'Late bloomer' author publishes second novel

In 2019, local resident Bob Herpe published his first suspense novel, "Gravnick." It is a story of the intertwining of two families - one Jewish, one Mafioso. Now, three years later, as promised, Herpe has completed the sequel, "The Other Side of Crisis." Herpe is a late comer to writing novels. He wrote "Gravnick" in his late 80s and is now in his 90s - and he is not slowing down. He already has the opening for his third book.

"The Other Side of Crisis" picks up where "Gravnick" left off in Highland Park, Illinois, but takes the main character, Ernie Gravnick, all over the world. The story begins with an EL AL flight home from Israel, where Gravnick's son, Jonathan, celebrated his bar mitzvah. Gravnick, now a retired police chief, is still pursued by an American hitman (you have to read "Gravnick"!). During the flight, both pilots are killed and the action begins. Gravnick meets flight attendant Riana, a former Mossad agent. She is being pursued by a Syrian terrorist. Herpe weaves this tale through California, Mexico, Syria and Israel.

"The book is brimming with heart-pounding action sequences, making it an exhilarating and adrenaline-fueled read," said OnlineBookClub.org reviewer Abraham Ozo.

It took Herpe almost three years to complete "Crisis." A few hospital visits, the sale of his home and beginning a new relationship after his wife, Rusty, passed away, slowed him down.

Unlike many authors, Herpe did not begin his books with an outline. Instead, he wrote about his characters for himself. He developed Riana's and Gravnick's personalities - what they were like, their backgrounds - and then let them, as he put it, "live their lives and go where they wanted to go."

He also joined a writer's critique group that meets at the Maitland Senior Center.

"I've become a hell of a good writer!" he said.

Another reviewer, Miracle Oge Adaeze, agreed. "Bob did an outstanding job crafting this captivating book filled with suspense."

"It's a good read for anybody and I think Jewish people will really enjoy it!" Herpe said with confidence.

Book reviewer Robert Andrew also agreed with Herpe's writing abilities and gave him a 5-out-of 5-star rating in the onlinebookclub.org forum, stating, "I was truly captivated by the author's storytelling skills and [his] ability to weave a tale that makes the book a page-turner. The author displayed an in-depth knowledge of Israel and its stories, embedding them in a way that makes the book not only entertaining but also educational. Readers, even without prior knowledge of Israel, can identify with the crises in the Middle East and the daily struggles of both Israelis and Arabs residing there. From the streets of Israel to the presidential palace of the Syrian president, I was engrossed by the skill and brilliance of Riana and her team in tracking down Abu Habib, the man who made killing Riana his life's ambition."

Published by Bosa Books, "The Other Side of Crisis" will be available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles after Thanksgiving.