The Enemy Beside Me, Naomi Ragen
The Enemy Beside Me, Naomi Ragen
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The Enemy Beside Me
A Novel

Author: Naomi Ragen

Narrator: Gina Murray

Unabridged: 15 hr 36 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/12/2023


Synopsis

Inspired by true events, Naomi Ragen's The Enemy Beside Me is a powerful, provocative novel about two people fighting for reconciliation over unforgivable crimes of the past.

Taking over from her father and grandfather as the head of the Survivor’s Campaign, an organization whose purpose is to bring Nazi war criminals to justice, Milia Gottstein has dedicated her life to making sure the voices of Holocaust victims will never be silenced. It is an overwhelming and heartbreaking mission that has often usurped her time and energy being a wife to busy surgeon Julius, and a mother and grandmother. But now, just as she is finally ready to pass on her work to others, making time for her personal life, an unexpected phone call suddenly explodes all she thought she knew about her present and her future.

In the midst of this personal turmoil, Milia receives an invitation to be the keynote speaker at a Holocaust conference in Lithuania from Dr. Darius Vidas, the free spirited, rebellious conference head. Despite suspecting his motives—she is, after all, viewed as a ‘public enemy’ in that country for her efforts to have them try war criminals and admit their historic responsibility for annihilating almost their entire Jewish community, including her own family—she nevertheless accepts, having developed a secret agenda of her own. But as Milia and Darius begin their mission, shared experiences profoundly alter their relationship, replacing antagonism and suspicion with a growing intimacy. However, this only ramps up the hostile forces facing them, threatening their families, livelihoods, and reputations, and forcing them into shocking choices that will betray all they have achieved and all that has grown between them.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

About Naomi Ragen

Naomi Ragen is an award-winning novelist, journalist and playwright. Her first book, Jephte’s Daughter, was listed among the one-hundred most important Jewish books of all time. Her bestselling novels include Sotah, The Covenant, The Sisters Weiss, and Devil in Jerusalem. An outspoken advocate for women’s rights, and an active combatant against anti-Israel and anti-Semitic propaganda through her website, she has lived in Jerusalem since 1971. An Observant Wife is her thirteenth novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Christina on September 27, 2023

The Enemy Beside Me, is a heavy read due to the retelling of monstrosities committed against the Jews by the Lithuanians. This is something I had never heard of before and it was hard to listen to ( I read the audio version ) but it was done in a respectful way. It is fiction based on a true story.......more

Goodreads review by Marilyn (not getting notifications) on October 24, 2023

It has been my experience over the last many years that whenever Naomi Ragen has written a new book I try very hard to get my hands on it so I can read it. I have never been disappointed with any of her books and that includes her newest book, The Enemy Beside Me. Naomi Ragen’s latest book, The Enem......more

Goodreads review by Susan on August 09, 2023

To be perfectly honest, this is a hard review to write. There were aspects of this book that I didn’t feel were necessary to the narrative, that frankly I wish had been left out. But, I also think that this is an important book, especially when there are people who want to whitewash history—who want......more

Goodreads review by Poppy on March 05, 2025

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.) ********************************************************* Inspired by actual events, Naomi Ragen's The Enemy Beside Me is a powerful, provocative novel about two people fighting for reconciliation over unforgivable crimes of the pas......more

Goodreads review by Leslye on December 14, 2023

I wanted an intense WWII Nazi crime hunter book, but this book was a bit too maudlin, with too many breakdown to tears moments for someone I would expect to be more hardened and angry at this stage in her life. I know this was based on a true story and wonder whether the romance and tears were amped......more