The Human Scale
A Novel
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4.0 • 6 Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
In this sweeping, timely thriller, a Palestinian American FBI agent teams up with a hardline Israeli cop to solve the murder of the Israeli police chief in Gaza—from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Looming Tower and The End of October.
"A layered tale of intrigue and betrayal."—Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March and Horse
Tony Malik, a half-Irish, half-Arab FBI agent based in New York, specializes in tracking money from drug and arms deals. His life takes a dramatic turn when a long-term relationship ends and his job hangs in the balance. Amid personal turmoil, Malik becomes intrigued by his Palestinian father's past. He decides to visit his ancestral homeland for his niece's wedding, accepting a seemingly simple FBI assignment along the way.
Upon arrival in the West Bank, Malik's world is upended when the Israeli police chief is murdered. Initially a suspect, Malik's investigative prowess soon earns him a place in the Israeli investigation. At the heart of the story is Malik's complex relationship with Yossi, the hardline anti-Arab Israeli police officer leading the case. They must learn to trust each other because, as they move closer to solving the case, they realize there is no one else they can trust on either side.
Lawrence Wright populates the novel with richly drawn characters: Yossi's daughter studying in Paris, Malik's niece whose wedding is shattered by violence, her peacenik fiancé with ties to Hamas, and a cast of religious leaders, corrupt cops, and militants on both sides. Through these intersecting lives, Wright weaves an intricate tapestry that culminates in the devastating Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
More than a thriller, Wright's novel explores the complex history between Israel and Palestine, revealing the tragic human scale of this long-standing conflict and offering a nuanced perspective on a tragedy that continues to shape the region and the world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This superb thriller from Pulitzer winner Wright (The End of October) centers on Anthony Malik, a half-Irish, half-Arab FBI terrorism expert who's seriously injured in a bombing in Jordan. After a lengthy hospital stay and before returning to active service, Malik visits Gaza—both to attend the wedding of a cousin he's never met and to connect with his father's roots. The trip takes a turn when an Israeli police chief who requested a confidential audience with the FBI is murdered shortly after meeting with Malik. At first, Malik is a suspect, but he soon becomes an unofficial coinvestigator alongside hard-edged police inspector Yossi Ben-Gal. Malik's family gets entangled in the incident when his cousin's fiancé, Jamal, falls under suspicion for the killing. The novel is populated with well-shaded supporting characters, most notably Yossi's daughter, Sara, who flees Israel for Paris to escape the region's cycle of violence. The story culminates with a gut-wrenching dramatization of the October 7 Hamas attacks, which land with thunderous thematic force. The result is an uncomfortable and unforgettable plunge into the heart of a devastating conflict.
