Exile

Exile is the latest book by Richard North Patterson. The book features David Wolfe, a San-Francisco lawyer who is about to enter the world of politics. Until an old friend and lover from college contacts him. She is in town, from the West Bank, following the speaking tour of Israel’s prime minister, Amos Ben-Aron. David had not heard one word from Hana in 13 years.

David and his fiancée, Carole, give a dinner party for Ben-Aron the night before his speech. The next day they watch the speech, live, and then walk to where his motorcade will pass on its way back to the airport. Just before his limo arrives, two copsicles (motorcycle cops) join the escorts. Seconds later, as the limo passes, one of them drives into the limo and detonates a bomb in his saddlebag.

Two days later, still in shock after seeing the first suicide bombing in the United States, David receives another call from Hana. She and her family have been detained on their way to the airport, their passports confiscated. The FBI has reason to believe that Hana may have been involved in the plot to kill Ben-Aron.

Will David take the case in spite of his fiancée’s horror at the thought that David knows an accused, Palestinian terrorist? Will there be any hope of proving Hana is innocent with the media and government looking so hard for someone to blame?

Exile is one of Patterson’s best. It will upset anyone with an opinion of the situation in Israel. He will offend people on all sides of the issues. But, he also does an amazing job of bringing to light how many sides there are and illuminating some of the factions involved. As I would not recommend this book for someone to use as a guide to Middle East politics, as a novel it is excellent.

Patterson, Richard North. (2007). Exile. New York: Henry Holt & Company.