Unholy Innocents [Paperback]

People who have read this thriller say they were drawn into a Middle East conflict they knew very little about. It is a mystery that has been called a gripping tale of intrigue, double dealing and romance in war torn Syria. Within the context of the Syrian Arab Spring, unholy choices made by both Muslim and Christian characters strike universal chords. Others have raved about the characters, believable yet flawed, who twist in the wind from choices made within and beyond their control. The novels fast pace grips the reader from the first page, and refuses to let go. The toll of the Syrian conflict on its citizens turned immigrants is heartbreaking. Some have said they didnt really understand the forces that compel leaving ones homeland until they had read this book. The Middle East thrillers unexpected plot twists and turns have earned accolades for this first novel. Some say that they were kept guessing throughout. In the late summer of 2012, six months into Syrians Arab Spring, a young surgeon, Dr. Danel Ottawa, and his wife Ashara, are expecting their first child, after two still births. As she goes into labor, she is stalked by sniper fire on her solo trek to the hospital, only to be rescued by a courageous nun, Sister Helen, who is working at the Damascus hospital for an NGO. After the child is born in a hospital whose generators have been compromised by fire power, Danel commits an unthinkable atrocity, which is a secret he can share with no one. Ashara and her baby are vulnerable returning home to their deserted complex whose residents have fled the violence in Damascus. Against a regime which frowns on professionals deserting the country, the Ottawas decide to risk discovery and torture to immigrate to the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan. On the way Sunni thugs are stopping cars searching for Alawite infants and small children to massacre. Fearing for their baby Hamids safety, Danel and Ashara reluctantly entrust him to Sister Helen travelinl3)