Pam of Babylon [Kindle Edition]

Suzanne Jenkins (Author)

Book Description

Warning! This book contains themes of sexual abuse and infidelity.

Pam of Babylon is the First in a series of Five books.  Don't You Forget About Me, Dream Lover and Prayers for the Dying and Family Dynamics follow.

For Long Islander Pam Smith, keeping house and staying
beautiful dominate her daily routine as she awaits the return
of her husband, Jack, every Friday evening. When he suffers a fatal heart
attack on the train home from Manhattan, Pam's exquisitely arranged
life is catapulted into turmoil as she is forced to face the realization that
her marriage is nothing more than a black hole plagued with cruel infidelity,
abuse, and sexual deviance. Witness Pam as she graciously and
gracefully accepts the foul world her husband's "other life" forces on
her previously immaculate existence. Come along for the ride of your
life as you ask yourself this one question. How well do I know my husband?
Kirkus Review says of Pam of Babylon, "An intriguing first novel that revolves
around a husband's death and hidden secrets...consistently interesting,
this psychological novel contains some mystery and moves
along quickly for a non-thriller." Of Don't You Forget About Me, "An exciting,
surprising story that leaves the reader hungry for the next book."
And of Dream Lover, the third in the series, "A gritty, realistic portrait of
the aftermath of deceit."
"Excellent!" Dan Georgakas, Editor, Cineaste Magazine
Suzanne Jenkins lives near the west Michigan lakeshore with her husband,
two dogs and two sheep.  The Greeks
of Beaubien Street is her new series. To learn more about Suzanne Jenkins, go to suzannejenkins.net

Editorial Reviews

Review

Jersey Girl Book Reviews-top series of 2012 for Pam of Babylon!jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/jersey-girl-book-reviews-top-10-books.html

A Critic's Pick on Kirkusreviews.com
"An intriguing first novel that revolves around a husband's death and hidden secrets.
Women's fiction with a touch of noir."

From the Author

Pam of Babylon is my first published novel.  The idea to write about a marriage simmered in my mind for a while before Pam's particular personality came to me.As I began writing in earnest two years ago, the inspiration to tell a story about an older woman who discovered her beloved husband's infidelity after he died came from out of nowhere.  Pam of Babylon simply appeared in my consciousness and I wrote it as I thought of it. Later, a quote by E.L. Doctorow would confirm my writing style was not unusual.  He said, "Writing is like driving a car in the dark.  You only see as far as the headlights go, but you can make the whole trip that way."    I love everything about her, from her perfect physical makeup, to her unearthly patience.  Throughout the series, Pam evolves as she learns more and more about herself, and where her responsibility lies in the tragedy, fighting to prevent it from overtaking her life.  I hope you love her, too.Warning, Pam of Babylon contains sexually explicit scenes of child sexual abuse. Thank you, wonderful readers, who are able to overlook the stumbles of the first edition and immerse yourself in the story.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 359 KB
• Print Length: 334 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1461135923
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005F5FUXW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,824 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
  • #11 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Drama > United States

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Jack, Jack, what have you done? July 10, 2011

By CHARLES

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Pam of Babylon
Pam of Babylon is, first of all, a marvelous read. The author's insight gives us a window into the delicate interweaving of a family, particularly the women, facing one life crisis after another set off by the death of Pam's husband, Jack. But that is just plot, and it is a very impressive one, but only the framework of this very good first novel. The book reads like a thriller using the interaction of normal daily events, rather than murders and mayhem, as the trigger points for the character development. The power of the author is within the masterful descriptions of the of the life going on around the events, the foods, the settings, the thoughts of the men and woman that distinguishes the book and makes it an interesting read. The underlying family is in crisis and the unfolding of events, between the women in Jack's life, the layering of the deceits between the characters, and the common, but tragic, mistakes people make every day that bring the suspense to the book. There is also the underlying outrageousness of the behaviors the book deals with, and that we deal with by reading their story. The characters are in motion, and changing throughout the book, and the revalations they face not only change them, and each other, but they change us, as well. I read the book with my significant other, something we often do, and we have never talked so much about a book after finishing. We both read the book voraciously. I gave it to my daughter in law and she read it in two sittings and had to call to talk about it. Suzanne Jenkins has written a masterful first work that touches on many of the deepest violations present in families, and does so with a very skillful and deft touch. You will not regret spending the time to read this book or getting to know this new author.

38 of 45 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Did we all read the same book? March 22, 2012

By momanem35

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

There's a reason why it took me nearly three and a half months to read something that would normally take 4-5 days. So let's start with the only positive thing I have to say. Ms. Jenkins can write. The story was easy to follow and there was nothing wrong or awkward with her language usage.

As for the story itself, the three central characters were a bunch of doormats. As all the dirty laundry aired (and there were some whoppers!), no one had a meltdown or breakdown. No one screamed, raged or carried on. They all just took it in their stride, as if it were perfectly normal. There was absolutely nothing normal about these circumstances, and while some people might be able to cope as was depicted in Pam of Babylon, it just didn't seem believable.

A woman, Pam, rushes to the hospital when she finds out her husband has had a fatal heartattack, only to find that his body has already been identified by his mistress, Sandra. So Pam decides they should be friends. And Sandra goes along with it. Throw into the mix Pam's selfish, clingy, jealous and whiny younger sister Marie, and I was left wondering how hard it would have been for the deceased, Jack, to convince these three to be sister-wives and all live under the same roof.

Sadly, the most interesting character, in my opinion, was the dead one. The glimpses into his youth were fascinating and helped explain (not excuse) his behavior. I know a sequel has been written, and I would like to learn more about Jack, but I just can't bring myself to read more about these simpering females. I really had to force myself to finish reading it, and even as I did so, I kept asking myself why. I guess I kept hoping something spectacular would come at the end that would make it all worth it. Although the sudden turn of events that occurred with only about 10% of the book to go did make it better, it wasn't enough to overcome the feeling that I wasted my time reading Pam of Babylon.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful May 23, 2012

By Kalikitty

Format:Kindle Edition

I won the second book in the series from a giveaway, so the Author generously gave me the kindle edition of this book to read so I would be up to date. Thank you Suzanne Jenkins!! She is now one of my favorite authors, this book was so wonderful! It had me angry, sad, and then happy. Just what a good book does for you, it was a wonderful escape to another world. The lives of these women, so effected by this one man. The characters were so clear and detailed, the world around them was described so beautifully that I wanted to live at the beach with Pam myself. I am so excited to start the second book today! There are also parts of this book that were so surprising and gritty and touched me personally. This book had twists and turns that kept coming at you, keeping your attention and making it so hard to pit it down. It was unexpected, and great. I may have to re-read it to make sure I got it all! It's that good to me.

More About the Author

Suzanne Jenkins lives in the west Michigan lakeshore area with her husband, two dogs and two sheep. To learn more about Suzanne, author of Pam of Babylon and other stories, go to http://suzannejenkins.net
Like me on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/suzannejenkinswriter
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