Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    The Mormon Candidate
    Unavailable
    The Mormon Candidate
    Unavailable
    The Mormon Candidate
    Ebook411 pages6 hours

    The Mormon Candidate

    By Avraham Azrieli

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    While investigating the murder of a Marine veteran at a motorcycle rally, reporter Ben Teller infiltrates the D.C. Mormon Temple and uncovers a secret that could shock the nation and determine the presidential elections. In the tradition of Vince Flynn and David Baldacci, The Mormon Candidate will enthrall readers who love a good story, filled not only with lively characters, intricate plotting, and breathtaking action, but also with passionate conflicts and crucial questions of loyalty, religion, and justice. It will have a special appeal for readers who are fascinated by the interaction of faith and political power. "Plotted like a cinematic thriller, Azrieli has come up with a very powerful novel accelerated by a fluid narrative style that is laced with some troubling undertones. At work here is his extraordinary magic in making his readers as eager as his protagonist in uncovering the truth and thus effectively creating pervasive fear and suspense. This is one yarn that is sure to keep you up late against your better judgement. Don't say I didn't warn you." - N. Goldman, The Examiner.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAvraham Azrieli
    Release dateFeb 5, 2015
    ISBN9781311620200
    Unavailable
    The Mormon Candidate
    Author

    Avraham Azrieli

    Avraham Azrieli, a graduate of Columbia Law School in New York City, tried many complex court cases before publishing his first novel, The Masada Complex (a political thriller) in 2010. A full-time author since then, his other books include the Israeli spy novels The Jerusalem Inception and The Jerusalem Assassin, as well as Christmas for Joshua (a family drama dealing with interfaith conflicts), The Mormon Candidate (a political thriller), Thump (a courtroom drama featuring sexual harassment and racism) and The Bootstrap Ultimatum headshot(a mystery involving the commercialization of Memorial Day). He also authored Your Lawyer on a Short Leash (a guide to dealing with lawyers) and One Step Ahead (a WWII biography, which inspired the musical By Wheel and by Wing). Avraham grew up in Israel, where he received extensive Talmudic education, served as an intelligence officer and, after attending law school, clerked for the Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem. Residing primarily in the United States since 1990, he currently lives near Washington DC with his wife, a physician, and their four children. Like Ben Teller, the protagonist in The Mormon Candidate and The Bootstrap Ultimatum, Avraham often rides his motorcycle in the mountainous forests of western Maryland. www.AzrieliBooks.com

    Related to The Mormon Candidate

    Related ebooks

    Suspense For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The Pursuit of Happiness

      Dec 15, 2020

      The Pursuit of Happiness
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Love Machine

      Jan 25, 2023

      The Love Machine
      3 min read

    • Article

      On the Oldest Road: U.S. 1, Robert Kramer, the Buick, and Me

      Nov 12, 2020

      The highway is a monument to the American lust for the hideous, the delight in ugliness for its own sake. The post On the Oldest Road: U.S. 1, Robert Kramer, the Buick, and Me appeared first on The Millions.

      10 min read

    • Article

      Tom Horn Days

      Jun 6, 2023

      R and Selle got the idea during the early days of the pandemic. “It started during COVID,” he says. “After Cheyenne Frontier Days and the bigger rodeos cancelled, I didn’t think we needed to shut everything down. I figured we could social-distance by

      6 min read

    • Article

      Commentary: Fifty-five Summers Have Gone By Since The Watts Rebellion. How Far Have We Traveled?

      Jul 28, 2020

      In the summer of 1965, my birthday cake was stuck at a bakery across town. My mother couldn't get to it because Watts was on fire, which sent surrounding cities, like ours in the South Bay, into lockdown. No way could she have known when she placed t

      3 min read

    • Article

      Adventure in Appalachia

      May 12, 2021

      Ad-VEN-ture (noun): An undertaking of uncertain outcome. As my bike grumbled and began to lose power, that dictionary definition came to mind. Highway 9006 had begun to wind and climb as the landscape grew deeper and steeper, and the rock cuts were b

      7 min read

    • Article

      Great River Road PART ONE

      Nov 2, 2022

      Books can be dangerous; they can inspire you to do things. Jamie Jensen’s book Road Trip USA inspired me to ride a Harley-Davidson down the Mississippi river. His route follows the Great River Road (GRR), a 2500-mile stretch of scenic America, starti

      7 min read

    • Article

      Grand Disjunction

      Oct 1, 2020

      Grand Disjunction
      24 min read

    • Article

      Lines in the Dirt

      Aug 11, 2017

      Lines in the Dirt
      15 min read

    • Article

      Unforgetting

      Jan 5, 2021

      Unforgetting
      3 min read

    • Article

      No Harmony In The Heartland

      Dec 3, 2018

      No Harmony In The Heartland
      17 min read

    • Article

      WIN, LOSE or DRAW

      Nov 1, 2018

      WIN, LOSE or DRAW
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Michael Bourne

      Dec 16, 2017

      When I was growing up in suburban California, whenever my high school baseball team had an away game in farm country north of San Francisco, as soon as we passed the first cow pasture some wiseass in the back of the bus would break out an imaginary b

      3 min read

    • Article

      Faces Across America

      Mar 1, 2021

      Faces Across America
      6 min read

    • Article

      Letter From The Founder

      Feb 11, 2021

      Letter From The Founder
      5 min read

    • Article

      TWO For The ROAD

      May 16, 2019

      TWO For The ROAD
      9 min read

    • Article

      Borderline

      Feb 20, 2019

      Borderline
      19 min read

    • Article

      Backfire

      Apr 29, 2021

      After reading the article about the U.S. Army Transportation Museum, “Mobile Might,” in the February issue, I recognized the picture of the Vietnam-era gun truck. It was in my unit in Vietnam; here is a 50-year-old picture. Paul Miarecki Via email

      6 min read

    • Article

      Backfire

      Feb 29, 2020

      In December 1953, I entered the United States Air Force aviation cadet program for jet pilot training. My last phase of training was in Laredo, Texas, from November 1954 until June 1955, when I received my wings and commission. Sometime in the late f

      13 min read

    • Article

      RecapsLetters

      Jun 20, 2023

      AS A CLASSIC CAR SUBSCRIBER since 2004, I wanted to compliment you on the April 2023 issue. It came yesterday and when I finish it again tonight, I’ll pass it on to a Model T guy who is not yet a subscriber, who will in return pass it to another earl

      5 min read

    Reviews for The Mormon Candidate

    4.5/5

    90 ratings65 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      All in all the book was very good. For me personally it took a couple chapters to really get into the story, but once the investigation began, I was able to dive right in.The novel itself is pretty good. I was quite surprised when I was learning about the Mormon faith. As one of the main points of the story I was expecting only a bit of the religion to play a simple conspirator role throughout. I loved the story, but learning about another religion is something I did not expect.I look forward to reading more of Azrieli's novels. Heck, maybe I shall learn more as I continue to read.
    • 4/5
      If you enjoy reading stories with mystery, suspense, politics, and power; this book is for you. Author Avraham Azrieli explores the world of Mormonism and the possibility of a political candidate who unbeknownst to the American people, is on the warpath for control of the free world with the intent on forcing their beliefs on the American people. "The Mormon Candidate" will not disappoint nor bore the reader, the author delves deep into the back alleys of politics and religion without using finite details. The story does not feel like fantasy, rather it feels like a possibility in today's day and age of shifting worldviews and backhand politics. I also learned a good deal about the Mormon worldview, Azrieli really did his homework. I look forward to seeing more of Azrieli's quality writings.
    • 2/5
      Good book, but needed more research before writing.I really like Avraham Azrieli writing style. He has a way of bringing you into the book. He is a good story teller. Writing is easy to read and follow the storyline. Without giving away any of the story - he is a good thriller writer. Except for the inaccuracies (see below) it was a pleasure to read and hard to put down. This book would have received a higher rating if the LDS Church was put in a more accurate light.I wish he would have spent more time researching the LDS (Mormon) church. As a member of the church the inaccuracies were very hard to overcome. Every time the story took you to something about the church, there were inaccuracies, some small, most large and plainly wrong. I get the feeling that he interviewed ex- members of the Church and incorporated some of their hurt feeling and experiences into the the book - as the church was painted in negative broad strokes. Aside from the incomplete research on the LDS Church - the book is good.
    • 5/5
      In The Mormon Candidate, Avraham Azrieli explores the connections between politics and religion. Covering the story of a tragic accident during a Marine Corps Veterans' motorcycle ride, freelance photo-journalist Ben Teller begins to suspect it may not have been an accident at all. Upon discovering the victim's iPod, Ben finds it contains a journal describing Presidential hopeful Joe Morgan's questionable past and leads Ben down a path to his own history. His investigation makes him the target of another attempted "accident," and in order to uncover the truth (and save his own life), he has to learn as much as he can about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in order to uncover evidence of the Mormon candidate's secret.Azrieli creates a thrilling tale of deception, cover-ups, and murder. His depiction of the LDS Church sticks to the facts (with the exception of the Danites, which is a topic open to some debate). Can The Mormon Candidate be redeemed? Read Azrieli's book to find out!
    • 3/5
      "The Mormon Candidate" is an interesting novel. I like reading classic novels & mysteries like Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh so the writing style & plot was something new for me but still an engaging read. As far as mysteries go, it kept me somewhat guessing at what will happen next. The main character, in my opinion, can be one of those relate-able characters for a certain group of people. All in all, a fun read.
    • 4/5
      The cadence of the story had me hooked from the beginning but at the halfway point I couldn't put it down. Ben Teller is an interesting and likable character with some flaws to keep him real. I chewed my nails throughout the story waiting for the next run in with the ghost (don't worry, it's not a spoiler). The ending wrap-up was effective but swift. I almost wish the book had gone on a few more chapters!
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed reading The Mormon Candidate. It's full of eye opening deeply researched religious beliefs that most people are probably not aware of and may even find deeply troubling. The mystery and twists involved in the story kept me interested to the end and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in drama and scandal especially if they hold staunch religious traditions. The story had a personal touch because of my Jewish faith which is the cornerstone of the internal conflict brewing in one of the characters. The plot also has many parallels with the 2012 US presidential election which gives it that 'based on a true story' feel and really makes you wonder how much we know about whats going on around us.
    • 5/5
      I was recently given this book by a friend and was not familier with Mr. Azreili work. But I will now seek out more of his books. Ben Teller is a journalist that stumbles into a murder mystery involving the Mormon Church and the candidate for president. Mr. Azreili keeps you on the edge of your seat with an ending that you will never see coming that neatly ties it all together. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a good murder mystery with a touch of current world reality.
    • 5/5
      I was a little apprehensive to read this at first since I don't know much about the Mormon faith, but this book turned out to be something special. My favorite parts are the "flashbacks" specifically. They paint this picture of intrigue that really sets the tone for the rest of the book and makes it worth reading. There were a few plot twists that I saw coming but that actually heightened the suspense because you were literally waiting for it to happen. Being a former Soldier I recommend this book because it paints a picture of what I like to call the Military/Faith complex that I had to deal with myself. Overall good read.
    • 5/5
      This book is not only exciting and griping of your attention, but the pace is swift and the intrigue is thick. The combination of political, religious and moral complications are all explored effortlessly by Azrieli. As I've said about every one of his books, his ability to inform the reader without presumption or heavy handed "teaching moments" is flawless. I learned things I didn't know about politics and religion and not knowing them didn't hinder my ability to enjoy the book. I highly recommend this and all of Azrieli's other wonderful novels.
    • 4/5
      What a great thrilling read! I loved the politics coupled with the thriller/suspense aspect of the book. The historical accuracy was refreshing as well as important to the storyline. Definitely recommend to read this one!
    • 5/5
      "The Mormon Candidate" by Avraham Azrieli is a captivating mystery. Each main character is so well developed that you feel like you know them personally. The subject matter gives you a look into the Mormon lifestyle and some of their intimate/controversial traditions. As Ben Teller digs deeper and deeper for the truth the suspense will make you eager to read until the very last page. I had to read the ending twice to fully appreciate the twists and the story's final message. A truly worth while read that I will continue to think about for a long time.
    • 5/5
      This book was unexpectedly gripping. I'm not really a politically minded person, but the amount of detail about LDS beliefs and rituals mixed with a really good story made this book fly by. It also helps that the author writes with very intentional use of words - it was conversational but still smart and thought-out. I was surprised about how little I knew about the Mormon church (I read this AFTER Romney lost the election) and was really intrigued by the story as a whole. I couldn't stop reading!I agree with other reviews that the first chapter or two starts off a little slow, but it picks right up by the fourth chapter and never slows down. I would recommend this to anyone who likes thriller fiction books with lots of detail, similar to the "Davinci Code" books. You'll learn a lot and be entertained!
    • 5/5
      I've never read a book like this! It's original, attention grabbing and suspenseful. I finished this book while at the park this weekend, and found myself sun burnt because I was so immersed in the story that I forgot where I was! This book certainly opened my eyes to the Mormon religion. My test on if a book really catches my attention, is if after reading it for the first time, certain characters stand out to me. For this story, that was Ben. Great summer read, and will absolutely be purchasing some of Azrieli's other books to read while camping this summer! Highly recommend!
    • 5/5
      I've read two of Azrieli's book so far, "The Jerusalem Inception" and "The Jerusalem Assassin," and this book doesn't fail to deliver. Once again, I appreciate his meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that you the reader are fully immersed in his complex world. Moreover, he has taken a turn from his other books and turned his eye to a new religion, the Mormons. I admire his willingness to study and breach new topics in every one of his books.As for the story, you are roped in by his main character, Ben Teller, as he investigates a murder at a motorcycle rally. This offbeat but simple beginning is the perfect setup for the rest of the story to unfold, leaving you intrigued and wanting more as you turn page after page of this thriller.
    • 5/5
      'The Mormon Candidate' by Avraham Azrieli is another great entry to Mr. Azrieli's collection. The story line held my attention from page one, making me both admire Mormonism and think WTF?? I now want to dig deeper just to see how factual the details are. The worst thing I can say about this book is I wish it were longer. It is a quick read, but is exciting and action packed. The characters are 'real' and the details of the setting are accurate enough to make the story believable. I could feel the cold wind as I rode on the motorcycle along with Ben or in the Mustang with Keera. I highly recommend 'The Mormon Candidate'
    • 5/5
      The Mormon Candidate is the type of novel that is really hard to put down. It has a strong steady pace, never slow and never dull. Every chapter gives the reader a piece of the puzzle. Every answer and revelation leads to more questions. It really awakened my inner detective. The reader is definitely pulled in and discovering new things alongside with Ben, the protagonist. It shows a glimpse into practices many of us may not be familiar with, and with every page there is a new discovery.On another scale, it also brings up the topics of faith, loyalty, and politics and how they all cross one another. The characters are believable and easy to relate to. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I recommend it.
    • 5/5
      This novel starts with a freelance reporter- Ben Teller who witnesses a motorcycle accident while on a Veterans Memorial ride that triggers a series of captivating events. He had a hunch that the `accident' that took a fellow rider and a Veteran's life- Zachariah Hinckley wasn't really an accident and NEVER gave up despite several attempts at his life until he reached the truth by doing his own investigation. The twists in the plot made me glued to the book.He enjoyed riding his BMW R1200GS motorcycle, loved his girlfriend Keera Torrence who was a medical student, loved his Mom and especially his job as a reporter. His investigation of Zachariah's death took him through many exciting and life threatening situations, it was awesome. . very intriguing!!!A lot of research was apparently put into the Latter Day Saints faith, I didn't know anything about them before this book but now I have learned a lot.You think you know where the storyline is heading but another twist gets introduced and you're like "Oh, I wasn't expecting that". Car chases, motorcycle rides/chases, near death experiences...what a thriller!There were so many twists and turns especially at the end with the Ghost's identity, I was VERY surprised when the identity was disclosed, wasn't expecting that. The greatest shocker was the reason why Ben Teller was so obsessed with the case, wasn't expecting that either but it made a lot of sense- that was my `AHA' moment.This book is a VERY interesting read and I think it would be great if it was made into a movie, because everyone needs to know about this book by either reading it or watching it on TV as a movie.Awesome read! Loved it!!
    • 5/5
      Im not a big fan of murder, police or politics novels, somebody gave it to me as a gift, but i must say; this book called my attention from the first page untIl the last one. The way the author narrates, with details, all about mormons is great, it might appear, religious themes could be bored, if is not about the one you practice, but I enjoyed the way Mr. Azrieli took me through the whole history. I highly recommend this book.
    • 5/5
      I really loved this book it really kept my attention. I could not put the book down I read it one day. The whole time you are rooting for Ben to have the truth revealed. It was extremely suspenseful. Thee detailed descriptions of Ben on the motorcycle were great. Made me want to ride on a motorcycle one day. This book has everything that makes a great book good writing, suspense, and romance. I would definitely read more books by this author ad recommend this book to a friend.
    • 5/5
      Wow! What a great book! It has an amazing twist at the end that makes me want to go back and read it again. I finished the whole book in one day. I just couldn't put it down. Great read.
    • 5/5
      I read this in one sitting over the course of a few hours and couldn't put it down. The slow build up and political backing reminded me of the old Hitchcock movie "Torn Curtain" about an undercover professor working as a secret agent in the Cold War. Just like that movie's build up, the book keeps you guessing and on edge with it's mysterious opening and doesn't disappoint once the plot starts fully moving. The main character Ben is a lovable, roguish type that you latch onto quickly and holds you for the rest of his journey. Highly recommended if you like thrillers or detective writing.
    • 3/5
      Going into this book, I knew very little of the Mormon religion. My favorite part of the novel was getting an "insider's view" of Mormonism, it made me interested in learning more about the religion's history. The author, Avraham Azrieli, writes the novel in a way that makes it very easy to read and forget you are reading. You can certainly tell that the author understands a great deal about motorcycles and how it is to be a rider. He uses very realistic descriptions and vivid details about maneuvering one. However, for me the novel seemed a bit short - the characters could have used a bit more development. Even though the book was pretty interesting and easy to read, I didn't get a chance to connect with the characters. Also, a few of the "plot twists" seemed a little cliche. Overall, I did enjoy the book.
    • 4/5
      After reading a solid three chapter of this story, I found myself quite appealed by what this story aims at. The choice of words, specifically the adjectives are very comprehensive and creates a deep suspense that simply can not be acted out with typical human expressions. The adjectives of every item planted in the story from motorcycle to even the description of character reaction is remarkable. Of course this means the story is not perfect for everyone, because the topic is the mixture of the standard government versus religion. Although the religion aspect did appeal to me, due to its high capacity of creativity, the governmental aspect is rather, typical and it is simply not the stories fault, but more of the aspect of it is difficult to be creative with government because government ideals is hard to appeal to audience members. The story does not leave any "gods-hand" strategy where the author plants objects for convenience which is a very good thing and does indeed have readers read the story multiple time to make sure of that. Everything is used well and objects planted are described effectively. Overall I give this story a 4/5 with the one point in loss simply because the governmental aspect was not creative enough. Great book overall though.
    • 3/5
      The main character was engaging. the story was interesting. However the book really slowed down for a while and a lot of the journal of the deceased rider just seemed to be filler.
    • 5/5
      Ben Teller finds himself right in the middle of a load of TROUBLE after pursuing a police investigation of a weird motorcycle accident. I love it! The action, the thrill, the suspense! Everything about this book screams outstanding. Personally I wish there was more, the characters are significant and seem way too real. As if they were normal people with normal lives. I don't know another author who could have possibly told the story best! (J.James)
    • 5/5
      This is the second book I've read by Avraham Azrieli and I can't wait to read the rest of his books! I loved learning more about the Mormon church in this fast-paced thriller. Azrieli's characters are all brilliantly written (as was the case in "Christmas for Joshua). This is a book that you should pick up and I promise you won't want to put it down until you've turned the very last page.
    • 4/5
      The book is a fast paced thriller about an independent reporter witnessing a motorcycle accident who then decides to investigate but uncovers a conspiracy concerning the Mormon Church and it's GOP presidential candidate. The more the reporter, Ben Teller digs, the more dangerous it becomes for him and his girlfriend, Keera.Ben finds Zachariah Hinckley,the motorcycle victim's journal and reads Zachariah's journey as a member the Morman community up to a few weeks before his death. Through Hinckley, we learn of the GOP Mormon candidate, Joseph Morgan's, climb to power and the conspiracy. Hinckley's story is a powerful one. A reader can't help but really like him and want justice for his death.The ending made sense but I was a little disappointed. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. All the characters were well developed. The story is complex with great twists and surprises. The book was very hard to put down. I finished it in one day!
    • 4/5
      I'd originally planned to read my copy of The Mormon Candidate over the course of a few days, but that plan went astray immediately because I could NOT put it down! The novel started off a bit slow -- too much emphasis on motorcycle-related detail for this reader -- but picked up quickly. From that point out, reading this novel was like watching a movie! Twists in the plot are plentiful and interesting, with quirky characters making for a truly captivating tale. At times the novel feels like it goes a bit overboard in criticizing LDS and elevating Jews (maybe I just feel that way because there aren't as many Jewish characters in mainstream fiction, while this book is full of them), but that may be to make a point about posthumous baptisms. Nonetheless, any point being made by the author doesn't get in the way of his doing a solid job of telling a good story. I will definitely be checking out the author's other works after this, simply because it was such an enjoyable read!
    • 5/5
      This is the fourth book I've read by author Azrieli and is my favorite! From the very beginning, the story is filled with action and intriguing characters that you really find yourself caring about. Adding to that is the backdrop of the story and the insight into some of the beliefs and practices of the Mormon church and you've got a great story! The action and plot twists kept me unable to put it down and I was actually bummed when I finished! It's a good book that makes you mourn coming to the end! I highly recommend this book and the others that Azrieli has penned. You won't be disappointed!