Even after leaving Los Angeles and on the plane to Israel, Zacchaeus (Zach) Miller, a young freelance writer with free time on his hands and a mother willing to help financially, is still unclear about what he plans to do there.

With a tip for a story lead from his longtime buddy Preston, Zach has just recently had a strange encounter with Jivin, a wise beyond his twelve year old self Native American boy from the Mescalero tribe. With just a few words and fewer details, Jivin tells Zach that as part of his destiny he was to save millions of lives, but he has to go to Israel first.

Still pondering his unusual situation, Zach is first irritated by the constant chatter of his talkative seatmate, but then gets intrigued by the handsome Palestinian actor's lively story. They part on landing with an invitation to visit Amir's home in Beit Sofafa in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Slightly frustrated and a little bored after a few days of aimless sightseeing and not knowing exactly what he is to do, Zach calls Amir and is invited not only for lunch but to stay with the wealthy Hamdallah family. Very quickly he becomes part of their family and is given the fullest of hospitality. Over time Zach thinks he knows them well and even is semi in love with Amir's sister. Things start to shift very quickly, however, when he does some idle snooping. Discovering some hidden plans, Zach is suddenly afraid and wonders at what is really going on. How deep does the treachery go? Who can he turn to now? Who would believe him?

MISTAKEN ENEMY is the first book in a new Zach Miller series by debut author Dennis Nehamen. With its quick witted dialogue and storyline that delves deep into the complex world of Israeli-Palestinian politics, Nehamen has crafted a suspenseful and intriguing thriller, filled with revenge, buried family secrets, deception and dastardly intent. With his extensive background in forensic and clinical psychology, Nehamen brings realistic understanding and insights into his characters' motivations and intents to this incredible story that rings both outlandish and credible. His descriptions of Zach's feelings and reactions while imprisoned or in traumatic situations are particularly strong.

Zach is also an interesting protagonist who is full of curiosity and has a very adventurous spirit. His views are apolitical and non-religious at the start but as the story develops, his character grows considerably in the story, yet he is still young enough to have lots of room to grow in future books. Zach has a great sense of humour and makes many playful connections and humourous metaphors in his thoughts as the book is written from his perspective. While this is a good thing, I found it a tad irritating at times as it seems overdone and sometimes less is more. This might just be a personal thing on my part and every reader will have their own reaction. It does add humour that helps release tension in some of the bleak situations.

Overall, I also found Nehamen's descriptions of secondary characters to be well crafted, especially that of Zach's mother and Mr. Hamdallah as their background motivations and histories are revealed. Thriller fans will find there are more than enough surprising twists and amazing revelations to make for a very interesting story from a new author with the promise of more to come! The implications of the story about what fanatics will consider on both sides in this story will reverberate in your mind long after you finish this dramatic story! Enjoy!