Doha 12 [Paperback]

Lance Charnes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 2013

Jake Eldar's and Miriam Schaffer's names may kill them.

Jake manages a bookstore in Brooklyn. Miriam is a secretary at a Philadelphia law firm. Both grew up in Israel and emigrated to build new lives in America. Neither knows the other exists...until the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad uses their identities in an operation to assassinate a high-ranking Hezbollah commander in Doha, Qatar.

Now Hezbollah plans to kill them both.

Jake, Miriam and ten other innocents in five countries - the Doha 12 - awake to find their identities stolen and their lives caught between Mossad and Hezbollah in an international game of murder and reprisal. Jake stumbles upon Hezbollah's plot but can't convince the police it exists. When his wife is murdered in a botched hit meant for him, Jake and Miriam try desperately to outrun and outfight their pursuers while shielding Jake's young daughter from the killers on their trail.

Hezbollah, however, has a fallback plan: hundreds of people will die if Jake and Miriam survive.

Inspired by actual events, Doha 12 will sweep you from the suburbs of Beirut and Tel Aviv to a pulse-pounding climax in the wintry streets of Manhattan as Jake and Miriam race along the thin, faded gray line between good and bad, hero and villain, truth and lies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Doha 12 is an exciting and hard-to-put-down read of fiction, not to be overlooked." - Midwest Book Review Small Press Bookwatch

From the Author

Doha 12 is inspired by Mossad's 2010 assassination of Mahmoud Mabhouh in Dubai. In researching the subject, I discovered that the worlds of Mossad and Hezbollah are stranger than any novel can get away with.

If you enjoy Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series or Jack Higgins' stories of modern-day international intrigue, action and suspense, give Doha 12 a try -- I think you'll like what you find.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 430 pages
• Publisher: Wombat Group; 1 edition (January 18, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0988690306
• ISBN-13: 978-0988690301
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,487,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been an Air Force intelligence officer, information technology manager, computer-game artist, set designer, Jeopardy! contestant, and now an emergency management specialist. I've had training in architectural rendering, terrorist incident response and maritime archaeology, although not all at the same time. I tweet (@lcharnes) on shipwrecks, archaeology and scuba diving.

There are many ways to keep tabs on me and my novels, and to find additional material, reading group guides, deleted scenes and more.

Official Website: http://www.wombatgroup.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lance.Charnes.Author

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lcharnes

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lcharnes

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing first novel - can't wait for this author's next book! January 16, 2013

By Linda

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an amazing first novel for a new author. Heck, it's an amazing novel for anyone. This was recommended to me, but I hadn't expected much. Mossad and Hezbollah intrigue wasn't something that I follow, and I didn't expect this book to hold my interest.

I was very, very wrong. This book grabbed my attention from the start and never let up. I found myself reading it when I was supposed to be doing other things because I couldn't put it down. The unraveling of the plot, including the author's suspenseful tying in of the various plot lines had me mesmerized.

His characters stayed true to their nature. I was all set to become upset over any emotional entanglement between the two main characters, regardless of the well-known adrenalin connection between those who have been through hazardous situations together. But the author handled it with believability, specifically the scene at the end.

I rate this novel up there with some of my favorite authors and I'm looking forward to his next novel.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Doha 12 will have you riveted from beginning to end February 24, 2013

By Seeley James

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

When I first glanced at the story description, I thought, Israelis and terrorists--not my cup of tea. But I read the first few pages and it grabbed me. At the end of chapter one, the protagonist, a humble bookstore manager, tries to figure out why his identity was linked to the death of a known terrorist.

Just like that, maybe five hundred words in, and you have a question you want answered. That kind of writing is rare in a debut author and when you discover it, you feel like Howard Carter opening that tomb.

The characters are ordinary people drawn from your family, your neighbors, your coworkers. There are no demigods, no super humans, no magical powers, no extraordinary luck. These are people who toil in lower to middle-income jobs reacting to danger the way you would, rising to the occasion as you would, falling apart as you would. Their emotions are deep and visceral.

A lot has been said about traditionally published authors presenting a cleaner, more readable story than indie authors. There is a certain amount of truth in that argument because Amazon presents no filter, no standard for editing and proofreading. And, as an indie reviewer, I have seen a disappointing number of indie books that should never have been released. The good news is that there are many great indie books out there rivaling traditionally published novels.

Mr. Charnes has established a higher standard: Doha 12 is better than any traditionally published thriller.

For a more detailed review, see my website at seeleyjames.com

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Doha 12 (Lance Charnes February 8, 2013

By Sheri A. Wilkinson

Format:Paperback

Doha 12 (Lance Charnes)

Jake and Miriam lead the average life. Jake works at a book store, Miriam a law firm. They both grew up in Israel and came to America to start new lives. They do not know each other until Jake makes a discovery. 12 people have had their identity stolen and all twelve lives are in danger.

When Jake's wife gets killed he digs deep to find out what is happening. He finds a connection. He finds that the Mossad, Israeli intelligence agency are using the identity of innocent people for a plan to assassinate the Hezbollah commander in Doha, Qatar.

Jake teams up with Miriam in a race for time to stop the terrorist attack that is about to happen, an attack that will kills hundreds of innocent people.

Fast paced action packed psychological thriller that takes the reader on an emotional journey across the globe. I would love to read more by Lance Charles.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DOHA 12 - AN exciting new novel from a talented new author January 23, 2013

By Norita M. Nissen

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

First let me say, I read a lot of books, most of them by big name authors. Some are good, some are bad and some are great. Doha 12 is an amazing, suspenseful, realistic and thought-provoking thriller, I rate as outstanding, especially from a new author. Starting with the very first page to the last, I found this realistic and thought-provoking. As the plot builds, including the author's suspenseful weaving of the many perilous plot lines had me hooked. The main characters are believable, interesting and they're human. Motivations and actions are presented without pushing one side's agenda against the other. There are unexpected plot turns that will be a surprise to even to most seasoned reader.

I rate this novel up there with some of my favorite authors

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Insightful Thriller December 26, 2012

By M.Hoffman

Format:Kindle Edition

It's not often I read a suspenseful thriller that is also realistic and thought-provoking. The main characters are believable, interesting and even the good guys have faults and make mistakes; in other words, they're human. The author lays out the motivations and choices both sides have without preaching to one side or the other and that is something almost unheard of in this type of novel. The plot will take you for a few surprise turns, so enjoy!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful Thriller March 24, 2013

By RJPetyo

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

DOHA 12 is a suspenseful action thriller set in the world of terrorism and anti-terrorism where Mossad and Hezbollah go head to head. The title refers to 12 people whose identities were used to cover for a Mossad hit team that assassinated a Hezbollah commander in Doha, Qatar. Hezbollah is taking its revenge by assassinating each of the "innocent" DOHA 12. The two main characters are Jacob Eldar, a former Mossad agent who now manages a Brooklyn bookstore, and Miriam Schaffer, a Philadelphia legal secretary.

The numerous action set pieces are almost unbearably suspenseful. The initial attempt on the lead character Jacob Eldar, the confrontation in the train station, and the struggle at the Temple, all are handled with enough edge-of-the seat suspense for a typical thriller. Yet, there are even more action sequences to come in this novel.

Mr. Charnes is an evocative writer who knows his territory. His clever phrasing creates vivid descriptions and emotions. The characters are well drawn and realistic, and I never doubted the believability of the action. As I said, he knows his stuff.

The only drawback, the reason I don't go "five-star," is the slow start. I'm not talking about the opening. The set-up is fascinating when Jacob Eldar is visited in his bookstore by FBI agents. The hint of terrible things to come is tactile. But then things bog down a bit. All the operatives, both Hezbollah and Mossad, get introduced. Members of the DOHA 12 start getting picked off one by one. It's an action thriller, yet I don't care about these people being assassinated. I'm waiting for the threat to get closer to the main character. I'm almost ashamed to say that I almost gave up on the novel after the first 15 or so chapters....

Ashamed, because I would have missed out on a dazzling thriller. This is only Mr. Charnes' first novel, so I'm sure there will be plenty more excitement to come. Read more ›