OMAR ZAGOURI

Full Name:	Omar Zagouri
Nationality:	Israeli
Organization:	PCHAA
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	H. B. Moore
Time Span:	2013 - 2017

ABOUT THE SERIES

       Omar Zagouri is an agent with the Israeli government.
       The department for which he works is the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Ancient Artifacts. That would make his job sound like either a museum curator or a police detective and both would be accurate. To say that he was an undercover operative could be thought a stretch but since it happens a lot, probably not such a reach.
       I do not believe that Zagouri likes being undercover much because that entails being deceptive and duplicitous and Zagouri is above all else a darn good guy. He loves his country and he loves his heritage and he really loves the chance to work on behalf of both but to have to be sometimes less than honest about who he is and what he does goes against his grain.
       So do people who steal artifacts from his homeland and even more so when they use the proceeds to hurt his people so if it means stepping out of his comfort zone now and then, he does so. He just does not like it.
       Zagouri is good at his job, though, because he is good with people. He understands them, usually, except for Mia, his fellow operative and his major love interest. Her he often does not quite get but considering her background and what she has been through, is not hard to understand. Though the series revolves around Zagouri, Mia is such a major part to his adventures, she deserves special attention.
       The missions that Zagouri gets involved in are varied and all are quite interesting. Considering the fact that many of the items that provide the focal point for the assignments are routed in the past, their history is invariably fascinating and the reader is given a chance to follow that path until it lands at Zagouri's feet.

BOOKS

Number of Books:	4
First Appearance:	2013
Last Appearance:	2017


1			Finding Sheba Written by H. B. Moore Copyright: 2013 Undercover with Palestinians digging a tunnel beneath Jerusalem, Omar Zagouri find a tomb which has clues pointing to the likely final resting place for the Queen of Sheba. It could also throw into question current claims to the Holy Land, not to mention proving the Bible wrong. Some very nasty people vie for control.

2			Lost King Written by H. B. Moore Copyright: 2015 Wanting nothing more than to search for his missing girl friend, Omar Zagouri is ordered to find and rescue two archaeologists who have been kidnapped to translate a stolen Book of the Dead. It is the hope of the kidnappers to prove Moses did not receive the Ten Commandments from God but instead copied them from the Egyptians.

3			Slave Queen Written by H. B. Moore Copyright: 2016 A set of newly discovered letters from the 16th century details a plot between the sultan Suleyman and his main wife to change the Ottoman Empire. The letters also play a part in a modern day conspiracy that threatens the entire Middle East and personally affects Omar Zagouri, a lot.

4			The Killing Curse Written by H. B. Moore Copyright: 2017 He was after a fairly ordinary art thief in London. Omar Zagouri did not think too much about the assignment. Then he is kidnapped and moved across several countries before ending up in the Jordanian desert and ends up vying with a criminal organization dating from the time of the Crusaders.

NOVELLAS AND SHORT STORIES

Number of Stories:	2
First Appearance:	2014
Last Appearance:	2016


1			Beneath Written by H. B. Moore Copyright: 2014 The woman was in a witness protection program, working in a museum, when she is in the wrong place and the really wrong time and ends up in the middle of a heist. Omar Zagouri is also involved, undercover, and he might be the only chance she would make it out alive.

2			First Heist Written by H. B. Moore Copyright: 2016 Mia's job was to make a handoff to her fellow agent, Omar Zagouri, but then her cover is destroyed and she and Omar must go on the run.

MY COMMENTS

       There is and has been for several decades a fascinating sub-genre of adventure-cum-spy novels about archaelogists who get involved with international intrigue as the main character(s) learns about some ancient device and goes after while really bad people decide they need that device to take over the world. I thought this series was going to be like that and as much as I enjoy that type now and then, I have to be in the right mood.
       This is NOT that kind of book. Artifacts, yes. Bad guys, yes. So on and so on.
       But it is not that kind. As I said above, Zagouri is kind of a curator meets police detective. He is also a whole lot of fun to follow because he is so well developed as a character with flaws (more than a couple) and assets (way more than a couple) with family and friends and work mates, some he likes and some he doesn't. He becomes real and more importantly to a reader, someone interesting.
       My guess is there will be more adventures with Zagouri and, hopefully, Mia, and I will buy them.

GRADE

My Grade: B+

YOUR OPINIONS

Be the first to leave your own comments about this series.

Tell us what you think of the series. Give your grade and comments.

Your Grade:
Your Comments:

To give your opinion, you must be logged in.