The Second Woman by Keith Cameron; Felony & Mayhem Press © 2011; ISBN 9781631-941962; 322 pages.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – Denton is an American writer living in England just after the turn of the 20th century at a time when Britons openly sneer at Jews and other” foreigners,” automobiles and telephones are mistrusted mysteries, and Theodor Herzl is meeting with the Foreign Office to discuss the possibility of creating a Jewish homeland in Uganda.
When a woman’s body suddenly shows up in the back yard between Denton’s home and that of his lover, this novel of mystery and international intrigue propels readers into questioning who was the victim, what was she doing in the yard, who killed her, and why.
His lover, Janet, confesses that she had brought home from an illegal abortion clinic a woman who needed to recuperate. But before it could be established whether that woman was the same as the one found dead in the yard, her body was snatched by a secretive law enforcement agency.
Denton is not a detective, but as a writer, he can’t help trying to follow the leads. The answers to the mystery take a long time in coming, too long as far as I was concerned. I felt that author Cameron unnecessarily dragged out the plot.
However, I will give Cameron credit for painting a plausible picture of a time when successful, assimilation-minded Jews tried to play down their Jewishness, and their poorer co-religionists, especially those immigrating from eastern Europe, were a source of embarrassment to them.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com
It is the same today. Successful, assimilation-minded Jews trumpet diversity in the colleges and workplace, but when a Chasid or an ultra-Orthodox man or woman enters the picture, they flinch.