Passport to Death

September 2, 2019
Zur’s so-so second Dotan Naor thriller to be translated into English (after 2018’s Death in Shangri-La) takes the tough-talking Tel Aviv private eye, who specializes in rescuing missing young Israelis abroad, to Bangkok, Thailand, in search of Sigal Bardon, a 26-year-old beauty and spoiled brat, who hasn’t checked in with her wealthy family for several weeks. She was last seen headed toward a railroad station in the company of a known druggie and carrying a duffle most likely filled with heroin. As he pursues the elusive Bardon, Naor encounters a number of stock characters, including the cabbie who knows all, the matriarch madam willing to share everything about Bangkok’s sex and narcotics trade, and the drug boss who thinks little of human life and often speaks in riddles. The choppy, hard-to-follow quest ends with little more than a sigh. Along the way, readers never get a chance to form an emotional connection with Bardon, because she’s only cursorily introduced at the end. Fans of sophisticated international thrillers will have to look elsewhere. Agent: Murray Weiss, Catalyst Literary.

October 1, 2019
Following a strong start (Death in Shangri-La, 2018), the Dotan Naor series continues, and this time out the one-time Israeli internal security-service agent turned PI finds himself in steamy Bangkok, searching for a missing girl, Sigal Bardon. A fast-paced first-person narrative heightens the story's rawness and authenticity. Dotan is no stranger to the city and aware of its dark underbelly of sex and drugs. Despite what should be a short and simple operation, he soon finds himself swimming in a huge cesspool and desperate for some fresh air. Sigal's passport ends up in his hands during his first taxi ride in the city after an odd exchange with the driver, a pimp on wheels with suggestions to fulfil everyone's illicit desires. Police corruption is rife, and Dotan is getting nowhere until he decides to approach his one-time Shin Bet partner Reuven. There is deep enmity between them, but Dotan realizes he must compromise himself to save the girl. Fans of Daniel Silva will enjoy this. Recommended for international-noir and geopolitical-thriller collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)