Meet Gideon Gold--Damron's Wonderful Character in First Novel!

Very Narrow Bridge    

By Hillel F. Damron


As is often the case, after I had met Gideon Gold in Unidentified Woman, I had to read his introduction in Damron's first in series novel Very Narrow Bridge!  What a unique novel! If possible, there is even more deep, thought-provoking tension in this complex drama of a family extended through adoption, marriage and the intervention of war...

Gideon Gold takes a direct, driven course in his first case, which turns out to expand into four different missing persons cases (two to find Joy!). Truly an unbelievable story, but one that resonates as a plausible outcome of today's world.

Gideon is semi-separated and taking care of his son while his wife is heavily involved in a presidential campaign. As always, Gideon is in need of money, since he has not yet made it as a screenwriter. So when a woman calls, asking for Mr. Gold, he realizes it's a mistake, but it is also a potential way to make money. Although he doesn't work for the Gold Investigations that was being called, he does identify himself as Mr. Gold--and decides to agree that he is a private investigator... As it turns out, he seems to have a knack for it, even if he does tend to get personally involved with at least one client...

So, he had just been hired to find this woman's daughter--a teenage runaway that had been gone for about a year, but was needed because her father was very ill...
What she neglected to tell Gideon was that their daughter, Joy, had been adopted...

And hates her stepfather...

Finding life better on her own, on the streets...

Joy is a joy to get to know. She's strong, intelligent and athletic, with a body that does more harm than good, except that she had learned what men want and was willing to meet them there, but on her terms. Reading about Gideon's introduction into her world will help you to know the type of man he is, as he stumbles, first, but then adapts to asking the right questions of the street people and finally finding Joy dancing, in a nude bar. There we meet the talented teenager who has a routine established, caring not whether she got any tips for displaying her beautiful body. Let's just say that Gideon was not unmoved by her. But he takes it very easy and finally convinces her to talk to him.

And Joy made contact with her mother...

But then almost immediately hired Gideon to find her "real" mother... Which he does, but she decides not to take his advice about contacting her, and arrives at her house at dinner time, and walks in to meet her mother's husband and two sons... NOT a happy reunion, since her mother had never told her husband about the baby she had given up! But Ursula did want to meet her girl and was very interested in having her live with them, until her husband put the pressure on, while Joy had taken off for a few days...

Joy's mother told her that her real father was dead...so she takes the trip to Washington to find his name on the wall for Vietnam Veterans...but it wasn't there... And the fourth missing person case came to Gideon's attention...

I found it interesting that the book blurb, to me, gives the climax to the story away...am not sure why... But I must tell you that the entire book is, in my opinion, one of the best stories that illustrates how family relationships can and will affect the rest of your lives. Joy was lost within the demands of her family before she was even born--and when her adopted parents gave her the life they did, she chose to leave and live on the streets. In my opinion, Gideon Gold represents perhaps that one person who finally enters a street kid's life and, being able to gain the trust of that child, helps to reclaim that life.

The ending wasn't surprising to me. In fact, Hillel Damron chose the hard way--he didn't provide us with the happy ending that we all want. Gold somehow makes us privy to all the details, but we get so involved with the overall story, that we don't necessarily see the conclusion he knew had to come... Damron faces family relationships, and places readers in the position of seeing the thoughts of envy, desire, need and jealousy but also love--all those feelings we often hide inside except when they erupt and there are no holds barred--and murder happens...

If you walk a Very Narrow Bridge, you just might be pushed off... I salute Hillel Damron in his willingness to merge intimacy within a murder mystery in such a poignant manner. I certainly hope that Damron will bring Gideon Gold back into my life soon. He's a special character that simply must not go away... Highly recommended!


GABixlerReviews

Hillel F. Damron is the winner of Moment Magazine 2011 Memoir Contest Prize. He was born in a kibbutz in Israel to parents who survived the Holocaust. He was an officer in an elite paratroops unit, experienced war and was wounded in battle. He studied filmmaking at the "London Film School," directed TV documentaries, video shorts and a feature film. He wrote film reviews, published short stories - one received a "Fantasia 2000 Magazine" award - and a sci-fi novel: "The War of the Sexes," referred to by the American "Science-Fiction Studies" as "the best of all Israeli sci-fi literature." His short story, "The Messiah" - an excerpt from "Very Narrow Bridge" - was published in "Sambatyon," a literary journal in Northern California.
To learn more about him and his work, visit his literary website: http://hillelbridge.com/

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Related articles

• Unidentified Woman is Unforgettable!
• Hillel F. Damron Talks About His Books at BRH!
• Coming August 15th - By Hillel F. Damron! An Excerpt...
• Meet Gideon Gold--Damron's Wonderful Character in First Novel!

A note from BRH...when I was looking for a picture, I found that there was a song by the same title. I have no idea whether the author had used it as background to this novel. But I loved the song! I hope it adds to your enjoyment and thoughts about the title...and not be afraid at all... Thanks for listening!

Here are the words in English:

The Whole World
is a Narrow Bridge

The whole world
is a very narrow bridge
a very narrow bridge
a very narrow bridge 

The whole world
is a very narrow bridge - 
A very narrow bridge.

And the main thing to recall - 
is not to be afraid - 
not to be afraid at all.

And the main thing to recall - 
is not to be afraid at all.
http://www.hebrewsongs.com/song-kolhaolamkulo.htm 

Unidentified Woman is Unforgettable!

"In the Mossad, too, there were similar
stories. Especially one from the early
days of the organization when, as a reprisal
for the rape of a young Jewish girl, an
unauthorized crew of Mosaadniks did the
same thing to the Arab rapist. Gideon
always wondered, then as now, why
would someone do such a thing? Maybe
there was a clue for him there, in what
some renegade individuals in the Mossad
did years ago. In Israel.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad

Good literature boils down to two things: 
How interesting is the story you are telling, 
and how interesting is your telling. HFD 

Unidentified Woman

By Hillel F. Damron


Out today is the latest novel, Unidentified Woman, by Hillel F. Damron. It is an unforgettable story that you shouldn't miss! Maria Sanchez is a young girl when you meet her, walking to school with her best friend when a large car drives by, opens a door, grabs Maria and takes off--never to be seen by anybody there in her home town...

This is not a new theme, unfortunately. There are tales about human trafficking, kidnapping of young girls, and worse in the news. But, have you ever been personally involved with just one of those victims? Have you heard her story, cried with her, held her in your arms, wondering what you can do to heal the pain of her body, her mind? Hillel Damron started following stories of these girls and his heart went out to them. Readers will easily see both empathy and sympathy reflected in his writing. He cares about these victims and the story he has created about a girl named Maria Sanchez resonates as we learn of her life and walk with her through her young life... Damron writes boldly, specifically sharing just what happened, but in such a provocative manner that, as I mentioned to him in my interview, it actually hurt to read it.

This novel is second in a series surrounding the character Gideon Gold--I loved this man! Many will find him somewhat old-fashioned--he's polite, considerate and not quite sure how to interact with the opposite sex, especially the young women he meets through his cases. The story is written from his perspective and so we get to know him intimately, including his thoughts about those women. But don't get me wrong, he is a former agent of Mossad, taught to respond to all actions from any enemy... Readers will find him exciting, but nonchalant, and his training is readily put in play when needed. Mostly through his verbal communication skills! Cool!

 I love the title and cover for this book. While we may come to know Maria very well, we know that Maria is just the image of each and every young girl that is brought to life by the author. You may be one of those young girls, or you may know a young girl who was sexually abused. But this unidentified woman was forced to suffer so much more, if we are even able to comprehend "more" after knowing that someone has been sexually abused...

Maria kept her sanity by writing letters to her best friend, Adela--perhaps in her head or on paper--but they were never mailed. Still she is able to share what is happening with someone who loves her, and she may even pretend that Adela is there with her arms around her as she shares...

There is much pain and anguish to share. First Maria had been taken to a big place, a farm, where she was put in the charge of a woman called Big Mama. But she had already been touched and hurt in the car and this woman is not her mama, who would have protected her! In fact, this woman probably would never believe her if she told her what the man did--or worse, not care! Soon, this woman claims that she will be Maria's mama now. Maria cried loudly and received her first slap, but that is nothing in comparison to what will come... Where did little Maria go?

Gideon Gold had gained somewhat of a reputation as a private investigator and now he was being asked to use those skills again, even though he had never proceeded to actually get a license! Sid Bergin had been killed! And his wife wasn't happy with the progress from the police in finding out what had happened. Actually, Gideon is a screenwriter, trying to make it in California, but, in the meantime, he needed to make money and this was a way to do it, according to his wife. The main thing Gideon had going for him was that he never gave up... Little by little he would find a small piece of information...and begin to put things together.

And when he put together that a gruesome murder took place the same night that... Except Gideon... Let's just say that Gideon has a gift in remembering and analyzing details... As more and more murders are committed, the police are baffled, trying to find some connection between men who were rich, but that had no other relationship to the others who had been killed...

Highly recommended first, because we need to know and respond to the increasing human trafficking issue in the United States...Check out the author's blog for more background on this! But also... Second, if you enjoy amateur (unlicensed) detectives studying the details of a case and  ultimately solving the case like I do, then you are sure to enjoy Gideon Gold's meticulous pursuit of the individual responsible for so many murders, distinguished by the insertion of a body part in the victim's mouth...

This thriller has a surprise ending that I simply "applauded" when I read it! If you enjoy mystery, suspense with a background story that is compelling, dramatic, and unforgettable, then I believe you will find everything you're looking for  when you read Unidentified Woman by Hillel Damron! And let me know what you think about the ending!


GABixlerReviews

The challenge of the writer is to transform—artistically and imaginatively—a unique personal experience, or observation, into a universal, meaningful story. HFD

Hillel F. Damron is the winner of Moment Magazine 2011 Memoir Contest. He was born in a kibbutz in Israel, to parents who survived the Holocaust. He was an officer in an elite paratroops unit, experienced war and was wounded in battle. He studied filmmaking at the "London Film School." His final short film, "The Petition," represented the "British Arts Council" in the film festival in Tours, France.

In Israel, he directed TV documentaries, video shorts and a feature film, titled "Hasamba: The Undercover Kids." He wrote film reviews, published short stories - one received a "Fantasia 2000 Magazine" award - and a sci-fi novel: "The War of the Sexes" (Milhemet Ha-Minim, Hebrew edition), referred to by the American "Science-Fiction Studies" as "the best of all Israeli sci-fi literature." His short story, "The Messiah" - an excerpt from "Very Narrow Bridge" - was published in "Sambatyon," a literary journal in Northern California.

To learn more about him and his work, visit his literary website:

My Web Site

Twitter

Facebook

YouTube

Good Reads

Political Blog
EMail

Related articles

• Coming August 15th - By Hillel F. Damron! An Excerpt...
• Hillel F. Damron Talks About His Books at BRH!