Israel was founded in 1938 and the main character is the new state's ambassador to Hitler's Berlin. During the writing of the book, Avner was dying of cancer. Rees has described how the experience of writing a thriller with a man suffering a terminal illness was fulfilling for him and Avner. The book was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Publishing history Nonfiction Cain's Field: Faith, Fratricide, and Fear in the Middle East 2004 (Free Press). Fiction The Palestine Quartet (Omar Yussef novels) The Collaborator of Bethlehem (The Bethlehem Murders) 2007 A Grave in Gaza (The Saladin Murders) 2008 The Samaritan's Secret 2009 The Fourth Assassin 2010 Historical novels Mozart's Last Aria 2011 A Name in Blood 2012 The Ambassador 2015 ICE Thrillers The Damascus Threat 2016 China Strike 2017 External links Official website Interview in Shotsmag Ezine 2011 References People from Newport, Wales Welsh novelists Welsh journalists British mystery writers Welsh mystery writers Living people Time (magazine) people Year of birth missing (living people)