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How did Will Hessler become the Mossad deep cover operative known as Jericho Black?

Among Wolves is a tense thriller told from Will’s own perspective. Growing up in 1960’s San Francisco as a young artist, Will finds himself at odds with his Nazi war criminal Grandfather and radical Jihadist mother.

When Will’s mother spearheads a terrorist attack in San Francisco, the boy must decide if he is going to turn a blind eye or take part in an operation that can only result in the destruction of his own family.

As the conflict within the family unit comes to a boil, Nazi hunter and Mossad spymaster Saul Greenbaum steps out of the shadows to recruit Will Hessler, and forge him into the agent that Mossad needs to defend the homeland.

Can Will grow up fast enough to survive a clash with a PLO splinter group that has already buried several seasoned operatives from both the CIA and Mossad?

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2015

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About the author

Jordan Vezina

27 books44 followers
Jordan Vezina is a writer of historical fiction living in Palo Alto California. In a past life Jordan was an infantry Marine serving in an anti/ counter-terror unit, a bodyguard, and a personal trainer. And a website designer. And a combatives teacher. And a corporate manager. And a singer and guitar player in a blues-metal band. And then an IT guy. And then blah blah blah I'm so cool. That's right. It's me writing this.

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5 stars
133 (43%)
4 stars
105 (34%)
3 stars
43 (14%)
2 stars
16 (5%)
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9 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
5,357 reviews62 followers
January 21, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

Origin story of the grandson of an SS officer/artist who became a Mossad agent. It goes about the way you'd expect.
5 reviews5 followers
December 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was deep, the pace was thrilling, and the characters were so believable and well crafted. This was the first book that I have read by Jordan Vezina. It definitely won’t be the last.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
69 reviews1 follower
September 17, 2018
I was awarded this book in a GoodReads giveaway.

Somehow, i thought i was going to be reading a book about a guy working for Mossad and doing extraordinary things to bring Nazi war criminals to justice.

I couldn't have been more wrong, and the intensity of the book caught me completely off-guard. The subject is one i am good with but the content of the subject was intense enough that I found myself having to put down the book several times... only to pick it up again nearly as quickly and continue on.

The book has awakened thoughts and feelings within me that I thought were long since diminished... You will read about the atrocities, the lost life, the cruelty of the SS and the human side of some of the perpetrators of these acts along with the common rationalization of them. Mr Vezina did a great job of drawing the reader in both intellectually and emotionally.

I will read the rest of the series, but I first need some time away from this one. I imagine the rest will be a little 'lighter' as the backstory is complete and this book seems to be setting the stage for what I had originally assumed the plot would be.

Great job Mr Vezina!
Profile Image for Amber.
1,178 reviews39 followers
September 27, 2018
A fast moving thriller that will grab your attention! Although if you dont pay attention then you might get lost but definitely a great read!
326 reviews1 follower
October 13, 2018
I so enjoy your books. They bring a sense of reality to the events of what was and still is happening in the world today.
Profile Image for Howard Katzoff.
280 reviews5 followers
August 22, 2016
OMG-absolutely amazing!

A fast moving thriller about American Nazis and Arabs wrecking havoc in the USA. Very exciting and extremely emotional. It takes some real concentration to keep up with the characters, but well worth the effort.
Profile Image for Cath.
951 reviews15 followers
September 20, 2018
The setting is in San Francisco, around the period of the Vietnam War. The main character is a young lad called Will Hessler, who lives with his mother and has a grandfather who lives nearby. In the future he will become a deep cover operative with Mossad called Jericho Black and this book is to show what his upbringing was like and what events occurred in his life to shape him into the person he became.

Will loves painting, something his grandfather also does well enough to be a well-known artist. But, there are hidden facts and secrets regarding his family history. His grandfather is an ex-Nazi SS officer, responsible for killing thousands of Jews during WWII and his mother has an obsessive hatred of Jews and other ‘inferior’ races. She has been somewhat unhinged ever since Will’s father was killed in front of her, whilst helping smuggle people, usually Nazis, from Buenos Aries to the States, trying to avoid Nazi hunters.

Will has a different opinion of his family’s opinions and actions, and has a close Jewish friend, who teaches him Hebrew. His mother finds out and doesn’t react well to this and Will ends up living at his grandfather’s house for a while. His mother starts meeting with shady men that are part of a radical group looking to take matters into their own hands. She organises a local terrorist attack and that leaves Will living with his grandfather.

Will gets mixed up with a couple of local police detectives, a CIA agent and even introduced to a Nazi hunter and Mossad operative, who wants Will to look into a PLO splinter group and thinks his past could be an asset. He obviously survives, but in what condition would be giving it away, as this is an introduction to Jericho Black and his start in life.

Some parts of the book may go a bit slow, but you have such conflict and suppression of feelings within Will’s family, that you get so engrossed with what is going on and time just passes quickly. There are very serious issues occurring and being discussed, from the past, present and thoughts of the future. The history of his family is one any normal teen would have been driven to death, drugs or insanity because of. Some of the tales are hard to read about, but are all drawn from the type of experiences that happened during WWII.

It’s interesting to see how what happens in someone’s past, can so strongly direct them to a certain path in the future. It would be interesting to see the further steps of Will Hessler becoming Jericho Black and how he progresses on his journey, in the following books. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Profile Image for Moná.
316 reviews13 followers
April 5, 2019
If you haven’t noticed anything at all about your current surroundings, just know that we live in a not so nice world. Seems like every race is in competition on who is most valuable than the other, but why is humanity being treated more with hatred than love? Very saddening indeed because it’s a mass of ignorance that exists amongst us. Wolves in sheep’s clothing, individuals who believe their lives are more worthy than the next being, such inconsideration for others should leave a bad taste in your mouth. We must do better as people so we may all co-exist and work together to improve our environment before it’s too late.

In “Among Wolves,” author Jordan Vezina introduces his readers to The Hessler family, in particular, William Hessler, the son of Diane and grandson of Franklin. William is the product of a line of Anti-Semites and powerful believers of the Nazis teachings, but he is entirely against the hatred of the Jewish community. So much so, to the point, he had a best female friend who taught him the Hebrew language. Unfortunately, things got out of hand, his connections to a certain group of people led him into a life or death predicament where he had to wear an explosive vest. Of course, he’s all for the cause of protecting as many Jews from suffering at the hands of low-key terrors by any means necessary, he just wishes he didn’t have to sacrifice himself. Depending on your views in this matter you would have to come to terms of what happens in the end. Author Jordan Vezina was certain to provide both perspectives of this constant war against races and allows his readers the opportunity of an opinion.

I was personally upset to read about the length that people would go for the hatred of another human being, let alone an entire community, felt somewhat attacked as well. It was pleasing learn of Nazi hunters and other organizations who are out there to help the Jewish community as well as any other race. At the end of it all, your conscience is what will catch up with you sooner or later and I wholeheartedly prefer to express love instead of hate. This book will surprise you, take a chance to read it if you dare.
61 reviews1 follower
October 21, 2019
One action causes a series of terrible consequences

Among Wolves (A Jericho Black Thriller Book 1) by Jordan Vezina, was one of the best books I have been blessed to read this year! In this first book of the series it follows a family born in a “ War Torn” Germany, trying to have a “ new go at life” in America.

Warning there will be some spoilers from this point on in this review.

The first two characters the reader “ meets” are a Nazi War Criminal Franklin Hessler, and his daughter Diane. Franklin and Diane are living in a “ post World War Two era in Buenos Aries, France. Franklin had been in a special forces unit in the Natzi’s and had returned from war to discover his wife was not “ faithfully awaiting his return”, so he left her in Germany you find that he and his young daughter Diane are seeming to adjust to life in France ,when a horrific tragedy occurs to the poor young woman. The author does what I as a reader appreciates immensely and does not have to explain in depth what happens he seamlessly speaks of her father discovering her performing Nazi behavior and for the first time “ seeing” her rounding stomach. This part of the book explains how the main character Will comes into this world and the tragic events that take a young woman from the path of “ moving on” to “ repeating history “

Will Hessler is introduced in the book as a young German boy living in America and having a Jewish classmate and friend Isabelle Dyer. In this part of the story we find the grandfather to be “ accepting “ of other cultures, almost to the point of encouraging his grandson to be friends with the Jewish Isabell; while his mother is not. Diane Hessler is reintroduced to
the reader no longer a young sympathetic character but a hateful person who not only terrifies her son but yells at young Isabel and threatens her son and this young girls life. From this point in the book until the very end of this first novel in this series the reader is taken on a “ roller coaster ride “ of emotions and consequences. William Hessler is living a life ridden with consequences of a terrible act that happened to his mother that he is never “ privy” to.

“Among Wolves” is a novel that is so well written that I as a reader felt sympathy to Franklin and Diane, two characters who acted out some of the most heinous acts in this book. I could see the many facets to each character and the evil that A kind word and smile not only hid but seemed to evaporate facts at times in this extremely well written novel. I started reading this book and could not stop. I finished the book with in hours of starting it. I have already recommended this book to my husband who loves history and lived in Germany for about three years of his life serving in the United States Army. I would highly recommend this novel to any ADULTS who love history and a non traditional book! I loved that I could not have predicted how any of this book was going to end, and how it showed that one act can horrifically alter not only one persons life but an entire generation if they let it,HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
64 reviews
May 15, 2019
Are you living the life you are intended to live?

Yes, you are! So, you will want to read this captivating book entitled, "Among Wolves (A Jerico Black Thriller Book 1)" by Jordan Vezina.

Will Hessler wants to live a 'normal life' but he is being pulled into a life he never intended to live. He is being affected by events brought upon him that are not of his choosing. Will, never knowing his father, lives with his mother, Diane Hessler, who is eventually jailed for bombing a synagogue. His grandfather, Franklin Hessler, is a well-known artist who paints about his experiences during WWII as a Nazi war criminal.

Will's girlfriend, Isabelle, is Jewish. Will is learning Hebrew. His mother is not happy with him since she has a personal issue with Jewish people. At his mother's request, Will goes to live with his grandfather. Will eventually finds out that his grandfather is not the man he portrays himself to be.

Will's family background and the events that unfold, lead others to assume Will's beliefs are the same as his family's beliefs. They are not. Will is unknowingly lead by others and then helps to infiltrate their neo-Nazi crime rings. This 'easy in' allows him to take them down. Therefore, his life becomes more uncertain as he deals with the repercussions this new job brings.

Come experience the dangerous life that Will is living. Will he survive? Will you survive?

Adults only.

Read on: The story continues with "Jericho Black Book Two: Education" by Jordan Vezina.
Profile Image for David.
529 reviews12 followers
February 1, 2019
I really need to begin reading this series in proper sequence. While this book can work as a stand-alone, it makes much more sense to the reader to consider it the first of a series and go from there. This book covers the earlier years of Will Hessler who will play a very prominent role in future books. Without giving too much away here, let me just say that Will comes from the sort of background that most people would not consider to be breeding ground for a Massad warrior. Quite the opposite, in fact. Were it not for his meeting several influential personalities early on, Will may very well have become a Jihadist.
The more I read of this author, the more I like his work. There are many long gaps in time throughout the book that, if filled in, would likely make the book several hundred pages longer and likely would not add that much to the story. This is a thriller in the classic sense of the term. It has all the elements needed for a good read. Jordan Vezina isn't quite up there with Tom Clancy, but give him a bit more time and he could be at the top of the thriller game. I look forward to continuing this series.
5,081 reviews33 followers
January 31, 2019
An epic series. Will Hessler is the product of the rape of his German emigrant mother by rough Argentinian thugs.

His grandfather was in some special ops capacity. A high priced, famous painter.

Diane Hessler basically shattered when she was raped and became pregnant. What her father failed to realize was the she was dangerous and lethal, not just to his own happiness and that of her son.

Will is also a talented painter, and becomes fluent in German, Spanish, and later Hebrew.

An ideal candidate for both those hunting the Nazis or neo nazis, as well as for those who though he might be a sympathizer, like his demented mother.

These are the broken shards that shaped a boy into a cobbled together young man on a quest for justice.

No blood red flag. No white charger. But oh so many dead.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, read it on Kindle Unlimited, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
117 reviews2 followers
March 15, 2019
A great thriller

Book one is complete and set the scene for future novels. A great historical thriller that I very much enjoyed. A Nazi war criminal settled in the USA with his daughter. Although portraying as an artist Kessler continues to be a killer. His daughter has a hard core hate for Jews and then young child is exposed to a mother who has no fondness for him and his beliefs taught by his country the USA. Will is put through a lot and gets in trouble with his friendship with a Jewish family. He gradually learns about his grandfathers past. There is fast pace action thriller from many angles. As Will gets older he struggles with his mother and grandfather beliefs and plots. It is a page turner and has many surprises Will near the end starts his journey as an intelligence agent to stop a massacre.
663 reviews4 followers
November 9, 2018
I really liked the first 1/2 of the book. It read like a true story which I loved. Then it went down hill from there. Will grows up finding out that his grandfather and mother are nazi lovers and they beyond hate Jews. The grandfather comes to accept his life and so Will and him have a truce. His mother on the other hand is just plain evil. But at this point the book is good. Then it takes a weird turn, I don't want to give away too much but it went sideways for me.
Received this book as an ARC for my honest review.
Profile Image for Andrew Norley.
26 reviews2 followers
February 8, 2019
I got this book after reading a novella Broken English. I enjoyed Jordan’s work so much I am now a beta reader for his new works

The characters are well developed and the storyline moves along at a cracking pace.
The subject matter involving nazi war-criminals, their polyglot grandson, nazi hunters and the rise of neo-nazis during the late 70s. It’s a heady n intoxicating combination that drags you in and doesn’t let go until you turn the final page

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
80 reviews1 follower
February 1, 2019
I have read a number of Jordan Vezina's works and have loved them all. This newly re edited and revised edition cleaned up some of the issues with the original and helps to make this book a much better read. If you have not read any of Jordan's work, start with this one and if you enjoy it as much as I did you will want to get the other 5 volumes. For once a story that you can grab onto and not let go for several days. Great book heartily recommend it.
Profile Image for Pat Eroh.
2,611 reviews29 followers
February 1, 2019
Like many others, I did not understand what I was preparing to read and was surprised at the depth of this story. I was horrified by some of what was going on and encouraged by the intelligence and wisdom of a young boy. I was gripped in this story from beginning to end. This author is new to me but clearly very talented and I intend to read more by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,475 reviews20 followers
August 14, 2019
Among Wolves. Jordan Vezina

Will Hessler is the grandson of a Nazi war criminal. His mother, a devout Nazi . They reside in San Francisco. Will is aware of his grandfather's past and is worried that his mother's fanatical and twisted behavior will one day manifest itself. It does, and Will is thrown into the middle of it all. He has agreed to infiltrate a neo Nazi group with ties to middle East terrorists. Non stop action. Believable scenario. Enjoyed immensely.
121 reviews4 followers
August 19, 2018
I Liked This Book

I like how Jordan Vezina writes and the characters he develops for his stories. Will Hessling is a character that is heroic but has lots of room to develop. I'm looking forward to reading the follow-up book to Among Wolves, where Will meets up with the Hammer of Israel.
October 17, 2018
This is the second book in the series that I have read and and I enjoyed it so much I have started the third.The plot lines are really fascinating and make me feel like I am looking back into history and gaining a far better understanding of it .If you re looking for something a little different then this is a great series of books .
346 reviews30 followers
January 9, 2019
War never ends

A thrilling story of the son and grandson of German nationals who view Jewish people with a fierce hatred. The young boy is befriended by a Jewish girl and her family and becomes embroiled in an international terrorist cell. Well written with true characters with strengths and weaknesses.
Profile Image for Rena.
587 reviews9 followers
February 7, 2019
Very interesting story. The background of the main character (Will) was compelling, and I really felt his confusion with regard to his family. He had a turbulent childhood, but manages to get to early adulthood with a mostly healthy mental state. The author showed great insight into the chaos of those years and he presented Israel in a way that showed how much it faces against its enemies.
Profile Image for Jay Clement.
1,097 reviews7 followers
March 25, 2019
29-2019. This was a bit of a mess. I suppose it serves as an origin story of sorts for Will Hessler, who will become an avenging agent for the Mossad in future books. There were far too many implausible moments and jump cuts in plot for my taste. People acted in stupid or nonsensical ways, and our hero drifted through it all.
81 reviews
May 22, 2022
Not my usual read but really good

I usually only stick to certain genre of books and that’s what made me read another book from this author. I didn’t realise at that first moment it wasn’t the same however by the third chapter I knew I was going to finish the book no matter what. Im looking forward to book 2.
Profile Image for Justin.
578 reviews15 followers
February 2, 2019
Excellent, fast paced read. I am a big fan of WW2 fiction and this was a great twist on the genre (deals with post WW2 Era in 1960/70s). Loved the plot, setting, and the characters. Looking forward to the sequel.
68 reviews1 follower
October 6, 2018
Interesting

I breezee through this book in a day. I found the storyline to be interesting. I really liked the way the story went from childhood into his young adult life. I look forward to the next book in the series. Giveaway win
Profile Image for Nemesis Reviews.
151 reviews4 followers
February 3, 2019
Among Wolves is a nicely written WW2 era piece that is accurate to the time. You can tell Jordan did his research before and while writing this book! I look forward to the rest of the series and Jordan's other books.
538 reviews4 followers
April 5, 2024
This book seems like it should have been available in the 1970s or 1980s. We have some former Nazis and Jewish hating people in San Francisco that perform terrorists actions on Jewish delis, organizations, and synagogues. There are also those fighting them.
I enjoyed reading this book
Profile Image for Debbie Mcnally.
960 reviews1 follower
March 3, 2019
Good book drags in places but I think since the author has given the back story the next book should be even better.
Profile Image for Texas.
1,689 reviews393 followers
January 30, 2019
Among Wolves - This is my first read by this author and I liked the story. The well thought out story line follows a young boy through his discoveries about his grandfather's Nazi SS past and the causes of his mother's hatred. He's able to make his own decisions about the right way of life for him, earning him his grandfather's respect and costing him his mother's love. The young man contributes to the war of hatred after learning a secret about his father. Along his journey, he is supported by many surprising people.

The characters are interesting and believable, and their dialog realistic. The reader is drawn into the story and the author's descriptions are clear and interesting. History is a rich character that adds depth and understanding to the story, which begins after WWII. I know a lot of this history and found the author did a great job with his historical presentation. Mr. Vezina did research his subject matter.

This well written story could have been a five star if the author had only edited the story. Missing commas, lower case proper nouns and titles, inconsistencies and various other defects distracted the reader because there were so many. Many affected the meaning of the sentences. 4*
UPDATE: Among Wolves is updated and changed somewhat according to the author. The update hasn't made it to Amazon as of 01/30/2019.

The Jericho Black Universe: The following well written books are all part of this universe and take place in a timeline from 1910 until 1980, as of January, 2019. The third book Retribution starts in 1980. All the storylines are carried throughout this series of books. The storylines are intriguing, suspense filled and so mesmerizing it's hard for the reader to put down the book(s). I chain read all but Among Wolves, which I had already read and made me interested in reading the rest of the story. There are plenty of twists, kinks and surprises in all the additions. The pace is steady and fast, no bogging down with trivial fillers. The emotions range across the scale and even the harden reader goes "Oh my gosh." occasionally. Nothing graphic, you just forget how depraved the human race is, especially in the pack (or herd) formation.

The characters are interesting and believable, and their dialog realistic. The reader is drawn into the stories and the author's descriptions are clear and interesting. Most of the characters appear in all the stories or are mentioned for themselves or in past events. The characters run the gamut on personalities, frailties, strengths and levels of depravity and goodness. Nothing is graphic but everything is clear so the reader can make the violence as graphic as their imagination needs. History is a rich character that adds depth and understanding to the stories, which begins during WWII. I know a lot of this history and found the author did a great job with his historical presentation. Mr. Vezina did research his subject matter. After Among Wolves, the editing was much better with very few errors outside of comma usage, or lack of, in the others that I read. In a couple of the books, Mr. Vezina offers a PDF timeline for the JBU. There are more books than what I have read so far. Best to read in sequential order; keeps the excitement flowing and no spoilers that way. I purchased all but The Lion of Israel.

Never Forget, Prequel - The beginning of the JBU. Starting in Auschwitz, this introduction of Aleks Rosen, Saul Greenbaum and Jacob Mitzak. Along with some the rest of the characters that will come and go throughout the series. There are a couple of twists and surprises, along with an interesting showing of foresight, determination and survival through a horrible time and place in world history. 5*

The Hammer of Israel - This is my second favorite of this series; Among Wolves remains number one with me. Mainly about Jacob Mitzak and Jane Sutcliff and their metamorphoses from their experiences from WWII until 1952. There is a lot of violence, none graphic, but what their characters, their determination and their instincts for survival place upon them and the jobs they are able to perform. There's a special lady that will surprise the reader when she's spotlighted. 5*

Education #2 - A cliffhanger that continues in book #3 Retribution. The story is set in 1979 and picks up with Will and Susan and their future together. Playing heavy parts in this story are many of the characters from Never Forget and Among Wolves. Fast paced and filled with a few twists for everyone. Needs better editing. 5*

Danger Close (Btwn #2 & #3) - A short story set in 1979. More on Will Kessler and his transition from his past to his future. His life changes with the murders of his mother and grandfather and the shooting of his girlfriend. He does a job that gets him a shock of a lifetime and changes his future. 5*

The Lion of Israel (Btwn #2 & #3) - This short story introduction is for Ariel Sutcliffe and her contributions to the JBU. Her story, her strengths and her weaknesses, along with some of her jobs and where she is heading. A good, but flawed character that is tested with a special job. This book I found on Booksprout. 5*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews

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