avenue. The bomber has shut down a major US city. Just to free Al-Shahid?
Gold and Battle hunt him across Chicago's colorful neighborhoods: from the high rises of the Magnificent Mile to century-old churches where mass is still celebrated in Polish to the ivy-covered buildings at the University of Chicago to crumbling old synagogues and gritty seafood shacks next to the ghostly expanses of vacant land where the steel mills once stood. A third-generation native of Chicago's Southeast side, bestselling author Sheldon Siegel starts a new series with The Terrorist Next Door sure to appeal to readers of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and Sara Paretsky.
About the Author
Sheldon Siegel is the
New York Times best selling author of seven critically acclaimed legal thrillers featuring San Franicsco criminal defense attorneys Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez, two of the most beloved characters in contemporary crime fiction. A third-generation native of Chicagos Southeast Side, Sheldon earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign in 1980, and his law degree from Boalt Law School at the University of California-Berkeley in 1983. He has been in private practice in San Francisco since then, and he specializes in corporate and securities law with the San Francisco office of the international law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton LLP.
Sheldon began writing his first book, Special Circumstances, on a laptop computer during his daily commute on the ferry from Marin County to San Francisco. A frequent speaker and sought-after teacher, Sheldon is a San Francisco Library Literary Laureate, a member of the Board of Directors of the Northern California Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, and an active member of the International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. His work has been displayed at the Doe Library at the University of California at Berkeley, and he has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Illinois and a Northern California Super Lawyer. THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR is Sheldons first novel set in his hometown and featuring South Chicago homicide detectives David Gold and A.C. Battle. He is a lifelong fan of the Chicago Bears, White Sox, Bulls, and Blackhawks. He lives in the San Francisco area with his wife, Linda, and their twin sons, Alan and Stephen. He is currently working on his ninth novel.